Strange Ceasefire

This story out of Nigeria is getting around on the internet:

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has said it is considering a temporary cessation of hostilities in the oil-producing region based on an appeal by United States presidential hopeful, Senator Barack Obama.

MEND also said in an e-mail that its ceasefire was to enable the federal government to have a rethink over the way it has handled the matter concerning its leader, Mr. Henry Okah.[...]

"The MEND command is seriously considering a temporary ceasefire appeal by Senator Barack Obama. Obama is someone we respect and hold in high esteem. The period of halting attacks, we hope, when considered, will afford the Nigerian government the opportunity to address the issues with Henry Okah, including improving his living conditions and having access to a bible which he has requested for but was denied," they said.

Fascinatingly, I checked with the Obama campaign and they don't believe Obama actually made any such appeal. So someone's making something up.

UPDATE: A somewhat different version of the story is on the Reuters wire.

Comments

What can you say? The man brings peace to the world without even trying.

Posted by LaFollette Progressive | May 6, 2008 9:54 AM

Maybe they've been reading Chris Ford's comments on the blog and took his "Black Messiah" phrase literaly...

Posted by RKU | May 6, 2008 9:59 AM

I would recommend highly against treating this as "one of those weird things that happens in Africa" story. MEND is a strategically adept organization (which doesn't remove any validity from its claims). The plan behind this claim may be quixotic, but it's most probably not charming or anything like it.

Posted by Marshall | May 6, 2008 10:00 AM

If there was such an 'appeal' it would have been made through his Senate office - like his appeal to end the violence in Kenya. It would also have been coordinated with the State Department.

Posted by Colin Hicks | May 6, 2008 10:01 AM

Their link fails. Here's the original story.

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=110592

Since spokesman Gbomo Jomo seems to be saying the plea was made via e-mail, I hope he also didn't give important banking account information to the e-mailer in order to take advantage of a totally legitimate surplus in Obama campaign funds.

Posted by El Cid | May 6, 2008 10:01 AM

And they'll be able to ensure that the peace lasts, if you wire a $500 check to this address. (Don't worry, they'll pay you back when the rebels have set down their guns).

Posted by Tel | May 6, 2008 10:03 AM

Why does neither link include a statement from Obama's campaign and/or senate office? As you showed, it should be pretty easy for someone in journalism to get something from them.

Posted by mark f | May 6, 2008 10:04 AM

If there was such an 'appeal' it would have been made through his Senate office - like his appeal to end the violence in Kenya. It would also have been coordinated with the State Department.

Posted by Colin Hicks | May 6, 2008 10:10 AM

The Mail & Guardian (South Africa) has a version of the story which clarified that neither Jomo nor MEND give any specifics on how or where or when the Obama camp made any contact.

It's possible that if they sort of made it up or tossed it in, they never really expected it to be covered so intensely.

http://tinyurl.com/6454wt

Posted by El Cid | May 6, 2008 10:11 AM

From: Obama, Barack Sen.
Sent: Mon 5/5/2008 9:52 AM
To: Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta
Subject: Ceasefire/CONFIDENTIAL MATTER

Dear MEND,

I am the son of Kenyan Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., born on the shores of Lake Victoria, and a leading politician in the United States of America.

It has come to my attention that you are engaged in combat that has taken many lives while gaining you very little. It is my firm belief that it is in your best interest to immediately stop all armed activity and begin a period of negotiations in order to come to a mutually beneficial agreement for all parties, and I pledge, as a leading politician in the United States of America, to assist you through the process.

As for the CONFIDENTIAL MATTER, I came to know you in the course of my search for a reliable And GOD fearing partner, and I decided contact you, Because I believe you are a reputable person and I feel You can help me and my mother over this confidential matter. I count on your integrity and honesty to be able to handle this
Business. My father, Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., was born on the shores of Lake Alego in Kenya.
In East Africa, During his time as a leading businessman, he had so many Monetary dealing with a lot of European companies in that country
And out side my country, and he uses these companies as a means Of transferring funds to foreign accounts in Europe ,America and Asia., all these funds where gotten from the sales of Gold and Diamonds, Amongst the companies he registered was GOLDENBERG COMPANIES, Which he uses as front for funds deposit, he made a transfer of $76,000,000. (seventy six million American Dollars) to this company which never existed, the said company has since been declared bankruptcy and liquidate, and the
said funds has been deposited with a security company in Europe where it is kept from for safekeeping.

We need a trust worthy and experience person that will help us to invest This money in your country and take us as one family and will also buy A house for us over there where we can live safely We are expecting to hear from you, please contact me on mine email address....

/Kidding.

Go Barack! Indiana/North Carolina, do the right thing today, pleeeaaaaaase!

Posted by SoCalJustice | May 6, 2008 10:17 AM

The Obama Years: Making peace. Making it look easy.

Posted by The Craig | May 6, 2008 10:18 AM

I hope he also didn't give important banking account information to the e-mailer in order to take advantage of a totally legitimate surplus in Obama campaign funds.

What? Sixteen minutes actually elapsed between Matt making the original post and someone making a "Nigerian e-mail scam" comment? Clearly the commenters here are off their game a little today.

Posted by James Gary | May 6, 2008 10:19 AM

The kicker is that as a result of Obama's intervention, there is a million dollars of...

Oh wait, I see that I've been beaten to the punch.

