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12 August, 2005ICEM News release No. 55/1998
As the kick-off for soccer's World Cup approaches, national teams are getting into shape by playing friendly matches.
One such warm-up in Holland tomorrow evening may prove a little warmer than most. It is between the Netherlands and Nigeria, and it will feature strong but peaceful protests against the human rights abuses of General Sani Abacha's Nigerian regime.
The match is being televised live in Nigeria and the Netherlands, and TV stations in many other parts of the world will be carrying live or recorded coverage.
Prominent among the organisers of the protests tomorrow are the Dutch trade union confederation FNV and Amnesty International. And among the Nigerian detainees whose plight will be highlighted by the protesters, two oilworkers' leaders will receive particular attention: Milton Dabibi and Frank Kokori.
Kokori has been detained without trial in Nigeria since 1994 and Dabibi since January 1996. Both are in poor health, and their condition is reported to be deteriorating rapidly. They are still being denied access to the medical care that they need. They are also barred from contact with lawyers and with their unions, which are being run by government-imposed administrators. Dabibi and Kokori are both recognised by Amnesty International as prisoners of conscience.
The Dutch protests come as trade unionists and other rights campaigners worldwide step up their pressure for the release of Nigerian detainees. Dutch unions are playing an important part in the action through the FNV Bondgenoten, which is affiliated to the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM), and the FNV confederation, which is affiliated to the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU). Both internationals have called for sanctions against the Nigerian regime over its continued flouting of basic trade union rights.
This is not the first time that a Nigerian warm-up for the World Cup has attracted trade union attention. During a similar encounter in Germany recently, the ICEM affiliate IG BCE placed ads in major newspapers, highlighting the cases of Kokori and Dabibi.
But should sports be used to turn up the heat on oppressive regimes? Some Dutch politicians think not. In a way, FNV President Lodewijk de Waal agrees with them - but then, he insists, the politicians must come up with better alternatives. "It would be much more effective to isolate the regime of Abacha with a boycott of Nigerian oil than with a sports boycott," the Dutch union leader said today. The Netherlands should, he said, now put the case at the European level for a boycott of Nigerian oil.
Meanwhile, tomorrow's protests will include a press conference held in the football stadium itself, just before the match. One feature of the press conference will be a message from Nigeria's trade unions. And once the match gets under way, a number of Dutch celebrities will be making their views clearly and telegenically known from the terraces. Stay tuned.
AMNESTY TV AD BANNED
What Dutch TV viewers will not be seeing tomorrow night is a new ad from Amnesty International. Specially commissioned for screening during the commercial break at half-time, the ad yesterday got the thumbs-down from Ster, the foundation that sells Dutch TV's advertising slots. Ster has caused a stir. In broad-minded Holland, it is unusual for a commercial to be banned on any grounds at all.
The offending ad opens with what seems to be a goalkeeper staring intently at a game in progress. But when the camera pulls back, the goalie turns out to be a condemned man in front of a firing squad.
In fact, the ad exposes the double life of Nigeria's football stadiums. They have brought forth a strong contender for the World Cup. But they are also used for public executions in a land where the rule of law counts for nothing.
TV ads "are there to praise products or services," Ster's director insisted. The mid-match commercial break would, he said, have featured "beer, life insurance, chocolates and then that Amnesty ad. Spot the odd man out." He also claimed the Amnesty commercial was unsuitable for children.
But the ad shows "not a single drop of blood," an Amnesty spokeswoman countered. Many other TV commercials are much more violent, she pointed out. There is, she said, an overriding need to draw public attention to the Nigerian government's violations of basic rights - which are "many times worse than what happens in the ad."
One such warm-up in Holland tomorrow evening may prove a little warmer than most. It is between the Netherlands and Nigeria, and it will feature strong but peaceful protests against the human rights abuses of General Sani Abacha's Nigerian regime.
The match is being televised live in Nigeria and the Netherlands, and TV stations in many other parts of the world will be carrying live or recorded coverage.
Prominent among the organisers of the protests tomorrow are the Dutch trade union confederation FNV and Amnesty International. And among the Nigerian detainees whose plight will be highlighted by the protesters, two oilworkers' leaders will receive particular attention: Milton Dabibi and Frank Kokori.
Kokori has been detained without trial in Nigeria since 1994 and Dabibi since January 1996. Both are in poor health, and their condition is reported to be deteriorating rapidly. They are still being denied access to the medical care that they need. They are also barred from contact with lawyers and with their unions, which are being run by government-imposed administrators. Dabibi and Kokori are both recognised by Amnesty International as prisoners of conscience.
The Dutch protests come as trade unionists and other rights campaigners worldwide step up their pressure for the release of Nigerian detainees. Dutch unions are playing an important part in the action through the FNV Bondgenoten, which is affiliated to the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM), and the FNV confederation, which is affiliated to the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU). Both internationals have called for sanctions against the Nigerian regime over its continued flouting of basic trade union rights.
This is not the first time that a Nigerian warm-up for the World Cup has attracted trade union attention. During a similar encounter in Germany recently, the ICEM affiliate IG BCE placed ads in major newspapers, highlighting the cases of Kokori and Dabibi.
But should sports be used to turn up the heat on oppressive regimes? Some Dutch politicians think not. In a way, FNV President Lodewijk de Waal agrees with them - but then, he insists, the politicians must come up with better alternatives. "It would be much more effective to isolate the regime of Abacha with a boycott of Nigerian oil than with a sports boycott," the Dutch union leader said today. The Netherlands should, he said, now put the case at the European level for a boycott of Nigerian oil.
Meanwhile, tomorrow's protests will include a press conference held in the football stadium itself, just before the match. One feature of the press conference will be a message from Nigeria's trade unions. And once the match gets under way, a number of Dutch celebrities will be making their views clearly and telegenically known from the terraces. Stay tuned.
AMNESTY TV AD BANNED
What Dutch TV viewers will not be seeing tomorrow night is a new ad from Amnesty International. Specially commissioned for screening during the commercial break at half-time, the ad yesterday got the thumbs-down from Ster, the foundation that sells Dutch TV's advertising slots. Ster has caused a stir. In broad-minded Holland, it is unusual for a commercial to be banned on any grounds at all.
The offending ad opens with what seems to be a goalkeeper staring intently at a game in progress. But when the camera pulls back, the goalie turns out to be a condemned man in front of a firing squad.
In fact, the ad exposes the double life of Nigeria's football stadiums. They have brought forth a strong contender for the World Cup. But they are also used for public executions in a land where the rule of law counts for nothing.
TV ads "are there to praise products or services," Ster's director insisted. The mid-match commercial break would, he said, have featured "beer, life insurance, chocolates and then that Amnesty ad. Spot the odd man out." He also claimed the Amnesty commercial was unsuitable for children.
But the ad shows "not a single drop of blood," an Amnesty spokeswoman countered. Many other TV commercials are much more violent, she pointed out. There is, she said, an overriding need to draw public attention to the Nigerian government's violations of basic rights - which are "many times worse than what happens in the ad."