NEW ZEALAND: SARO WIWA'S SON, REACTION TO FATHER'S DEATH SENTENCE

Описание: (9 Nov 1995) English/Nat

The son of a Nigerian activist whose controversial death sentence has been confirmed by the country's military dictatorship has spoken out against the ruling.

Nigeria announced Wednesday that it intended to hang the condemned playwright and human-rights activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight others for allegedly ordering the killing of four men during a political rally.

Saro-Wiwa had led local resistance by his Ogoni people against pollution by the Ango- Dutch Shell oil company.

Ken Saro-Wiwa Junior is in New Zealand to try to rally support for his father from Commonwealth leaders attending their annual conference.

He said he was surprised by the confirmation of his father's death sentence, and that Commonwealth action needed to be taken against Nigeria before it was too late.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Again, I'm still stunned even though we've known all along this was almost inevitable. It still comes as a shock that they are actually about to ratify the sentences and are now in the process of going ahead with it."
Q: "What's your message now to the Commonwealth leaders gathered here?"
A: "Well, all this week we've heard about how the leaders must deal with Nigeria softly - through `softly/softly diplomacy'. Well, if that's going to `work, softly/softly diplomacy' needs to work now because by tomorrow it might be too late."
Q: "Realistically, what do you think they can do, should do now?"
A: "It's difficult to say on the whole. The question of sanctions is a difficult thing and I gather can't really be effected until after the conference. So I think what needs to be done is they need to have strong words with the Nigerian authorities and regime, and to leave them in no doubt as to what the outcome will be for them in the international community if they carry out these sentences."
Q:" The Secretary General himself is obviously a fellow countryman. Do you intend to make any appeals to him or where do you go from here? Where does the campaign go from here?"
A: "On the first question, I think he's already going to make a statement, and I gather he has to be careful not to upset his own constituency and to bear on his position as Secretary General. But I gather he is making a statement as Secretary of the Commonwealth on this issue. As far as our campaign goes from here, it's really in the hands of the politicians now. And if Nigeria decides to go ahead, then we have to sit down and think, where the Ogoni people are and take stock of the situation and see where we go from there."
Q: "Yesterday, you said that the Commonwealth and this meeting was in some respects your last chance. It's all moved on from there. What's your feelings this morning?"
A: "It's merely what we confirmed yesterday. This is the last chance because if the Commonwealth doesn't do anything then surely my fathers and the others will be executed. We've said it for over a year now and we're now at crunch point - this is now the time where politicians have to at act."
Q: "What about your father himself? How do you think he will cope with this morning's news?"
A: "I think it'll be very difficult. Al during his ordeal he's been very strong - he's remained defiant. But I think now the reality of the situation is dawning on him and I can't imagine that he'll be taking it as strong as he has been."
Q:"In the unlikely event that he could see any of this, what would your message be to your father this morning?"
Q: "And your message to General Abacha?"

SUPERCAPTION: Ken Saro-Wiwa Junior.

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