Reports from the United Nations and nations neighboring Nigeria are reporting that as many as 20,000 have fled Nigeria after recent Boko Haram terrorist attacks. This diaspora of Nigerians fleeing their nation have gone to neighboring Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. Nigerians have fled their nation over the past 10 days after the Boko Haram attack on the Nigerian Borno state and the town of Baga. Refugee status on Nigerians fleeing the Boko Haram terrorism have been coming in from the United Nations Refugee Agency, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR), neighboring nations to nations, and the news media.
The Boko Haram terrorism has led to 135,000 Nigerians fleeing their nation, and 850,000 displaced individuals from Nigerian areas attacked by terrorism. The majority of the refugees are women and girls fleeing the terrorist violence of their Nigerian homeland.
Reuters is reporting that “In the past 10 days, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimates 6,000 Nigerian refugees have fled east into Cameroon and a further 1,500 have gone north to seek shelter in Niger. Chad estimates 13,000 people have entered its western Lake Chad region. Some have drowned in their attempt to flee, others have been left stranded on lake islands awaiting rescue boats.
The UNCHR has reported that more than 7,000 Nigerians have fled the Boko Haram terrorism for the nation of Chad, as a result of the recent attacks in the past 10 days in Nigeria’s Borno state. Chad is now hosting more than 10,000 refugees from Nigeria.
Nigerians Fleeing to Chad Waiting to be Registered by UNCHR (Source: UNCHR, Chad Red Cross, H. Abdoulaye)
At the end of November, the UNCHR reported that Boko Haram terrorism in the northern Nigerian town of Damassak left 50 people dead and forced at least 3,000 to flee to the Diffa region in neighboring country of Niger. Most of the refugees were women, children, older people, and some injured.
Nigerian girls who fled to Niger to escape terrorism (Source: UNCHR, H. Caux)Older Nigerian Children Fled to Niger as Refugees from Terrorism (Source: UNCHR, H. Caux)
During the beginning of November, the UNCHR reported that 13,000 Nigerians fled Boko Haram terrorism for the nation of Cameroon in late October: “according to Cameroonian authorities, some 13,000 Nigerian refugees crossed from Adamawa state after insurgents attacked and captured the town of Mubi in late October. The refugees fled to the towns of Guider and Gashiga in the North region of Cameroon and to Bourha, Mogode and Boukoula in the Far North.”
Nigerian Refugees Flee to Cameroon from Terrorism (Source: UNCHR, D. Mbairoem)
The News Nigeria reports: “The United Nations on Tuesday said that the latest wave of Boko Haram’s ‘vicious, ruthless attacks’ in northeastern Nigeria had sent 11,320 people fleeing into Chad in a matter of days. The Islamist group stormed the town of Baga on January 3, and subsequently razed it and at least 16 surrounding settlements. While it has been impossible for aid workers to enter the area to verify accounts of the slaughter and of corpses rotting in the streets, the attack is feared to have been the worst massacre since Boko Haram’s deadly insurgency began in 2009. Some 20,000 people are said to have fled their homes in the area since the attack, and the UN refugee agency said Tuesday that some 11,320 people had arrived in neighbouring Chad alone. A full 60 percent of the new arrivals in Chad were women and girls, UNHCR spokesman William Spindler told reporters, adding that 84 unaccompanied children had also crossed over. Another 2,000 people had become stranded on an island in Lake Chad during their desperate escape, he said, adding that UNHCR was working to transport them to the mainland.”
The UNCHR states “the conflict in north-east Nigeria has led to the exodus of 135,000 people – around 35,000 Nigerians to Cameroon and 10,000 to Chad and the displacement of at least 850,000 people within Nigeria’s Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.”
German and European media are reporting on a new terrorist attack against our universal human rights of freedom of speech. This latest attack was against the Hamburger Morgenpost newspaper in Hamburg, Germany, which last week had republished some of the cartoons from the French magazine Charlie Hebdo. The terrorist attack happened in the very early Sunday morning hours on January 11, 2015, with an “incendiary device” thrown into the building as well rocks smashing basement windows of the building. It is reported that this was believed to be a “Molotov cocktail.” Newspaper files have been burned, but reportedly no one was harmed.
Acccording to the Hamburger Morgenpost, “two men (35 and 39) had behaved suspiciously in the area , have been arrested , according to police.” The Morgenpost also reports that “‘There is no knowledge, no claim of responsibility or other evidence,’ police spokeswoman Karina Sadowsky said this morning.” They are seeking those with information to contact the police in Hamburg, Germany at: 42 865 67 89. We must stand with the Hamburger Morgenpost in defense of our shared universal human rights.
Germany: Terror Firebomb Attack on Hamburger Morgenpost - after publishing Charlie Hebdo cartoons - charred remains of German newspaper stock - (Source: Marius Röer)Germany - Terror Firebomb of Hamburger Morgenpost Newspaper (Source: Twitter)
The terrorist campaign against a free press, free speech, and our universal human rights must never be allowed to win. We must continue to defy such terrorists and their extremist ideologies which reject our shared universal human rights.
