The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) last week welcomed the strongly worded ruling which that the African Human Rights Commission handed down three weeks ago citing extensive violations by the government of Nigeria of the basic rights of its Ogoni citizens. The commission enumerated violations of several articles of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, including the rights to life, health, housing, and enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights. The ruling emphasized the government’s responsibility to prosecute those behind the violations, make reparations to Ogoni victims of the practices of Shell and other oil companies, and to make assessments of the environmental impact in the Niger Delta region.
