在當時的奈及利亞，可說是環保運動者的恐怖時期。由阿巴查將軍操控的獨裁政權是出了名的腐敗及暴虐，例如奧幹尼族環保運動者薩羅─威華（Ken Saro-Wiwa）批評尼日河三角洲的油業開發已對當地環境與社會造成破壞，當地政府即在1995年將他處決。在1996到1998年間，歐迪哈潛身蟄伏，在雨林社區默默地繼續從事草根工作。

　　阿巴查於1998年去世後，取而代之的是國民政府。在新政權下，歐迪哈再次現身，並繼續公開推動他所從事的工作。他的奮力建言不但使得十字河州的砍伐計畫確定暫緩實行，也迫使政府開始進行國內前所未見的環境影響評估，此外還創立了十字河州的第一個林業委員會。

　　2003年4月14日，歐迪哈將於加州舊金山獲頒2003年環保金人獎，他是6位獲獎人之一，這次訪問是歐迪哈從加州舊金山與Grist以連線方式接受訪談。

It was a terrifying time to be an activist in Nigeria. The dictatorship of General Sani Abacha was notoriously corrupt and violent; in 1995, the government executed Ogoni activist Ken Saro-Wiwa after he criticized the environmental and social destruction wrought by oil development in the Niger Delta. Odigha lived underground from 1996 to 1998, quietly continuing his grassroots work in rainforest communities.

Under the new civilian government, in place since Abacha's death in 1998, Odigha has resurfaced to continue his work in public. His advocacy has helped secure a moratorium on logging in Cross River State, forced the government to begin the nation's first-ever environmental impact assessment, and created Cross River State's first Forestry Commission.

Odigha spoke to Grist from San Francisco, Calif., where, on April 14, he will be awarded one of six 2003 Goldman Environmental Prizes.

答：這和我的童年成長經驗有很大的關係。我在林區長大，大家都很重視森林；它在食物來源、休閒和教育上都非常重要。然而40年後，這一切卻通通消失不見了，而不見的原因絕對和伐木公司脫不了干係。為了能夠保住剩下的一點林地，唯一的方法就是去阻止商業伐木活動所帶來的破壞。我的想法就是這麼產生的。

問：你剛成為環保運動者的時候，採取了哪些行動？

答：剛開始抗爭的時候，我們認為最好的方法就是把所有有權益關係的人都拉進來，和他們懇談，告訴他們這些私人利益團體並不會為大家帶來多大的好處，反而要注意保護大家不受他們欺負。最適合扮演這個角色的（單位）其實就是政府，所以我們試著要讓政府了解，伐木活動是與這些社區的利益相違背的。只是我們沒有成功，結果只好採取司法途徑。

　　我們上了法庭，試圖要求政府強制執行當局所頒布的管制規章及法令。但當我們發現此舉仍舊徒勞無功時，我們便向國際社會發出呼籲，導致阿巴查政權收到了3000封抗議信。他因此大為光火，認為最好的解決辦法就是對我們施予反擊，那就是為什麼我們當中有些人必須藏匿起來的原因。我變成了通緝犯，因而得限制自己只在林區活動，躲在阿巴查魔掌伸不到的地方。

問：處在那種時局，是什麼原因讓你擁有繼續從事環保運動的勇氣？

答：那時的確是非常恐怖，但是當你對某件事抱有深刻的信念時，你就不會將它棄之不顧。我當時必須告訴自己的是：「如果你採取打帶跑的戰術，總有一天你還是可以再戰一場；但如果你在這場抗爭中死去，你獻身的抗爭也許就將難以繼續。」在沙羅─威華被殺害之際，我們正在討論十字河州的林業，但當時卻很少有人知道 （我們的行動）。不過現在我可以信心十足地告訴你，就算他們殺了歐迪哈，也仍將無法扼殺這個運動。我們現在有許許多多的歐迪哈翻版，有許許多多和我一樣堅定不移的聲音。

問：自從獨裁者過世，接著新政府被選出以來，你的工作經歷了怎樣的改變？

答：當國民政府掌權之後，我們的機會也來臨了。於是我們要求暫緩伐木活動，也要求創立有NGO（非政府組織）參與其中的林業委員會。這項要求被批准後，有兩個NGO代表授命成為林業委員會的成員，因而讓我們有管道提出我們對於永續經營的主張。

問：森林社區──也就是那些住在雨林裡的人，他們在你們的運動裡扮演了什麼樣的角色？

答：他們對於我們的活動相當能夠理解及接受。他們變得更敏銳，知道伐木公司只是在試圖給予他們即時的安樂與滿足，他們也知道這些公司不會遵守承諾。我們以朋友的身分出現在他們面前，我們不求回報，只努力嘗試要讓他們的生活更美好。我們試圖要讓他們對於永續經營更有意識，並且提供他們其他的可行之道。

