Articles: Who are Nigeria's Boko Haram Islamists? / Nigeria's Boko Haram and MEND quagmire
Little attention has been paid outside Nigeria to the ideology of a violent Islamist group pejoratively termed "Boko Haram" - meaning: Western education is sinful -, even after the deadly bombing of the UN headquarters in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, on 26 August 2011. Here are two short articles that make some interesting points.
On the day of the UN bombing, Farouk Chothia, a journalist with the BBC African Service, asked: "Who are Nigeria's Boko Haram Islamists?" (link at the bottom).
Excerpt: "Boko Haram ... is fighting to overthrow the government and create an Islamic state. ... Boko Haram promotes a version of Islam which makes it 'haram', or forbidden, for Muslims to take part in any political or social activity associated with Western society. This includes voting in elections ... Boko Haram regards the Nigerian state as being run by non-believers, even when the country had a Muslim president." (bold removed)
Already on 10 June 2011, a freelance writer, Konye Obaji Ori, commented on the site of the bimonthly Paris-based business magazine, "The Africa Report", on "Nigeria's Boko Haram and MEND quagmire": http://www.theafricareport.com/201106105141440/society-culture/commentary-nigerias-boko-haram-and-mend-quagmire.html
Excerpt: "Espousing a theological framework of social analysis, Boko Haram fervidly opposes the pluralism, tolerance and civic mutuality generated by the survival of the Nigerian state. Opposed to democracy, Western-style education, and modern science, ... Boko Haram have killed several civilians and government forces in a crusade against Western ideologies spreading around the country - especially in the north."
Little attention has been paid outside Nigeria to the ideology of a violent Islamist group pejoratively termed "Boko Haram" - meaning: Western education is sinful -, even after the deadly bombing of the UN headquarters in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, on 26 August 2011. Here are two short articles that make some interesting points.
On the day of the UN bombing, Farouk Chothia, a journalist with the BBC African Service, asked: "Who are Nigeria's Boko Haram Islamists?" (link at the bottom).
Excerpt: "Boko Haram ... is fighting to overthrow the government and create an Islamic state. ... Boko Haram promotes a version of Islam which makes it 'haram', or forbidden, for Muslims to take part in any political or social activity associated with Western society. This includes voting in elections ... Boko Haram regards the Nigerian state as being run by non-believers, even when the country had a Muslim president." (bold removed)
Already on 10 June 2011, a freelance writer, Konye Obaji Ori, commented on the site of the bimonthly Paris-based business magazine, "The Africa Report", on "Nigeria's Boko Haram and MEND quagmire": http://www.theafricareport.com/201106105141440/society-culture/commentary-nigerias-boko-haram-and-mend-quagmire.html
Excerpt: "Espousing a theological framework of social analysis, Boko Haram fervidly opposes the pluralism, tolerance and civic mutuality generated by the survival of the Nigerian state. Opposed to democracy, Western-style education, and modern science, ... Boko Haram have killed several civilians and government forces in a crusade against Western ideologies spreading around the country - especially in the north."
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