Posted on Jan 19, 2015
17 v.s 2,000: Selected Coverage and Unity against Terrorism
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The March of Unity rally was held in Paris, France January 11, 2015 in lieu of recent deadly assault upon the Parisian satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. The march had an estimated 1.2 million in attendance to show reverence of the approximate 12-17 victims and their families by Islamic terrorists.
Recent political and media networks were in awe, even outraged, that the President of the United States was not in participation. One lawmaker was quoted saying, "Even Adolph Hitler thought it more important than Obama to get to Paris. (For all the wrong reasons.) Obama couldn't do it for right reasons."
Unfortunately, many of these notions and opinions like it were made after coverage of the march was aired to the public. According to the White House aides there was no prior knowledge of the amount of size and attention being placed by international leaders.
However, regardless or whether the President did or did not take the time for the political march, what remains particularly interesting is the lack of coverage of up to approximately 2,000 killed by Islamic terrorist almost 4 thousand miles away.
Between 3 January and 7 January this month and this very year, terrorist raided the town of Baga, Nigeria and 16 other neighboring communities leaving the death toll still being accounted for. The main medium of coverage: social media [barely]. The attacks still to this day fail to receive the national attention as that of the event in Paris.
So what exactly was the march in Paris for? Sources say that the march was to "defy terrorism" and show that nations are willing to unite against it. If that is the case then where is this unity in all facets of terrorist operations and propaganda? Or is this unity only organic to those nations who are deemed worthy of mentioning or acquiring resources from?
[Photograph: Sia Kambou/Getty]
Recent political and media networks were in awe, even outraged, that the President of the United States was not in participation. One lawmaker was quoted saying, "Even Adolph Hitler thought it more important than Obama to get to Paris. (For all the wrong reasons.) Obama couldn't do it for right reasons."
Unfortunately, many of these notions and opinions like it were made after coverage of the march was aired to the public. According to the White House aides there was no prior knowledge of the amount of size and attention being placed by international leaders.
However, regardless or whether the President did or did not take the time for the political march, what remains particularly interesting is the lack of coverage of up to approximately 2,000 killed by Islamic terrorist almost 4 thousand miles away.
Between 3 January and 7 January this month and this very year, terrorist raided the town of Baga, Nigeria and 16 other neighboring communities leaving the death toll still being accounted for. The main medium of coverage: social media [barely]. The attacks still to this day fail to receive the national attention as that of the event in Paris.
So what exactly was the march in Paris for? Sources say that the march was to "defy terrorism" and show that nations are willing to unite against it. If that is the case then where is this unity in all facets of terrorist operations and propaganda? Or is this unity only organic to those nations who are deemed worthy of mentioning or acquiring resources from?
[Photograph: Sia Kambou/Getty]
Paris
Nigeria
Terrorism
Media
Politics
Edited 10 y ago
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 6
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CPT (Join to see) I am glad that someone brought this up.
A number of years ago, I was deployment ISO NAVAF and ended up spending seven months working out of the American Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria. My area of responsibility was in the northern portion of the country, the predominately Muslim region. It was one of the most frustrating and rewarding experiences of my career. So due to my time in Nigeria, I have always kept an eye on events in the country.
There are so many reasons to why Nigeria has gotten to this point with Boko Haram. Boko Haram was formed in part due to corrupt local governments and an inept national police force. Violence has been widespread primarily in the North since 2009, when Boko Haram founder, Mohammed Yusuf, was taken into custody by the National Police...and "died while trying to escape." There is nothing like killing the leader of an organization to really tick people off.
Without a doubt Boko Haram is a dangerous radical group. They have targeted everyone regardless of religion in Nigeria, to include my favorite sandwich shop in Abuja. There are numerous states in Northern Nigeria where Sharia Law is in place and those states have accepted it. I am not saying it is right or wrong, but even in these states Boko Haram is targeting the leadership due to their western practices, specifically western based education.
The real issue in dealing with Boko Haram is the corruption of the Nigerian government on all levels. They have an ineffective and corrupt military and police force that will not be able to combat a motivated organization such as Boko Haram. They have had the same issues with the MEND, which is a completely different subject, for years with still no resolve.
Until the global community starts looking to, or better get forces, the Nigerian Government to improve their self-governance, Boko Haram will continue its campaign of terror throughout Nigeria and its neighbors Chad, Cameroon and Niger.
A number of years ago, I was deployment ISO NAVAF and ended up spending seven months working out of the American Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria. My area of responsibility was in the northern portion of the country, the predominately Muslim region. It was one of the most frustrating and rewarding experiences of my career. So due to my time in Nigeria, I have always kept an eye on events in the country.
