“Freedom Fighters” Claim Discrimination
0 Comments
Abuja - The colonels in charge of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Nigerian Delta (MEND) are angry. Despite a continual spate of kidnappings, setting of oil fires, and adding to the misery and despair to the residents and employees in the Niger Delta, the US government and Western media refuse to brand them as terrorists.
“How many more defenseless 3 year olds do we have to kidnap before we get the respect we deserve?” asks a visibly irritated Soboma George, a leader of MEND. The 6’ 2” militant waived an assault rifle for emphasis as he spoke.
“We will continue the maiming and raping of our citizens, the blowing up of oil lines, and more importantly, the kidnapping of expatriates until we see our name on CNN and other big, big networks with the word ‘terrorists’ attached”.
The 20 or so “soldiers” in the court yard where this interview was held nodded their heads in agreement. Asked whether he thought is was enough that the local Ijaw tribes thought of, and did in fact refer to group as terrorists and not freedom fighters or militants, George had this to say:
“MEND? Who is MEND?”
A deputy whispered something in his ear.
“I thought we were TEND…The Emancipation of the Nigerian Delta?”
Again, the deputy whispered something inaudible into his ear.
“Whatever the case may be”, said George, “go and tell George Bush that we shall not be satisfied until he stands on that his podium and declares us a terrorist threat to the world. We alone have caused oil prices to increase 300%. This is serious business. There is a white woman in the mid-west in a minivan that cannot fill her tank. I used to be a taxi driver in the US. I know these things!”
