Bring home our girls.
Nearly one hundred days and nights ago, 276 girls got up one morning and prepared to take their exams. The teenagers were mostly majoring in government and physics. The majority of them, I imagine, were nervous and worried as students facing an exam most often are. Others were probably relieved that the time has finally come to take the dratted exam so that they can move on to other exciting activities. All were probably looking forward to seeing family and friends at the end of the school day...or the school term.
It was not to be. They would not be seeing the familiar faces of love any time soon. Shortly after finishing their exams, gunmen attacked their school, grabbed and traumatized them, and then spirited them off to parts unknown.
Some girls managed to escape. I cannot begin to imagine what manner of indignities, difficulties the girls who are left behind in captivity must be facing. The horror they must be experiencing at the thought of being "married" off to strangers
In Chibok and elsewhere, it is not hard to find Nigerians who believe their government has quietly closed the book on the affair. Lurid rumours abound that the girls have already been impregnated by Boko Haram militants, or sold for £12-a-head in the dusty slave markets of neighbouring Niger and Cameroon.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/...
Boko Haram released a video proposing a swap of its imprisoned fighters for the remaining girls. Their offer has been rejected by the Nigerian government.
A powerful force joins the fight
"I can see those girls as my sisters ... and I'm going to speak up for them until they are released," said Malala, who turns 17 on Monday. She was scheduled to meet with President Goodluck Jonathan. "My birthday wish this year is... bring back our girls now and alive," she said.
Read more:
http://www.smh.com.au/...
Malala did meet with the president of Nigeria and was able to get him to at least promise to visit with the parents of the missing girls. One hundred days and he had yet to meet with them.
During her meeting Monday with Jonathan, the Nigerian president agreed to a meeting with the parents of the abducted schoolgirls for the first time, Malala later told reporters. He also promised scholarships to all the girls once they were released.
http://www.latimes.com/...
So far, international pressure has had little or no effect on either Boko Haram and their leaders, or the Goodluck Jonathan's government. The Obama administration has sent 80 military personnel to help in finding our girls.
I am particularly encouraged with the work former UK prime minister, Gordon Brown, is doing. Brown is the UN Special Envoy for Global Education and seems to be taking the job very seriously.
Britain must give more help to Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram
It's not only the kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls that need our help, but every girl that the terrorists are denying an education.
The Nigerian people themselves seem to have had enough of the extremism of Boko Haram. Vigilante groups have sprung up all over the country. Sixty-three women and children who were kidnapped after the Chibok girls, managed to free themselves and return home.There remains some hope.
http://www.theguardian.com/...
Act now!
We cannot give up. We cannot decide that this is an impossible task, return to life as normal, and act as if 191 girls are not still missing. I imagine that every morning the teenagers wake up hoping that this is the day they will be rescued. I cannot imagine that they have given up hope. We cannot, should not give up on them.
Please help bring them home.
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PETITIONS TO SIGN
Sign the Amnesty International petition here:http://act.amnestyusa.org/...
AFRICA: A letter to H.E Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma http://www.ipetitions.com/...
WHITE HOUSE: Demand that US White House take immediate action to rescue all 230 school girls http://wh.gov/...
Change.org President of the United States: Rescue the 230 School girls who were kidnapped in Nigeria. http://chn.ge/...
CANADA: Live in Canada? Sign this petition
http://www.activism.com/...
BRITAIN/UK Sign this petition http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/...
US SENATE: Email your state senator and demand that they help rescue the girls:
http://www.senate.gov/...
US CONGRESS: Here is a list of congressman: http://www.house.gov/...
SOUTH AFRICA: https://secure.avaaz.org/...
Sample letter for your Government:
"Please do everything in your power to compel the senate and White House to rescue the 230 school girls who have been kidnapped by terrorists. The Nigerian government has not effectively solved this problem and 10 days have passed and all the girls are still missing. I believe it is morally and ethically crucial that the US take immediate action. Sincerely, "
https://www.facebook.com/...
They have names. They are daughters, sisters, cousins, aunts, granddaughters, nieces, friends, girlfriends. They are funny, quirky, bright, ambitious, silly, mischievous, quarrelsome, athletic, studious, loves cooking, neat, messy, loves sewing, artist, pugnacious, quiet, afraid of the dark, loves to be alone, a homebody, gregarious, sweet, tall, short, fashionable, shy, bossy. They are our girls. Bring them home.
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Hat tips to ShoshannaD and Denise for the support.