Canadian envoy lauds peaceful resolution of Bakassi dispute
NIGERIA and Cameroun have been hailed for amicably resolving their dispute over the oil-rich Bakassi peninsula.
The commendation came from Canada's High Commissioner to Nigeria, Howard Strauss.
He described as "very optimistic" the two countries' resolve to go to court rather than resorting to violence.
The envoy, who spoke in Abuja, noted that it was admirable to see the two trying to implement peacefully, the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) ruling that gave sovereignty of Bakassi in Cross River and 33 villages in the Lake Chad basin to Cameroun.
"Boundary disputes are difficult for nations to resolve, but I think the two countries deserve all commendation for opting for the most civilised way to do it.
"We have same disputes with the ownership of waters around Canada and handling such disagreements are normally difficult," he stated.
He said that it must be particularly difficult for Nigeria, which was losing Bakassi inhabited by Nigerians.
Strauss also lauded the United Nations (UN) for setting up the tripartite mixed commission to implement the ruling, saying that the body needed the support of all to accomplish its task.
The outgoing envoy advised countries with similar disputes to emulate the Nigeria/Cameroun example towards an amicable resolution that could eliminate violence.
On the fate of Bakassi people who might find themselves in Cameroun, the envoy said that he did not envisage any problems.
"There are millions of Nigerian living in Cameroun where they own property and I think they are happy there," Strauss said.
The ICJ in October 2002 gave the oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroun but was silent on the affected population.
To decide the fate of such people, the UN set up the mixed commission, which has up to May 2005 to complete its assignment.
Strauss also called for political reforms in Nigeria if the nation's dream of a stable, credible and prosperous democracy was to be sustained.
He said that the current economic reforms must be extended to the political sector, as the key issue was transparency and credibility.
"There was a general consensus that the March 2004 local government elections were not good elections. The lesson must be learnt from that experience toward a better election in 2007.
"The 2007 elections are fundamental to the stability of democracy in Nigeria and it is good to make sure it is of high quality," Strauss declared.
Strauss called for early preparations to avoid last minute rushes that might leave out vital aspects.
The envoy, who resumed duty in Nigeria in 2001, also called for urgent steps to check the attacks on political figures to reduce political tension.
He decried the spate of unresolved political murders in the country, especially that of the then Justice Minister Bola Ige and the attack on the Director-General, National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mrs. Dora Akunyili.
Strauss described insecurity as a major problem in Nigeria and noted that the development is worrisome to both citizens and foreigners. He called on government to strengthen the ability of the police to check the trend.
Also to be strengthened, he said, was the judiciary which, he noted, needed all the support it could get to ensure speedy trials and effective dispensation of justice.
The envoy also called for an effective mechanism that would curtail the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country, noting that easy access to firearms was escalating the tendency to violence.
Strauss decried the loss of lives during incessant riots and the bomb explosions that rocked Lagos, describing both as some of his lowest moments in the country.
Other unhappy incidents, he said, were the incessant deaths from road accidents, assassinations and diseases.
The envoy, however, described Nigeria and Nigerians as "very interesting," saying that he admired their individual brilliance and cherished his visits to Port Harcourt, Lake Chad, Jos and Bauchi.
