La Nigeria giura: Amina non sar� lapidata

Il presidente nigeriano annuncia in radio e tv che la presunta adultera condannata alla lapidazione non sar� giustiziata. Spera nelle corti d'appello centrali, che ribaltino il giudizio dei tribunali locali.

LAGOS -  "Amina non sar� lapidata. Nessuno in Nigeria sar� lapidato". Con una dichiarazione ufficiale a radio e televisione di Stato, in occasione del 42esimo anniversario dell'indipendenza, il presidente nigeriano Olusegun Obasanjo, ha garantito al mondo che Amina Lawal, la ragazza di 31 anni accusata di adulterio e condannata, da un tribunale che ancora applica la legge islamica nota come Sharia, alla morte per lapidazione, non verr� giustiziata.

 Della stessa sorte potr� approfittare anche una coppia, condannata alla stessa pena. Secondo il presidente, Amina potr� rivolgersi all'alta Corte del Paese, dove avr� giustizia. "Non abbiamo mai avuto dubbi del fatto - ha detto Obasanjo - che qualsiasi verdetto venga pronunicato da una tribunale, la giustizia venga assicurata dalle corti di appello. Noi comprendiamo pienamente le preoccupazioni dei nigeriani e degli amici della Nigeria, ma non possiamo immaginare un nigeriano lapidato. Non � mai successoe  non succeder� mai". 

Di fatto, lo stesso presidente, fatica a tenere a bada larghe zone del suo paese dove la sharia, � ancora considerata ocn rispetto e applicata in alcuni casi. Obasanjo per�, resta convinto che il giudizio potr� essere ribaltato dalle corti d'appello centrali del Paese.La presunta adultera (per i nigerani � colpevole per aver concepito una figlia dopo aver divorziato dal marito legittimo) aveva ottenuto una sospensione della pena perch� allattasse il proprio bimbo per due anni. 

Approfittando di questa moratoria il mondo intero si era mosso per salvarle la vita, aumentando il proprio livello di pressione sul governo di Lagos, per ottenere un intevento sulla condanna.Nella vicenda � finito coinvolto perfino il concorso di Miss Mondo, che dovrebbe tenersi in Nigeria a novembre, e che � gi� stato disertato, proprio per protesta nei confronti della futura lapidazione, dalle "bellissime" di diversi paesi, tra i quali Francia, Belgio; Danimarica, Norvegia, Islanda, Svizzera e Costa d'Avorio. L'ultima - � notizia di oggi - la Spagna. 

2 OTTOBRE 2002 

Nigerians won't be stoned for adultery -Obasanjo 

LAGOS, Oct 1  - Nigerian President Olusegun   Obasanjo gave assurances on Tuesday that the country's higher appeal courts   would quash the death-by-stoning sentences for adultery passed by Islamic   courts.

Obasanjo said in a radio and television broadcast to mark Nigeria's 42nd   independence anniversary that a 31-year-old mother, Amina Lawal Kurami, and   a couple condemned to death by Muslim courts can launch appeals at the   Supreme Court where they will be guaranteed justice.

"We have never entertained doubts that whatever verdict a lower court   may give, the appellate courts will ensure that justice is done," he said.      "We fully understand the concerns of Nigerians and friends of Nigeria,   but we cannot imagine or envision a Nigerian being stoned to death,"   Obasanjo said. "It has never happened. And may it never happen." 

Stoning   as punishment for sex crimes had drawn a barrage of international criticism   since August when a sharia Court of Appeals in the northern state of Katsina   confirmed the death sentence on Kurami.

Obasanjo's assurance came a week after former U.S. President Bill   Clinton and Australian Prime Minister John Howard joined the international   pressure on Nigeria to overturn the death verdict on Kurami.

Kurami was condemned to death in March by a lower court in Katsina,   which like more than a dozen others in northern Nigeria has adopted the   strict Islamic sharia law.      She was granted a two-year reprieve to wean her daughter.  now nine months old, and would not be stoned until 2004. Her lawyers said   they have appealed to a higher court.

Kurami is the second woman to be sentenced to death for adultery since   2000, when sharia law was first adopted in Nigeria.

In March, an appeals court in northwestern Sokoto state quashed a   similar sentence on Safiya Hussaini Tungar-Tudu after worldwide appeals for   clemency. She was made an honorary citizen of Rome in September.

In August, another Islamic court in central Niger state sentenced a   pregnant woman and her lover to be stoned to death after convicting them of   adultery.

The adoption of sharia law has polarised Nigeria, Africa's most populous   country, whose population of more than 120 million is almost evenly divided   between Muslims and Christians.

More than 3,000 people have died in religious clashes in the past two   years in the traditionally secular west African nation. 

