Folks, I can't stress enough, the situation is still extremely urgent! As Andrew Berend's illegal detention in Nigeria enters its 6th day, doc filmmaker James Longley (Iraq in Fragments) has just posted an action alert over at The D-Word (where you can continue to get the latest updates). I'm posting it here, as well, followed by the most recent press release. For those who aren't familiar with Andy or his work, James has written a moving tribute to his longtime friend and colleague on a special HelpAndy blog.
**********ACTION ALERT************
We're close on our 6th day of Andrew's illegal detention by the State Security Services of Nigeria. He has still not been visited by a US consular official. They are not helping us. They say they are. But they are not.
Therefore, we are going to call up people and raise some hell.
When daylight working hours hit the East Coast of the US, we should be calling the State Department in DC:
- Andrew Silski is at the Nigeria desk:
- Stuart Denyer is in charge of the case in DC:
- Stuart Denyer is in charge of the case in DC:
They apparently aren't doing anything for Andy, so it won't hurt to bother them.
WE WANT A US CONSULAR OFFICIAL ON THE GROUND WITH ANDREW BERENDS IN PORT HARCOURT. THEY NEED TO GET OFF THEIR BUTTS AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.
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*In Nigeria, we can call the main consular line in Abuja 011 234 9461 4262
*and the main consular lines in Lagos:
Telephone: 011 234 1261 0050 or 011 234 1261 0078
Same thing. We attention paid to this issue. We want them to send someone to see Andrew. Accept no excuses. Take no prisoners.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
**********CONTAINS UPDATES**************
CONTACT Aaron Soffin,
Storyteller Productions
Phone: 917.887.4063 / 212.712.2781
Email: soffin@gmail.com
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Senator Charles Schumer calls American filmmaker's detainment by the Nigerian government "untenable"
NEW YORK, September 4, 2008 – Hearing of the arrest of Andrew Berends, an established, award-winning American filmmaker and journalist, Senator Charles Schumer, D-New York, responded with a letter on Wednesday to Secretary of State Condelezza Rice calling for Berends' immediate release.
"This situation is untenable," said Schumer. "Mr. Berends, an award-winning journalist was making a film about the Niger Delta, Nigeria's oil-producing area where government forces and armed separatists have been fighting for years. Unfortunately, it seems that the Nigerian government thinks that it can conceal the economic and ecological disaster in the region by harassing and intimidating foreign journalists. This is unacceptable."
Berends was arrested at approximately 6 pm on Sunday, August 31st, by the Nigerian military along with his translator, Samuel George. Andrew entered Nigeria legally in April 2008 to complete a documentary film.
At the time of his arrest Andrew Berends was filming women going to market at the Nembe waterside in Port Harcourt, a public place. Andrew received verbal permission to film in the area from the Sargeant in charge at the waterfront that day.
After Andrew's initial arrest by the Nigerian military, he was transferred first to the police and then to the State Security Services. He was interrogated by all three groups for 36 hours without access to legal representation, and without being allowed to eat or sleep. Andrew stated that the interrogation was coercive, and that all of his statements to the SSS were involuntary.
There has been no news of his translator, Samuel George, since Monday, and there is concern that he may be undergoing poor treatment at the hands of the Nigerian Government.
The State Security Services confiscated Andrew's personal belongings, including his passport, notebooks, camera, hard drives and laptop computer. Andrew remains under the custody of the Nigerian State Security Services.
Two-time Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker James Longley, who has known Andrew Berends for the last 16 years and worked side by side with him on documentary films in Iraq, added: "Now that more information is available to the highest levels of the Nigerian government about Andrew's situation and the circumstances of his arrest, I am optimistic that this unfortunate matter will
be resolved immediately."
The US State Department continues to work on the situation, as does a private laywer retained on Andrew's behalf. Reporters without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists have issued statements condemning Andrew's arrest. We, Andrew's friends, family, and colleagues, are deeply concerned that he has been held without cause and are calling for the safe treatment and immediate release of Andrew Berends and Samuel George.
"Of course I am devastated by what my son is going through," Polly Berends, Andrew's mother said. "I'm terribly worried about him, and want him home as soon as possible. Throughout childhood and adolescence in Hastings-on-Hudson, Andy was always passionate about fairness. His work as a filmmaker reflects the same dedication. His films reveal untold stories of injustice objectively, letting facts speak vividly for themselves. I am hugely proud of him. I am also profoundly grateful for all the people working to get him released, and for the efforts of Senator (Hillary Rodham) Clinton's and Senator Schumer's offices on his behalf."
Hi -- I heard about Andrew and found your blog. A shame! But he'll come out of it fine -- I live in Nigeria now, and this is the second incident of its kind in the last few months. The Nigerians consider the Delta a war zone (which it is, really), and will be aggressive toward foreigners there. I bet he'll be released soon.
But a word about U.S. Government involvement (I was involved in incidents like this in a Middle Eastern city, and have some knowledge of how they work) -- not sure what you mean by "not helping us." Port Harcourt is a restricted zone for foreign diplomats; neither U.S. nor other consular officials can go there without a huge (and hugely expensive) security detail and several days' worth of coordination. And when the SSS (Nigerian security services) could release the person at any moment, and likely will not allow a visit anyway, that makes a visit very unlikely. Andrew may have had the proper visa to be in Nigeria, but everyone (including Andrew, I'm sure) knows going to the Delta could result in such problems. Besides, word is after the first 36 hours he was released to his hotel, just not allowed to leave the area, yes?
Anyway, jsut trying to provide a reality check, as "arrest in a foreign country" sound extremely scary when you're sitting back in the U.S., and everyone expects the government to call out the Marines to get someone released. But that's not how it works -- these are sovreign countries, and we Americans can't expect to just go where we want and do what we want and then demand special treatment when it doesn't work out as hoped.
Best wishes to Andrew...
Posted by: El Stinko | September 08, 2008 at 04:00 AM