[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 19 (Wednesday, February 4, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S781-S783]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS
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SENATE RESOLUTION 65--SUPPORTING EFFORTS TO BRING AN END TO VIOLENCE
PERPETRATED BY BOKO HARAM, AND URGING THE GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA TO
CONDUCT TRANSPARENT, PEACEFUL, AND CREDIBLE ELECTIONS
Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Coons, Mr. Isakson, Mr.
Boozman, and Mr. Durbin) submitted the following resolution; which was
referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:
S. Res. 65
Whereas Nigeria is the most populous nation in Africa, with
the largest economy;
Whereas the Governments of the United States and Nigeria
have had a strong bilateral relationship, and Nigeria has
been a valued partner of the United States since its
transition to civilian rule;
Whereas the Government of Nigeria is currently confronted
with threats to internal security by terrorists, insurgents,
and communal violence that have caused considerable
population displacement, and at the same time must administer
transparent and peaceful elections with a credible outcome;
Whereas the government and those who aspire to hold office
in Nigeria must demonstrate the political will to address
both of these challenges in a responsible way, including by
ensuring full enfranchisement, with particular emphasis on
developing a means for enfranchisement for the hundreds of
thousands displaced by violence;
Whereas the members of Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati
wal-Jihad, commonly known as Boko Haram, have terrorized the
people of Nigeria with increasing violence since 2009,
targeting military, government, and civilian sites in
Nigeria, including schools, mosques, churches, markets,
villages, and agricultural centers, and killing thousands and
abducting hundreds of civilians in Nigeria and the
surrounding countries;
Whereas the Department of State named several individuals
linked to Boko Haram, including its leader, Abubakar Shekau,
as Specially Designated Global Terrorists in 2012, and
designated Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization
(FTO) in November 2013;
Whereas, in May 2014, the United Nations Security Council
added Boko Haram to its al Qaeda sanctions list, and on
January 19, 2015, the United Nations Security Council issued
a presidential statement condemning the recent escalation of
attacks in northeastern Nigeria and surrounding countries and
expressing concern that the situation was undermining peace
and security in West and Central Africa;
Whereas the over 200 school girls abducted by Boko Haram on
April 14, 2014, from the Government Girls Secondary School in
the northeastern state of Borno, whose kidnapping sparked
domestic and international outrage spawning the Twitter
campaign #BringBackOurGirls, are still missing;
Whereas the militant group is an increasing menace to the
countries along Nigeria's northeastern border, prompting the
African Union, the Lake Chad Basin Commission, the European
Union, and the United Nations Security Council to recognize
that there must be a regional response;
Whereas the United States Government has stepped forward to
offer assistance through intelligence sharing, bilateral and
international sanctioning of Boko Haram leaders,
counterterrorism assistance through the Global Security
Contingency Fund program for countries in the region to
counter the militant group, and humanitarian services to
populations affected by and vulnerable to Boko Haram
violence;
Whereas Boko Haram emerged partially as a response to
underdevelopment in northeastern Nigeria, and inequality,
elite impunity, and alleged human rights abuses by security
forces may be fueling anti-government sentiment;
Whereas it is clear that a military approach alone will not
eliminate the threat of Boko Haram, and gross human rights
abuses and atrocities by security forces causes insecurity
and mistrust among the civilian population;
Whereas it is imperative that the Government of Nigeria
implement a comprehensive, civilian security focused plan
that prioritizes protecting civilians and also addresses
legitimate political and economic grievances of citizens in
northern Nigeria;
Whereas Nigeria is scheduled to hold national elections in
February 2015, and the elections appear to be the most
closely contested in Nigeria since the return to civilian
rule;
Whereas election-related violence has occurred in Nigeria
in successive elections, including in 2011, when nearly 800
people died in clashes following the presidential election;
Whereas President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, General
Muhammadu Buhari, and other presidential candidates pledged
to reverse this trend by signing the ``Abuja Accord'' on
January 14, 2015, in which they committed themselves and
