[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 76 (Tuesday, May 20, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H4535-H4541]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONDEMNING THE ABDUCTION OF FEMALE STUDENTS BY BOKO HARAM
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 573) condemning the abduction of female students by
armed militants from the terrorist group known as Boko Haram in
northeastern provinces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 573
Whereas, on the night of April 14, 2014, 276 female
students, most of them between 15 and 18 years old, were
abducted by Boko Haram from the Government Girls Secondary
School, a boarding school located in the northeastern
province of Borno in the Federal Republic of Nigeria;
Whereas, all public secondary schools in Borno state were
closed in March 2014 because of increasing attacks in the
past year that have killed hundreds of students, but the
young women at the Government Girls Secondary School were
recalled to take their final exams;
Whereas, Boko Haram burned down several buildings before
opening fire on soldiers and police who were guarding the
Government Girls Secondary School and forcing the students
into trucks;
Whereas, according to local officials in Borno state, 53
students were able to flee their captors, and the rest remain
abducted;
[[Page H4536]]
Whereas, there are reports that the abducted girls have
been sold as brides to Islamist militants for the equivalent
of $12 each;
Whereas, the group popularly known as ``Boko Haram'', which
loosely translates from the Hausa language to ``Western
education is sin'', is known to oppose the education of
girls;
Whereas, on April 14, 2014, hours before the kidnapping in
Borno state, and on May 2, 2014, Boko Haram bombed bus
stations in Abuja, Nigeria, killing at least 94 people and
wounding over 160, making it the deadliest set of attacks
ever in Nigeria's capital;
Whereas, Boko Haram has kidnapped girls in the past to use
as cooks and sex slaves, and has claimed responsibility for
the kidnapping in Borno state on April 14, 2014;
Whereas, late May 5, 2014, suspected Boko Haram gunmen
kidnapped an additional 8 girls, ranging in age from 12 to
15, from a village in northeast Nigeria;
Whereas, reports estimate that more than 500 students and
100 teachers have been killed by Boko Haram and have
destroyed roughly 500 schools in northern Nigeria, leaving
more than 15,000 students without access to education;
Whereas, Boko Haram has targeted schools, mosques,
churches, villages, and agricultural centers, as well as
government facilities, in an armed campaign to create an
Islamic state in northern Nigeria, prompting the President of
Nigeria to declare a state of emergency in three of the
country's northeastern states in May 2013;
Whereas, human rights groups have indicated that the
Nigerian state security forces should improve efforts to
protect civilians during offensive operations against Boko
Haram;
Whereas, according to nongovernmental organizations, more
than 1,500 people have been killed in attacks by Boko Haram
or reprisals by Nigerian security forces this year alone, and
that almost 4,000 people have been killed in Boko Haram
attacks since 2011;
Whereas, the enrollment, retention, and completion of
education for girls in Nigeria remains a major challenge;
Whereas, according to the United Nations Children's
Emergency Fund (UNICEF), some 4,700,000 children of primary
school age are still not in school in Nigeria, with
attendance rates lowest in the north;
Whereas, studies have found that school children in
Nigeria, particularly those in the northern provinces, are at
a disadvantage in their education, with 37 percent of
primary-age girls in the rural northeast not attending
school, and 30 percent of boys not attending school;
Whereas, women and girls must be allowed to go to school
without fear of violence and unjust treatment so that they
can take their rightful place as equal citizens of and
contributors to society;
Whereas United States security assistance to Nigeria has
emphasized military professionalization, peacekeeping support
and training, and border and maritime security;
Whereas, the Department of State designated Boko Haram as a
Foreign Terrorist Organization in November 2013, recognizing
the threat posed by the group's large-scale and
indiscriminate attacks against civilians, including women and
children;
Whereas Boko Haram is one of a number of radical Islamist
terrorist organizations and extremist groups that pose a
growing threat to United States' interests in the region as
well as broader peace and security; and
Whereas these radical Islamist groups, which include Ansar
al-Sharia, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, The National
Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa, and others have
carried out deadly attacks in the region and constitute a
growing threat to North and West Africa: Now, therefore, be
it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) expresses its strong support for the people of Nigeria,
especially the parents and families of the girls abducted by
Boko Haram in Borno state, and calls for the immediate, safe
return of the girls;
(2) condemns Boko Haram for its violent attacks on civilian
targets, including schools, mosques, churches, villages, and
agricultural centers in Nigeria;
(3) encourages the Government of Nigeria to strengthen
efforts to protect children seeking to obtain an education
and to hold those who conduct such violent attacks
accountable;
(4) commends efforts by the United States Government to
hold terrorist organizations, such as Boko Haram,
accountable;
(5) supports offers of United States assistance to the
government of Nigeria in the search for these abducted girls
and encourages the government of Nigeria to work with the
United States and other concerned governments to resolve this
tragic situation;
(6) recognizes that every individual, regardless of gender,
should have the opportunity to pursue an education without
fear of discrimination;
(7) encourages the Department of State and the United
States Agency for International Development to continue their
support for initiatives that promote the human rights of
women and girls in Nigeria;
(8) urges the President to immediately strengthen United
States security, law enforcement, and intelligence
cooperation with appropriate Nigerian forces, including
offering United States personnel to support operations to
locate and rescue the more than 200 schoolgirls kidnapped by
Boko Haram, and to support Nigerian efforts to counter this
United States designated foreign terrorist organization; and
(9) calls on the President to provide to Congress a
comprehensive strategy to counter the growing threat posed by
radical Islamist terrorist groups in West Africa, the Sahel,
and North Africa.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Royce) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
General Leave
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have
5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include any
extraneous material into the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume.
