Nigerian Refugees: A Humanitarian Crisis
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Boko Haram attacks have caused a Humanitarian Crisis. Their targets are repeatedly focused at areas where necessary and innocent civilian life is lived; markets, schools, churches, and hospitals.
According to the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, “Boko Haram’s major attacks on churches and religious figures have at times been followed by rioting and retaliatory attacks against Muslim targets, exacerbating religious polarization of the Nigerian population.”
- private citizens and property (25% of attacks)
- police (22% of attacks)
- government targets (11%)
- religious figures and institutions (10% of attacks)
- military (9% of attacks)
Nigerians and their neighbors have fled the brutal and fatal attacks by Boko Haram by dispersing into other countries or internally with family and friends. More than 470,000 refugees are internally displaced in one of the world’s poorest regions, northern Nigeria. Nigerian authorities have not set up camps for refugees due to the threat of Boko Haram attack. Villages such as Mafa received direct threats of violence from Boko Haram, prompting mass exoduses.
Most recently in March of 2015, a report from the Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN), indicated that an estimated 350,000 refugees have been displaced since 2013, with 290,000 of that number being internally displaced, the remaining number fled to Cameroon, Chad and Niger. With government restrictions on news and communications, and no official camps, an exact number is impossible but the real number is probably dramatically higher, as The UN High Commissioner for Refugees estimates the internal displacement number to be closer to 470,000.
The Kampala Convention on the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons, sanctioned by the African Union, countries are “to protect internally displaced people to the fullest extent practicable with the least possible delay.” Other obligations include humanitarian assistance; basics such as food, water, and shelter; medical care and social services; sanitation and education. A few non-government international organizations are still assisting in the humanitarian effort, however, only the Red Cross and its affiliates are working with the displaced.
In Yola, Nigeria, The National Emergency Management Agency has set up a few camps, but there is hesitation in going to them due to reports of rape and kidnappings, but are still widely more accepted than the alternative. They report that between 10,000 and 20,000 people are being assisted.
Still, some refugees prefer to stay with family or local residences, even if the conditions are less than desirable.
“I came here because it is the house of my husband’s brother,” said Liatu Geoffrey, 34, who fled from Mubi, 120 miles (200 km) to the north, in October. Like many displaced people, she didn’t even think about going to, or even knows the location of, government camps, and would rather stay with even the most distant relatives — even if space is tight. She now lives in a house that holds 15 women, many with husbands and small children as well.”-Kathleen Caulderwood
The Yola displaced refugees left their lives, homes and jobs to flee on foot at a moment’s notice for hundreds of miles. Many of them formerly housed refugees in their own homes. Aid workers themselves become IPD’s when insurgents reach their locations. Food isn’t distributed daily, so to bridge the gap, men will find work with vendors in the market, and women can sometimes find housework for pay. There are growing concerns in regards to food safety, as refugees have resorted to eating seed corn since 60 % of the farmers in areas like Lake Chad have also fled.
The Human Rights Watch asserts that the federal government must designate an authoritative agency or council to provide protection and assistance to these internally displaced individuals. Additionally, they contend that neighboring countries need to leave their borders open to those fleeing to safety. According to their study, the government has only responded to the violence with unsystematic mass arrests. According to HRW, the Nigerian government needs to investigate claims of security forces withdrawing prior to impending attack. Boko Haram leaders must be investigated and penalized for their crimes against humanity.
http://www.hrw.org/news/2014/03/14/nigeria-boko-haram-attacks-cause-humanitarian-crisis
https://www.start.umd.edu/pubs/STARTBackgroundReport_BokoHaramRecentAttacks_May2014_0.pdf
http://ca.complex.com/pop-culture/2015/01/aerial-images-illustrate-damage-recent-boko-haram-attacks-Nigeria
http://www.internal-displacement.org/blog/2014/a-record-33-3-million-now-displaced-by-conflict-and-violence-worldwide-as-one-family-flees-inside-syria-every-60-seconds
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-31461425