It seems that the world has been plagued with a series of tragic events that shows the extent of mercilessness of violent terrorist groups, who are thoughtlessly slaughtering countless innocent victims in different corners of the world.
When the Charlie Hebdo office was attacked on January 7th, 12 civilians were killed and 11 suffer from non-fatal injuries. A shooters who affiliated with the terrorists group Al Qaeda, didn’t approve the magazine’s depiction of the prophet Muhammad, which led to the attack.
This attack gained world press, and millions mourned and paid tribute to the victims of this strike.
Since the attack, French and national authorities have not stopped to secure Paris. While authorities are doing whatever they can to assure safety, 3.7 million citizens have marched all throughout Paris, and among the marchers where forty world leaders from around the globe. People have become emotionally connected to this attack and have been ready to get their voices heard; this march has become the biggest gathering in France’s history.
In Nigeria, a group known as the Boko Haram has allegedly killed 2,000 people in and around the city of Baga. Bodies of men, children, women, and elders are still lying throughout the streets and have yet to be removed. Houses were also burned and families were fleeing the scene in any matter that they could. This is reportedly the biggest onslaught that the Boko Haram have committed within their six years of being a faction.
We have all seen the broadcasts of what has been done for the attack in Paris, but what has been done to relive some of the dangers in Nigeria? Nigerian government spokesman Mike Omeri stated,
“Security forces have responded rapidly, and have deployed significant military assets and conducted airstrikes against militant target.”
The White House had this to say about the attacks,
“We are going to continue to work with the Nigerian government on our counterterrorism efforts. At the same time, we are also going to continue to urge the Nigerian government to live up to some basic human rights and some principles of basic human rights that sometimes get overlooked out of an effort to try to fight this terrible terrorist scourge that they are dealing with in their country right now.”
It appears that America is not intervening at all in this situation. They have also failed to send a high ranking official to march with the world leaders in Paris during the biggest gathering in the countries history. America claims they are all about aiding those in counterterrorism, but they appear to be no intervening. America has been criticized for their lack of participation by the world and its own citizens.
Another thing, which strikes curiosity, is why did the attack and murder of 12 journalists and illustrators in Paris gain more media attention and remorse throughout the world than the slaughtering of 2,000, which involved women children and seniors. These numbers are expediently larger, and the Boko Haram have been torturing Nigeria for almost six years now, so why are most of us learning about this organization now? Nigeria may have reached out for help, but have not seek out the amount of aid that they need, it as if they are allowing the Boko Haram to remain in Nigeria.
The attack on the Paris office was indeed devastating, but some may say that they brought this problem on themselves. They were warned about possible attacks if they kept up with these illustrations, and although they have the freedom of the press, they should have ethically and morally decided that maybe they are pushing the boundaries too much. The people in Nigeria have not asked for these circumstances and their fate is out of their control.
As a country who lives off the media, we gain all of our news and knowledge of the world based on what is displayed on our newspapers, televisions, and the Internet. Most of us do not know the facts of a crime or attack unless it is broadcasted on every news report. Many of us have never heard of the attacks of the Boko Haram who are infecting Nigeria, because they are finally going in depth with reporting about it now.
America needs to prove that we are who we say we are, and act when the time is necessary and when others need our help. This involves sending aid, broadcasting news coverage, and being present at important events, so we are represented. Or could it be that we only favor and respond to selected group of people or countries?
RushHourDaily/Christian Hartmann
