plea for Nigerian journalist

[stephen.mills@sfsierra.sierraclub.org]

  >From: SEJOffice@aol.com
  >Date: Thu, 3 Jul 1997 19:49:50 -0400 (EDT) 
  >To: SEJ@indra.com
  >Subject: plea for Nigerian journalist 
  >Sender: owner-sej@indra.com
  >
  >Dear SEJ members,
  >
  >SEJ office and our international affiliate IFEJ have both received a 
  >desperately worded letter from  Rogers T. NTOR-UE, an Ogoni Environmental 
  >Journalist, now in Accra (Ghana) in Exile.  He escaped from Nigeria after the 
  >execution of KEN SARO WIWA.  The letter is dated June 16th. He is requesting 
  >SEJ/IFEJ assistance in the form of an air ticket or funds to take him out of 
  >Africa to one of several international conferences, for purposes of seeking 
  >asylum.  IFEJ would like to pull together sponsorship for this ticket and it 
  >has asked for support from affiliate countries. IFEJ will also invite Rogers 
  >T. NTOR-UE to the IFEJ annual conference, set for October in Budapest to talk 
  >about the situation in Nigerian and the reporting he has been trying to do.  
  >
  >Would you like to contribute to this fund?  SEJ will forward all 
  >contributions, small and large. $2000 is needed.  Send checks to the SEJ 
  >office memo'd "IFEJ fund"  and we will forward the funds. Please message us 
  >if you intend to contribute so we can get a count and expedite the transfer. 
  >
  >He sent numerous supporting documents indicating his efforts to secure help 
  >from numerous parties in his own area, as well as a letter confirming his 
  >invitation to a conference in the UK.  We connected the envelope we received 
  >with a message posted on the IFEJ listserv on June 25th also carrying a plea 
  >for urgent help, they wrote "from ROGERSON MENSAH (who's actual name is 
  >Rogers T. NTOR-UE)."    
  >
  >Rogers writes in his letter to SEJ "I am an environmental journalist, 
  >indiginous minority rights activist, author and publisher/editor in chief of 
  >OGONISCOPE magazine.  I narrowly escaped arrest, torture, imprisonment and 
  >execution for allegedly publishing inciteous and sedititeous articles against 
  >the Nigerian government."   He is asking in a long and shocking letter if SEJ 
  >and IFEJ can help him to escape. He wants to come to London immediately for a 
  >congress (where he is invited) and obviously he wants to stay and ask for 
  >political asylum (alternatively he asks for the invitation and Ticket to any 
  >other Journalist-Congress).  IFEJ would also be willing to sponsor and invite 
  >him to Budapest meetings in October. The difference is how quickly money for 
  >the ticket can be raised.
  >
  >We contacted IFEJ to find out what's happened with efforts on to assist so 
  >far. IFEJ is spreading the word but as yet has no monetary assistance. We 
  >faxed a copy of his letter to Amnesty International asking if there was 
  >anything they could do. While they provided useful context about the 
  >situation of the Ogoni and the Nigerian government, amidst complaints against 
  >Shell Oil, and sympathize with his plight, they unfortunately can only help 
  >when people are already imprisoned.
  >
  >We believe this appeal for help to be appropriate for passing  directly to 
  >SEJ members, as you are de facto affiliates of IFEJ. Mr. Mensah believes his 
  >life to be in danger. He remains in hiding to escape security forces. He 
  >states that his only "crime" has been to express critical views of the 
  >government in his newspaper. 
  >
  >If you wish to learn more about this case and want to offer any help, please 
  >contact the SEJ office. We have informed IFEJ that we would make an appeal to 
  >the SEJ membership and direct any contributions on behalf of Mr. Mensah 
  >directly to IFEJ. If you care to make a contribution, please message 
  >SEJoffice@aol.com on what you intend to send and we will expedite transfers. 
  > If you wish to contact IFEJ directly, please email Michael Schweres at IFEJ 
  >HQ in Paris, email to:
  >
  >M.SCHWERES@OLN.comlink.apc.org
  >
  >We are happy to share copies of the letter and supporting documents he sent 
  >us with anyone who would want to use them in reporting on the Nigeria and 
  >Ogoni situation. Thanks.
  >
  >Thank you.
  >
  >Beth Parke, executive director
  >Society of Environmental Journalists 
  >P.O. Box 27280
  >Philadelphia, PA  19118
  >voice: 215-836-9970
  >fax: 215-836-9972
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >