THE United Nations (UN) is taking note of what it believes may constitute atrocities and crimes against humanity in the ongoing political and religious crises in Nigeria. The world body's High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay has also called on the Federal Government and religious leaders to stop all such violence.
According to a UN statement issued yesterday in Geneva, Pillay said it is especially important for Muslim and Christian leaders to "condemn all violence," including retaliatory attacks, noting that such moves could help stop a dangerous situation from "spiraling out of control."
Pillay said if Boko Haram members are judged to have carried out systemic attacks against civilians, then the militants could be found guilty of crimes against humanity.
Meanwhile, the ongoing strike and protests in Nigeria are reverberating in the United States as American-based Nigerians continue to organise several rallies in New York, Washington DC, Los Angeles, Houston and Atlanta within the last four days.
In New York, they began the rallies under the banner of the Nigerian Democratic Liberty Forum (NDLF) on Monday in front of the Nigeria House in Manhattan, New York. The American protest movement, OCCUPY Wall Street, also joined the Nigerian protesters on Wednesday afternoon as they marched on the Nigerian House.
According to one of the leaders of the New York protests, Mr. Bukola Oreofe, executive director of the NDLF, some Consulate officials at the Nigeria House offered to invite some of the protesters to dialogue with senior diplomats and Foreign Affairs Minister Olugbenga Ashiru, who was in town.
However, the offer was turned down, according to Oreofe, who said the demands of the protesters were the same with those of Nigerians at home and they are well-known to the Federal Government.
However the Nigerian Ambassador to the U.S., Prof. Ade Adefuye confirmed yesterday that several groups representing Nigerian associations in the U.S., including Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), have agreed to hold a dialogue with the Federal Government delegation in Chicago.
Adefuye said he would lead the delegation, hoping to create better understanding between Nigerians in the U.S. and the government on the controversial subsidy on petrol removal issue.
Speaking with The Guardian at the rally, Mr. Jose Martin, a spokesperson for OCCUPY Wall Street, said the U.S. movement had been following the Nigerian situation on the international news circuit and found out about the Tuesday rally in New York.
The Guardian