[INSERT REST OF JOKE ABOVE]

Posted by The Fool | May 6, 2008 10:23 AM

What? Sixteen minutes actually elapsed between Matt making the original post and someone making a "Nigerian e-mail scam" comment? Clearly the commenters here are off their game a little today.

Posted by James Gary

I am working diligently on becoming as comment list obsessive as the "they who must not be named" regulars who even set up RSS things to alert them when they have been mentioned.

Posted by El Cid | May 6, 2008 10:24 AM

Wow, that's cute. Hussein Obama wants to be the leader of all the stupid blacks. Unfortunately for him, and fortunately for the rest of us, America is a real country where people do more than bang on drums and play basketball!

We're electing a commander in chief, not a watermelon-eater in chief! Wake up! Do you really want the USA to turn into Niger Land? Not me! Too bad for you, the world actually has problems that simian leadership can't solve! Vote CLINTON!

Posted by Jerry F. | May 6, 2008 10:24 AM

Wow, Jerry F., I hope that was a joke. But sadly it's probably indicative of many Clinton supporters.

Posted by TH | May 6, 2008 10:30 AM

We're electing a commander in chief, not a watermelon-eater in chief! Wake up! Do you really want the USA to turn into Niger Land? Not me! Too bad for you, the world actually has problems that simian leadership can't solve! Vote CLINTON!

The sad part is that you may not actually be trolling.

/Kidding.

Dude, the joke is, is that it's a TRUE STORY!

max
['That's probably what happened!']

Posted by max | May 6, 2008 10:31 AM

Uh, yeah - I thought it was pretty well established that you can't believe any email emanating out of Nigeria...

Posted by McKingford | May 6, 2008 10:50 AM

Being serious for a second...At various times last year, MEND activities cut Nigeria's oil production by close to 20%, contributing to serious gas price increases globally.

If Obama really is responsible for a MEND cease fire (even if he's not and they claim he is), that's potentially some SERIOUSLY EFFECTIVE action with regard to oil prices.

Posted by MF | May 6, 2008 11:32 AM

Being serious for a second...At various times last year, MEND activities cut Nigeria's oil production by close to 20%, contributing to serious gas price increases globally.

If Obama really is responsible for a MEND cease fire (even if he's not and they claim he is), that's potentially some SERIOUSLY EFFECTIVE action with regard to oil prices.

Posted by MF | May 6, 2008 11:35 AM

When Pele was still playing football, during the Biafran War, both sides ceased fighting to watch him play in a match.

Posted by Randy Paul | May 6, 2008 11:37 AM

"We're electing a commander in chief, not a watermelon-eater in chief! Wake up! Do you really want the USA to turn into Niger Land? Not me! Too bad for you, the world actually has problems that simian leadership can't solve! Vote CLINTON!

Posted by Jerry F. | May 6, 2008 10:24 AM"

What's so wrong with the wonderful land of Niger.

Ooohhh, it's a typo. Asshole. Shouldn't you be dying in an autoerotic asphyxiation accident at your son's cub scouts retreat?

Posted by Reality Man | May 6, 2008 12:53 PM

I think you are all missing the important point in this story. MEND are Christian, not Muslim.

Posted by blah | May 6, 2008 1:34 PM

"MEND also said in an e-mail..."

Jesus, Matthew. How many times must we tell you not to trust email from Nigeria? Why do you think they're called 409 scams?

Posted by Maynard Handley | May 6, 2008 4:04 PM

Dammit, those bastards said they'd be attacking all month. I just bought a shitload of Oil futures.

Posted by example | May 6, 2008 4:10 PM

This is troubling if true. Shades of Pelosi's trip to Syria which nearly got her run out of the speaker's office.

And correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Nigeria largely Muslim? This casts doubt on Obama's claims that he is a Christian.

Posted by DougJ | May 6, 2008 4:17 PM

And correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Nigeria largely Muslim? This casts doubt on Obama's claims that he is a Christian.

It's split. Southern Nigeria, and MEND in particular, are Christian.

Posted by blah | May 6, 2008 4:21 PM

Has anybody heard what exactly is the genealogical relationship between Obama and Raila Odinga, new Prime Minister of Kenya?

Obama did admit to making several phone calls to his kinsman Raila Odinga, Luo warlord, during the Kenyan violence earlier this year that resulted in Odinga becoming Prime Minister. At the time, Odinga claimed to be Obama's first cousin, an assertion I find implausible because their grandmothers had different first names. The blog LuoAmerican, run by the retired U.S. air force sergeant who is the daughter of the Kenyan newspaper editor who was an old drinking buddy of Barack Obama Sr., says they are second cousins, but I didn't see any proof of that.

Anybody know?

Posted by Steve Sailer | May 6, 2008 6:28 PM

So his solution to the Iraq situation really could be to just tell them to knock that shit off?

Posted by daveNYC | May 6, 2008 7:14 PM

No, Steve, I don't know, and I wouldn't tell you if I did.

Posted by SqueakyRat | May 7, 2008 1:48 AM

an assertion I find implausible because their grandmothers had different first names

Actually, given the prevalence of polygamy in Kenya, it wouldn't be that implausible; they could even be as close as half first cousins. But I kind of doubt the connection's that close, given that I've read contradictory reports about how or even whether they're actually related by blood at all.

Posted by Lynn Gazis-Sax | May 7, 2008 3:10 PM