We call for all of our fellow human beings to defy such hate and violence, and be responsible for equality and liberty.
As we have reported, many Muslim groups and individuals have publicly rejected the ongoing terror campaign in France. As these Muslims state, no religious views should rationalize murder and terrorism, and a campaign of attack against our shared universal human rights.
In the meantime, there are extremist groups and individuals who are expressing solidarity and support for the terror campaign against France. We know this terror campaign is not limited to France, but is a world war against all of humanity and all human freedoms and rights. They are supporting terrorism and calling for attacks on our universal human rights, and they represent enemies of our shared universal human rights. They represent a global threat to our shared universal human rights, which must be recognized and challenged by all human rights groups.
Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) urges our fellow human beings responsible for our shared universal human rights to continue to aggressively challenge and condemn such extremist groups and individuals – anywhere in the world, and using any language. Our shared universal human rights, as described in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), is essential for peace, harmony, respect, and security for all of our fellow human beings of every identity group, every nationality, and every religious view and conscience.
While Twitter is being used to express solidarity among people of all religions and all nations condemning the terror campaign in France, Twitter is also being used by extremists to promote support for this terrorism campaign by extremists, using the hashtag translated as #ExpelTheCrusaderAmongYou
It is reported that social media has also been used to spread support for the terror campaign in France, including on Facebook with comments such as “this is the harvest of the hatred that France has sowed.”
Somalia’s Shebab extremist group in Africa also praised the terror campaign in Paris as a “heroic” act. Ashram and AFP reported that the Shebab extremist’s Radio Andulus praised the terror campaign against the Charlie Hebdo publication stating, “[t]hey made millions of Muslims happy by taking action. Some misguided people claim that freedom of expression was attacked, but that is not the case, and the two heroic people acted accordingly.”
Reuters and Pakistan Nation report: “A fighter of the Islamic State militant group praised Wednesday’s attack on a French satirical magazine that killed at least 12 people, telling Reuters the raid was revenge for insults against Islam. ‘The lions of Islam have avenged our Prophet,’ said Abu Mussab, a Syrian who fights with the Islamic State, which has captured broad swathes of Iraqi and Syrian territory. ‘These are our lions. It’s the first drops – more will follow,’ he said, speaking via an internet connection from Syria. He added that he and his fellow fighters were happy about the incident. ‘Let these crusaders be scared because they should be.’ No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.”
The Algemeiner has published reports that “[o]ver the last several months, France has emerged as a top target for IS. In September 2014, IS spokesman Abu Muhammad Al Adanani urged IS supporters worldwide to mount attacks in their countries of residence against both military and civilian targets, using any means available. Al Adanani specifically identified France as a recommended target, a separate MEMRI dispatch reported at the time. Similar themes were echoed by several jihadi sympathizers on Twitter. A user identified as Najam wrote: “#Paris Is Burning. Oh Allah slaughter them, Allah attack them. This newspaper insulted the Messenger of Allah and Islam.’ Another user commented: ‘France turned the lands of the Muslims into battlefields, and now the Muslims have turned Paris into a battlefield. Allahu akhbar.'”
On December 23, 2014, the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) reported that, using Facebook, “French IS Supporters And Fighters Urge Attacks In France And Europe.” MEMRI specifically stated that IS spokesman Abu Muhammad Al-‘Adanan urged “IS supporters worldwide to perform attacks in their countries of residence against both military and civilian targets using any means possible. He specifically identified France as a recommended target.”
The USA Today published the comments by Bristish extremist Anjem Choudary, who rejected the concept of freedom of expression (which he is so dependent on), and stated that: “Muslims consider the honor of the Prophet Muhammad to be dearer to them than that of their parents or even themselves. To defend it is considered to be an obligation upon them. The strict punishment if found guilty of this crime under sharia (Islamic law) is capital punishment implementable by an Islamic State. This is because the Messenger Muhammad said, ‘Whoever insults a Prophet kill him.'”
The Radio Free Europe reported on praise for the terror campaign by British female extremists on Twitter, reporting that: “As news broke of the Paris attack, British female IS militant Umm Jafar Britaniyah, who is based in the Syrian town of Manbij, expressed her joy in a series of tweets. After her initial reaction — ‘ALLAHU AKBAR!!!!!! OUR brothers in France!!! May Allah reward them abundantly and grant them VICTORY AMEEN!!'” — Umm Jafar called on Allah to ‘help [the gunmen] kill as many kafirs [infidels] as they can.'”
Radio Free Europe also reported on another individual praising the terrorists: “Another female militant, who tweets in English under the name Umm Handhla posted her initial reaction to the attack: ‘ALLAHU.AKBAR buzzzzzzzzzzzzzn May allah protect the mujahideen in Franceeee!!! Shooting was maad!!'”
