Thursday, 17 May 2012
Boko Haram: A Religious Terrorist Sect Killing In The Name Of “God”
By Oludare Ogunlana
The past three years have seen a surge in violence by Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati Wal-Jihad, which in Arabic means People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet's Teachings and Jihad. The group popularly known as Boko Haram [loosely translated as western education is sin] is responsible for dozens of shootings and attacks with improvised explosive devices, including suicide tactics. Boko Haram is a terrorist group loosely modeled on Afghanistan's Taliban, which says it is fighting to install sharia law across Nigeria. In a message posted on a YouTube, the leader of the group Imam Abubakar Shekau justified all the killings as divine as commanded by his “Allah.”
Religious terrorism is not new and is one of the oldest phenomena in human history where people kill in the name of God or in the name of religion. David Rapoport, one of the foremost experts in counterterrorism argues that “each religious tradition produced its own kind of terrorist, and sometimes the tactics within a tradition were so uniform that they appear to a form of religious ritual.”
For religious terrorist, religion is the basis and imperative for their action. Of course, to the perpetrators, violence is one of the divine obligation and sacramental toward fulfilling the tenet of their religion. Therefore, it is wishful thinking for someone to claim Boko Haram will fizzle out of existence very soon. The “religious wave” of terrorism resurfaced in 1979, and may last for a generation before another wave will emerge.
The reason for this analysis is to make people understand that “religious terrorism” is not about Nigerian Muslims; it is a global phenomenon. Terror is deeply rooted in our modern culture as a political strategy but not an end. The tactics only depend on the political objective of the group and the specific context it faces. This explains the difference between the Movement for the Emancipation of the People of Niger-Delta, (MEND) and the Boko Haram.
According to Rapoport, “the ‘Anarchist wave’ was the first global or truly international terrorist experience in history; three similar, consecutive, and overlapping expression followed.” In 1920s, the “anti-colonial wave” emerged and sustained for forty years before giving way to the “New left wave” that lasted for more than fifty-years, and “religious wave” returns in 1979.
Besides, religious and ethnic identity often overlaps; therefore, Nigerian Christians should not see the action of Boko Haram as either Christians versus Muslims or Northerners against Southerners. In reality, Boko Haram is not about “Sharia”; it is about the struggle for control of power in Nigeria but it is suitable for the perpetrators hidden under the cover of Islam to mobilize support. These people are not Muslim; most of them are drug addicts, adulterers, and rapists. They do everything contrary to what is written in the Koran, including the killing of women and children. This is not Jihad; it is a struggle for power. Terrorism is about power—the pursuit of power, the acquisition of power, and the use of power to achieve political change.
The root of today’s terrorism could be found in ancient history. Terrorism and religion share a long history. Bruce Hoffman, an expert in counterterrorism at RAND Corporation, Washington DC claims that “the imperative of religion for terrorism is the most defining characteristics of terrorist activity today.” The connection between terrorism and religion is not new and could be traced to a millenarian Jewish sect called “Zealots” that fought with Roman Empire in AD 66 – 73. The Zealots action which is similar to what we see in today’s terrorist was to draw attention to their cause by publicly executing their target in a crowded marketplace.
Their targets are always Roman legionnaire or a Jewish citizen who had been judged by the group guilty of betrayal.
Furthermore, the word “thugs” emanated from the activities of notorious cult sects that operated in the seventh century till mid nineteenth century in India. The group terrorized Indians, killing many innocent people for ritual purposes to worship the Hindu goddess and Kali.
Another example is a Muslim Shi’a Ismaili sect that operated between A.D 1090 and 1272. This sect of religious extremist fought against the Christian crusaders attempting to conquer the present day Syria. According to Hoffman, “violence for the Assassins was sacramental act, a divine duty, commanded by religious text and communicated by clerical authorities.”
In conclusion, religious terrorism is one of the most difficult forms of terrorism to curb because of the motivation which the practitioners always claimed to be divine duty or sacramental act. Today, there are many terrorist organizations that are motivated partly or in whole by religious authority. Of course, religious imperative for terrorism is the most important defining character of the terrorist activity of the present age. They all share the same ethos of self-sacrifice and suicidal martyrdoms. Examples of such organization are Ku Klux Klan (KKK) in the United States, Aum Shinrikyo (オウム 真理教) in Japan, Kahena Chai in Israel, and Boko Haram in Nigeria
Oludare Ogunlana is a Security Analyst and writes from Baltimore.
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Ibrahim saad, When you say
Submitted by Otile (not verified) on February 9, 2012 - 00:03.
Ibrahim saad,
When you say Islamic Revival Movement do you mean eruption of Islamic violence? Why does such deadly violence have to occur in waves every decade? We don't buy your assertion that the violence results from economic situations. Which region is not affected by bad economic situation in Nigeria? If nothing, most of the national resources are skimmed to the North. Who should be angry, the marginalized and cheated Igbo or the Northerners who have inherited the wealth of Nigeria just for shooting down Igbo’s? Every 150 persons in the North have their own local govt which pumps money into their community. What else are the Northerners looking for? We in the East should not be wiped out so that you can inherit our oil fields. We believe in live and let live. Therefore declare your independence and go your way. The stupid unity has cost us nothing but sorrow, while your people swagger over our heads. Ubanjiji.
@IBRAHIM SAAD:ANSWER THIS QUESTION HONESTLY.
Submitted by osita DIOKA (not verified) on February 8, 2012 - 23:44.
WOULD YOU AS A FAITHFUL MUSLIM LIKE THE INTRODUCTION OF THE AFGHAN BLEND OF SHARIA TO YOUR NORTHERN HOMELAND?
