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The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity, New York, U.S.A., and the Nobel Laureate Commission on Monday embarked on a peace mission in the Niger Delta.....
The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity, New York, U.S.A., and the Nobel Laureate Commission on Monday embarked on a peace mission in the Niger Delta.
The advance team of the commission led by its executive director, Mr David Philips and Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, have arrived in Port Harcourt.
Soyinka, who described himself as a facilitator, told newsmen that the mission became necessary because the Niger Delta region had recently taken the nature of a 'war zone".
He said that following conferences by the Nobel Laureate Commission in Jordan, a decision was taken that an outside intervention requiring a network with the various stakeholders including the people, government and oil multinationals should be brought in.
He said the mission would focus on Sudan, the Middle East and the Niger Delta, with the Niger Delta as the first port of call.
Soyinka said the aim of the mission was to study the region's situation, dialogue with various interest groups and 'bring a moral code that will help achieve peace in the area". The Executive Director of Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity, Mr David Philips, said the organisation met in June 2005 and 2006, and held discussions on 'hot spots in the global village".
He said the organisation came up with the idea of working out a collaborative effort with the Nobel Laureate Commission.
'The Nobel Laureate Commission, as you know, is made up of prestigious Nobel laureates who are recognised by their accomplishments in various fields of endeavour.
'They include medicine, physics, literature, chemistry and contributions to peace among others." Philips said. He announced that a commission of the Nobel Laureates on Dafaur had also been initiated to commence meaningful dialogue soon toward a resolution of the crisis. The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity was founded by Prof. Elie Wiesel after receiving the Nobel Peace prize in 1980.