Africa

UK Boosts Nigeria’s Military Aid to Fight Against Boko Haram

By: Danielle L. Cowan (Gwozdz)
Senior Desk Operator, Africa

ABUJA, Nigeria – The UK will increase its military and educational aid to help Nigeria tackle Boko Haram, Foreign Secretary William Hague has announced.

Boko Haram (photo courtesy of AFP)

 

He said Nigeria’s army would receive extra training, especially in counter-insurgency, and a million more children would be given schooling.

This is the latest promise of western help since Boko Haram abducted 200 schoolgirls in April.

Since the incident in April with Boko Haram, foreign help has been offered to help end the insurgency.

Correspondents say that attacks have increased since the April kidnappings.

The UK is hosting a meeting about the security situation and how to tackle the Boko Haram insurgents.

Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Aminu Wali will be attending the high-level gathering organized by his British counterpart Hague.

This meeting follows a summit Hague spoke at last month in London, where regional powers pledged to share intelligence and co-ordinate action against the group and its five-year insurgency.

Boko Haram has waged an increasingly bloody insurgency since 2009 in an attempt to create an Islamic state in Nigeria.

Thousands of people have died in the attacks done by Boko Haram and the subsequent security crackdown.

Hague has stressed that human rights must be respected in the operation against the militant group.

Human rights groups have accused Nigeria’s army of killing hundreds of civilians in crackdowns following Boko Haram attacks.

Hague also insisted that the extra aid must be spent effectively. There have been reports of corruption in the military.

There will be no immediate effect, however, in the villages of north-east Nigeria where people are being killed every day. There are no quick fixes to this insurgency.

The Nigerian government says the military cannot be everywhere in order to defend people.

Hague has insisted that the extra aid must be spent effectively. There have been reports of corruption in the military.

Hague further stated that the extra assistance would be provided in conjunction with France and the United States.

In a statement made last week, Hague said that “since the appalling abductions of over 200 schoolgirls in Chibok by Boko Haram, the international community has worked together closely to support Nigeria in the fight against terrorism.”

The UK, US, China, and France are among those countries that have sent teams of experts and equipment to help locate the girls.

For more information, please visit:
BBC News – Boko Haram crisis: UK boosts Nigeria military aid – 12 June 2014
The Guardian – Boko Haram crisis: UK meets on insecurity – 12 June 2014
News Break Nigeria – Boko Haram crisis: UK boosts Nigeria military aid – BBC News – 12 June 2014
Live 91.9 – Boko Haram crisis: UK boosts Nigeria military aid – 11 June 2014
World News – Boko Haram crisis: UK boosts Nigeria military aid – 12 June 2014

 

The Dozo Brotherhood: Military Entity, or Peaceful Hunting Group?

Following the 2010 presidential elections, Côte d’Ivoire slipped into a deep political crisis as a result of the election outcomes.  After the first round of votes yielded inconclusive results, a second round of voting was held between candidates Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara.  The predominantly Christian south aligned with Laurent Gbagbo, a member of the Bété tribe, and much of the Muslim north aligned with Muslim candidate, Alassane Ouattara, a member of the Dioula tribe. Alassane won the second vote, but former president, Laurent Gbagbo, refused to step down.  As a result, political violence erupted, ethnic tensions ruled, and a space was created for the Dozo, a hunting brotherhood, to become a power-weilding, quasi police force. 

dozo
Dozo Hunters (Photo courtesy of IRIN Africa)

 

 

The Dozo are, traditionally, an ancient hunting brotherhood, rooted primarily West African countries.  Currently though, the brotherhood occupies a unique position in the indeterminate sphere between militant groups and the Ivorian military.  In Côte d’Ivoire, the Dozo back the Ouattara regime; in a unique manifestation of their support, the group has adopted the role of a quasi-military entity.  Armed with AK-47s, members have been implicated in road blocks, security checks, arbitrary arrests, and killings.  While the Dozo have denied these accusations, pointing to the strict moral code members adhere to that would forbid them to engage in such acts, there appears to be a general understanding that the Dozo have, in fact, been involved in the crisis in this capacity.  Côte d’Ivoire has attempted to quell this internal threat to stability by passing cabinet resolutions that forbid Dozo members from bearing arms, and call them to cease roadblocks and security checks, but these attempts by the government have been fairly futile, thus far.  These resolutions may not be considered entirely credible, as this regime has acknowledged the Dozo as influential in moving Côte d’Ivoire towards progress and the Ouattara regime.  Undoubtedly, the government has created a situation that seems to be simultaneously affirming the Dozo, while trying to quell the instability and security threat the group causes.

