BRITAIN SUPPORTED BIAFRAN GENOCIDE
By Okonkwo Isaac Somto
For Family Writers
I will begin by stating that I am not a sociologist, a political scientist, a human right lawyer, or a government official. My aim is not to provide all the answers but to raise questions, and perhaps to cause a few headaches in the process. Almost thirty years before Rwanda, before Darfur, over three (3) million people- mothers, children, babies, civilians lost their lives as a result of the latently callous and unnecessary policies enacted by the leaders of the federal government of Nigeria. As a writer , I believe that it is fundamentally important, indeed essential to our humanity, to ask the hard questions, in order to better understand ourselves.
Where there is justification for further investigation, then I believe justice should be served. In the case of the Nigeria-Biafra War there is precious little relevant literature that helps answer these questions: During the Nigeria-Biafran war, without the help of Great Britain would the federal government of Nigeria be able to engage in the genocide of its Igbo citizens through their punitive polices, the most notorious being "starvation as a legitimate weapon of war"? Why didn't Great Britain do anything to stop the information blockade during the war? Why has the war not been discussed, or taught to the young, over fifty years after its end? Great Britain been the colonial master of Nigeria, had the power to prevent the killing of innocent Biafra children, women and civilians but they stayed still, why?
When the Nigeria government stopped the Red Cross from sending food and medications to the dying Biafran children and women, why didn't Great Britain intervene? Great Britain claimed they only wanted the unity and togetherness of Nigeria yet when Nigeria armed forces tried to exterminate the Biafran race they stood aside and did nothing, why? Great Britain claimed the main goal wasn't the oil and wealth of the Biafran people, yet they refused to allow Biafrans exercise their rights for self-determination, why?
United Nation never got involved during the Nigeria-Biafra war, even when it was obvious their attention was needed, Ojukwu called out to them for help, but they turned deaf ears, was it because of the influence Great Britain had on UN that made them became heartless towards the Biafra people? Great Britain had the power to prevent the war from happening instead they empowered the federal government of Nigeria with weapons, connections and resources to fight against the Biafran people, resulting to the unjust death of over 3.5 million Biafrans (mainly women and children) why? Again, the killing of Biafrans continues in Nigeria, and I ask, are we perpetually doomed to experience the same injustice Biafrans went through during the Nigeria-Biafra civil war?
The silence of the United Nations, the callousness of the British government, the pretence of world leaders, how long will the United Nations, European Union World, Human right international, African Union and World leaders continue to look away from the unjust killing of the Biafra people in Nigeria. Are Biafran lives any different from the lives of An American, Italian, Uk, France, German or Chinese citizens? Britain is as responsible as the Nigeria government who committed genocidal acts against the Biafran people, Because without the help of Britain, Nigeria government wouldn't have had such audacity to carry out such evil plans against the Biafran people, even when Gowon issued the blockade against the Biafran people, Britain did nothing while they stood aside and watch as millions of Biafra women and children died helplessly.
Harold Wilson government during the Biafran war publicly stood in defence of the Nigeria government; he even defended Gowon and also refused to admit there is genocide committed against the Biafran people. Up till now the federal government of Nigeria and the government of Britain are still trying to cover up what happened in the Nigeria-Biafra civil war but its oblivious they no longer have the capability of covering up their dirty secrets, that's why Biafrans will continue to call for a sovereign state of Biafra.
Biafrans will continue to fight for their right for self-determination and will make sure they achieve their goal. Britain denied Biafrans that right 50years ago, but trying to prevent Biafrans again will just be a waste of time. Give us Biafra and let us be! It’s not by force to be persuaded into remaining in this contraption called Nigeria. Its high time Britain quit trying to force Biafrans into remaining in Nigeria, it’s wise to let Biafrans go than to face the possibility of a 2nd Nigeria-Biafra civil war.
By Okonkwo Isaac Somto
For Family Writers
I will begin by stating that I am not a sociologist, a political scientist, a human right lawyer, or a government official. My aim is not to provide all the answers but to raise questions, and perhaps to cause a few headaches in the process. Almost thirty years before Rwanda, before Darfur, over three (3) million people- mothers, children, babies, civilians lost their lives as a result of the latently callous and unnecessary policies enacted by the leaders of the federal government of Nigeria. As a writer , I believe that it is fundamentally important, indeed essential to our humanity, to ask the hard questions, in order to better understand ourselves.
Where there is justification for further investigation, then I believe justice should be served. In the case of the Nigeria-Biafra War there is precious little relevant literature that helps answer these questions: During the Nigeria-Biafran war, without the help of Great Britain would the federal government of Nigeria be able to engage in the genocide of its Igbo citizens through their punitive polices, the most notorious being "starvation as a legitimate weapon of war"? Why didn't Great Britain do anything to stop the information blockade during the war? Why has the war not been discussed, or taught to the young, over fifty years after its end? Great Britain been the colonial master of Nigeria, had the power to prevent the killing of innocent Biafra children, women and civilians but they stayed still, why?
When the Nigeria government stopped the Red Cross from sending food and medications to the dying Biafran children and women, why didn't Great Britain intervene? Great Britain claimed they only wanted the unity and togetherness of Nigeria yet when Nigeria armed forces tried to exterminate the Biafran race they stood aside and did nothing, why? Great Britain claimed the main goal wasn't the oil and wealth of the Biafran people, yet they refused to allow Biafrans exercise their rights for self-determination, why?
United Nation never got involved during the Nigeria-Biafra war, even when it was obvious their attention was needed, Ojukwu called out to them for help, but they turned deaf ears, was it because of the influence Great Britain had on UN that made them became heartless towards the Biafra people? Great Britain had the power to prevent the war from happening instead they empowered the federal government of Nigeria with weapons, connections and resources to fight against the Biafran people, resulting to the unjust death of over 3.5 million Biafrans (mainly women and children) why? Again, the killing of Biafrans continues in Nigeria, and I ask, are we perpetually doomed to experience the same injustice Biafrans went through during the Nigeria-Biafra civil war?
The silence of the United Nations, the callousness of the British government, the pretence of world leaders, how long will the United Nations, European Union World, Human right international, African Union and World leaders continue to look away from the unjust killing of the Biafra people in Nigeria. Are Biafran lives any different from the lives of An American, Italian, Uk, France, German or Chinese citizens? Britain is as responsible as the Nigeria government who committed genocidal acts against the Biafran people, Because without the help of Britain, Nigeria government wouldn't have had such audacity to carry out such evil plans against the Biafran people, even when Gowon issued the blockade against the Biafran people, Britain did nothing while they stood aside and watch as millions of Biafra women and children died helplessly.
Harold Wilson government during the Biafran war publicly stood in defence of the Nigeria government; he even defended Gowon and also refused to admit there is genocide committed against the Biafran people. Up till now the federal government of Nigeria and the government of Britain are still trying to cover up what happened in the Nigeria-Biafra civil war but its oblivious they no longer have the capability of covering up their dirty secrets, that's why Biafrans will continue to call for a sovereign state of Biafra.
Biafrans will continue to fight for their right for self-determination and will make sure they achieve their goal. Britain denied Biafrans that right 50years ago, but trying to prevent Biafrans again will just be a waste of time. Give us Biafra and let us be! It’s not by force to be persuaded into remaining in this contraption called Nigeria. Its high time Britain quit trying to force Biafrans into remaining in Nigeria, it’s wise to let Biafrans go than to face the possibility of a 2nd Nigeria-Biafra civil war.
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