Mr. Speaker, Members of the House, the world is now fully aware of
the absolute terror of Boko Haram. Over the last few months, there have
been over 500 schools burned to the ground by Boko Haram.
Struck by the brazen abduction of nearly 300 innocent schoolgirls,
people are now asking, ``What is Boko Haram?'' Sadly, for the
communities in northern Nigeria, they know the answer to that. They
know what Boko Haram means to them. They know that the definition of
``Boko Haram'' is ``Western education is a sin,'' and they know that,
for this particular organization, of particularly great importance is
that young women not be educated.
Sadly, for the communities in northern Nigeria, they know that Boko
Haram believes that you can kidnap women, you can sell young girls, you
can treat them as chattel, and you can enslave them, but the one great
sin is should you try to educate them, because should you try to
educate them, you will meet the fate of over 100 teachers who have been
slaughtered in northern Nigeria for trying to educate young women.
Boko Haram in total has killed some 4,000 individuals now. The
communities in northern Nigeria live in constant fear, losing any
normalcy of life. Most of the schools in whole regions have been shut
down. Community centers, farms, and businesses have been boarded up and
closed.
Even with the recent focus on rescuing these young women, Boko Haram
has been able to continue its reign of terror. Its militants have
relatively sophisticated weapons, they have ample funds, and they have
advanced training. This group is the vanguard of a foreign-backed move
to transform and radicalize Nigerian society, as many Nigerians have
told me in the country.
Since the abduction of these 300 students, more girls have been
kidnapped, and more Nigerian security units have been attacked. This
group, my friends, is not going away.
Boko Haram lives up to its name. They have killed, as I say, over 100
teachers, but over 500 students. They have denied tens of thousands of
young Nigerians an education, but they have a very alternative
framework for education--or indoctrination--that they intend to
supplant. Despite knowing the dangers, these young women were committed
to their education, the ones that were abducted.
This resolution importantly puts the House on record saying that we
are committed to getting them freed. The resolution supports U.S.
assistance to the Nigerian Government in trying to rescue these girls
and calls for a more active U.S. role. Tomorrow, we will hear from a
young woman who herself was kidnapped by Boko Haram and escaped.
It is clear that the Nigerian security forces are facing an uphill
battle in the fight against Boko Haram. Some of these problems are
internal--some unprofessional and corrupt units that are poorly
equipped and poorly trained. That has led some to say that we should
not be involved. But, Mr. Speaker, it tells me that U.S. involvement is
critical. Without U.S. expertise, including intelligence sharing, it is
clear that the threat from the U.S.-designated terrorist group will
grow, these girls will suffer, others girls will suffer, and the region
will be destabilized.
[[Page H4537]]
U.S. forces are well positioned to advise and assist. They can advise
and assist Nigerian forces in the search and rescue of these girls. In
this role, U.S. forces--expertly trained to deal with hostage
situations and trained in jungle environments--could help Nigerians
with intelligence planning and logistics up until the point the
operation is launched. And if some U.S. laws would hinder such
assistance, the administration should use its waiver authority under
these extraordinary circumstances.
An advise-and-assist operation would have the benefit of boosting
morale and effectiveness of the Nigerian forces. It would ensure expert
planning, and it would ensure the best chance of success of rescue.
This isn't dissimilar to the operation against the Lord's Resistance
Army in eastern Africa, where U.S. forces have been embedded with local
units, training and constraining Joseph Kony, and it has been used in
the past to eliminate al Qaeda-linked terrorists in North Africa.
While these girls are foremost in our mind, there are larger
considerations too.