There are so many reasons to why Nigeria has gotten to this point with Boko Haram. Boko Haram was formed in part due to corrupt local governments and an inept national police force. Violence has been widespread primarily in the North since 2009, when Boko Haram founder, Mohammed Yusuf, was taken into custody by the National Police...and "died while trying to escape." There is nothing like killing the leader of an organization to really tick people off.
Without a doubt Boko Haram is a dangerous radical group. They have targeted everyone regardless of religion in Nigeria, to include my favorite sandwich shop in Abuja. There are numerous states in Northern Nigeria where Sharia Law is in place and those states have accepted it. I am not saying it is right or wrong, but even in these states Boko Haram is targeting the leadership due to their western practices, specifically western based education.
The real issue in dealing with Boko Haram is the corruption of the Nigerian government on all levels. They have an ineffective and corrupt military and police force that will not be able to combat a motivated organization such as Boko Haram. They have had the same issues with the MEND, which is a completely different subject, for years with still no resolve.
Until the global community starts looking to, or better get forces, the Nigerian Government to improve their self-governance, Boko Haram will continue its campaign of terror throughout Nigeria and its neighbors Chad, Cameroon and Niger.
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The coverage disparity is due to location. The Charlie Hebdo attack occurred in broad daylight, in the heart of a major European capital. There is photographs and video of the attack as it happened. The Boko Haram attack occurred in an obscure corner of the jungle where unfortunately, attacks of this ilk (if not the scale) are not all that uncommon.
We can be upset that these lives "matter" more than those ones do.
In my opinion, France has a very big problem and it took this to wake them up. Other European cities do as well. It happened in Canada. There have been a handful here in the USA. This is a story. What we do next will define us as a society.
The BH movement is a terrible one, but I think it is informative that the Nigerian government generally can't be bothered with dealing with them, and contents itself enriching its leaders in oil money and leaving BH to do more or less as it pleases in the northeast of the country. There is some tribal politics at play there; the Nigerian President is just fine watching his political rivals harm each other. It has spilled over to neighboring states as well. Cameroon killed a bunch of BH just last week in its territory.
Boko Haram styles itself publicly as an ideological ally of the Islamic State, even swearing fealty to them. I don't believe them. I think they are attempting to gain legitimacy in certain corners of the world by stating this. There actions are not in line with Islam, nor even with ISIS, who are guilty of a long line of atrocities themselves. It is BS.
They are vermin who need to be destroyed, but if the local governments can't get serious, neither should we. BH is a (big) local problem, but not a strategic one unless they make a move on Lagos.
We can be upset that these lives "matter" more than those ones do.
In my opinion, France has a very big problem and it took this to wake them up. Other European cities do as well. It happened in Canada. There have been a handful here in the USA. This is a story. What we do next will define us as a society.
The BH movement is a terrible one, but I think it is informative that the Nigerian government generally can't be bothered with dealing with them, and contents itself enriching its leaders in oil money and leaving BH to do more or less as it pleases in the northeast of the country. There is some tribal politics at play there; the Nigerian President is just fine watching his political rivals harm each other. It has spilled over to neighboring states as well. Cameroon killed a bunch of BH just last week in its territory.
Boko Haram styles itself publicly as an ideological ally of the Islamic State, even swearing fealty to them. I don't believe them. I think they are attempting to gain legitimacy in certain corners of the world by stating this. There actions are not in line with Islam, nor even with ISIS, who are guilty of a long line of atrocities themselves. It is BS.
They are vermin who need to be destroyed, but if the local governments can't get serious, neither should we. BH is a (big) local problem, but not a strategic one unless they make a move on Lagos.
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Excellent post and great questions. Like many challenges, it's easy to hold rallies and signs, but it's something different to actually do anything about it.
I have to give some credit for Duffel Blog as well, which is starting to cross over into news stories that much of the media wants to forget...
http://www.duffelblog.com/2015/01/boko-haram/
I have to give some credit for Duffel Blog as well, which is starting to cross over into news stories that much of the media wants to forget...
http://www.duffelblog.com/2015/01/boko-haram/
Boko Haram Struggles To Find Victims People Give A Shit About
BORNO, Nigeria — According to insider reports obtained by Duffel Blog, leaders for the terrorist group Boko Haram have called an emergency meeting to determine how many more murders, rapes and kidnappings it will take before anyone in the international community will start giving a shit. “It’s frustrating,” complainedBoko Haram Commander Abubakar Shekau. “We work …
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