問：美國的環保運動者要如何去協助你的這場運動呢？

答：如果市場對於當地出產的木材沒有需求、對於以非永續或非法途徑所得到的木材也沒有需求，那麼這些林區所承受的壓力就會獲得舒緩。而如果市場對於當地出產的非木材類，以及對蕈類、蜂蜜、藤類等無害森林的產品有所需求的話，那麼 （森林社區裡的）居民就會有誘因去保護森林。如果我們可以得到此地NGO的協助（以創造市場需求），那就會對森林助益良多。

問：這次得獎對你所從事的工作來說有何意義？

答：能夠得獎真是太棒了。我覺得我已經準備好要啟程返家，好回去進行更多有意義的工作了。這次得獎象徵著對我的肯定，而且這肯定不只來自於美國社群，更是來自於全球所有有志一同的人士。全球社群給我的認定對我來說意義非凡，這代表還有很多事情正等著我去做。

問：你打算要如何使用這筆獎金呢？

答：這一路走來，我家人的犧牲奉獻不在話下。我們必需變賣部份私人財產，以換取運動進行所需要的資源。我讓家人失去安居樂業的權利；尤其在政治迫害的情況下，更是造成他們很多的不便。所以，我會利用獎金的一小部份來讓他們過得舒適一點。剩下的部分我會撥給森林社區，以幫助當地居民找出可以永續經營的產業，讓他們不再依賴伐木維生。

Odigha Odigha: It has to do a lot with my childhood upbringing. I grew up in a forest area, and the forest was quite appreciated; it was important for food, for recreation, for our education. Forty years later, all of that is gone, and it's directly related to logging companies. The only way to have a little bit of the forest left is to stop the destruction caused by commercial logging. So that's how I got inspired.

Grist: What was your first step as an activist?

Odigha: The moment we started fighting, we thought the best thing was to get all the stakeholders involved, talk to them and tell them these private concerns are not in the best interest of the people, that the people need to be protected from them. The best [entity] to do that was the government, so we tried to show the government that the logging was in opposition to these communities. We couldn't do that, so we had to go to court.

We went to court, and tried to get the government to enforce its regulations, its laws. When we were unsuccessful with that, we called on the international community, and there were 3,000 letters sent to the Abacha regime. He didn't find that funny. He thought the best thing was to hit back at us, and that's why some of us had to go underground. I became an object to be arrested, so I restricted my activities to forest communities and got out of reach of Abacha.

Grist: What gave you the courage to continue your activism during that time?

Odigha: It was very frightening, but when you have a deep conviction about a thing you don't leave it behind. What I did have to tell myself was, "If you fight and run away, you'll live to fight another day. If you die in this struggle, your struggle may not continue." At the time Ken Saro-Wiwa was killed, we were talking about forestry in Cross River State, but not many people knew about [our campaign]. Now I can tell you very confidently that they can't kill this movement just by killing Odigha. We have so many Odighas now, so many voices that are very strong.

Grist: How has your work changed since the death of the dictator and the election of a new government?

Odigha: When we had the civilian government in place, we had a window of opportunity. So we asked for a moratorium on logging, and made a request for the creation of a Forestry Committee that would have NGO [non-governmental organization] participation. This was granted, and two NGO representatives were appointed to the Forestry Commission. This enables us to give input on sustainable management.

Grist: How have forest communities -- the people who live in the rainforest -- been involved in your campaign?

Odigha: They are very receptive to our campaign. They've been sensitized, they know that logging is trying to offer them some immediate comfort and gratification. They know that the logging companies don't keep to their promises. We're coming to them as their friends, we're not asking them for any return, we're trying to invest in their lives. We're just trying to sensitize them to sustainable management and provide them with alternatives.

Grist: What can U.S. activists do to help your campaign?

Odigha: If there's no market for wood from that area, if there's no market for wood gotten in an unsustainable or illegal way, that will ease the pressure on these forests. If there is a market for non-timber, forest-friendly products from that area -- mushrooms, honey, things like rattan -- people [in the forest communities] will be encouraged to protect the forest. If we can get help with [creating that market] from the NGOs here, that will help the forest.

Grist: What does this prize mean for your work?

Odigha: It's wonderful. I feel ready to launch back and do more vigorous work. It's a sign of approval, not just from the American community but from the global community. It means a lot to me that the global community has recognized me. It means I have a lot to do.

Grist: What will you do with the money?

Odigha: My family has made some sacrifices. We had to dispose of some personal effects to get resources for the work. I had to deny my family the privilege of proper accommodation. That was quite inconveniencing, especially because of the political persecution. So a little bit of the money will go to make them a little more comfortable. The rest will be re-granted to forest communities, to help them come up with sustainable alternatives to logging.

■有關Grist Magazine：Grist Magazine是一線上環境雜誌，總部設在美國西雅圖。Grist Magazine嘗試以詼諧、幽默的角度來切入環境議題與行動，希望能在傳遞環境資訊之餘，也能夠娛樂讀者。

■本系列專訪中對答的部份，（）內的文字表示為原作者自行補充，以補足受訪者的談話內容。（Grist註）表示為Grist編輯群所加上的註解。（編按）表示為本報編輯部註解。