Ultimately, Côte d’Ivoire will have to address the Dozo and the role the group has assumed in a way that publically condemns the human rights abuses the Dozo have been charged with.  Otherwise, it will be unlikely that the Côte d’Ivoirian people will be able to move forward from this conflict. 

For more information, please visit:

Geo Currents- Ethnic Dimensions of the Conflict in Ivory Coast-28 April 2011 

IRIN- Ivoirian Hunters Accused of Abuses- 14 January 2014

The Eagle- The Harp Is the Hunter’s Qur’an: Text, Performance, and Narrative in Dozo Hunting Songs of Northwest- 24 February 2014

TV/C News- UN wants to end impunity for Ivory Coast’s “Dozo Killers”- 7 June 2014

South Sudan’s Rebels out of Control

By: Danielle L. Cowan (Gwozdz)
Senior Desk Operator, Africa

JUBA, South Sudan – Former South Sudan Vice President and leader of South Sudan rebels Riek Machar stated that he is “not completely in control” of his rebel forces. The rebels have recently been accused of atrocities during a brutal six-month conflict.

SDO Article 3 Picture
President Kiir (Left) and Former Vice President Riek Machar (Right) (photo courtesy of Reuters)

 

Machar further stated that he would “be lying” if he stated he was in control of the rebels. However, he also hoped that he will soon be in control of them because he hopes to train them, which is why they are disciplining them.

President Salva Kiir’s forces have been battling Machar’s rebel forces since December 15th. This fighting broke out in the capital of Juba.

The President is accused of starting the war by launching an eradication of his rivals. However, the President accuses Machar of attempting an overthrow.

Machar admits his forces have been patched together.

Machar told AFP that his rebels became an army when they were forced out of Juba. “It took us time to regroup them into a viable force under control and command.”

“We also have volunteer fighters; civilians who have their own guns who joined the war.”

In January, Machar and Kiir’s sides both agreed to a ceasefire. They also agreed to this earlier in the month. The truces, unfortunately, have not held.

This civil war has forced 1.3 million people to flee their homes and thousands have been killed.

The UN bases also are sheltering about 75,000 people in fear of ethnic violence.

Machar has stressed that he is “committed to peace” and that this was a “senseless war.” Peace talks are rescheduled to continue in Ethiopia this week.

This conflict began as a rivalry between Machar and Kiir. This conflict has divided the army and community along ethnic lines

Both sides have been accused of atrocities and revenge killings on civilians. The UN has called on both leaders to punish those responsible.

For more information, please visit:
Aljazeera – S Sudan’s Machar unable to control rebels – 1 June 2014
Africa News Desk – S Sudan’s Machar unable to control rebels – 1 June 2014
Business News – S Sudan’s Machar unable to control rebels – 1 June 2014
Got News Wire – S Sudan’s Machar unable to control rebels – 1 June 2014

Children Chained in Hostel by Father in South Africa

By: Danielle L. Cowan (Gwozdz)
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Operator, Africa

PRETORIA, South Africa – A South African man has been accused of keeping his children chained in a hostel room for eight years has been held in police custody.

Article 2 Picture
Children chained by father (photo courtesy of Daily Sun)

 

The South African man is 50-years-old. He appeared in court in Alexandra, a township north of Johannesburg and has been charged with child neglect. He was arrested on Friday. The man’s 46-year-old wife also was involved.

The children he chained are of the ages of 14, 18, and 24. Each child shows signs of abuse and injuries on their ankles and wrists.

The police found the children after the 24-year-old escaped, allegedly also mentally ill, police state. He escaped when his parents left the hostel.

The children were freed on Friday after the eldest child escaped. The children were brought to a hospital. The father claims he had to chain up the eldest son because of the mental illness.

The father stated that the eldest child “becomes very violent so I had to keep him chained in the house.”

