(11 Nov 1995) English/Nat
An outraged international community has condemned the execution of Nigerian writer Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other human rights activists.
British Prime Minister John Major and South African President Nelson Mandela have demanded Nigeria's expulsion from the Commonwealth after its government ignored appeals for clemency and went ahead with the hangings.
While protestors are taking to the streets, Nigeria's Ambassador to the U-S has defended the executions, saying his country has upheld international law.
Commonwealth leaders say they tried quiet diplomacy with Nigeria and failed - now firm action must be taken.
South African President Nelson Mandela has joined his British counterpart John Major in calling for Nigeria to be expelled from the Commonwealth after appeals for a stay of execution for the human rights activists were ignored.
As Commonwealth leaders fly to a weekend retreat at Queenstown in the New Zealand mountains, Mr Mandela says nothing more could have been done.
SOUNDBITE:
Q"Sir do you think with the benefit of hindsight that South Africa should have done more, that its softly line was not the correct approach?"
A"No that's a certain misconception. My conscience is now clear because I did everything to resolve this matter through persuasive diplomacy and now that method failed it is absolutely necessary to take firm action, but it would have been premature for us to take drastic action before we had used the method of negotiation"
SUPER CAPTION: Nelson Mandela, South African president
British Prime Minister John Major said the killings were indefensible.
SOUNDBITE: "I said yesterday that I thought this was a fraudulent trial, a bad verdict, an unjust sentence and it has now been followed by judicial murder. I don't think that is acceptable, I see no way in which it can be defended and if the Harare principles mean anything I do not myself see how Nigeria can stay in the Commonwealth until they return to democratic government."
SUPER CAPTION: John Major, British Prime Minister
Other Commonwealth leaders joined the condemnation of Nigeria's military rulers.
SOUNDBITE:
"We have done everything in our power as friends and as brothers to assist but apparently they are inexorably set on a course of self-destruction"
SUPER CAPTION: Robert Mugabe, President of Zimbabwe.
As the Nigerian Foreign Minister Chief Tom Ikemi left the CHOGM conference in Auckland, hecklers branded him a pariah of the world.
Police security was tight around the Nigerian delegation with their government expecting the backlash to be widespread.
Speaking from his home in Washington, Nigeria's Ambassador to the United States said the executions did not mean his country had not upheld international law.
He maintained the trial had been just and fair.
SOUNDBITE:
"It is not a court-martial, the people were given the opportunity to engage in the services of counsel and the trial was in open court. There were national and international observers. So it is just a trial and Nigeria had not varied its commitment to international law."
SUPER CAPTION: Zubair Kazaure, Nigerian Ambassador to the U-S
Protesters campaigning for the release of Saro-Wiwa outside the Nigerian High Commission in London were shocked to hear the news they had dreaded for days.
UPSOUND: "You're no leader Nigeria. You've got no right to murder anybody"
SUPER CAPTION: Protestor.
Saro-Wiwa was convicted of ordering the deaths of four men during a political rally last year.
Find out more about AP Archive: www.aparchive.c...
Twitter: / ap_archive
Facebook: / aparchives ​​
Instagram: / apnews
You can license this story through AP Archive: www.aparchive.c...