Stichting Hope for Niger Delta Campaign on item IV 9th session of the Forum on Minority Issues - ohchr 24/25 November 2016 Unites Nations - Geneva Mr Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, good afternoon. My name is […] , I speak today on behalf of the indigenous people from the [oil rich] Niger Delta Region of Nigeria with a population of 1.5 million people. The royal […] discovered the Ogoni land in 1956 before Nigeria gained independence. The Ogoni people have been victims of [many] violation for many years, preconception that between 1956and 1991 there were around 2,976 oil spills of about 1.2 million barrels of crude oil in Ogoni land accounting for about 40 per cent of Shells total global oil spills. In 1993 following the protest to stop Shell from laying a new pipe-line led to police invading communities resulting in the death of 2,000 Ogoni people, mainly elders, women and children, with more than 80,000 Ogonis displaced. UNEP reporting, in 2007 the UN Environmental Protection, UNEP agency carried out assessments of over 200 locations in Ogoni land, they highlight that the impact of 50 years of oil operations in the region extended deeper than originally thought, this was a result of oil spills, gas flaring and waste discharge. The assessment has been unprecedented, while […] period the UNEP team examined more than 200 locations, surveyed 122 kilometres of pipelines rights of which reviewed more than 5,000 medical records and engaged over 23,000 people at the local community meetings. Some areas which appear unaffected were de-surfaced in reality were contaminated on the ground and action to protect human health and reduce the risks of affected communities should occur without delays says the report, in at least 10 Ogoni communities where drinking water is contaminated, were high levels of hydro carbons, public health is seriously threatened according to the assessment that was released. In one community, West Ogoni, families are drinking water from wells that are contaminated with benzyn in known […] the levels are 900 times of WHO guidelines . Site disclosed in Nigerian National Petrol Company Pipeline. UNEP scientists have found8 cm layer of refined oil floating on the ground water [within] the well. This was reportedly linked to an oil spill, which have occurred many years ago. With the reports providing clear oppressions, our recommendation for addressing the widespread oil pollution in Ogoni land, UNEP recommends that the contamination in Ogoni land warrants emergency action ahead of all other remediation efforts. The people of Ogoni have been displaced in abovementioned environmental challenges; and for those who are still living in region of [Honga] starvation has become a common occurrence. We therefore recommend that the UN should create a mechanism to help the Ogoni minority people and indeed all minority people around the world who are facing similar challenges. The humanitarian disaster that will result from further neglect may not be pleasant for the minority community nations. Thank you.