Research On The Problems Of Minority Ethnic Groups In Niger Delta

Niger Delta,located in West Virginia Bay,boasts of convenient maritime transportation,abundant oil resources and enjoys unique geographical advantages.However,the economy is underdeveloped and society is unstable in this region.There are more than 40 ethnic groups settling in Niger Delta.In the period of British colonial rule,the major ethnic group in Nigeria gradually achieved its advantageous political status while minorities in Niger Delta were increasingly marginalized.These minorities,therefore,pursued political autonomy and sought self-development,which arose minority issues in this region.After Nigeria got independence,the major ethnic group maintained its advantageous status of politics.In contrast,no significant improvements had been made to the situations of minority ethnic groups in Niger Delta.After a large-scale exploitation of oil resources in 1970s,Nigerian government started to strengthen the economic control over the region and some multinational oil companies damaged the local environment.Minor:ities in the region expressed their demands to the government and multinational oil companies but they were all rejected.In late 1990s,minorities in Niger Delta began to set up armed organizations and decided to strive for their political,economic,environmental rights and interests by means of violence.At the same time,violent conflicts erupted among different minorities as well.The intensification of minority issues in Niger Delta imposed a huge impact on national stability and economic development.Each Nigerian administration had ever issued some initiatives to promote the development of Niger Delta.For example,the Amnesty Act launched in 2009 eased the situation in the region to some extent.However,over recent years,since follow-up measures of the Act were not implemented well,Niger Delta suffered political turbulence again.And its future development is worrisome.The paper is mainly divided into seven parts.The introduction part generally describes the research background,purpose,status and relevant concepts.The second part gives a brief introduction of the geography,history and ethnic groups of in Niger Delta.The third part explores the connotations of minority group issue in this region,and generally combs out its development history.The forth part mainly explains the reasons of the issue,mainly from the perspectives of colonial rule,politics,economy,environment and ethnic mobilization.The fifth part summarizes the characteristics and influences of minority group issue in Niger Delta.The sixth part analyzes the policies aiming at solving the issue.The final part is the conclusion part,it sums up the whole paper and proposes some relevant suggestions on resolving minority group issue in Niger Delta.