I LOCAL/STATE The Michigan Daily - Friday, November 14, 1997 -7 Speaker denounces Nigerian oppression WISCONSIN Continued from Page 1 Iowa last Saturday and did not return, but is expected to play tomorrow. So don't think the Wolverines are look- ing past Wisconsin in anticipation of its annual showdown with Ohio Stae. The Rose Bowl means too much and every 11olvein,, knows% that to gect there, they'll "\oi can't ox cilook a team like r ;co-in:1 ichigan l1running back Chris ionard said. "If you do, you're set- ting yourself up for tailure and we're not about to do tht.i" By Wajahat Syed Daily Staff Reporter ven the tragedy of a slain mother an imprisoned father has not dis- couraged Hafsat Abiola from speak- ing against the oppression and vio- lence that has plagued her homeland, Nigeria. The daughter of the democratical- ly elected but then imprisoned Nigerian president, Moshood Abiola, Hafsat is one of the youngest activists from Nigeria who has fought for her country's cause of nocracy. Speaking to more than 100 people at the Law School, 23-year-old Abiola discussed the decadence that her country has delved into in the aftermath of a forced military dicta- torship, suppressing the human rights of 100 million Nigerians. "One of the problems with Africa is that people associate it with safaris Sd fruits," said Abiola, who gradu- d from Harvard University magna cum laude. "They often overlook the fact that this is a real place with real WEBSITES Continued from Page 1. putting more information on the Web that's hard to put in a coursepack, like multi-media information." Some students create sites for fun, file others use the medium to further job searches. LaLonde's site, for example, includes portions of his resume. LaLonde said he knows many people who use their Website for a similar purpose. Erika Sandor, who graduated from the University this past December, said she started her Web page in the summer because she "thought it would be a fun tperience. "I try to do different ideas with it" Sandor said. "I guess it kind of describes your personality, your inter- ests. You can make a statement with it." Students cited the Web's potential as a social outlet as another benefit of joining the Web craze. "It's a meeting place. That's one way people and real problems, where the oppression is starting to become the norm of the day." Her talk was titled "Nigerian Democracy and Environmental Justice," which was organized by the University's Environmental Justice Group. Abiola also spoke about how multinational oil giants have sup- ported the "tyranical" Nigerian dic- tatorship and have failed to meet the environmental safeguards of the country. Between 1982 and 1992, the oil company alone has drilled more than 900 million barrels of oil worth bil- lions of dollars, yet the Nigerian people have nothing to show except a devastated environment and acute poverty, Abiola said. Crystal Fortwangler, an SNRE graduate student and member of the Environmental Justice Group, said she would like to see more students involved in human rights violations in Africa. "All the information stated on the to keep in touch and find out what's going on with my friends," said LSA first-year student Vanessa Heng. "It's more of a communication tool." Some students said the Web frag- ments society, but Grace Wong, an information consultant at Mary Markley residence hall, pointed out that the University setting gives students a unique opportunity to exploit Web ser- vices. "I think it's a good thing for accessi- bility. But it can also be bad because people get closed in their little bubble and it's sort of sad because their only way out is through the computer," Heng said. "They just click a mouse and they're there.' For LaLonde, "there" was Singapore. After entering a scholarship contest involving Website design, LaLonde col- laborated with people in Singapore for his Web page. "You can work with peo- ple across the world," he said. "The fact that I was able to work with two kids from Singapore is kind of amazing." READ THE DAILY ONLINE. http:/lwww.pub.umiched u/dailyl PAUL TALANIAN/Daily Hasfat Ablola, a Nigerian activist and daughter of a former Nigerian president, speaks about the problems in her country last night in the Law School. corporate and state interests in the country is very informative stuff," Fortwangler said. "I just hope that people take what they hear and spread it around." In many parts of Nigeria, health, sanitation and even pure drinking water are far off from being avail- able, yet billions of dollars of oil and other resources are exported out of NOBEL Continued from Page 1 body to become aware of this issue," said White, a member of the newly formed group The Student Peace Action Network. "Signing a petition or writing a postcard is not too much of a commitment. The treaty's already there, we just need Bill Clinton to sign it." Not all students listening on the Diag agreed with the activists. Two University students, Jacob Oslick and Jonathan Blavin, disagreed with America's role in using landmines. "First of all, landmines are very easy to produce. Therefore, any rogue nation, ter- rorist group or paramilitary organization could produce landmines very quickly," said Oslick, an LSA first-year student and a member of the Reserve Officers Training Corps. "The only nations who would end up not using landmines are ones who didn't do it anyway." Blavin, an LSA junior and SPAN member, accused Oslick of using the country on an annual basis, she said. Abiola said that although the gov- ernment is involved in these actions, it is answerable to no one. "I don't suppose that I am particu- larly safe speaking out and against the tyranny in my country, but I think I am safer than not saying and doing anything at all," Abiola said. "Pentagon rhetoric to justify the use of landmines," and termed Oslick's posi- tion "despicable." Yesterday evening, the group also held an informational meeting at St. Mary's Student Parish on the corner of Thompson and E. William streets. The meeting included graphic slides of the effects landmines have on people, and what occurs when a person steps on a landmine. At the meeting, members of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines also sold pins and T-shirts made by landmine victims. Letters to Clinton also were available to be signed. "We hope to achieve a ground swell of knowledge being put out there about the damage of this horrible weapon. It's more than just people losing a leg. It trickles down. It destroys countries," Piatti said. The group has been traveling cross- country in a vehicle they call "The Ban Bus," and will arrive in Ottawa, Canada for the signing of a treaty banning antipersonal landmines on Dec. 3 and 4.