Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Designating Boko Haram as a Terrorist Organization now!

Dr Kew:

Thank you for your response and for 're-providing' the details of your testimony to the House Sub-committee.

I am also aware of the joint statement issued by you and other US scholars on the issue of the FTO designation for the Boko Haram - a designation which groups like ours advocate and would continue to support.

The reasons are very simple and clear. 

It is clear not just to us, but to the FBI, Homeland Security Department and the Justice Department of the US government. 

All these agencies have already recommended the designation of Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, according to western newswires.

We know that when the designation is put in place, a clear signal would be delivered to the fat pockets financing Boko Haram. They simply understand no other language.

And by the way, those financiers are well ensconced in their Nigerian government gift of impunity.

When the US designates the group an FTO, the international community starts to build a groundswell of opinion against the group and makes the movement of their financing much harder since other countries are likely to implement similar measures.

Only people like you understand this fantasy of handing them a public relations victory. I hope we are not taking this public relations logic too far!

But I also understand the motivation of scholars like yourself, and some International NGO activists, which include all or some of these: 

(i) a fundamental commitment to protect the spaces of your research upon which your professional accomplishments, including promotion, depend, 

(ii) a concern for ensuring that your funding (for research and "development assistance") sources are not closed up by such designation, 

(iii) a long-term fidelity to protecting and projecting "a particular hegemonic interest" in the Nigerian federation (there are "intellectual progenitors" of this "cause" in both Britain and the US), 

(iv) an ultimately futile, and undoubtedly superficial, pretension to engaging the "larger picture" in a "complex" country such as Nigeria, a "complexity" which is, partly, both a product of the historical mess created by the British, and the continuing perverse actions by local and international actors, including international scholars who regularly misadvise important countries such as the United States,

 (v) and, an obstinate fascination with the "exotic" politics of a "distant" country. 

However, as a Christian, I am not persuaded that such motives are more important than the commitment to our Christian community and our common humanity, both of which are now being threatened by Boko Haram.

Some of the elements of these motivations are evident in your testimony, as well as the regrettable statement earlier issued by you and others. 

Can you imagine if some Nigerians were to issue a statement urging the United States not to designate Al-Qaeda as an FTO, because, as you stated, this will "play right into its objectives of trying to further ignite religious tensions [in say Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Libya], attract more disaffected youths to the movement, and also lump the moderates in the [Al-Qaeda] movement -- who have been trying to make peace overtures to the government -- alongside the hardliners." 

Can you imagine how such a preposterous argument would sound, Prof Kew?

Let us even imagine that such a terrorist group exist within the United States, for instance in the New England region of the US, say, specifically in the State of Massachusetts. 

Imagine if such a group announces a mission to Islamize the US. 

Imagine that such a group regularly detonates bombs in some churches in the Boston area and elsewhere, targeting Christians. 

Imagine if 10,000 people have died at the last count in the hands of this group. [Recall that 3, 000 people were killed by Al-Qaeda during 9/11]. 

Would you write that such a terrorist group ought not to be designated as one because subsequently "Any [US] peace NGOs trying to work with anyone remotely connected to [Al-Qaeda] would not be eligible for funding." 

Seriously, would you? 

Would you advise the US Government about "trying to talk with the moderates while going after the hardliners, which opens the possibility of breaking the movement apart against itself," while adding that "It is better to give these efforts more time to see if they gain any traction over the next year." 

Would you ask that more American lives be sacrificed so that scholars and "peace NGOs" could have research access and be eligible for funding?

By AP's count way more than 700 innocent Nigerians have been killed this year alone by Boko Haram, and we are supposed to be bothered about some research fancies?

Dr. Kew, these are some of the questions that could be raised even within the logic of your own position. 

There are more fundamental issues beyond the points you raised and the obfuscation which you presented to the Subcommittee of the House. 

Boko Haram's links with other FTO in the post-9/11 age may be unique, but this is not the first time that Nigeria would face and face down such Islamist groups. 

Tying the phenomenon to disaffection with the geopolitics of power in Nigeria is neither illuminating nor useful in the context of the terrorism that Boko Haram is involved in. 

We are persuaded that the United States should not wait until we experience a repeat of  what happened in Bengazi before designating the Boko Haram as an FTO, while joining the Nigerian government to haunt down these atavistic elements whose ambitions of imposing a pre-historic age on Nigeria is real. 

For you and others, Nigeria maybe a research site, for 160 million people, it is home. The humanity of the victims and potentials victims of Boko Haram cannot be surrendered to the sophistry of traveling academics. 

I am sorry Dr. Kew, but the Boko Haram menace and terror, is no longer just an academic debate! And for sure, we no longer have such luxuries! 

Laolu Akande

Empowered Newswire

&

Executive Director

Christian Association of Nigerian-Americans, CANAN

P. O. Box 1041

Bay Shore, New York 11706

CANANUSA.ORG

On Nov 17, 2012, at 3:59 PM, Darren Kew <darren.kew@umb.edu> wrote:

Friends --

Many thanks to Pastor Akande for this important posting.  In the spirit of debate, please find my testimony before the House Subcommittee on Africa last July, in which I argue the opposite -- that it would NOT be helpful to designate Boko Haram a terrorist organization at this time.

The reason is that designating Boko Haram as an FTO puts little additional tools in the hands of the US government that it does not already have.  The only tangible benefit is that the Justice Department could seize Boko Haram assets in the US, of which it likely has none.

Meanwhile, giving Boko Haram the FTO designation will hand it a public relations victory, and play right into its objectives of trying to further ignite religious tensions in Nigeria, attract more disaffected youths to the movement, and also lump the moderates in the Boko Haram movement -- who have been trying to make peace overtures to the government -- alongside the hardliners.  Any Nigerian peace NGOs trying to work with anyone remotely connected to Boko Haram would not be eligible for funding.

The Obama administration has a smarter policy:  designate the individual hardliners as terrorists, like Shekau, and so try to divide them from the broader movement and its part-timers.  This has strengthened the hand of NSA Dasuki's response to the crisis:  trying to talk with the moderates while going after the hardliners, which opens the possibility of breaking the movement apart against itself.  It is better to give these efforts more time to see if they gain any traction over the next year.  If they fail, and if Boko Haram shows increasing involvement in regional anti-state movements as in Mali, then FTO might be worth the cost.

The Nigerian government must, however, absolutely investigate all attacks and provide compensation to the Christian communities that have been attacked -- and to the Muslim ones as well.  In addition to Boko Haram, other Islamist and Christian militias have committed atrocities that must be brought to justice.

Best,

Darren

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<Kew -- Africa Subcommittee Testimony 7-10-12.pdf>

<Nigeria - QFRs - Kew answers 8-14-12.pdf>

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Darren Kew, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Center for Peace, Democracy, and Development
-&-
Associate Professor
Department of Conflict Resolution, Human Security, and Global Governance
McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies
University of Massachusetts, Boston
100 Morrissey Blvd.
Boston, MA  02125-3393   USA
phone:  1-617-287-7428
fax:   1-617-287-7412

http://www.umb.edu/academics/mgs/crhsgg/

On Nov 16, 2012, at 1:22 PM, Pastor Laolu Akande wrote:

CANAN, IN MEETING WITH ENVOY, INSISTS ON US DESIGNATING BOKO HARAM TERRORISTS

 

CANANUSA.ORG- New York, Nov. 16, 2012- Nigerian Ambassador to the United States, Prof Adebowale Adefuye and the Christian Association of Nigerian-Americans, CANAN have both agreed to work together towards the elimination of terrorism in Nigeria, even if through different approaches. While CANAN continues to actively advocate for the designation of Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the US government, the Nigerian government opposes the designation, but says it is working hard to end terror attacks in the country.

The message CANAN took to the meeting was a simple one: the federal government of Nigeria by itself alone cannot solve the menace of Boko Haram violence. 

In effect, the Nigerian government and people will need and benefit from drastic international assistance, including a proper designation of the terror group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, FTO, by the US government.

At a meeting with leaders of the group on Thursday afternoon at the Nigerian Embassy in Washington DC, Adefuye disclosed that the incidence of terrorism attacks in Nigeria would have been greater than what it currently is, if not for the government's onslaught against Boko Haram.

CANAN leaders at the meeting included leader of the delegation, Archbishop Joseph Alexander, the group's Executive Director, Pastor Laolu Akande, Washington DC Representative, Emmanuel Ogebe, CANAN's Maryland State Associate Coordinator, Dr, Mercy Obamogie, Pastors Joseph Akiyode, Tony Ojoibukun and Deacon Ralph Osamor, CANAN's Security Coordinator. 

The Nigerian Ambassador to the US, Prof. Adefuye who identified with the fact that many innocent Nigerians have been unjustifiably killed in the terror attacks, especially Christians, noted that "we are no less repulsed by this violence, our revulsion is not less than yours."

He added that "preventive measures which have been put in place by the federal government has reduced the incidence of the attacks."

According to Nigeria's Ambassador the US government has also been actively backing the federal government in quelling the activities of the terror group.

"The rapidity, frequency of Boko Haram violence has been prevented by our forces and Americans backing us," he disclosed, adding that President Goodluck Jonathan, himself, the federal government and CANAN are united in terminating the activities of Boko Haram.

But the Ambassador objected however to the call for the designation of the group by the US government as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, FTO, which the Christian Association of Nigerian-Americans, CANAN have been actively clamouring for in the US since the group's inception in September this year.

In his own remarks the leader of the CANAN delegation to the Ambassador Archbishop Joseph Alexander, a trustee of the group, (representing Pastor James Fadele, the Chairman of the association,)  stated that concerted international efforts are needed to end the Boko Haram attacks. 

The Archbishop who is also the Founding Bishop of the New Covenant Ministries based in New York and with churches around the world said "on our minds is the peace of the Nigerian nation, we need to get other nations to help Nigeria end the terrorism of Boko Haram."

 

Alexander said the killings of Christians and innocent Nigerians must stop and the reign of fear, which he said has become rather troubling especially in the north of Nigeria.

 

While thanking the Nigerian Ambassador for his openness and active engagement with the Nigerian Diaspora in the US, the leader of the CANAN delegation added that the designation of Boko Haram will enable the US government go after the resources that is financing and maintaining the Boko Haram violence.

 

Speaking in a similar vein, CANAN Executive Director, Pastor Laolu Akande explained that based on academic researches and studies conducted on the connection between terrorism and foreign direct investment, including one by the Asia Development Bank, the designation of Boko Haram as an FTO by the US will not necessarily influence investors from coming to Nigeria.

 

Quoting a UN report on the subject, Akande said terrorism was number 7 concern of foreign investors generally, adding that "investors will go for profit wherever they can find it, even if it is in the mouth of a lion."

 

Also at the meeting, CANAN's Representative in Washington DC, Lawyer Emmanuel Ogebe said the federal government has not considered compensation to Nigerians killed and attacked by terrorists, but there are active plans to help and support Islamic education.

 

According to him, after President Jonathan was elected president last year, wide violence in northern Nigeria killed Christians and 700 churches were burnt because the president won. But he lamented that no compensation has been paid to anyone since then.

 

At the end of the meeting, Prof. Adefuye expressed understanding and promised to report the views of CANAN back to the federal government, adding that "we are all committed to the same goal, except that we have different approaches."

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