The parents of the Nigerian school children abducted in April by Boko Haram have reached a new level of desperation. In the absence of decis...
The parents of the Nigerian school children abducted in April by Boko Haram have reached a new level of desperation. In the absence of decisive action from Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, the mothers and fathers of Nigeria's missing girls have resorted to relying on the birthday wishes of a 17-year-old.
On Sunday, Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani education activist who survived a shot to the head in 2012 by the Taliban, met with the grieving African parents to demonstrate solidarity with the girls she referred to as her "sisters." The meeting coincided with her birthday, and Ms. Yousafzai stated that her birthday wish was "bringing back the girls now and alive."
Unfortunately, the Twitter posts and Facebook pictures coming out of the meeting seemed all the more feeble as Boko Haram simultaneously released its social media comeback. In a video posted online Sunday, Abubakar Shekau, the terror group's leader, mocks the international #BringBackOurGirls campaign and taunts the Nigerian government yelling, "Bring back our girls, oooh, bring back our army!"
In the same video, Mr. Shekau promises that the girls won't go free until Mr. Jonathan agrees to release the Boko Haram militants currently held in Nigerian jails. He also claims responsibility for a June bomb blast that left 21 dead in Abuja and declares support for the Islamic State of Syria and al-Sham, a radical al Qaeda offshoot intent on establishing a caliphate in the Middle East.
In the 90 days since the girls went missing, the Jonathan administration has suffered widespread domestic and international criticism as it struggles to mount a meaningful military response. On June 26, in an effort to assuage his critics, Mr. Jonathan wrote an opinion piece for the Washington Post in which he pledged his commitment to the girls and professed his fatherly concern. The move, perhaps encouraged by the Washington-based public relations firm that the unpopular government recently hired for $1.2 million, backfired badly. Mr. Jonathan's heartache seemed insincere while his anti-terrorist strategy came across as simpleminded.
One can only hope that the pressure of the upcoming presidential elections, and Mr. Jonathan's desire to boost his waning popularity, will inspire him to renew his efforts. Until then, the girls and their families must rely on hashtag activism, celebrity selfies and birthday wishes for comfort.
On Sunday, Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani education activist who survived a shot to the head in 2012 by the Taliban, met with the grieving African parents to demonstrate solidarity with the girls she referred to as her "sisters." The meeting coincided with her birthday, and Ms. Yousafzai stated that her birthday wish was "bringing back the girls now and alive."
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| 'Bringing Back the Girls Now and Alive' |
In the same video, Mr. Shekau promises that the girls won't go free until Mr. Jonathan agrees to release the Boko Haram militants currently held in Nigerian jails. He also claims responsibility for a June bomb blast that left 21 dead in Abuja and declares support for the Islamic State of Syria and al-Sham, a radical al Qaeda offshoot intent on establishing a caliphate in the Middle East.
In the 90 days since the girls went missing, the Jonathan administration has suffered widespread domestic and international criticism as it struggles to mount a meaningful military response. On June 26, in an effort to assuage his critics, Mr. Jonathan wrote an opinion piece for the Washington Post in which he pledged his commitment to the girls and professed his fatherly concern. The move, perhaps encouraged by the Washington-based public relations firm that the unpopular government recently hired for $1.2 million, backfired badly. Mr. Jonathan's heartache seemed insincere while his anti-terrorist strategy came across as simpleminded.
One can only hope that the pressure of the upcoming presidential elections, and Mr. Jonathan's desire to boost his waning popularity, will inspire him to renew his efforts. Until then, the girls and their families must rely on hashtag activism, celebrity selfies and birthday wishes for comfort.
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