A civil society movement and families of the 276 girls abducted in Nigeria by the Boko Haram sect have appealed to the world not to forget the girls and called for a Global week of Action from 11th to 18th October to mobilize everyone around the world to demand for renewed actions towards the immediate rescue of the girls.
BringBackOurGirls
Movement and families of the abducted girls further calls for intensification of
any actions already being taken by the Nigerian Government and other
Governments lending support to achieve quick results on the rescue
operation.
In
a signed call to action communication ahead of the United Nations International
Day of the Girl Child, they note that not a single girl has been rescued since
the girls were abducted from a Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno
State nearly six months ago.
“Till
date, not one girl has been rescued, save for 57 girls who escaped on their
own, while 219 girls still remain in captivity”
They
say the theme for this year’s International Day of the Girl Child on 11th
October 2014 which is “Empowering Adolescent Girls: Ending the Circle of
Violence” coincides with the period when the movement and families of the
abducted girls continue to agitate for the immediate release of the girls.
Observing
that the girls are victims of the violence being perpetrated by Boko Haram in
Nigeria, the BringBackOurGirls movement and families of the abducted girls emphasize
the need for their immediate release pointing out that the girls had against
all odds sought education in order to be empowered in their bid to become
responsible leaders of the society.
"We
cannot afford for girls and parents anywhere in the world to be forced to
choose between education and personal safety."
They
have implored political leaders, the United Nations, civil society, religious
leaders, development partners, media, celebrities and well meaning individuals
to stand in solidarity in solidarity with the Chibok girls during the Global
Week of Action for the girls immediate release.
Friends
of the abducted girls around the world have at the same time been encouraged to
hold vigils in communities and where possible at Nigerian Embassies in their
respective countries.
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| “I am crying to God to change Kony’s heart so that he stops killing" Mary Kanyun |
Elsewhere in South Sudan, some of the young girls who were abducted by the Lords Resistance Army in the early 2000 are happy to be alive to share their story. They still carry with them the bad memories of their experience in the hands of their abductors.
Mary Kanyun, 24, a South Sudanese lady from Hatire - Torit, Eastern Equatoria State was among 70 girls abducted by Joseph Kony's LRA from a School in Hatire in 2002.
Kanyun, a now a mother of four, is currently pursuing religious studies at AIC's Imotong Bible School
She and her sister managed to escape from captivity and has since forgiven Kony. Her appeal to the LRA leader is to stop killing people and release the girls and women who are still in captivity. She told me that the scar on her hand was caused by ropes that were used to bind them. It reminds her of the suffering experience she and other young girls went through while in captivity.
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