April 11, 2008
The military Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta region arrested 4 Americans: Sandy Cioffi, Tammie Sims, Cliff Worsham and Sean Porter on Saturday at Sadia Jetty in Warri North Local Government area. Their Nigerian minder, Mr. Joel Bisina was also arrested as they made to board a boat to the creeks where they have been involved in building a Niger Delta Friendship Library.
The detainees have been moved to Abuja, Nigeria’s capital and handed over to military intelligence officials who has accused them of traveling illegally and “filming” unauthorized areas of the Niger Delta region.
Activists in the region told Saharareporters that the Nigerian government had seized the Americans because they produced a film documentary known as “Sweet Crude” which did not go down well with the Nigerian government officials as it exposes the suffering of the Niger Delta inhabitants who have not benefited from rising oil revenues since the discovery of crude oil in the region some 50 years ago.
BIOs of the Crew of the SWEET CRUDE Documentary:
Sandy Cioffi
Sandy Cioffi is a Seattle based film and video artist who has produced and/or directed several films including the critically acclaimed Crocodile Tears, Terminal 187, and Just Us. She has worked with human rights organizations in using video as a documentation and verification tool - specifically providing video evidence during the 1998 Marching Season in Northern Ireland. She documented the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride in 2003. She has worked with young people extensively as an artist in residence and through the mentor/apprentice film program at the Langston Hughes Cultural Arts Center. Sandy has created media design for live performance at the Annex Theater, Hugo House, The Seattle Repertory Theater and On the Boards. Sandy just completed her first music video for the Australian band Fruit. She is currently directing a documentary about the Niger Delta titled Sweet Crude, due to be completed in the fall of 2006. She is also a tenured professor at Seattle Central Community College in the Film and Video Communications Department.
Sean Porter
Sean Porter graduated from the University of Washington with a modified degree in Media Production and Design. While studying in the UW's DXARTS experimental film program, he focused his studies in cinematography, camera movement and image engineering. Sean photographed several of the UW's leading student work and shortly after graduation was requested by The Film Company to engineer sets and production technology for Guy Maddin's 'The Brand Upon the Brain!' Since then he has worked in Seattle as a cinematographer and camera operator on several independent feature films including 'Cthulhu', 'We Go Way Back', 'Natural Possession', 'At the Back of the North Wind', 'June & July', 'The Gits', and the feature documentary 'Dubbed'. Aside from filmmaking, Sean also manages Swingset Film & Audio, a local film production rental house geared to support local independent cinema.
Cliff Worsham
Originally from the smallish town of West Monroe, Louisiana, I left my cloistered southern environs in December of 1990 to come to Seattle, Washington, in order to make my fortune aboard a commercial fishing vessel. The main impetus for this decision was the need to make some coin in order to finance my college education—with the added bonus of leaving my myopic little town and seeing what else the world had to offer.
Ten years later, I was finally able to realize my dream of furthering my education by taking a two-year hiatus from fishing in order to attend Seattle Central’s Film and Video program in 2000. It was during the first year of this grueling course that I met Laurie Hicks, a fellow classmate and alumni of the course. It was also during this first year that our class had the opportunity to audition and vote for the program’s second year teacher. The winner? Sandy Cioffi.
In the early ‘80’s my obsession with capturing life and images on film and video was born when my uncle, visiting from Hawaii, gave me a used Minolta SR202 35mm camera; and when my dad nearly put us in hock by purchasing one of Panasonic’s first video camera’s made for non-commercial consumption. From the age of thirteen to the present day that obsession has refused to die despite my 15 year subconscious effort to sabotage it via my misguided pursuit of a career as an engineer aboard a commercial fishing vessel working in the Bering Sea. Yet due, in no small part, to Sandy, Sal Tonaccio (Seattle Central’s Film and Video first year teacher) and Laurie, I am slowly extricating myself from what most people would call a career and transitioning into the field for which I feel I was born to be in.
