Rekha Dhondiyal

Boko Haram is a radical Islamist Nigerian militant group known for causing havoc in Africa’s most populated country due to a spate of bombings, assassinations, kidnappings and now abductions. It’s a continuous fierce fight to overthrow the government and create an Islamic state. The terrorist group is wedded to the Koranic phrase: Anyone who is not governed by what Allah has revealed, is a transgressor. It believes it’s ‘haram’/ forbidden for Muslims to take part in political or social activity even vaguely associated with the Western society. Voting in elections, wearing shirts and pants and acquiring a Western secular education is taboo. They are blindly committed to the propagation of the Prophet’s teachings and ‘ jihad.’

Its insurgency first started in 2009. They targeted civilians and the military. They believed they were being governed by non- believers even when they had a Muslim president.

On 14th April, 286 girls were abducted from their dormitory in Nigeria’s restive north east and taken deep into a jungle. They are between the age of 14 and 16. They are being shared and mass marriages are happening. 223 are still missing.

A video has been released showing 130 of them in veils, praying, reciting the Quoran, palm upwards. Two Christian girls converted to Islam out of sheer fear of being shot. Two didn’t.

The group had earlier attacked schools, churches and government installations too. Boko Haram loosely means ‘western education is sin.’ One leader said gleefully that they had liberated the girls because they were Muslims now and therefore, parents needn’t fret. He also added that he would never release them until the government released their militant brethren from prison. He hinted that the girls who didn’t convert would face a worse fate.They would never know what it is to be free.

Some girls managed to flee from their abductors. The ones who lacked courage feared for their life and succumbed to their dictat. The girl who ran away told reporters that she felt deeply for the parents of the girls who could not. Their desperation and anguish was palpable.

An emergency was clamped down on insurgency by the government but bloodshed continued.

Kidnappings have always been their tactic for a long time but now the scale of these abductions and threats have grown humungously. They have been emboldened. They want to sell them as slaves and this has shocked the world and galvanised the international community into action. Israel has come to their rescue, acknowledged for its anti terror expertise. The Nigerian President has accepted their assistance. Britain, the US and France have sent their special teams and equipment to help Nigeria’ s military to put a stop to their 5 years’ reign of terror and deadly violence.

Michelle Obama has said, ‘We want our girls back’. A laconic statement that is heavily loaded. She means business.The entire community of sane people in the world are together to prevent this heinous crime. The message is loud and clear. No one can get away with ill- treatment of anyone least of all these helpless girls.Terrorists of every hue and colour have no choice but to change, or face the consequences, Boko Haram included.

If only these misguided people knew the worth of girls! Let sanity prevail. Educate them, there are great social dividends in store for all. And all the gun toting men, drop your guns like hot potatoes and go to school. Get real. Perpetrators of crime don’t last.

Study Hall children condemn the kidnapping of these innocent girls. So does the staff.

We send love, payers and best wishes for those nameless girls’ release soon.