{time} 1845
Indeed, commanders at the Pentagon have stated that Boko Haram is a
threat to Western interests, and one of the highest counterterrorism
priorities in Africa, they tell us; and that is especially the case,
given Nigeria's position as the continent's most populous country and
biggest economy.
This resolution is a show of solidarity with these young kidnapped
girls, with their families, and with the communities in northern
Nigeria who have lived under constant fear of Boko Haram for far too
long.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume,
and I rise in strong support of H. Res. 573.
I would like to begin by thanking our former committee colleague and
our colleague, Ms. Frederica Wilson of Florida, for offering this
important resolution. I would also like to thank our chairman of the
Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Royce, for working with us on this piece
of legislation in a bipartisan manner.
This resolution strongly condemns the abduction of nearly 300
schoolgirls by the Nigerian terrorist group Boko Haram and supports
U.S. and international efforts to assist in their recovery.
On April 14, these schoolgirls were doing what young women and girls
all over the world do every day, studying for tests, playing with
friends, and building a future for themselves.
That day, Boko Haram--which roughly translates to ``Western education
is forbidden''--abducted these girls, tore them away from their
families and their communities. Today, more than a month later, we
still don't know where they are. Our thoughts are with their families,
and we pray that they are safely reunited with their children as soon
as possible.
This mass abduction is only the latest atrocity committed by Boko
Haram. Since 2010, they have launched hundreds of attacks and murdered
over 5,000 people. The group has burned schools and killed students,
attacked churches and mosques, murdered Christian and Muslim religious
leaders, and set off bombs in the capital city of Abuja.
The United States and other international partners have offered
assistance to bring the schoolgirls home, and we all hope these efforts
will prove successful, but we must also recognize that Nigeria's
approach to countering Boko Haram has not been effective. With its
heavy-handed approach, the Nigerian military has often alienated the
very population that could be providing valuable information about Boko
Haram's activities.
Instead of fostering relationships with the community, the military
has built a record of indiscriminate destruction, theft of personal
property, arbitrary arrests, indefinite detention, torture, and
extrajudicial killing of civilians--all this with impunity. This serves
only to help Boko Haram recruit and radicalize new members.
I hope the Nigerian Government will see this kidnapping and the
reaction of Nigerian citizens as a wake-up call to reevaluate their
counterterrorism strategy and that we can work with them to develop a
comprehensive strategy to combat Boko Haram, one that included civil
society, development, and better civil-military relations.
Meanwhile, we in the United States must do all we can to ensure that
these girls are returned home to their families safely and soundly.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this
important resolution.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Smith), the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on
Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International
Organization.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Royce for
swiftly bringing this important resolution, H. Res. 573, to the floor.
I thank Congresswoman Frederica Wilson for her sponsorship and also
Eliot Engel for the bipartisanship that has been exhibited on behalf of
this very, very important and timely resolution.
Mr. Speaker, nearly 2 months ago, a large group of uniformed men,
Boko Haram terrorists, kidnapped nearly 300 schoolgirls from the Chibok
Government Girls Secondary School. This case has recently caught the
attention of the international community, and people worldwide are
now--and belatedly, I would suggest--calling for swift action to
recover these innocent young women.
Unfortunately--and perversely--Boko Haram now basks in its
international attention and continues to release videos to demonstrate
the leverage they believe they have gained by this and other
kidnappings. Meanwhile, boys caught by these terrorists are not
kidnapped; they are summarily executed. Fifty-nine of them were killed
in one school alone in Borno State just this past February.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Nigeria continues to be slow to react
to this outrageous situation, even after accepting much-needed
international security assistance.
It is only since the uproar in Nigeria and outside the country that
the Nigerian Government has asked for international assistance in
addressing this situation. That request has triggered a U.S.
interagency team consisting of personnel from the Departments of State,
Defense, Justice, USAID, AFRICOM, and the FBI.
That team was led by AFRICOM commander General David Rodriguez and
Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human
Rights Sarah Sewall, who will testify tomorrow at Chairman Royce's
hearing.
This enhanced engagement is welcomed in light of weak efforts by the
Nigerian Government and a police-military-security apparatus that we
have found to operate in a very divided manner and make enemies among
the Nigerian public by their clumsy and sometimes brutal response to
Boko Haram terrorist attacks.
Mr. Speaker, it is worth noting here that, for years, many of us--and
this has been bipartisan--have been calling on the Obama administration
to declare Boko Haram a foreign terrorist organization.
I held a hearing back in 2012 and asked, rather pointedly, of then-
Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson why Boko Haram was not so
designated, particularly in light of the killings that occurred at the
U.N. facility in Abuja. There were no good answers. We tried again. I
finally went on a factfinding trip in September of last year.
We went to Jos, Greg Simpkins, my staff director and I, and met with
people who were the survivors of firebombing attacks that occurred in
their churches while they were at mass or at church service on Sunday.
We heard harrowing tales.
We even brought one of the survivors, a man named Ikenna Nzeribe, who
came and told how an AK-47 was put to his jaw. He was told: You either
renounce your faith in your Jesus or you die. He said: I am ready to
see my Lord.
The trigger was pulled, and he lost half of his face and was left for
dead.
I say that because the brutality of this organization--which now has
some 300 young, innocent women that are probably being raped and abused
in so many ways--just underscores the need for concerted action, first
and foremost, by Nigeria and, secondly, by a
[[Page H4538]]
full assist by the international communities.
Earlier today, five mutually reinforcing bills to combat human
trafficking passed on this floor of the House of Representatives. This
is another vivid, extraordinary, hard example of human trafficking, of
stealing young girls right from their school, putting them in trucks,
and then taking them into the bush where horrible things are being done
to them.
We need to leave no stone unturned, and if that means lifting in the
sense of only working with those troops that are human rights certified
to assist the military of Nigeria, parts of the Leahy amendment may
have to be waived, we have to provide that command and control and that
ability for the Nigerian military to find and bring these young girls
back to safety.
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman
from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) be yielded the remainder of my time, and
that he may control that time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield 1 minute to
the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), our Democratic leader.
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding; and I
thank my colleague from California, Mr. Royce, the chairman of the
committee; and Mr. Smith and others who have brought this resolution to
the floor.
I am especially proud of the work of Congresswoman Frederica Wilson,
for her work on the resolution before the House to condemn the
abduction of female students by armed militants. Thank you,
Congresswoman Wilson.
We have been fortunate to have the leadership of our Congressional
Black Caucus, led by Congresswoman Fudge--who I see on the floor right
now--Congressman Keith Ellison and Congresswoman Barbara Lee, among
others who have come and gone in the course of the debate.
We have called the Congressional Black Caucus the conscience of the
Congress, helping to rally our Nation to the cause of these abducted
girls and working to address the broader threat to women and girls in
Africa and around the world.
I associate myself with some of the remarks of my colleague, Mr.
Smith, about the fact that so many bills today on the floor address
human trafficking, the trafficking of children, that passed earlier,
and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee was very much a part of that.
I rise this evening, Mr. Speaker, in support of the resolution
introduced by Congresswoman Frederica Wilson and to stand in solidarity
with the young Nigerian girls who are still held in captivity by Boko
Haram.
Their kidnapping is outside the circle of civilized human behavior.
It is a despicable and abhorrent crime that cries out for justice, nor
is this the first time that Boko Haram has attacked young Nigerian
students.
They have murdered dozens of young boys, shooting and burning more
than 50 of them to death in their boarding school. Their assault on
communities is an affront to the human rights of men, women, and
children everywhere.
I think it is important to note, Mr. Speaker, that we have a moral
responsibility to help, certainly to find and rescue these girls. We
must not and will not rest until we bring them back; bring back our
girls.
But when we bring them back, we have to bring them back without the
taboo, without the stigma that they have been kidnapped and assumptions
made about their treatment. Whatever that has been, I know that their
families want to welcome them back with open arms, and we have to be a
party to that.
The worst thing, the most cruel form of torture for someone who has
been kidnapped, as Mr. Smith knows as a champion for human rights
throughout the world, is to tell those who are kidnapped or abducted or
imprisoned that nobody really cares about them anymore, that nobody
knows that they are kidnapped and nobody cares about them anymore.
In this case of these young girls, to also say because you have been
kidnapped and certain assumptions have been made about your treatment,
you will no longer be welcomed home, even if you are freed, that is
vicious. That is vicious, and I know it is a view not shared by the
families of these girls and should not be shared by anyone.
As the resolution states, women and girls must be allowed to go to
school without fear of violence and unjust treatment, so they can take
their rightful place as equal citizens and contributors to society.
It is an outrage that women and girls in any part of the world face
this kind of intimidation simply for seeking an education. It is an
outrage that human trafficking continues to threaten communities
anywhere, and I thank all of my colleagues, again, for the
participation and the long debate about trafficking that preceded this
debate now.
Today, we join together to say to those girls in captivity in Nigeria
and around the world that we will not abandon you. We will stand up for
you until justice is done. The thoughts and prayers of the world are
with them, their families, and their communities.
As I have said, the capture and captivity of these girls challenges
the conscience of the world in a very specific and different way, and
perhaps that difference will make a difference in how we deal with it.
Again, I thank our colleagues for bringing this resolution to the
floor. I commend Congresswoman Wilson for her leadership.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield 5 minutes to
the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wilson), the author of this
resolution.
Ms. WILSON of Florida. Thank you, Congressman Engel. I would like to
thank the leadership of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the original
cosponsors of this bipartisan legislation, Congressman Engel,
Congressman Royce, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen, Congressman Smith,
Congresswoman Bass, and the support of Leader Pelosi.
{time} 1900
I stand here today on the House floor demanding that we ``bring back
our girls.'' I am outraged and heartbroken over the kidnapping of
hundreds of female students in Nigeria by the terrorist group Boko
Haram.
These girls have now been away from their home for more than a month.
I cannot even begin to imagine what this is like for these girls, for
their mothers, their fathers, their brothers, their entire village. We
must end this nightmare.
The abduction of these girls was committed to keep them from getting
an education. The girls knew the dangers they might encounter. Their
school had previously been closed due to terrorist attacks, but they
went to school anyway. They went because they were determined to get an
education, determined to build a better life for themselves and for
their families.
Women and girls have the right to go to school without fear of
violence and unjust treatment. I believe that we must do everything in
our power, Mr. Speaker, to ensure the safe return of these precious
young girls. That is why I introduced H. Res. 573, to send a clear
message to Nigeria and to the international community: women around the
world have the right to be free and live without fear. Women should not
be forced to risk their lives to get an education they want and
deserve.
H. Res. 573 puts the U.S. House of Representatives firmly on record
condemning the atrocious attack and Boko Haram's violent attacks on
civilian targets in Nigeria.
H. Res. 573 seeks to hold those who conduct violent attacks
accountable.
H. Res. 573 reaffirms our support for the assistance that the
President and the administration is providing to help Nigerians find
the girls and calls for the development of a comprehensive strategy to
counter the threat of radical terrorist groups like Boko Haram.
H. Res. 573 calls for the safe return of these girls to an
environment that protects children seeking to obtain an education.
In these girls, I see our daughters, our sisters, our nieces. I see
their hopes and their dreams. These girls are strong, determined,
courageous, and understand the value of an education.
[[Page H4539]]
As a past principal, I understand, and we must support them. We know
that girls who are educated make higher wages, lead healthier lives,
and have healthier families. Education is truly a girl's best chance
for a brighter future, not just for herself, but for her family and her
nation.
I have a large constituency of Nigerians in my district. On Saturday,
I participated in a rally to encourage Nigerian President Goodluck
Jonathan to do more to find the girls. My constituents were calling him
``Badluck Jonathan'' in their frustration because he is not doing
enough to find these girls. ``Badluck Jonathan is not doing enough''
was the call and the rallying cry at the rally.
I walked away from the rally with this shirt that reads, ``Nigeria,''
and I walked away with my heart still full of worry, still full of
concern, and I am puzzled. Are they hungry? Are they sheltered? Can
they shower? Can they take care of their womanly needs? Have they been
raped? Have they been beaten? Have they been sold? Are they still even
alive?
God of our weary years. God of our silent tears. We are reliving the
past. The past of the slave trade. The past of the torture and
suffering that we endured as slaves. We should never, never relive the
indignities of the past.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair would remind all Members to
maintain proper decorum in the Chamber.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Florida (Ms. Frankel).
Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Engel, thank you and
Congresswoman Wilson for bringing this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, what we have seen take place in Nigeria, the crimes
perpetrated by Boko Haram, is simply unthinkable and appalling.
There are some crimes against humanity that should not be tolerated
regardless of where they occur in the world. The violent kidnapping of
over 250 girls for the sole reason that they were seeking an education
is one such crime, innocent girls who should be carefree but instead
are prisoners enduring the unimaginable. In the 21st century, we cannot
let this kind of horror against children go unanswered.
First, I want to thank President Obama for sending a
multidisciplinary team to Nigeria where they are working with the
United Kingdom, France, and Israel to help resolve this crisis.
I am proud to support this resolution condemning Boko Haram and
calling for continued United States support to return these girls
safely to their families and bring these terrorists to justice.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New
York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney).
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the
gentleman for yielding and for his extraordinary leadership on this
issue and so many others.
Great appreciation to the sponsor of this, my good friend Frederica
Wilson, who spoke with great feeling on the floor. We appreciate so
much your leadership in this area and other areas.
These young girls in Nigeria were kidnapped from their school in the
middle of the night, terrorized and held captive, and may now be sold
like so many inanimate objects into a lifetime of forcible rape. There
is no kind of crime more appalling, no offense or worse, no act of
depravity more harmful to the community of nations than this kind of
barbarism.
As horrible as this crime is, this represents only a small fraction
of the global trafficking in human beings. Just today, a report by the
U.N. noted that trafficking, forced labor, and modern slavery are big
businesses generating profits estimated at $150 billion a year. It is a
global enterprise that we must put out of business.
They committed this terrible act in part because they wanted to send
a message. Well, let's send one back to them today, a message that the
nations of the West will spare no effort, no expense in helping to
return these girls safely to their families. We will pursue the
perpetrators of this atrocity by every legal and lawful means to the
ends of this Earth or until the end of their days.
Let us declare that the children of this world here at home or in
some far-flung corner of the world are not for sale. They are not to be
used as slaves or as shields or as barter. All those who attempt to
profit off this ancient evil will be considered the common enemies of
humanity.
My time is up.
We will not stop until these girls are returned to their homes.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Minnesota (Mr. Ellison).
Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, allow me to thank the gentleman for the
time. I thank my dear friend Frederica Wilson from Florida for bringing
forth this important resolution.
Mr. Speaker, a number of people across the country who are of the
Muslim faith contacted me and Congressman Carson, who happen to be the
two Members of that faith in this body, and expressed to us how
outraged and offended they were by the actions of Boko Haram. What we
did is said, well, you guys write a letter and we will draft it; we
will get a lot of signatures on it, and we will send it to Nigeria. And
that is what we have done.
It is written in English and in the Arabic language, and we are
trying to get it translated into Hausa right now. It has well over 30
leaders in the community. It just reads a little bit this way. I doubt
I will have the time to read the entire letter, but it reads:
We urge to you immediately release the young children you
have unconscionably taken. Your actions have shocked Muslims
across the United States and the world and have disrespected
our faith and the teachings of the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon Him.)
Your justification for stealing these children--that
education for girls goes against Islam--has no basis
whatsoever in our faith. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and
blessings be upon Him) wisely emphasized that every Muslim
man and women has a duty to seek education. You have truly
strayed from the path when your actions betray its first
command ``Iqra,'' which means to read.
You do not represent Islam or what Muslims know to be the
teachings of Islam. Your attempt to transform a central tenet
of Islam into a vile lie used to kill and maim innocent
Nigerians of all faiths is transparent.
You treat children like cattle. It is abhorrent and sinful
to pretend to be a Prophet to whom Allah has spoken.
It goes on. The last sentence reads such as this:
If you would like to follow the teachings of Islam, listen
to the global chorus.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ellison).
Mr. ELLISON. ``If you would like to follow the teachings of Islam,
listen to the global chorus of voices that are enjoining you to do what
is right: return these children to their families and replace the evil
in your heart with peace and learning.''
It goes on to be signed by myself, Congressman Carson, and many
others.
We join our colleagues, both sides of the aisle, in the demand for
the return of these precious children immediately.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Lee).
Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, let me thank first of all my
ranking member for yielding and for your leadership on so many issues,
including this tragic issue that we are dealing with today, and also to
Chairman Royce for continuing to ensure that these issues and these
resolutions and bills continue to be bipartisan.
Also, I just have to thank my colleague Congresswoman Frederica
Wilson for your steady and tremendous and clear and passionate
leadership. This is such an important issue that yourself,
Congresswoman Jackson Lee, and others continue to bring to the
forefront, and I just have to say once again thank you for this.
This resolution puts the United States Congress on record expressing
strong support for the people of Nigeria, especially the parents and
families of the girls abducted by Boko Haram.
[[Page H4540]]
We join the international community in calling for the immediate and
safe return of these innocent girls. The world is shouting, and we have
seen this and heard this over and over again, ``Bring back our girls.''
These girls were pursuing their education. These are crimes against
humanity and cannot be tolerated.
Nigeria, in partnership with the international community, must do
everything it can to protect all children and men and women against
such violent attacks. Since 2013, more than 4,400 men, women, and
children have been slaughtered by Boko Haram. These are terrorists who
have gotten away with murder. Enough is enough. We must do everything
we can to bring our girls home and to bring an end to Boko Haram's
reign of terror.
I want to commend and thank our administration for once again being
on the right side of history. I think in this resolution, Congresswoman
Wilson encourages and supports what has taken place now within our own
executive branch, but we must do more. I believe both sides of the
aisle have come together to support your legislation to say let's do
more, let's bring our girls back, and let's bring this reign of terror
by Boko Haram to an end.
{time} 1915
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time both sides
have remaining.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from New York has 3 minutes
remaining. The gentleman from New Jersey has 9\1/2\ minutes remaining.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York for
his leadership, the chairman of the committee from California, and Mr.
Smith from New Jersey, who is managing the bill, and I thank very much
the sponsor of this legislation, Ms. Wilson, who has brought us
together around a very important statement. Members of the United
States Congress will have the ability to stand and to take a very
public view that the thugs of Boko Haram will no longer be able to run
rampant without the attention of the United States and the people
around the world.
I have, Mr. Speaker, the geographic area in which Nigeria is in, from
Benin and Togo, to nearby Ghana and Niger, Chad, and Cameroon. We
wonder where these girls are now. So it is very important that we are
condemning this horrific act. We wonder where these children are.
We have used the term ``girls'' and we want to bring them home, but
these are children who cannot consent to leaving home, to marrying, to
changing their religion. So in one sweep we have sex traffic girls, we
have violated religious freedom, and we have taken children away from
the bosom of their family.
So as I hold up in my hand these names, many whom we should call--
these are real people. I would ask today as we stand to support this
resolution that we push for a relief fund for these girls, we push for
Nigeria to establish its own special ops so that they can safely find
these girls, and we tell the Islamic world, we tell al Qaeda in
particular, to stop funding these groups. And we thank Mr. Ellison.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. ENGEL. I yield an additional 10 seconds to the gentlewoman from
Texas.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Let me also indicate that it is important for the
United Nations peacekeepers and the African Union and others to realize
this is a much larger issue. Today I stand on the floor of the House
and condemn Boko Haram, but ask that these girls be rescued and brought
home safely.
Mr. Speaker, as an original co-sponsor, a senior member of the
Homeland Security and Judiciary Committees, and, most important, a
mother, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 573, a resolution
condemning the abduction of female students by armed militants from the
terrorist group known as Boko Haram in northeastern provinces of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
I thank my colleague from Florida, Congresswoman Wilson, for
introducing this bipartisan resolution and urge all Members to support
it because it is important for the House to go on record in opposition
to the brutal and outrageous assaults on human dignity and freedom
committed by the Boko Haram, a militant group that has no respect for
the rights of women and girls.
Since 2013, more than 4,400 men, women, and children have been
slaughtered by Boko Haram.
The victims include Christians, Muslims, journalists, health care
providers, relief workers. And schoolchildren.
I urge our government, the United States of America, to assist the
Government of Nigeria in developing its own capacity to deploy
specialized police and army units rapidly to bring Boko Haram leader
Abubakar Shekau to justice and to rescue the more than 200 schoolgirls
who were kidnapped from the Chibok School for Girls in Borno State on
April 15, and the 11 schoolgirls kidnapped last night in the Warabe
community of Borno, and reunited with their families and loved ones.
Boko Haram's reign of terror must be brought to an end.
I also call upon our government to work with the African Union and
the international community to detect, disrupt, and dismantle Boko
Haram's funding sources derived from other Islamist groups, including
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and to Al-Qaeda in the Arabian
Peninsular (AQAP), the Al Muntada Trust Fund, and the Islamic World
Society.
I commend President Obama on his decision to deploy American security
experts and equipment in Nigeria to help locate and rescue the abducted
schoolgirls and we applaud Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan for
accepting that assistance.
The leader of Boko Haram has threatened to ransom or sell the
abducted schoolgirls into the human trafficking market for about twelve
dollars each ($12.00 USD).
I say to him: ``Don't you dare.''
Boko Haram's outrageous conduct will not be tolerated or overlooked
for not only is it a violation of the girls' human rights, it is also
contrary to United States policy which supports and promotes equal
access to education and economic opportunity for women and girls.
As the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, injustice anywhere is a
threat to justice everywhere.
So we will not stand idly by.
But we do stand in solidarity with the good people of Nigeria and
especially those beautiful and courageous schoolgirls who wanted
nothing more than to get an education to make life better for
themselves and their beloved country.
We will not forget or forsake you.
This is what I think we should do.
First, since we know that terrorist groups cannot operate effectively
without reliable and steady funding to support their criminal acts, the
United States should work with the international community to detect,
disrupt, and dismantle the funding networks financing Boko Haram.
Published reports in the media indicate that Boko Haram has received
as much as $70 million from other Islamist groups, including Al-Qaeda
in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsular
(AQAP), the Al Muntada Trust Fund, and the Islamic World Society.
Second, as I mentioned, the United States should work with the
Government of Nigeria to develop its own capacity to deploy specialized
police and army units rapidly to prevent and combat sectarian violence
in cities and around the country where there has been a history of
sectarian violence.
The creation and deployment of an elite highly-trained rapid response
unit was used to successful effect by the Indonesia Government in 2004
to neutralize the Laskar Jihad terrorist organization.
Third, the United States should also take appropriate action to help
the Government of Nigeria establish a Victim's Fund to provide
humanitarian relief and economic assistance to the victims of attacks
by Boko Haram so that they can rebuild their lives and communities.
``People are the great issue of the 20th century,'' declared, then-
Senator Hubert Humphrey in 1948.
Mr. Speaker, the well-being of people remains the great issue of the
21st century.
And there is no better measure of any society than the way its treats
its women and girls.
Boko Haram understands that when Nigerian girls are educated,
Nigerian women can succeed; and when Nigerian women succeed, Nigeria
succeeds.
And that is why it is so important that the United States help
Nigeria ensure that Boko Haram fails.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include in the record a copy
of the May 8, 2014 letter to President Obama from myself and 15 Members
of Congress commending his decision to deploy American security experts
and equipment in Nigeria to help locate and rescue the kidnapped
schoolgirls urging the Administration to work in concert with the
Government of Nigeria and the African Union to bring Abubakar Shekau
and other leaders of Boko Haram to justice.
[[Page H4541]]
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
In closing, I would like to once again thank Congresswoman Frederica
Wilson and Chairman Royce for helping to move this resolution forward
in a timely manner. The Senate passed a similar resolution last week,
and I am pleased that we will soon follow suit.
We must do all we can to hold Boko Haram accountable for the mass
abduction of schoolgirls and the many other terrorist attacks it has
committed.
Our thoughts and prayers remain with the families and friends of the
abducted girls, and we will not rest until they are returned to their
loved ones. We will do everything in our power to get them home safely
and soundly.
I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, let me just say that we are really speaking with one
voice tonight, and that is on behalf of the young women, the young
girls, who have been abducted by Boko Haram. Thankfully, there is
absolutely no divide between Republicans or Democrats, and really the
world. The world is speaking out.
This is absolutely outrageous, but it is part of a trend and a surge
that is happening in many parts of the world, including in Africa. Al-
Shabaab in Somalia. We know the terrible killing spree that went on in
Kenya, in Nairobi, not so long ago. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula,
al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Ansar-al-Dine and Mujao in Mali. And
then, of course, Seleka in the Central African Republic. And then, of
course, Boko Haram.
Number nine of the whereas be it resolved ``calls on the President to
provide Congress a comprehensive strategy to counter the growing threat
posed by radical Islamist terrorist groups in West Africa, the Sahel,
and North Africa.''
They are bad, Mr. Speaker, and they are getting worse. Many of us
have been calling in a bipartisan way for years that Boko Haram be
designated a foreign terrorist organization, and it was belated. It
took years to designate this organization, this cruel, insensitive, and
murderous organization. Thankfully, at least now everyone gets it, but
unfortunately there are many, many victims who are suffering.
The war on terrorism, Mr. Speaker, remains largely unfinished. My
hope is that this resolution and the commitment of the U.S. Government,
the French, and the European allies, and frankly people around the
world, even the Chinese know because they were recently hit as well,
will understand that Boko Haram has to be stopped. All means necessary
have to be employed to mitigate--no, not mitigate--destroy this threat
to children, to women.
Let's not forget: here is a group that targets schools, literally
abducts children, kills the men, the boys, and abducts the young girls.
Just in May and April they conducted the worst attack on bus stations
throughout Abuja. The worst hit. It barely made the papers, Mr.
Speaker.
Boko Haram is a murderous organization, and it is about time we all
did our part to ensure that they end their rein of terror.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill, which
I am proud to cosponsor, and I thank the Gentlelady from Florida,
Congresswoman Wilson, for spearheading this effort.
It has now been over a month since over 230 girls and young women
were kidnapped from their school in northeastern Nigeria. Boko Haram,
the terrorist organization that has been attempting to impose its
extremist views onto millions of people in Nigeria and in neighboring
Niger and Cameroon, is a dangerous and destabilizing force in West
Africa.
This is a region where millions of people are trying hard to overcome
poverty and where national and local governments are focused on
creating opportunities that can expand a growing middle class--
ingredients for peace, prosperity, and democracy.
The very name of Boko Haram means a rejection of secular education
and the democratic values it teaches. The girls who were kidnapped--in
an action that is nearly unthinkable to those of us here in America in
2014--are courageous individuals who dared to go to school and pursue
opportunities that generations of girls and women before them never
had.
Congress ought to condemn Boko Haram forcefully and send a clear
message not only that the world cannot--and will not--accept its brand
of violent extremism, but also that the American people stand in
solidarity with all the girls and young women of West Africa who are
bravely pursuing an education or yearning to do so. West Africa faces
many challenges, and it's time to marshal the resources of the U.S.
government and our allies to help address those challenges and to
ensure that all the girls and young women who were abducted can return
safely home.
I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill so we
can bring our girls home.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the resolution, H. Res. 573, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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