EMIROAF
63 Tujuosho Street/PO Box 696
Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria
Tel: +01 234 1 83 79 55
Fax: +01 234 1 83 22 18
The Ethnic Minority Rights Organization of Africa is a
non-profit, non-partisan, non-governmental organization
dedicated to research in the areas of human rights and
environmental protection among ethnic minority, tribal and
indigenous peoples in Africa.
The surging tide of democracy in Africa can, if correctly
guided, reverse the continent's fatal cycle of dictatorship
and economic calamity.
One of the main problems which democracy faces in Africa is
that of ethnic pluralism, in its unusually vast cultural,
linguistic and geographic bases. Yet, Africa must learn to
live with this diversity. The search is now on for a formula
which will provide for stability and equity by
disaggregating centralized power and allowing freedom of
association, including ethnic organization.
"Kill the tribe to build the nation", the motto of
Mozambique's ruling FRELIMO party may well have been the
credo of almost all African rulers and intellectuals. Yet
even as they denounced "tribalism", rulers, administrators,
business executives and intellectuals indulged in ethnic
patronage to bolster their own authoritarianism or to
distribute power and resources.
The challenge of Africa, it has been said, is to cultivate
the benefits of ethnic diversity, while minimizing its
destructive political potential. Democracy offers to meet
this challenge. But the need is not merely the right to vote
or the establishment of multi-party structures or even a
suitable constitution. For instance, in Nigeria where the
multi-ethnic nature of the society led to a federal
constitution, the ethnic majorities still control the
government apparatus and the resources of the country
exclusively. This has led to tension, the gross violatiom of
the rights of the ethnic minorities, ethnocide, and even
genocide.
The antidote to this is the development of a society where
all the rights of ethnic minority, tribal and indigenous
peoples, including the right to self-determination, are
fully protected.
This can only come about when there is full awareness of
such rights on the part of such peoples. Then it will be
seen by all that national and ethnic identities are not
mutually exclusive.
The political maginalization of ethnic minority, tribal and
indigenous peoples has led to the devastation of their
environment. Therefore, the right to control their
environment is an adjunct of the exercise of full political
rights. And this is in the interest of humanity as a whole.
That is why the environment is a major concern of this
organization.
What We Do:
*Mobilizing ethnic minority, tribal and indigenous peoples
in Africa to a full awareness of their human and
environmental rights.
*Organizing workshops, symposia, conferences, talks and
research to the above end.
*Training cadres from target groups in the art of
non-violent struggle for human rights and environmental
protection.
*Putting pressure on decision-makers in matters related to
the political, economic and environmental rights of ethnic
minority, tribal and indigenous peoples.
*Informing and creating public awareness of the problems of
ethnic minority, tribal and indigenous peoples.
*Representing, upon request, the interest of target groups
in international and national fora.
*Undertaking specific projects among target groups.
What We Have Done:
We have thus far publicized matters related to the ethnic
minority, indigenous and tribal peoples in Africa. Our first
project among the Ogoni people of Nigeria has been very
successful and hase given us encouragement to expand our
activities to other parts of Nigeria and Africa. The Ogoni
are now full-fledged members of UNPO (Unrepresented Nations
and Peoples Organization) based at The Hague.
What Do We Need:
Your support as an individual or organization. We require
new members and funds. We require training for our cadres
and for the target groups among whom we wrk. We need to join
other groups througout the world who are interested in our
cause, to share our ideas and problems with them.
How Can You Help?
Join EMIROAF today. Put us on your mailing list. Tell your
friends about us. Send us information that will help our
work. Send us money - make all cheques to EMIROAF.
THANK YOU: