Don’t designate Boko Haram a Foreign Terrorist

Posted by admin American Politics, Boko Haram, Latest Politics Monday, May 21st, 2012

Twenty American scholars with a special interest in Nigeria and broad expertise
on African politics have warned the United States government not brand Nigeria’s
violent Islamic sect Boko Haram a Foreign Terrorist Organisation, (FTO).

The scholars who are drawn from various universities across United States, in a
letter to Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of state believe such designation would
internationalise the Boko Haram menace and enhance its profile among Al-Qaeda
and other global militant groups.

“An FTO designation would internationalize Boko Haram’s standing and enhance
its status among radical organizations elsewhere.

“Boko Haram’s recent tactics, including the use of suicide bombers and
improvised explosive devices, raise questions about their foreign links.

“The network’s focus has been overwhelmingly domestic, despite an August 2011
attack on the United Nations office in Abuja. Rhetorically, some of Boko Haram’s
critique of northern underdevelopment and elite corruption is within the realm of
mainstream political discourse.” the scholars argued.

The scholars also explained that branding this group a terrorist organization would
also bar Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and academic researchers in
US from having interactions with them.

Their words:

“Should Boko Haram be designated an FTO through this regime, it would be
illegal for non-governmental organizations to interact with members of Boko
Haram – even if the purpose of such contact was to persuade them to renounce
violence.

“An FTO designation would prevent independent scholarly inquiry about Boko
Haram, and increase suspicion in the future about researchers with no
governmental ties.

“Public policy benefits from dialogue with public scholars, and an FTO designation
would effectively criminalize broad categories of research.

“A lasting solution to Boko Haram will require robust political and developmental
components initiated by the Nigerian government and broadly endorsed by the
Nigerian people.”

The letter which was made available to African Examiner was written ahead of this
week scheduled meeting between Nigeria’s Security Adviser Patrick Azazi and
US Secretary of States, Hillary Clinton in Washington DC.

Those who signed the letters are the following: Carl LeVan (American University),
Peter Lewis (Johns Hopkins University), Jean Herskovits (SUNY – Purchase) ,
Daniel J. Smith (Brown University), Adrienne LeBas (American University), R. Kiki
Edozie (Michigan State University), Brandon Kendhammer (Ohio University),
Susan Shepler (American University), John Campbell (Council on Foreign
Relations), David Dwyer (Michigan State University).

Others are: Paul Lubeck (University of California – Santa Cruz), Darren Kew
(University of Massachusetts – Boston), Pearl Robinson (Tufts University), Laura
Thaut (University of Minnesota – Minneapolis), Clarence Lusane (American
University), Nicolas van de Walle (Cornell University), Judith Byfield (Cornell
University), Susan M. O’Brien (University of Florida), John Paden (George Mason
University), Deborah Brautigam (Johns Hopkins University).

Boko Haram sect which means “Western education is sacrilege” has claimed
responsibility for numerous bombings and killings of innocent Nigerians and
security agencies, and their operations have been largely restricted to the North.wp_posts