their campaigns to refraining from public statements that
incite violence, to running issue-based campaigns that do not
seek to divide citizens along religious or ethnic lines, and
to supporting the impartial conduct of the electoral
commission and the security services;
Whereas Secretary of State John Kerry visited Nigeria on
January 25, 2015, to emphasize the importance of ensuring the
upcoming elections are peaceful, nonviolent, and credible;
Whereas tensions in the country remain high, and either
electoral fraud or violence could undermine the credibility
of the upcoming election;
Whereas the people of Nigeria aspire for a fair,
competently executed, and secure electoral process, as well
as an outcome that can be accepted peacefully by all
citizens; and
Whereas it is in the best interest of the United States to
maintain close ties with a politically stable, democratic and
economically sound Nigeria: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) condemns Boko Haram for its violent attacks,
particularly the indiscriminate targeting of civilians,
especially women and girls, and the use of children as
fighters and suicide bombers;
(2) stands with--
(A) the people of Nigeria in their right to live free from
fear or intimidation by state or nonstate actors, regardless
of their ethnic, religious, or regional affiliation;
(B) the people of Cameroon, Chad, and Niger who are
increasingly at risk of becoming victims of Boko Haram's
violence; and
(C) the international community in its efforts to defeat
Boko Haram;
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(3) supports the Abuja Accord, and calls on candidates,
party officials, and adherents of all political movements to
comply with the code of conduct spelled out therein, by
refraining from any rhetoric or action that seeks to demonize
or delegitimize opponents, sow division among Nigerians, or
otherwise inflame tensions;
(4) condemns any and all abuses of civilians by security
forces of the Government of Nigeria;
(5) urges the Government of Nigeria--
(A) to conduct timely, credible, transparent, and peaceful
elections;
(B) to refrain from using security services for political
purposes in connection with the elections;
(C) to prioritize the safety and security of Nigerians
vulnerable to Boko Haram attacks;
(D) to implement a comprehensive, civilian security focused
response to defeat Boko Haram that addresses political and
economic grievances of citizens in the north;
(E) to improve the capacity and conduct of Nigeria's
security forces, including respect for human rights, and take
steps to hold accountable through a transparent process those
members of the security forces responsible for abuses;
(F) to recognize that security forces are intended to
protect the safety and security of all citizens equally; and
(G) to cooperate with regional and international partners
to defeat Boko Haram;
(6) urges all Nigerians to engage in the electoral process,
to insist on full enfranchisement, and to reject inflammatory
or divisive rhetoric or actions; and
(7) reaffirms that the people of the United States will
continue to stand with the people of Nigeria in support of
peace and democracy.
Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I am here today to speak to the
troubling situation in Nigeria, one of our strongest allies in Africa
since its transition from military dictatorship to civilian rule over a
decade ago.
Nigeria is currently facing two grave threats to its stability.
First, the country is preparing to vote next month in the most closely
contested presidential election in recent history, but there is a very
real danger of prolonged violence across Nigeria and mass casualties if
the election results are not deemed credible.
Second, in the last 2 months, Boko Haram, infamous for kidnapping
over 200 schoolgirls in Chibok in 2014, has stepped up its murderous
scorched-earth campaign, killing thousands of innocent civilians,
gaining control over an increasing amount of territory in the
northeastern portion of the country, and threatening to disrupt
elections.
It is in the face of these dual challenges, that I, along with
Senators Isakson, Shaheen, Boozman and Coons, have submitted a
resolution which calls on Nigerian leaders to step-up to the plate and
show real leadership in prioritizing the safety and security of
Nigerians in the elections and doing everything possible to combat Boko
Haram.
For over 5 years, Boko Haram has shocked the conscience of the world
and terrorized Nigerian citizens of all religions and ethnic groups. It
has targeted schools, mosques, churches, markets, villages and
agricultural centers with a wave of kidnappings, killings and suicide
bombs. Boko Haram terrorists have abducted hundreds, including the
Chibok girls, who to this day remain missing; and has killed
thousands--by some accounts over 6,000 last year alone and, since 2009,
more than a million have been displaced.
