Detention of Documentary Filmmaker in Nigeria

Info from D-Word the documentary forum

Dear D-Word Members and Friends,We are now in the fifth day of Andrew Berends’ detainment in Port Harcourt, NigerDelta, Nigeria. Andrew’s friends, family and colleagues are outraged about hissituation and find it incomprehensible that more has not been done to secure hisrelease.The U.S. State Department has been aware of Andrew’s detainment since day one. Yethe still has not been visited by a State Department official. We believe it isbeyond acceptable protocol for an American citizen to be held illegally without anagent of the American government visiting him to ascertain his safety and theconditions of his custody and to make it crystal clear that the U.S. government isadvocating in no uncertain terms for his release. It does not appear that the State Department has done enough to be in constantcommunication with the Nigerian Government to apply pressure or even get accurateinformation about Andrew's status and well-being. If what they are doing is morethan minimal, that has not been made clear to us, Andrew’s advocates. Nor has itbeen getting any apparent results. Too many days have passed with no shift inAndrew’s circumstances and no coordinated or decisive action on the part of theState Department to shift things. Andrew entered the country legally as a filmmaker and journalist. He was filming ina public place in a country that claims to be a democracy when he was arrested. Hewas not filming oil facilities or the military, which are the only two subjects theNigerian government has deemed to be sensitive. We have been told that on the day hewas detained, Andrew even asked and was granted permission by a military officialprior to filming. Andrew reported to us that during the first 36 hours of his detainment, he wasinterrogated nonstop with no sleep. He was denied food and given barely any water.He does not have the benefit of legal representation inside the SSS facility and hasbeen forced repeatedly to make coerced statements.This is the fourth incident of American journalists being held in Nigeria within thepast two years. It is now a pattern. It is evident that there has been no legitimatereason for the treatment these American citizens have endured. Rather, theseincidents are intended to suppress journalism. They are a blatant attempt by theNigerian government to cover up the evidence of years of human rights andenvironmental abuses and discourage others from coming to expose the poverty,injustice and corruption rampant in the region. We call on the U.S. government tospeak out against this.We urge our Congressional representatives to let the State Department know that thelegislative branch they serve and answer to will not stand by and let more hours ofinaction pass. In a country like Nigeria and a region like the Niger Delta, thingscan change in an instant. It is dangerous to assume that Andrew is OK and give in tothe platitude that “these things take time.” This situation must be elevated tothe highest level of urgency. We must press strongly and continuously for Andrew’simmediate release and safe escort out of the country.Because journalists working in foreign countries often depend on local assistantsand translators to do their work, make themselves understood, and keep safe, we areparticularly distressed that Samuel George, the Nigerian national who works as atranslator with Andrew Berends, was also detained by the Nigerian Military. We havehad no word of his condition since his arrest, and we are deeply concerned thatSamuel may be experiencing harsh treatment at the hands of the Nigerian government.It is imperative that Samuel George also be released immediately, and that there beno further intimidation and harassment of media workers by the Nigerian government.

For the latest updates about the situation and to strategize about how to help,go to the Free Andy Berends topic on The D-Word:http://www.d-word.com/topics/show/147?read=new ** There is also a Help Andy Blog: http://helpandy.wordpress.com/