Saad,it is my view that since the boko-haram have repeatedly and in clear terms insisted that only the introduction of the extreme form of sharia to the whole of northern Nigeria will pacify them,Nigerians might as well yeild and give them what they want but the northern moslems must lead the way.If moslems like you want to negotiate with these kranks,then go ahead and give them what they want,our laws already recognise sharia so why are you guys wasting our time.The government must not be dragged into negotiations with terrorists who attack our police and armed forces,what do you want from us ?To capitulate?To beg for our lives?That is never gonna happen.If our President was elected by us then he hopefully will not betray the souls of innocent Nigerians already slaughtered by these zealots,we are a nation,there is a limit to what you can ask.
Ibrahim saad, You know that
Submitted by Otile (not verified) on February 8, 2012 - 23:42.
Ibrahim saad,
You know that Boko Haram suddenly sprung up without any provocation from anybody. All of a sudden they started beheading people, burning churches, killing pastors. If Musa had not arrested Mr Yusuf and checked their rapid movement, the group would have overrun Nigeria now. Jonathan is just an appeaser of the North. He paid them hefty compensation and invited them to a dialog. Since then they have been emboldened, and can now attack everybody and every institution with impunity. Their demand is clear, 12 core Northern states where they can declare their independence and practice full sharia. Their demand is legitimate. I say give them their demand. They made a big stink for sharia. Once they got it there should be full sharia not corrupt sharia, or half and half. The beheading will continue as long as they are not allowed their independence.
IBRAHIM SAAD
Submitted by KENETH (not verified) on February 8, 2012 - 23:39.
I have resigned myself to the fact that you have made yourself the ambassador- at- large and plenipotentiary of BH with this undiluted defense of the group. There were austerity measures under Pres. Shagari but in what way did that impact the north more than the other parts of the country? You have failed to explain how Maitetsine, became the saviour of the 'misery stricken northerners'.Was or is the Cameroon better than Nigeria? Was Yusuf killed before or after he had mounted an undeclared war on Nigeria? Gradually you are coming to the agreement that the motivation of BH is neither economic nor social as according to you there has to be a religious upheaval every 100 years. How is that related to the economic situation? Poverty is only being used to cloak the real intent, which is to set up a caliphate in Nigeria. You are even now calling Yusuf 'sheik' which is the first rung of the ladder to Islamic canonization.
@Ibrahim Saad
Submitted by sultanofsokoto on February 8, 2012 - 18:16.
You seem to enjoy perpetuating this picture of sufferings in the North but fail to realise that other people are hurting as well Ultimately, the northerners are agreed that they want to live according to the Sharia ; to live in PERFECT Islamic states and are furiously working towards this Islamic idyll with the help of Boko, so where is the problem ?! Where ?!.In the ultimate analysis, it is the North who needs the rest more than the rest, the North. So remain enveloped in your atmosphere of inferiorty and murderous habits
@ Ibrahim Saad
Submitted by D1 (not verified) on February 8, 2012 - 13:54.
Whatever grievances Boko haram has, does not justify their extremism. The sect that took government to court got compensation for the injustice that was done to them. The whole movement has taken another dimension and there is no way government is going to negotiate with them if they continue with this course of action.
This is declaring war on a nation and there will be repercussions regardless.
I don't know why you are justifying and defending their actions every time. Why don't they pursue their case in the court or sharia court for that matter? Maybe they will gain more sympathy that way.
Your analysis is nothing but
Submitted by Pastor Enoch Adeboye (not verified) on February 8, 2012 - 12:46.
Your analysis is nothing but the truth. All those idiots blaming the northern Muslims for the activities of Boko should now have a rethink. They (BH) are just killing to satisfy their own personal desires. May God Protect the innocent.
i don't care!
Submitted by sultanofsokoto on February 8, 2012 - 12:05.
I really could careless if Boko is a religious terrorist group, just terrorist, political terrorist, bunch of malo thugs, really i just don't give a toss. For all i care, they should just remain in the North and blow their sponsors and themselves up! I don't care. All these but will change the moment they move southwards. we will bring the war to you up North. The child that says his/her parents will not sleep,...you know the rest.
TWO THINGS YOU MISS, MR OGUNDARE
Submitted by ibrahim saad (not verified) on February 8, 2012 - 09:53.
THESE TWO THINGS ARE THE SOCIO-ECENOMIC AND POLITICAL BACKGROUND OF THE B/H MOVEMENT AND THE WAY THEY WERE HANDLED BY THE GOVT.
ISLAMIC REVIVALIST MOVEMENTS OCCUR IN WAVES AS YOU NOTED THE SAME IN NIGERIA THESE MOVEMENTS OCCUR ROUGHLY EVERY 100 YEARS. UNFORTUNATELY IN NIGERIA IT OCCURS IN THE LATE 70S TO EARLY 80'S DURING "AUSTERITY MEASURES" OF SHAGARI. THE ECONOMIC SITUATIONS THAT SERVED AS THE RALLYING CRY FOR THESE MOVEMENTS DID NOT IMPROVE TO DATE SO THE MOVEMENT STARTS TO SPLINTER INTO MORE EXTREEM GROUPS. THE IZALA BECAME SHARIA, KALA KATO AND LATER JAMAATU AHLIL SUNNA. THIS IS NOT COUNTING THE OTHER SPLINTERS THAT MAINTAIN THE IZALA NAME. THESE GROUPS MELLOW DOWN INTO THE MAISTREAM WITH TIME BUT THE BRUTAL ATTACK ON B/H FORCED THEM TO TAKE UP ARMS, ESPECIALLY AFTER THEIR BAN AND DESTRUCTION OF HOMES AND MOSQUES. MOST SOUTHERNERS HAVE THIS "AMNESIA" ABOUT THE CRACKDOWN ON B/H. ITS LIKE SINCE YARADUWA DID IT WE WILL DISCOUNT IT.