HUNTSVILLE, Texas  _ An inmate was executed for raping and strangling a   10-year-old girl he abducted in 1990 from a flea market where he and the   girl's parents were vendors.   Before the lethal injection Tuesday, James R. Powell, 56, smiled and nodded   to friends and relatives who watched through a window a few feet away. He   did not acknowledge his victim's father or stepmother.   <I am ready for the final blessing,> he said in his last statement. He had   maintained his innocence in a letter last year to The Associated Press, but   declined to comment in the weeks before the execution.   Powell was convicted of killing Falyssa Van Winkle, who was with her  parents when she disappeared from the flea market after telling them she was   going to buy peanuts.   Five hours later, the girl's body was found 55 miles (90 kilometers) away, face down under a bridge, her wrists bound and a rope tied around her neck.   Authorities said she had been raped.   Powell was arrested two days later.   Hair found in Powell's motor home matched the girl, tire tracks at the   scene matched the truck and DNA tests matched semen to Powell.   The girl's father, Mike Van Winkle, said afterward that he was <extremely   satisfied> with the execution.   

People Will Defend Democracy 

Lagos

Being the concluding part of President Olusegun Obasanjo's National Day Broadcast to mark Nigeria's 42nd independence anniversary yesterday

The annual inflation rate, which for some time hovered around 18 per cent, has now eased to around 11 per cent. The gap between the official and parallel market rate of exchange has virtually disappeared, and we are hopeful that we will achieve a single exchange rate regime for the Naira soon, while the rate of interest will come down to such a level that will encourage investment in the productive sector.

Our general aim has been to increase our ability to produce and export more, both in the area of crude oil and in such other areas as agriculture and manufacturing. For if we do not produce more, if we do not export more, the proverbial national cake that we all continue to haggle over will progressively diminish both in size and value, if only for the simple reason that our population is growing every day, and there are increasing demands to cater for the needs of all citizens.

 The absolute pre-condition for economic prosperity in our country must be peace and political stability. And we can only enthrone political stability by vigorously pursuing the twin objectives of social justice and equal opportunity for all. To this end, I have recently submitted to the National Assembly a Bill that would put the stamp of law on the 13 per cent derivation principle, which must be the beginning of our renewed efforts to correct the unfairness to the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. It is my fervent hope that the National Assembly will quickly pass this Bill into law.

 Investors have expressed apprehension about the Sharia judgement of stoning of women or men found guilty of adultery. Our assurance to those who care to listen is that we have a legal and judicial system which grants any accused person the full opportunity of appeal to the highest court in the land. For this reason, we have never entertained doubts that whatever verdict a lower court may give, the appellate courts will ensure that justice is done. We fully understand the concerns of Nigerians and friends of Nigeria, but we cannot imagine or envision a Nigerian being stoned to death. It has never happened. And may it never happen.

 But equity and social justice are not exclusively matters for legislation. Ultimately, it is my belief that the one way in which we can all quickly achieve the country of our dreams is by each and all of us internalising these edifying ideals and values, and transforming them into active elements in our public and private conduct.

 For me, the Nigerian Project which I have committed myself to, has only one item on its agenda. And that agenda is one which embraces all Nigerians in all walks of life, irrespective of their cultural background, ethnic origin, religious beliefs or political persuasions. The Nigerian Agenda that I have in mind does not distinguish between or admit of a separate Northern or Southern Agenda.

 Our Nigerian Agenda is indivisible. It seeks to repair the damage that divisiveness and selfish ambition have done to us, and are doing to us. It seeks to restore the sense of fulfillment of each citizen, no matter his place of birth or social status. It seeks to revive our traditional moral and ethical values, like honesty, integrity, fairness, truth and respect for the dignity of hard work, respect for the humanity of the stranger in our midst, and respect for the right of every citizen to hold views on any issue without fear of victimisation.

 Whatever is known to be bad deserves only to be seen as bad. Whatever is bad for our nation cannot be good for anyone: the individual, the family, the community or the State. And corruption is simply bad for the nation! To condone corruption is not only unpatriotic, but also irreligious for Christians and Moslems alike. No excuse is good enough for condoning the evil of corruption, be it on the basis of ethnicity, religion, sectional interest, or on the offering of inducement in order to wield undue influence and pervert the truth. Corruption is an immoral and an unpardonable act against society and punishable by God. The wholesomeness of our society is the responsibility of all of us. This administration will not relent nor leave any stone unturned in the war against the evil of corruption in our society.

 Fellow Nigerians, the truth of the matter is that in the three and a half years since our government came into office, all of us have had to face a number of fundamental changes, in the expectations we have of public service; in our attitude to public funds and public property; in our perception of transparency and accountability in governance. These changes were bound to cause some anxiety among various sections of our national community. We had no doubt that these changes were bound to ruffle many feathers in many parts of the country.

