Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - The Challenger of Boko Haram

well, my question was, basically, how is boko haram viewed by the
majority of the population in the north. the aum shinrikyo movement was
a fringe movement, ditto for the mighican militia. mcveigh represented a
few dozen people; there was vague right-wing support among a larger
number, but i am from michigan and my sense is that 99% or 99.9%
regarded him as not representing anything they would support, esp in his
use of bombs against a building with people inside.
anyway, is boko haram regarded as a fringe movement of crackpots up
north, or is there an aggrieved segment of the population that sees them
as a militant wing of their own political group? it is hard to believe
they could continue so long, across so wide a swath, if they were as
miniscule as the aum shinrikyo or michigan militia movements. and it
isn't just size that i am asking about, but how their views stand with
relation to the mainstream views. is there sympathy for them, and how
widespread is that sympathy?
ken
On 5/6/12 5:06 AM, John Edward Philips wrote:
> You don't need an aggrieved population to spawn religious terrorism. Look at the Aum Shinrikyo movement in Japan or Tim McVeigh in the U.S. Aum Shinrikyo would see to have much in common with Boko Haram, especially in a charismatic preacher attracting young, educated but unemployed youth. It just arose in a Buddhist milieu rather than a Muslim one. The danger is if people think that Boko Haram represents Nigerian Muslims, or at least northern Muslims. That could turn into a self-fulfilling accusation. I didn't hear anyone in Japan saying Aum Shinrikyo represented Buddhism, or anyone in the US saying Tim McVeigh was typical of Christians.
>
> On May 3, 2012, at 12:20 PM, kenneth harrow wrote:
>
>> how much is boko haram sustained by the population up north? if the people feel aggrieved, it can't be starved by money, but by addressing the grievances. the other islamist movements you mentioned arose in a context in which an invasion or a repressive state created an aggrieved population.
>> even the lra arose from such circumstances, and not out of the deranged delusions of kony or his seer predecessor. people listen to such figures or support movements when they are aggrieved. i hear a good deal of rhetoric and anger directed against muslims up north; no doubt they hear the same thing.
>> ken
>>
>
>
> John Edward Philips<http://human.cc.hirosaki-u.ac.jp/philips/>
> International Society, College of Humanities, Hirosaki University
> "Homo sum; humani nihil a me alienum puto." -Terentius Afer
> <http://www.boydell.co.uk/www.urpress.com/80462561.HTM>
>
>
>

--
kenneth w. harrow
distinguished professor of english
michigan state university
department of english
east lansing, mi 48824-1036
ph. 517 803 8839
harrow@msu.edu

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