Boko Harma is preventing people from burying the dead and he has capture many towns in the area and people are worried that he is going after the main town of Maiduguri. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29062004
-- Edited by Abi G on Monday 8th of September 2014 05:52:55 PM
Our group question is: What reasons does Boko Harma have for keeping civilians from attending to their dead?
Background Information: The major threat of Boko Harma, which translates to western education is forbidden, is if they launch an attack on Maiduguri, they will be attacking nearly two million innocent civilians. Their path of destruction has already lead to three million people affected. They have attacked UN forces in north-eastern Nigeria as well as government forces. The situation has been, and continues to be critical. Their main goal is to establish an Islamic state.
Boko Harma seems to me to be killing innocents and preventing citizens from burial to instill fear and intimidation on the masses, civilian and government alike. By spreading fear among the inhabitants and refugees of the captured towns, Boko Harma actually recruited many of the captured citizens to join the capturing and killing of others. Why do people join? It's simple: kill or be killed. Of course it's not that black and white; there's inevitably other circumstances but I think that would be one of the most prominent reasons to join when forced to choose.
On a side note, if Boko Harma's actions are motivated by driving out Western influence and creating an Islamic state, the leader has created the issue of religions: Christianity verses Islam. Though both religions preach peace, when forcing a particular religion on others due to emotional or other reasonings, tension and killings arise unwarranted. Perhaps Boko Haram believes that in order to create an Islamic state, the killings are warranted if they disagree with his perspective or if the civilians' deaths can be used as a tool to put pressure onto the government. If more and more people demand help from the government, maybe the government will actually consider Boko Harma's ideas (I think that this is an unlikely notion but who knows?).
Speaking of the government, though they say that help is being issued to the civilians, that they are "gallantly" battling against the Boko Harma, it's clear that the civilians don't have enough help on the ground (ie soldiers). Lacking in ground force, the civilians are still unable to go and bury their dead. I'm sure the government is providing air support (helicopters) and bombing the insurgents, but that doesn't help with the bodies littering the streets and the unfulfilled burial process that is important to the people.
I agree with Amy; that Boko Haram is preventing citizens from burying the dead to instill fear and gain influence. In addition, since Boko Haram is an Islamic group wishing to make Nigeria an Islamic state, they could also be preventing burials to prevent other religions from being practiced, since it is important to the burial process in most situations. This way of prevention would result in Boko Haram to further increase their influence in addition to their use of violence.
The Boko Haram is preventing citizens from burying their dead because they want to instill fear into the residences. By seeing the dead bodies on the street, the civilians will be less likely to retaliate against their attacks, as it sends the subtle warning "this could be me lying on the street." The main goal of Bojo Haram is to get rid of Western education (with theories like evolution and the big bang theory) and create a fully Islamic Nigerian state. So, by attacking the main city of Maiduguri, the Boko Haram will also be flaunting their power, making it seem even more impossible to defeat them, and therefore the Nigerian government will be more compliant to their demands.
I agree, I think they want the people to be fearful. The army already tried to combat the Boko Haram but as per the opposition in Nigeria they're not disciplined enough and their equipment is dilapidated. That means, the Boko Haram doesn't really have anyone who fights against them. That's why the people feel fear, they don't want to be killed! I think we all would do anything we can to stay alive.
The important thing to remember when dealing with radical Islamist terror groups that it seems that people tend to ignore is that they can't be negotiated with, and there are reasons why. First, many countries have policies and laws that prohibit them from negotiating with terrorists. Secondly, some men can't be reasoned with. These people are twisted and evil. They in no way resemble true Islamic faith. When you look at their demands, it would be morally wrong to give in. The people of Nigeria have the right to freedom, education, and life. A radical Islamic Caliphate like Boko Haram is demanding would allow none of this. Although we may not like to think of the world this way, I feel that there are some people that are truly evil and they must be dealt with justly but swiftly.
