Date Published: 02/08/11
RE: 500 Nigerians return from Egypt: Arisenigeria hails FGN
Arisenigeria is most pleased and proud to know that NEMA (Nigeria Emergency Management Agency) has put in place arrangements to evacuate Nigerians from Egypt because of the current state of unrest in that country which is likely to turn into anarchy.
Arisenigeria considers this a very significant development which in fairness to our government constitutes a laudable grand shift in attitude. We therefore take this opportunity to commend and complement their effort and urge them to ensure that such rapid responses becomes part of the new approach to solving problems relating to Nigerians in Diaspora. We also plead with our leaders to ensure that this becomes an approved function of government which must find its way into our constitution.
Arisenigeria has been campaigning for the protection of the legal, human rights and dignity of Nigerians abroad. Our campaign was inspired by our observations of the treatment many Nigerians receive at the hands foreign governments including the unlawful imprisonmentmand killings of Nigerians.
For instance in 2008 Indonesia government executed two Nigerians for the alleged offences of drug trafficking with a further threat to kill more. In 2009 Libya executed Nigerians some of whom were alleged to have committed the civil offence of over staying their immigration permits. It is also claimed that Nigerians are murdered in cold blood in China for none violent or criminal offences which if their host citizens commit were never considered an offence. Many Nigerians in Poland, Turkey, the USA etc are in prison for offences which they did not commit but are not likely to see freedom soon because no one seems to care. Nigerians are practically at risk in many countries of the world simply because they are Nigerians and this is not acceptable.
We totally condemn and will never condone crime or any conduct which may jeopardise the reputation of Nigeria at home or abroad. However, we completely condemn the apparent lack of care demonstrated by some of our foreign Missions, Ministry for Foreign affairs and many other organs of government whose responsibility it is to protect and preserve the rights, human rights and interest of Nigerians at all times anywhere in the world..
“Section 19 (a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides that the foreign policy objectives shall be the promotion and protection of the national interest”.
Such national interest as many of us will agree from our experience of living in Diaspora should include the protection of the Human Rights of Nigerians wherever they may be in the world, howsoever and whatsoever regardless of their personal circumstances or status in life.
In furtherance of these obligations, the Federal Government has a duty to provide care and welfare support to Nigerians in need anywhere in the world and that includes rapid response in times of emergencies just as NEMA has done. Arisenigeria is therefore very pleased and urge Nigerians to support the efforts of NEMA. It is a step towards greater respectability for us which will bring our attitude towards the protection of the lives of Nigerians in line with most modern societies.
We applaud the Federal Government and hope that they will liaise with many Nigerians in Diaspora in order to find a permanent solution to the issues which have continued to expose us to risks from foreign governments and their citizens.
God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!!
Signed:
Board of Directors arisenigeria
www.arisenigeria.org |
