Abandoned by Obama administration, African Christians beg for help politics By Martin Barillas
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The Muslim terrorist sect known as Boko Haram continues to direct its deadly attacks in Nigeria, especially against Christians, as part of its aim to create an entirely Muslim government in the oil-rich African nation. Among the acts Boko Haram’s terror was a suicide bombing by two women in October of this year that killed eleven. Boko Haram has also abducted scores of Nigerian girls and women, subjecting them to rape and forced conversion to Islam. It has conducted attacks on schools, churches, universities, while also engaging Nigerian security forces in a withering campaign of destruction, especially in the northern segment of the country.
So far, Boko Haram is responsible for displacing 2.1 million people, some of whom have fled to neighboring countries, as has been the case with refugees from the violence unleashed by the Islamic State (ISIS) – allies of Boko Haram – in the Middle East. In six year, Boko Haram has murdered more than 150,000 people, most of whom were Christians.
The Catholic Bishop of Maiduguri Oliver Dash Doeme, whose diocese is located in northern Nigeria, has welcomed the intervention of Nigerian security forces. In his diocese, 60,000 of the original 125,000 Christians have fled. In addition, at least 50 churches and chapels have been destroyed by the terrorists.
Recently, there have been a number of positive developments:
In October, the Nigeria army rescued 338 hostages, mostly women and children.
Authorities are also distributing posters depicting the most wanted among the terrorists.
And in one military operation, 150 Boko Haram combatants were killed.
After years of refusing to acknowledge Boko Haram as a terrorist group despite appeals from Christians and human rights activists, the Obama administration sent 300 advisors and troops to neighboring Cameroon to aid with intelligence and surveillance operations. Boko Haram has been linked to the al-Qaeda terrorist organization.
France is organizing a summit with the countries involved to discuss steps to stop the violence.
For his part, in a statement in which he begged the world for help, Bishop Doeme explained to CitizenGO, “We need the political, economic and military support of the international community (…) Politicians have ignored the youth, abandoning them to ignorance and illiteracy (…) The people who are returning need drinking water, medicine and food.”
While he is a man of faith, said the bishop, he admits that he is afraid but takes inspiration from the example of the first martyr of Christianity: Saint Stephen, who was stoned to death by his own people. Said Bishop Doeme, “When they made me a Bishop I knew that I was signing a death sentence.”
Bishop Doeme is asking people of good will to sign a petition at CitizenGo that will be forwarded to various international agencies, including:
Union of African States
European Union
United Nations
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