FREE DETAINEES, NIGERIAN UNION SAYS (fwd)

[Robert Weissman <rob@essential.org>]

  ---------- Forwarded message ----------
  Date: Fri, 07 Nov 1997 10:24:35 +0100 GMT
  From: ICEM@GEO2.poptel.org.uk
  To: ICEM-PUB@GEO2.poptel.org.uk, ICEM-MB-AFF@GEO2.poptel.org.uk,
      ICEM-FAX-AFF@GEO2.poptel.org.uk, ICEM-ITS@GEO2.poptel.org.uk,
      LABOUR@GEO2.poptel.org.uk
  Cc: rkavanagh@energyintel.com
  Subject: FREE DETAINEES, NIGERIAN UNION SAYS
  
  ICEM UPDATE
  
  No. 66/1997
  
  7 November 1997
  
  The following is from the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM):
  
  NIGERIAN UNION SAYS FREE DETAINEES NOW
  
  Detained Nigerian oil workers' leaders Milton Dabibi and Frank Kokori should be released immediately, Nigeria's National Union of Civil Engineering, Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers urged on Tuesday. 
  
  A communique issued by the union's executive council also called for the immediate democratisation of the national trade union confederation, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
  
  Milton Dabibi is General Secretary of oil and gas workers' union PENGASSAN, and Frank Kokori is General Secretary of oil and gas workers' union NUPENG. Kokori has been detained without charge or trial since 1994 and Dabibi since January 1996. Both are in poor health and are being denied proper medical treatment. Both are recognised by Amnesty International as prisoners of conscience.
  
  PENGASSAN, NUPENG and the NLC have been subject to government intervention ever since the Nigerian oil workers' strike of 1994, and are currently under government-imposed "sole administrators".
  
  NUPENG and PENGASSAN are affiliated to the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM).
  
  The ICEM has put Nigeria's military rulers on notice of targeted worldwide trade union action against Nigerian oil exports unless Dabibi and Kokori are immediately and unconditionally released.
  
  --
  
  NOTE: Campaign posters (in English, French, German, Norwegian or Spanish) and photos of Dabibi and Kokori are available from the ICEM.
  
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