One would think that the death of over 2000 people would be at the forefront of the news. That the 10-year-old girl who was sent by a militant organization to detonate a bomb strapped to her body- killing herself and ten others- would be the focus of the media. Or even the fact that a whole town and its surrounding villages are now “virtually nonexistent.” Instead, the attention of the world has been drawn to those killed in France. Now, I am not saying that the attention is wrong in any way, but the importance and scale of the Nigerian Massacre, with a death toll 100 times what it was in France, should have more weight in the media than the incident in France.
Referred to as the “deadliest massacre in history,” the Nigerian Massacre was led by the extremist group Boko Haram. This group was responsible for the kidnapping of 300 schoolgirls last year, the target of the #bringbackourgirls movement.
Corpses litter the now barren streets of Baga, and those injured have been left to die. Civilian fighters have given up trying to count bodies. Out of 140 children separated from their parents, only seven have been reunited. There are hundreds, some of whom watched their parents die, who are now orphans because of the attack.
Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau has said in a video, “This is just the beginning of the killings. What you’ve just witnessed is a tip of the iceberg.” Similarly, the leader has been shown praising the attacks on those in Paris. He has also stated, “We are the ones who fought the people of Baga, and we have killed them with such a killing as He (Allah) commanded us in his book.”
With an impending democratic election in Nigeria, this type of political backlash is not a new global phenomenon. Still, the volume of those swept up in it is novel and is a topic that should demand the proper attention and aid.
Officials urge the public not to let the recent attacks deter the upcoming elections, which is exactly what Abubakar Shekau wants. “This will mark the end of politics and democracy in Nigeria,” he threatened.
Initially, I thought the fight against the Boko Haram threat should be at the forefront of the country’s agenda. But, because of the lack of structure, lack of resources and overwhelming poverty of Nigeria, any sort of counterattack or defense is an impossibility. The election has instead become, in my mind, an essential distraction for this country under attack. This election is exactly the type of victory Nigeria needs to strengthen itself and prove itself a capable force.
Marie Harf says the US is trying to work with Nigeria even after the government’s termination in November during the third phase of a training operation relating to a Nigerian army battalion.
I think the most frustrating part involves the media. When and if they decide to push this story, how long will it carry media attention? Were you aware that of the 300 girls kidnapped last year, 219 still remain in captivity? Why is this not still being spoken about or addressed?
The France attack spurred over many times the number of news stories. So what makes this attack different and less deserving? The answer lies in who the victims are. One group of victims are non-western and Muslim civilians. Attacks in the West involving non-Muslims are overhyped by world media as they are deemed more “relatable.” The ability to easily villainize Islamic extremist groups operating in the West due to America’s own history with similar attacks causes media to cling to these stories. Almost ironically, global deaths caused by militant violence has peaked in the last decade. Note that the majority affected are all non-Western countries with large Muslim populations. The media forces of the US and its counterparts love to make Islam the bad guy. Attacks on Muslims and non-Westerners like those in Nigeria are seen as “normal,” swept under the carpet, and deemed “business” for activists and institutions. But it’s not “business.” It’s not normal. The killing of 2,000 people at the hands of an extremist organization in the wake of a regime change should not go unacknowledged.
The US-led “War on Terror” purposely omits these victims unless they serve the objective of fueling “Islamophobia.” Somehow, I don’t think that (inaccurately) describing Boko Haram as Nigeria’s “Taliban” is going to help. Instead of labeling this group, I suggest the focus be on the shortcomings of the Nigerian government and on helping those who have survived this massacre.
Even Nigeria’s president Goodluck Jonathan has come under fire for supporting victims in the Paris Attacks and failing to show any compassion for those killed within his own country. I find comfort in knowing that I am not alone in being disappointed and frustrated by the neglect that this story has encountered. The hashtag #IamNigeria has surfaced in response, in addition to “Nigerian Lives Matter.”
As soon as “the worst massacre in history” is recognized as the anomaly it truly is, I hope that the world will wake up. The war on extremist violence should not be twisted by the media into a war on Islamism and Islamic identity. •
I have been keeping a ledger of news events involving the APRIL 14TH 2014 kidnapping since it occurred. I have written to the Nigerian Ambassador to the USA when he criticized the US for not doing enough. My letter outlined what the Nigerian Government hadn’t done and I suggested the problem was in Abuja not in Washington or any other world capitals. i have also written to my Foreign Minister in Canada pointing out the lack of publicity for this event and the lack of action by the United nations.
Notwithstanding all of this the Boka Haram are not religious zealots or Islamist jihadists, they are simply violent criminals and as such they should be hunted down, captured, jailed and hung if they were involved in murders or kidnappings.
The world should never tolerate this type of activity if we want a global civilization that has self-respect.