Date Published: 10/02/09

JRC, Insurgent Group, backs out of amnesty 'panel'

JOINT Revolutionary Council (JRC), an insurgent netrk that comprises some alliance units of the Movement for the Emancipation of the People of the Niger Delta (MEND), The Reformed Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force (R-NDPVF), and  The Martyrs Brigade, says they are not part of the group shortlisted to oversee or observe the disarmament and amnesty process currently ongoing across the length and breadth of the Niger Delta.

Spokesperson of the group, Cynthia Whyte, in an on-line statement to our correspondent on Friday said, ''we have no business with this group and declare that all those who seek to trade the efforts of our heroic combatants in the creeks for a few more medals to their resumes and curriculum vitas shall be called to judgment''.

According to the JRC, ''for a few years now, the just struggle for the liberation and emancipation of the people of the Niger Delta has been converted to an avenue for a hungry and relevance seeking band to create quick employment and absurd leverage for themselves. From filthy and corrupt politicians to phony NGOs and self-centered individuals''.

They claimed that hiding under the cover of ''very dubious groups with strange nomenclatures, these people throng the corridors of powers seeking favors and undue privilege while hiding under the cloak of negotiating for the oppressed people of the Niger Delta and our heroic combatants in the creeks, exploiting without pity or remorse, the ignorance and lack of knowledge of many of those who remain hidden in the deep and uncomfortable creeks. We shall put them to shame''.

Adding, they said, ''we wish to warn all relevant authorities that any attempt to undermine our calling shall be met with grave consequences. The trenches in the creeks are far different from the keyboards of a cheap computer. Our silence must no longer be taken ignorance.

''We however will not fail to remind the government of the Nigerian state that increasing sincerity on its part is a key ingredient in the disarmament process. With each measure of sincerity that they bring to the table, the same measure of sincerity they will get''.

Continuing, they said, ''we abhor in strong faith, the arrogance and despicable attitude of the Chairman of the Amnesty Committee, Godwin Abbe. If he continues to use hard words laced with threats, he will fail. Our people have been pushed to the wall for too long and have built a resistance to such threats''.

''We have earned the right to defend our people, resources and our heritage. This would be a wrong time to test our resolve. The pains of the attack on Gbaramatu Kingdom and the extrajudicial killing of men, women and children as well as the destruction of properties worth billions of naira is still too fresh in our minds. A word will clearly be enough for the wise'', they said.