The release yesterday of the first nine Nigerian political prisoners, a group that includes former head of state Olesegun Obasanjo, trade unionists Frank Kokori and Milton Dabibi, democracy leader Beko Ransome-Kuti and journalist Christine Anyanwu is a victory for the Nigerian democratic movement. We welcome this long overdue step. The releases are the first concrete indication that the newly installed military government of General Abdulsalam Abubakar is prepared to break with the repressive policies of the late and unlamented dictator General Sani Abacha.

But it is only the barest beginning. The Africa Fund calls upon the military to end human rights abuses, release all political prisoners, and negotiate with the democratic movement a quick return to barracks.

Thousands of other prisoners of conscience still languish in what has now become General Abubakar's Nigerian gulag. Among those still imprisoned is President-elect Moshood Abiola, whose installation in office remains the non-negotiable demand of the democracy movement. Twenty indigenous Ogoni activists approach their fifth year in prison without trial for their peaceful opposition to the environmental destruction of their land by the Shell Oil Company. Human rights and democracy leader Olisa Agbakoba is still held without charge or trial for his role in organizing protests against the previous dictator's scheme to preserve military rule through rigged elections.

Thousands more remain in exile, including such outstanding democracy leaders as Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, and independence movement leader Chief Anthony Enahoro, and Ogoni rights activists Ledum Mitee and Owens Wiwa. The Abubakar regime must move quickly to release the remaining prisoners and allow the return of exiles. There can be no reconciliation in Nigeria while the authentic leaders of the people are jailed or exiled.

The release of prisoners, while welcome, cannot of itself resolve the present crisis. The Abubakar regime must accept the peoples' demand for genuine democracy and for the immediate return of the military to barracks. We call on General Abubakar to abandon Abacha's failed election program and open talks with the democracy movement on the rapid and orderly transfer of power to President Abiola.

Abubakar should immediately withdraw his occupation troops from the Ogoni oil fields, respect human rights and begin a dialogue with the legitimate representatives of the Ogonis, the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People on the full range of environmental, economic and social grievances.

We condemn the Clinton Administration for failing to support the democracy movement and for continuing to support instead a discredited military-controlled election that has been rejected by the Nigerian people and the entire international human rights community. Clinton's "constructive engagement" accommodation with the army undermines the freedom movement and can only encourage Nigeria's military rulers to retain their illegal and absolute hold on power.

It is illusory to think that the conditional release of nine prisoners demonstrates the Nigerian military's commitment to human rights and democracy. On the contrary, we believe that the releases are the product of the tenacious resistance of the Nigerian people and the growing international sanctions movement. The encouraging events of the past week proves that pressure works. If the opportunity opened by Abacha's death is to lead to a resolution of the Nigerian crisis the United States must speak clearly and forcefully in support of the democratic alliance. In the meantime we urge concerned Americans to keep the pressure on both Abubakar and Bill Clinton for Nigerian freedom.

ENDS.