Neighbors described the living conditions of the home as “appalling.”

A resident of the hostel of nine years stated she was “shocked” when the story was released. “I live right next door to them but I never saw or heard the kids. I see Emmanuel leaving for work. He makes sure his room is always locked.

The father further reported that the reason he locked up the other children is because the world was dangerous and he did not want them killed.

After the children were released from the hospital, they were taken to a place of safety.

When other residents heard of the locked-up children, cops had to stop them from attacking the 50-year-old father.

The police stated that the “room was full of dirty stuff lying everywhere. There was no room to walk in the passage and the children were kept in the back in a dark corner.”

For more information, please visit:
BBC News – South Africa man ‘chained children for years’ – 3 June 2014
Sowetan Live – Alex man held for locking his children up for 8 years – 2 June 2014
News 24 – Parents lock up children for 8 years – 2 June 2014
National Headlines – SA man ‘chained children for years’ – 3 June 2014
Daily Sun – KIDS LOCKED UP FOR 8 YEARS! – 2 June 2014

US Deploys Troops to Aid in Search for Kidnapped Schoolgirls

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch Managing Editor

ABUJA, Nigeria – The Obama Administration deployed 80 members of the Armed Forces to Chad to aid in the search for more than 200 young girls who were kidnapped from a school in Nigeria by Boko Haram militants the White House said Wednesday. United States President Barack Obama informed the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate of decision. “These personnel will support the operation of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft for missions over northern Nigeria and the surrounding area,” the White House said in a letter, “the force will remain in Chad until its support in resolving the kidnapping situation is no longer required.”

Boko Haram’s leader Abubaker Shekau criticized schoolgirls for being taught “western education.” The group claimed responsibility for the abduction of nearly 300 young girls. (Photo courtesy of Al Jazeera)

The letter was sent to comply with the War Powers Resolution requiring Congressional notification within 48 hours of the deployment of American Armed Forces. The deployment of armed personnel follows manned and unmanned surveillance flights launched by U.S. personnel earlier this month. The move also follows the deployment of a team of U.S. military, law-enforcement and hostage-negotiation advisers to Abuja.

“These are not combat infantry troops that we put into Chad,” Pentagon spokesperson Rear Adm. John Kirby said, “these are folks that are there to support the reconnaissance mission.” He said Chad is an ideal location to deploy troops to aid in the search because of its proximity to Nigeria as well as the United States’ strong relationship with Chad’s government. He said Reconnaissance flights will be searching and area in Nigeria and neighboring countries that is about the size of West Virginia.

The Obama administration had been criticized by some lawmakers in Washington for not more aggressively aiding in the search for the missing girls. “We should devote more of our national capabilities to help our Nigerian partners in locating the girls,” Senator John McCain on said May 16. “And if we get actionable intelligence about where they are being held, we should send U.S. Special Forces to rescue them — with the approval and cooperation of the Nigerian government and security forces if possible, but without them if necessary.”

The announcement form the Obama White House came on the same day Nigeria asked the United Nations to designate Boko Haram as a terrorist organization. If approved by the United Nations this would enable countries to impose arms embargoes, travel bans and asset freezes.

Earlier this month members of the Islamist militant group Boko Haram, whose name means “Western education is sin,” claimed restorability for abducting nearly 300 young schoolgirls in the Nigerian town of Chibok. Since the attack members of the groups have allegedly kidnapped more girls from Nigerian villages including the northeastern Nigerian village of Warabe, prompting international outrage. A Boko Haram leader has threatened to sell the kidnapped children into slavery.

The United Nations spokesperson for Human Rights Rupert Colville told the press in briefing earlier this month in Geneva that the United Nations warns “the perpetrators that there is an absolute prohibition against slavery and sexual slavery in international law. These can under certain circumstances constitute crimes against humanity.”

For more information please see:

CNN International – 80 U.S. Troops in Chad Will Aid Search For Abducted Nigerian Girls – 22 May 2014

Time – U.S. Deploys Troops in Search for Kidnapped Nigerian Girls – 21 May 2014

Al Jazeera – Nigeria: Life for Schoolgirls in The North – 15 May 2014

Al Jazeera – More Schoolgirls Kidnapped In Nigeria – 07 May 2014