Date

Dear [name] MP

I write to you to express my deep concern about the current human rights situation and extensive use of state violence against innocent civilians in Sokoto, Nigeria; and I request that you use your good offices to represent my views to the British Parliament.

As you will be aware, following the assassination of cleric Umaru Danmaishiyya on 19th July 2007, the Nigerian government used this criminal incident as a pretext to unleash an indiscriminate assault on an entire religious sect, namely; the Shi’ites of Sokoto.

To date, there have been two confirmed murders and hundreds of unwarranted detentions of innocent civilians, including Shi’ite leader Kasimu Rimin Tawaye. Hundreds of homes and properties belonging to Shi’ites in the city have been set ablaze, prompting the mass exodus of Shi’ites from the city. The Sokoto state government has since the above mentioned incidents, also proceeded to demolish the local Shi’ite Centre, schools and a local clinic belonging to the Shi’ite community.

The recent systematic acts of state aggression against a religious minority group come as part of a wider policy specifically targeted at Shi’ites in Nigeria. The present state governor, Mr. Alu Magatakarda Wamako in his political mandate pledged to limit what he called ‘the spread of Shi’ism in Sokoto’ and also promised to demolish the Shi’ite Centre, the latter of which he has since actualised.

These acts of aggression and collective punishment of Shi’ites in Sokoto still continue, despite the clear statements made by the state commissioner of police on the BBC Hausa Service where he declared the lack of any evidence linking any members of the Shi’ite community to the assassination.

Your Excellency, no judiciary system can possibly justify the indiscriminate attacks and collective punishment of an entire community following the assassination of a member of another community, let alone in such a case when the hands of guilt are still unknown. I fear that the failure to explicitly condemn such aggressions will set a dangerous precedent for the region and the particularly volatile situation in the Middle East where similar demographic patterns exist.

In light of this, I respectfully request you to use your good offices to press the British Parliament to take a clear stance against these aggressions, thereby maintaining our firm commitment in respect of the rights of minority groups and the rule of law.

Yours sincerely,

Your Name
 

Date

Name of Head of Mission
Address

Your Excellency,

I am writing to express my grave concern about the human rights situation in Sokoto, Nigeria and the extensive use of violence against innocent civilians following the state government’s “response” to the criminal assassination of Mal. Umaru Danmaishiyya on Thursday 19 July 2007.

There are corroborated reports that the security forces in Sokoto have used excessive force against unarmed civilians of a specific religious minority group, namely, the Nigerian Shi’ites of Sokoto, and adopted a policy of collective punishment. Despite the clear declarations by the state police commissioner on the lack of any evidence linking any members of the Shi’ite community to the assassination, the security forces proceeded to demolish the Shia Islamic Centre on Tuesday 31 July 2007, and have detained more than a hundred individuals from the Shi’ite community since the assassination.

It is evident that the recent violence and acts of aggression targeted at the Shi’ites of Sokoto have very little to do with the assassination of Mal. Umaru Danmaishiyya, but are rather related to a wider policy of the deliberate suppression of Shi’ites in Nigeria. I caution Your Excellency of the relation between the stigmatisation of Shi’ites and the rise of growing extremism, in particular the growth of the intolerant school of Wahhabism; and the alarming resemblance of the recent events in Nigeria with regional and international experiences.

Such conduct, continuing as of 01 August 2007, appear to amount to breaches of Nigeria's obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and are contrary to Nigeria's undertakings under the Constitutive Act of the African Union.

I appeal to you to use your good offices to remind the government of Nigeria of its regional and international human rights obligations and commitments, and to immediately halt all military operations by the police, military and security forces in Sokoto. I respectfully urge Your Excellency to encourage a process leading to an impartial and independent investigation of the assassination of Mal. Umaru Danmaishiyya on 19 July 2007 and the acts of violence and aggression thereafter, including the deaths of those killed in attacks following the assassination; be it at the hands of security forces or otherwise. The results of such investigations should be made public and all perpetrators brought to justice.

I also ask Your Excellency to ensure that there is an immediate halt to arbitrary arrests and detentions in Sokoto, and the necessary provisions are put in place to ensure that those arrested are tried before fair and transparent courts, which follow due legal process.

Besides appearing to be in breach of Nigeria’s obligations on human rights, the relevant authorities are also demonstrably failing to protect, promote and fulfill the rights of Nigerian Shi’ites in Sokoto. I thus urge Your Excellency to make appropriate legal provisions to ensure that victims are able to claim compensation for both life and property, including by granting them any necessary legal assistance and by amending existing laws that provide for such compensation.

Finally, the inflammatory comments quoted from the Governor of Sokoto, Mr. Alu Magatakarda Wamako, during his political campaign where he professed his desire to limit the growth of Shi’ism in Sokoto, are certainly not compatible with the moral and national standards of responsible office bearing individuals within a democratic environment. In light of this, I hope immediate corrective measures are taken by your Government and necessary precautionary safeguards are introduced to prevent the reoccurrence of the depressing unfolding events.

I thank you in advance for your careful consideration of this serious matter and look forward to receiving information regarding the measures taken by your Government to address this situation.

Yours sincerely,

Your Name