Change will come from the people

- Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti

Dr Beko Ransome-Kuti, veteran pro-democracy activist, is one of more than 70 political prisoners released since General Abdulsalam Abubakar came to power in Nigeria in June, after the death of General Sani Abacha.

Dr Kuti, former president of the Nigerian Medical Association, founder of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights and chairman of the Campaign for Democracy, is an implacable opponent of the military dictatorship. 'I believe in democracy. The worst civilian is better than the best soldier,' he said in London in July after his release.

Ransome-Kuti and Shehu Sani, the Campaign for Democracy's vice-chairman, were arrested in 1995 for their work on behalf of prisoners convicted in secret, grossly unfair, treason trials.These prisoners were alleged to have plotted to overthrow the government. Dr Kuti believes the alleged plot was 'a phantom coup, existing only in the minds of the military, a tactic to eliminate their opponents'.

The two were convicted of being accessories to treason, also in secret and unfair trials, and sentenced to life imprisonment, later reduced to 15 years. Held in solitary confinement in Katsina, more than 1,200 kilometers from his Lagos home, Dr Kuti was allowed only brief supervised monthly visits from his daughter and no written communications. Food was bad, health care rudimentary. His health deteriorated, he became feverish with malaria, weak and emaciated, and was later transferred to hospital with a peptic ulcer and heart problems.

Dr Kuti described an encounter with the director of Military Intelligence, who told him 'Both of us are doing the same work. Protection. You are protecting human rights. But I am protecting Nigeria.' Smiling, Beko says he did not see the similarities... 'We were using somewhat different methods'.

Adopted as an AI prisoner of conscience in 1995, his case became a central part of 1998's UDHR campaign.

'The letters I was sent by your members from around the world, but especially from Canterbury (AI local group in the UK) were the greatest morale boost I ever had... At first the guards kept all the letters away from me. Then I was allowed to see one or two. Then I was given the hundreds which had been sent... This intimidated the prison officials. They thought I had great influence, because I was receiving letters from all over the world... It made my life a lot easier. I am very grateful.'

His experiences leave Dr Kuti with little faith that the military will deliver democracy or human rights reforms. Previous changes in the army leadership have produced a familiar cycle of cynical promises, never delivered. 'They come to save us, but then they descend on us and oppress us... Now we have someone who appears to be new... But he is one of them. Next, no doubt, we will have a transitional stage...this has happened three times before. Elections are due to be held in May 1999... but will they ever come?'

Beko believes the international community now has a crucial role to help Nigeria achieve democracy. He believes Nigeria should have been expelled from the Commonwealth and oil sanctions imposed. 'All pro-democracy groups asked for Nigeria's expulsion... It is now only the threat of suspension which has led Abubakar to do the little he has done.' In the end, change will come from the people of Nigeria. 'The people are not willing to let the the repression continue. They are getting bolder. Now all we can do is to resist.'

Interview - Michael Crowley
This article appeared in the Sept-Oct 1998 issue of Amnesty Magazine (UK)