VOA标准英语2009年-Nigerian President Declares Niger Delta St

（单词翻译）

By Gilbert da Costa
Abuja
15 October 2009
 
Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua (file photo)
 
Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua has declared the conflict that plagued the oil producing Niger Delta¹ has ended after a recent amnesty for rebels in the region that he called successful. The overall security situation remains² fragile.

Nigeria's president, Umaru Yar'Adua, told a visiting OPEC delegation³ that Nigeria can now meet its current production quota⁴ of 1.8 million barrels per day. At peak production levels, the country can pump around 2.6 million barrels per day.

Mr. Yar'Adua reassured⁵ OPEC officials that attacks on the oil industry that sharply reduced Nigerian oil output have subsided⁶, thanks to the amnesty program.

"Our problem is over," he said. "The agitations⁷ and the militancy⁸ arising from the oil and gas industry is over, and now I think that the situation is back to normal and within six months, maximum, it will be part of our history."

The violence has subsidized in recent months, but industry analysts⁹ caution it is too early to say if the security situation in the oil producing region has improved. The U.S. Embassy is urging restraint and dialogue in resolving outstanding issues relating to the amnesty.

The amnesty program brought in more than 8,000 militants¹¹ - the government says the final figure could be more than 15,000. But the peace process has been called a sham¹² by the main militant¹⁰ group.

The amnesty granted immunity¹³ from prosecution¹⁴ to any militant who renounced¹⁵ violence before October 4. The chief amnesty coordinator¹⁶, Air Vice¹⁷ Marshall Lucky Ararile, says tough action will be taken against militants still operating in the region.

"You are not supposed to carry arms," he said. "As from fourth of October, any person that bears arms illegally and is seen or caught will be dealt with according to the law."

Since the 1970s, Nigeria has pumped more than $300 billion worth of crude from the southern delta states, according to estimates.  But high unemployment, environmental degradation¹⁸ due to oil and gas exploitation, and a lack of basic resources such as fresh water and electricity have angered some of the region's youth and incited¹⁹ them to take up arms.

The government says the amnesty is the first step to bring peace to the region, but skeptics question whether the amnesty will bring an end to the violence, saying the government has done very little to create employment or training opportunities for those who handed over their guns.