In January, Boko Haram staged a 4 day assault on the northeastern
town of Baga, abducting civilians, and forcing thousands to flee.
Eyewitnesses claim as many as 2000 dead, though the government disputes
this number. Satellite photographs show disturbing images of towns
burned and razed. What began as a localized insurgency that targeted
the military and government has grown into a sub-regional menace. Boko
Haram has metastasized, effectively denying the government control over
a significant swathe of territory in the three most affected states of
northeast Nigeria, and undertaking bold incursions into neighboring
countries. The Nigerian government's response has been ineffective at
best. At worst, the actions of the security forces, who have been
accused of alarming excesses, may have exacerbated the problem. These
are things the Nigerian government must acknowledge and address if they
want to end the reign of Boko Haram in communities most affected by the
terrorist group.
The international community, the African Union, European Union, the
Lake Chad Basin Commission, and United Nations Security Council--have
all recognized that there must be a regional response to Boko Haram. On
January 26, AU Commission Chairwoman Dlamini Zuma said that Boko Haram
is a threat to the whole continent. Just days ago, the AU Peace and
Security Council approved a 7500 strong regional force to combat the
group. Recent U.S. efforts to provide assistance have been unilaterally
rebuffed. Clearly, the international community is concerned and
engaged. What is not so clear is the commitment of the Nigerian
government to a thoughtful strategy of engagement.
During my meeting with President Jonathan at last year's African
Leaders' Summit, I urged him to implement a comprehensive approach to
address the Boko Haram insurgency--one that addresses both the security
threat as well as the legitimate grievances of local communities. At
the end of the day, Nigerian officials must come to terms with the fact
that a military solution alone will not solve the problem. To date, the
government does not appear to have formulated a comprehensive strategy,
and as a result, the insurgency continues to gain momentum.
Against this backdrop of government inaction and Boko Haram's
unspeakable terrorism raging in the north, presidential elections are
scheduled for February 14. For the first time since Nigeria
transitioned from military rule to democracy in 1999, a unified
opposition party will challenge the ruling People's Democratic Party,
PDP. This election will test the strength of an electoral process that
has been marred by violence. In 2011, more than 800 people were killed
in clashes that followed what international observers deemed to be the
most free, fair, and best-administered elections to date.
Despite the history of electoral violence, the Nigerian Government
has yet to implement reforms recommended by the Independent National
Electoral Commission, INEC. INEC itself has taken a number of steps to
improve the legitimacy of the voting process, including conducting
widespread voter registration programs and introducing biometric voter
identification cards. INEC is engaged in a valiant effort to distribute
permanent voter cards in time for next month's elections, and we should
continue to support such efforts until the job is done to protect the
legitimacy and integrity of the elections.
National Security Advisor Sambo Dasuki has said the voter card
distribution is too slow, and recently suggested that the elections be
postponed. I think this suggestion has understandably raised suspicion
and skepticism as to his motives and those of the PDP given that the
race between President Jonathan and his challenger, Muhammadu Buhari,
is by all accounts close to a dead heat. It is true, however, that
increasing violence in three northern states threatens to
disenfranchise a significant number of voters. And it is unclear how
those who have been internally displaced will be given the opportunity
to vote. In my view, there must be an effort to develop a consensus
about how these twin challenges should be addressed or Nigerians may
well dispute the results.
The two leading presidential candidates have made a public commitment
to non-violence during the elections. They should be commended for
their verbal assurances, and they should be held responsible if they
renege. As Secretary Kerry said in Lagos at the end of last month,
``the international community is paying very close attention to this
election.''
Nigeria has the largest economy and is the most populous country in
Africa. So goes, Nigeria, so goes West Africa. We cannot, from a
strategic standpoint, afford for it to fail. That is why the
international community must continue to urge Nigerian political
leaders to listen to all voices, regardless of ethnic, religious, or
regional affiliation, and to safeguard the right of the Nigerian people
to shape their own destiny.
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