 Nevertheless, I have always held that these changes are imperative for the necessary sacrifice we all must make, for our vision of a new Nigeria that is just, stable, equitable, and prosperous.

 I am an uncompromising believer in the vision of a greater Nigeria! I will exert myself to the utmost to help realise it. I will be steadfast in my resolve. And I will at all times strive to share this faith with my fellow Nigerians, with as much humility, conviction and compassion as God will grant me the courage to have and expend.

 Fellow Nigerian men and women, let me commend all Nigerians who have come forward en masse to register for the forthcoming elections. The beginning may not have been exactly perfect, but with the massive turnout, Nigerian voters have indicated their abiding faith in democracy that is sufficient to be regarded as a good launch of the electoral process. I am confident that INEC will continue to learn and improve as they move on to tackle their monumental task of ensuring that every Nigerian gets the chance to exercise his or her democratic right to vote.

 I would however like to remind all politicians throughout this country of the amount of apprehension that has been expressed, within and without, about the possible risks which the forthcoming elections could pose to our nascent democracy. The world regards elections as a game of politicians, because politicians are seen as having the highest stake in losing or winning. Thus, the successful outcome of the elections depends entirely on how politicians choose to play the game. On the other hand, we should pray and work hard to ensure that the electoral process moves to a climax without tragedy. Democracy in Nigeria is the ultimate winner in successful elections. On this solemn occasion of the last National Day before the next elections, let us all resolve to play the game so as to give victory to our democracy in general. And if democracy is peaceably sustained, all participants in the process are the winners in particular.

 The journey we all began together when Nigerians elected me into office almost three and a half years ago, would have been impossible to contemplate but for this abiding faith that I have, that our country does indeed have the potential of becoming a great nation. It is this faith, this hope that I see in my travels across this vast country of ours, and as I meet Nigerians at home and abroad.

 Fellow Nigerians, let me state that I desire nothing more than God has already done for me, and for which I will continually thank Him. God has showered His blessing and bounty on me, taking me from a humble, obscure beginning, through thick and thin to the mountain top, and through the shadow of death at the bottom of the valley, to where He has - by His Grace - placed me today.

 Many are the people, Nigerians and non-Nigerians, dead and alive, that God has used - and is still using - in the course of my life journey. I thank them, as I thank God who has given me the job to do, with the deliverance from the bondage of fear, and the wherewithal to do it.

 If it is the will of God and the wish of Nigerians that we should continue from where we have reached so far, we will so continue, for the edification of our fatherland and for the honour and glory of God.

 My gut feelings and my faith tell me that until God shuts a door, no human can shut it. And when He opens a door, it remains open until He chooses to close it. God controls, intervenes and overrules in the affairs of nations and in the affairs of individuals. May God's will continue to be done in the life of our nation and in the life of each and everyone of us. For the rest of my life, wherever I may be and in whatever condition, I will always seek to serve God, my country and humanity. In the specific instance of serving Nigeria, my dealings with Nigerians as their elected leader will always be predicated on the best of my ability, honesty and truthfulness, so as to be deserving of the trust and confidence reposed in me.

 Fellow Nigerians, permit me to quote from my book, 'I See Hope' which will be launched today:

 _ I see hope in the determination, resilience and the indomitable spirit of Nigerians.

 _ I see hope in their resistance when they are pushed to the wall.

 _ I see hope, in their zeal, commitment and courage in the face of adversity.

 _ I see hope in the boundless and incurable optimism of our youth.

 _ I see hope, in the willingness of those Nigerians (young and old) who resisted with all their strength the evil which many past regimes represented.

 _ I see hope, in the unwavering conduct and uncompromising drive of Nigerians in demanding a democratic culture in Nigeria.

 _ I see hope, in the ingenuity and infinite creativity of the Nigerian. I see hope, in the youth and the young, for our tomorrow belongs to them.

 _ I see hope, in the great potentials that Nigerians have, when they are empowered, motivated and well led.

 _ I see hope, in the blending of the experience of the old, with the energy and dynamism of the young.

_ I see hope in the vibrant spirit and richness of our cultures. And I see hope, in the commonality of our humanity'.

 That is why I believe. That is the basis of my hope for this country. For if we lose hope, then we stand a grave chance indeed of losing everything. We must therefore keep hope alive, and continue to bear with one another, as we move, all of us, to the great future that beckons us. There lies our hope for Nigeria. We are at the beginning of a new morning for our nation. The future looks very bright indeed. Clearly, I see hope.

 I have faith! Please have faith. Have hope. And show love.

 May God bless you all. And may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.