Hunger Strike

[David Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

I normally stear away from sending out such notes but I decided to make an
exception in this case. Let your beliefs and concience be your guide as you
read this.


Dave




Date: Thu, 29 Sep 1994 21:00:01 -0400
From: alburty () panix com (Steve Alburty)


David: I got an urgent call this afternoon from Anita Roddick's office.
Apparently, Ken Saro-Wiwa has gone on a hunger strike and is near death.
Would it be at all possible for you to send this note out soon?


Steve


--------------------------------------------------------------------------


I had the pleasure last month of spending some time with Anita Roddick, the
founder of the Body Shop, and during my visit took her on a grand tour of
the Internet.  Anita and her company are extraordinarily passionate about
many social issues and she instantly saw the value of the Internet as a
means of reaching a worldwide audience with a call-to-action on these vital
causes.  And so she issued a challenge to me: demonstrate the power of the
Net by performing one small task - save a single human life.


On May 22nd, Ken Saro-Wiwa, a writer and civil-rights advocate, was
arrested in southeast Nigeria and is being held in some unknown place of
detention. He is accused of inciting youths to murder four leading members
of the Ogoni native community. In fact, the Body Shop and Amnesty
International believe that Ken is being falsely accused and that his real
"crime" has been leading a campaign against environmental damage and
inadequate compensation by oil companies operating in his homeland -
Ogoniland, Rivers State, Nigeria.


The Ogoni people are a fishing and farming community unlucky enough to live
within one of the world's richest oil-producing areas. Hundreds of
pipelines and oil wells, most built decades ago, have poisoned the water.
Thick pools of spilled crude dot the landscape. The 500,000 inhabitants of
Ogoniland receive virtually no compensation for the riches that are removed
from their land. In May, the European edition of the Wall Street Journal
reported on the desolation and poverty caused by the oil-barons of Nigeria.
The reporter was promptly detained, interrogated and deported. (This is the
same "justice" system, by the way, which is currently trying the winner of
last year's Presidential election for treason. His crime? Winning the
election.)


Ken Saro-Wiwa has been repeatedly arrested and harassed by the security
forces in the past because of his campaign on behalf of his people. This
time, he is threatened with life imprisonment and is being denied access to
medical attention, legal counsel and family contact.  Word has now reached
us that Ken is on a hunger strike, so your help is URGENTLY needed.


I am asking everyone on David Farber's "interesting people" distribution
list to lend their voices in helping to free Ken from his imprisonment by
sending a message to "freeken () panix com." Your message will automatically
be printed and forwarded by mail to Walter Carrington, the United States
Ambassador to Nigeria in Lagos, and to Lt.Col Dauda M. Komo, the Military
Administrator for Rivers State, Nigeria.


Again, please send a message via the Internet to "freeken () panix com."
(Anyone wanting additional information on Ken and the political situation
in Nigeria can contact "alburty () panix com")


For the benefit of those who would like to "copy and paste," here is a
sample message you might send:


-------------------------------------------------------------


I am concerned by the arrest of Ken Saro-Wiwa, who has been detained solely
because of his campaign against environmental
damage and inadequate compensation by oil companies operating in Ogoniland,
Rivers State, and because of his influence within the Ogoni community.


I seek clarification of the reason for his arrest, his place of detention,
the legislation under which he is held and any charges against him.


I urge that he be given immediate access to his lawyer and family, be
provided with all necessary medical care and be held in humane conditions.


Ken is a prisoner of conscience because of his non-violent political
activities and criticism of government policies and I call on the Nigerian
authorities to release him immediately and unconditionally.


This message comes to you from the Internet, the worldwide communications
network.