Radio Free Europe also stated that: “A male militant, who calls himself Abu Junaid As-Somali, and who tweeted extensively about the Charlie Hebdo attack tweeted his wish that Allah grant the two men access to Paradise, because they had ‘muted & killed that filthy najis [a person regarded as ritually unclean] Charlie.’ As-Somali had previously tried to claim that the IS group had been responsible for the Charlie Hebdo attack, tweeting about the ‘Islamic State wilayat [province] of Paris’ and telling ‘Muslims of France’ that they were lucky not to have to travel thousands of kilometers ‘to seek martyrdom.’ As-Somali added, ‘Violent Extemism is at ur doorstep, defend Islam there.'”
Radio Free Europe also reported of further calls to attack France, stating: “One video, released by Islamic State’s media wing, Al-Hayat, on November 20, 2014, features a group of French militants who urge French Muslims to carry out terrorist attacks in France. ‘Even poison is available, so poison the water and food of at least one of the enemies of Allah,’ one French militant says in the video.”
Radio Free Europe reported that “Bird of Jannah added that Muslims should not feel sorry for the victims of the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack. ‘If you love them and feel sad for what happened to them, verily you carry no Al Walaa wal Baraa [loyalty and disavowal]. Your aqeedah [belief] has distorted! Fear Allah!’ she tweeted.”
Homeland Security Today also reported on support from other extremist groups for the terror campaign, as researched by Middle East groups. Homeland Security Today reported: “According to the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), Violent Extremist reaction to the attack on Charlie Hebdo was almost immediate. Participants on jihadi forums and social media praised the attackers, saying that the shooting was a legitimate act of revenge against the weekly for insulting Islam and against France for its crimes against Muslims,” said MEMRI Executive Director Steven Stalinsky. MEMRI said, ‘Members of the pro-ISIS forum Violent Extemismi Media Platform (alplatformmedia.com) lashed out at France. A member called Al Dia’ Al Gharib wrote: ‘France was [once] part of the land of Islam and will return to be the land of Islam, in spite the worshippers of the Cross.”” “Another, who goes by the name Muhib Al Salihin, wrote: ‘France is one of the harshest enemies of Islam and of the Islamic State in particular.” Forum member Abu Al Qassem Al Shawqi commented: ‘[This] is news that quenches the thirst for revenge. By Allah, beloved ones, let us not think lightly of prayers. By Allah, they [the attackers] are soldiers of Allah.’ And a member calling himself Abu Bakr Al Zari’ni remarked: ‘Congratulations to France and to its people for reaping what their hands sowed. Did these evil cartoonists think that we were a nation that would remain silent in face of those who insult our Prophet…? Did [French President] Hollande and the governments that preceded him think that their interventions and despotism in the lands of the Muslims would not be met with retribution? No, by Allah, from now on the youths of Islam will no longer remain silent, especially since we have a state [ISIS] to mobilize armies if anybody insults the nation of Islam.’”
d, saying, “Many of them shared videos from the scene of the attack, calling the shooters ‘heroes’ and praising them for avenging the honor of the Prophet and of Islam. One, who calls himself Najam (@35njm), wrote: ‘#Paris Is Burning. Oh Allah slaughter them, Allah attack them. This newspaper insulted the Messenger of Allah and Islam.’ ISIS supporter Hamel Al Liwa’ (@blue964) tweeted: ‘Fear prevails among the newspapers and journalists who hate Islam. There are demands for military protection of the paper headquarters. #Paris is turning into a military barracks.’ Another ISIS supporter, Al Khilafa Hiya Al Hal [‘the Caliphate is the solution’] (@death4x), shared a video of the attack and commented: ‘France turned the lands of the Muslims into battlefields, and now the Muslims have turned Paris into a battlefield. Allah Akbar.’”
Homeland Security also reported other reactions from French speakiing extremists on Twitter. “ISIS supporter Abou Hafs (@Ansar_Al_Ouma) tweeted: ‘Oh Allah, the honor of your prophet has been cleansed.’ Another, Al Furat Wadijlah (@AlFuratWadijlah), commented on the character of the attack: ‘An RPG7 with Kalashnikovs, it’s a well prepared assault.’ He added: ‘That dog Charb [Charlie Hebdo editor-in-chief and cartoonist Stéphane Charbonnier, who is one of those killed in the attack] was supposed to publish this drawing on the first page this week.'”
Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) understands that we and the media can always find extremists in every identity group, which we will all reject. But there is a difference between ranting lunatics and individuals actively supporting terrorism against our fellow human begins, as well as such terrorist committing such violence. We cannot simply “ignore” such extremists, but also must challenge such views.
It is not simple or comfortable to challenge such extremists that claim to be within our own identity group. I am very well aware of this in my own years of challenges to white individuals, who have racial supremacist views, and I am well aware of the violent reactions from such ideological challenges. But we cannot abandon on defense of human rights, simply because it is difficult.
R.E.A.L. calls for the continuing rejection and challenging of such extremist views which defy our shared universal human rights, undermine shared need for security, respect, dignity, and peace, and which disgrace every religious view by calling for violence and hatred as a means to suppress the rights of others.
Terror Campaign Against France: The Lights of Paris and our Universal Human Rights Will Stand – Regardless of the Threats by Terrorists (Source: Jeffrey Imm, R.E.A.L.)