It is my belief that everything happens for a reason and that, on some level, all things in life are somehow interconnected. Whether it be due to procrastination or fate, the fact that I have this opportunity to go to Nigeria and be a part of this documentary is a direct reflection of the decisions I have made, the moment in which I made them, and the people I have met up to now.
I feel honored to be member of this team and part of this effort to shed light on the unfortunate plight of the people living in the Niger Delta region. Maybe in a Heisenberg-Chaos-Theory kind of way, our small efforts on the other side of the world will cause a torrential cascade of events in this one.
Tammi Sims
Tammi credits her 10 years of work with people with developmental disabilities for revealing her passion and values. Tammi wholeheartedly believes in the potential of people and knows that every person has a gift to share. She strives to use her energy, time and resources to make the world more equitable, more honoring of all people and thrives when engaged in envisioning ways for meaningful change to occur. Having been raised in north central Montana, she values community, living close to the earth and simplicity in life. Tammi received her Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Development from Montana State University.
While in Oporoza, Tammi swiftly gained the interest and trust of many through her loving heart and prompt action. Her creativity and leadership shined as she led others to “show up”. An example of this was the relationship she developed with a student, a young man with a disability. She committed to creating a scholarship fund that would allow him to continue his education. She has raised funds for this scholarship and the student, Joseph, has been in school as a result.
Joel Dimiyen Bisina (Volunteer)
Joel is a peace activist and Founder/Regional Director of the Niger Delta Professionals for Development (NIDPRODEV), a non-profit organization/NGO focused on communal and inter-tribal conflicts in the oil-rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Joel was the Host Country Director for the November 2005 Global Citizen Journey delegation. He is providing advisory and logistical support for the Sweet Crude project.
A background in finance and accounting led Joel to a successful corporate banking career. However, he saw the economic and environmental devastation caused by the production of oil in the Delta, and felt called to help. In 1997 Joel decided to devote his life to mediating conflicts in the area and raising awareness of the situation throughout Nigeria and the world.
Joel has successfully negotiated conflicts between many of the region’s warring tribes, and functioned as a liaison between the government, foreign embassies, local/international NGOs, and the local populace. He has become a leading authority on the complex situation in the Niger Delta and is frequently interviewed by the BBC, Reuters, AP and other international news services.
The detainees have been moved to Abuja, Nigeria’s capital and handed over to military intelligence officials who has accused them of traveling illegally and “filming” unauthorized areas of the Niger Delta region.
Activists in the region told Saharareporters that the Nigerian government had seized the Americans because they produced a film documentary known as “Sweet Crude” which did not go down well with the Nigerian government officials as it exposes the suffering of the Niger Delta inhabitants who have not benefited from rising oil revenues since the discovery of crude oil in the region some 50 years ago.
BIOs of the Crew of the SWEET CRUDE Documentary:
Sandy Cioffi
Sandy Cioffi is a Seattle based film and video artist who has produced and/or directed several films including the critically acclaimed Crocodile Tears, Terminal 187, and Just Us. She has worked with human rights organizations in using video as a documentation and verification tool - specifically providing video evidence during the 1998 Marching Season in Northern Ireland. She documented the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride in 2003. She has worked with young people extensively as an artist in residence and through the mentor/apprentice film program at the Langston Hughes Cultural Arts Center. Sandy has created media design for live performance at the Annex Theater, Hugo House, The Seattle Repertory Theater and On the Boards. Sandy just completed her first music video for the Australian band Fruit. She is currently directing a documentary about the Niger Delta titled Sweet Crude, due to be completed in the fall of 2006. She is also a tenured professor at Seattle Central Community College in the Film and Video Communications Department.
Sean Porter
Sean Porter graduated from the University of Washington with a modified degree in Media Production and Design. While studying in the UW's DXARTS experimental film program, he focused his studies in cinematography, camera movement and image engineering. Sean photographed several of the UW's leading student work and shortly after graduation was requested by The Film Company to engineer sets and production technology for Guy Maddin's 'The Brand Upon the Brain!' Since then he has worked in Seattle as a cinematographer and camera operator on several independent feature films including 'Cthulhu', 'We Go Way Back', 'Natural Possession', 'At the Back of the North Wind', 'June & July', 'The Gits', and the feature documentary 'Dubbed'. Aside from filmmaking, Sean also manages Swingset Film & Audio, a local film production rental house geared to support local independent cinema.
