Last Niger Delta rebel leader surrenders

05/10/09 07:47 CET

world news

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The last of the Niger Delta rebel leaders has agreed to stop fighting and has surrendered all his group’s weapons in return for an unconditional pardon.

However, the umbrella group for all the Delta militants, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta or MEND, says “unknown commanders” had replaced those who accepted the amnesty. It says the next phase of its campaign will begin soon. For several years groups in the Delta have been fighting to get a bigger slice of Nigeria’s vast oil wealth, which lies under their land. They are among the poorest communities in Nigeria despite this. The militants have targetted oil companies, kidnapping workers and shutting down production. The historic leader of MEND, Henry Okah, who was freed in July after being found guilty of high treason, says resistance should continue as the government has yet to respond to any of the local people’s demands.More about: Africa, Civil War, Nigeria

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Greek coalition closer to agreement on bailout terms

After spending most of the day in talks with prime minister Lucas Papademos, Greece’s coalition party leaders have made some headway. They have agreed to all but one of the points negotiated with the troika of IMF and EU negotiators for the much-needed one hundred and thirty billion euro bailout…