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LONDON’S Green MEP Jean Lambert has prompted the European Parliament to call for international action to help bring peace in Nigeria’s long-running conflict with extremists Boko Haram.<\/p>\n
Boko Haram has brought violence to parts of Africa’s most-populous country for over a decade, killing thousands \u2013 Christians, Muslims, government employees and targeting schools and public places.<\/p>\n
In April the group made headlines around the world when it abducted some 276 girls from a school in Borno state; over 200 girls remain missing, and are thought to be at risk of being sold into slavery or forced marriages.<\/p>\n
And things are getting worse: the rate and spread of attacks is increasing.<\/p>\n
The government response has been heavily criticised, often relying on indiscriminate violence rather than targeted intelligence.<\/p>\n
Some 10,000 refugees have fled to neighbouring countries Niger and Cameroon and a state of emergency has been in place in three states for more than a year. Many more remain internally displaced within Nigeria.<\/p>\n
\u201cTens of thousands are suffering at the hands of this terror,\u201d said Ms Lambert.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has sparked a refugee crisis, that is in turn putting huge strain in the water and food supplies of an already severely-impoverished region.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously our starting point is expressing our deepest sympathy for all affected by this violence, but the violence has gone on long enough.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe EU is engaged in Nigeria on issues such as governance and peace-building, as is the UN.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Nigerian Government must now take concerted action to tackle the violence and develop Nigeria’s true potential.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis means tackling corruption so that its wealth can be used to reduce inequalities within and between regions, especially the growing North-South divide.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Government must also guarantee the rule of law and protect the human rights of its citizens.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Lambert proposed a resolution to condemn the violence and call for a greater role for the UN, EU and UNICEF at the European Parliament. It was passed with a huge majority.<\/p>\n
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For the full text of the resolution, see here<\/a>.<\/p>\n