Cliff Worsham
Originally from the smallish town of West Monroe, Louisiana, I left my cloistered southern environs in December of 1990 to come to Seattle, Washington, in order to make my fortune aboard a commercial fishing vessel. The main impetus for this decision was the need to make some coin in order to finance my college education—with the added bonus of leaving my myopic little town and seeing what else the world had to offer.
Ten years later, I was finally able to realize my dream of furthering my education by taking a two-year hiatus from fishing in order to attend Seattle Central’s Film and Video program in 2000. It was during the first year of this grueling course that I met Laurie Hicks, a fellow classmate and alumni of the course. It was also during this first year that our class had the opportunity to audition and vote for the program’s second year teacher. The winner? Sandy Cioffi.
In the early ‘80’s my obsession with capturing life and images on film and video was born when my uncle, visiting from Hawaii, gave me a used Minolta SR202 35mm camera; and when my dad nearly put us in hock by purchasing one of Panasonic’s first video camera’s made for non-commercial consumption. From the age of thirteen to the present day that obsession has refused to die despite my 15 year subconscious effort to sabotage it via my misguided pursuit of a career as an engineer aboard a commercial fishing vessel working in the Bering Sea. Yet due, in no small part, to Sandy, Sal Tonaccio (Seattle Central’s Film and Video first year teacher) and Laurie, I am slowly extricating myself from what most people would call a career and transitioning into the field for which I feel I was born to be in.
It is my belief that everything happens for a reason and that, on some level, all things in life are somehow interconnected. Whether it be due to procrastination or fate, the fact that I have this opportunity to go to Nigeria and be a part of this documentary is a direct reflection of the decisions I have made, the moment in which I made them, and the people I have met up to now.
I feel honored to be member of this team and part of this effort to shed light on the unfortunate plight of the people living in the Niger Delta region. Maybe in a Heisenberg-Chaos-Theory kind of way, our small efforts on the other side of the world will cause a torrential cascade of events in this one.
Tammi Sims
Tammi credits her 10 years of work with people with developmental disabilities for revealing her passion and values. Tammi wholeheartedly believes in the potential of people and knows that every person has a gift to share. She strives to use her energy, time and resources to make the world more equitable, more honoring of all people and thrives when engaged in envisioning ways for meaningful change to occur. Having been raised in north central Montana, she values community, living close to the earth and simplicity in life. Tammi received her Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Development from Montana State University.
While in Oporoza, Tammi swiftly gained the interest and trust of many through her loving heart and prompt action. Her creativity and leadership shined as she led others to “show up”. An example of this was the relationship she developed with a student, a young man with a disability. She committed to creating a scholarship fund that would allow him to continue his education. She has raised funds for this scholarship and the student, Joseph, has been in school as a result.
Joel Dimiyen Bisina (Volunteer)
Joel is a peace activist and Founder/Regional Director of the Niger Delta Professionals for Development (NIDPRODEV), a non-profit organization/NGO focused on communal and inter-tribal conflicts in the oil-rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Joel was the Host Country Director for the November 2005 Global Citizen Journey delegation. He is providing advisory and logistical support for the Sweet Crude project.
A background in finance and accounting led Joel to a successful corporate banking career. However, he saw the economic and environmental devastation caused by the production of oil in the Delta, and felt called to help. In 1997 Joel decided to devote his life to mediating conflicts in the area and raising awareness of the situation throughout Nigeria and the world.
Joel has successfully negotiated conflicts between many of the region’s warring tribes, and functioned as a liaison between the government, foreign embassies, local/international NGOs, and the local populace. He has become a leading authority on the complex situation in the Niger Delta and is frequently interviewed by the BBC, Reuters, AP and other international news services.
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