UNITED NATIONS DESCRIPTION OF GENOCIDE AND THE HYPOCRISY ON BIAFRA GENOCIDE
By Ogochukwu Nnanna
For Family Writers.
In the first place, I will not fail to explain the meaning of Genocide, and how it affects Biafrans.
The word genocide has not been in existence before 1944. It is just a combination of the word 'geno', a (Greek word for race or ethnic group or nation), and -- 'Cide' (a Latin word for killing). Genocide means the destruction of an ethnic group. It also signifies a coordinated plan or different actions aimed at the destruction of essential and natural foundations or the life of national indigenous groups.
The objective of such a plan can be disintegration of the political and social institutions, of language, religion, culture, national feelings and the economic existence of such national groups, and also the destruction of the personal security, liberty, health, dignity and the lives of the individuals belonging to such groups.
Raphael Lemkin, a Polish-Jewish lawyer gave birth to the word genocide in 1944.
The definition of this term genocide has been brought to the notice of the international community, of which they today take genocide to mean deliberate killing of a large number of people, nation or ethnic group. Anybody that participates in the attack against life, liberty or property of a group or civilian population is guilty of the crime of genocide.
The United Nations gave an approval to the convention on the prevention and punishment of the crime of Genocide (CPPCG) and also established genocide as an international crime, a crime against humanity which is punishable. The United Nations Convention also declared that there shall be no immunity for persons who commit genocide, whether they are rulers, public officials or private individuals. The United Nations takes genocide to mean any of these act committed with the intention of destroying in whole or in part, a national, ethnic or religious groups such as:(a) Killing of the members of the group; (b) causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; (c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part. (d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; (e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
In all the above explanations of genocide and its punishment to the offenders according to the United Nations declaration, what has UN done over the genocide committed by the Nigerian government against the people of Biafra in the Nigeria during the Biafra war? Are these punishments not applicable to those who executed the Biafra genocide? Are Biafrans not among those that are meant to partake in this United Nations approval to the Convention on the prevention and punishment of the crime of Genocide?
Everybody is fully aware of the Biafran genocide of 1967/70 and uptill now, the international community has not done anything about it. The murder of over 5 million Biafrans during Biafra war by the Nigerian government through the help of the British government has not been attended to and United nations are in face off concerning that genocide.
It is imperative that in a situation whereby over 5 million Biafrans was massacred, it should be recognized as genocide especially by international community. It is true that Britain has outlawed this Biafra genocide by not regarding it as a genocide, but united Nations which gave approval to the Convention on the Prevention and punishment of the Crime of genocide should look into the Biafran genocide and bring those that perpetrated the dastardly act to judgment.
Looking into the Lemkin's and the UN conceptions of what constitutes genocide, mass murder of any group of people qualifies as Genocide. And the mass murder of Biafrans during Nigeria - Biafra war of 1967/70 should be seen as genocide and should also be looked into.
Again, the murder of over one million Armenians by Ottoman Turks in 1915-1916 was recognized as genocide by many countries and France wanted to outlaw its denial as genocide. As it is with the Turkish and Armenian case, so is also with the case of Biafra and Nigeria. Since the genocide was committed, Britain has totally sat on that genocide because they feel that if it was made open, people will see and know the part they played during that war. That is why they purposely sit on that Biafra genocide till today and don't want to bring it to table for proper investigation.
Also the reports that a Polish member of international observer team in Biafra during the war claimed- "We have been unable to find one single trace of mass killings of IBO's" as they use to call Biafrans. This is indeed wickedness of the highest order. Thank God that another eye witness has it that truly there was deliberate bombing of civilians and genocide against Biafra. The eye witness accounts of individuals and international organizations are cited to buttress their claim.
Newsweek of 24 March 1968 for example, reports the account of one Rev.Fr. Raymond Mahar who said: "When I got to the market every square yard was covered by a body or a part of a body."
Again, Giwa Amu, a solicitor-General, writing in the Sunday observer, March 16, 1983 has it that a large number of Midwestern Igbo (Biafra) were slaughtered.
For record purposes, let me state fearlessly that I saw hundreds of unarmed civilians being shot at sight in Benin City when Federal troops arrived to liberate the city from rebel soldiers. I must tell you that till date, Biafrans are continually killed and massacred in their thousands by Hausa Fulani, especially by Fulani herdsmen and nothing has been done over that. They keep killing us, destroying our farm lands and even raping our women, but nothing has been done to them just as in the case of the Biafra genocide. The worst thing that has ever happened to Biafrans as those who are called by God's name is being in the same country with another ethnic group that doesn't regard killing as an abomination.
When we come out for peaceful protest without arms, they kill us, when they wickedly invade our farmland with their cattle and we try to talk or stop them, they also kill us. And in all these, the international community always posits like they are not aware all these.
I will conclude that Biafrans are a species set out for total extermination in Nigeria. And that is why we are agitating for our freedom and self determination which is a universal law guiding right of the indigenous people.
Edited by Paul Ihechi Alagba
For Family Writers
By Ogochukwu Nnanna
For Family Writers.
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| Biafrans killed by Nigeria gov with the help of British government |
In the first place, I will not fail to explain the meaning of Genocide, and how it affects Biafrans.
The word genocide has not been in existence before 1944. It is just a combination of the word 'geno', a (Greek word for race or ethnic group or nation), and -- 'Cide' (a Latin word for killing). Genocide means the destruction of an ethnic group. It also signifies a coordinated plan or different actions aimed at the destruction of essential and natural foundations or the life of national indigenous groups.
The objective of such a plan can be disintegration of the political and social institutions, of language, religion, culture, national feelings and the economic existence of such national groups, and also the destruction of the personal security, liberty, health, dignity and the lives of the individuals belonging to such groups.
Raphael Lemkin, a Polish-Jewish lawyer gave birth to the word genocide in 1944.
The definition of this term genocide has been brought to the notice of the international community, of which they today take genocide to mean deliberate killing of a large number of people, nation or ethnic group. Anybody that participates in the attack against life, liberty or property of a group or civilian population is guilty of the crime of genocide.
The United Nations gave an approval to the convention on the prevention and punishment of the crime of Genocide (CPPCG) and also established genocide as an international crime, a crime against humanity which is punishable. The United Nations Convention also declared that there shall be no immunity for persons who commit genocide, whether they are rulers, public officials or private individuals. The United Nations takes genocide to mean any of these act committed with the intention of destroying in whole or in part, a national, ethnic or religious groups such as:(a) Killing of the members of the group; (b) causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; (c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part. (d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; (e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
In all the above explanations of genocide and its punishment to the offenders according to the United Nations declaration, what has UN done over the genocide committed by the Nigerian government against the people of Biafra in the Nigeria during the Biafra war? Are these punishments not applicable to those who executed the Biafra genocide? Are Biafrans not among those that are meant to partake in this United Nations approval to the Convention on the prevention and punishment of the crime of Genocide?
Everybody is fully aware of the Biafran genocide of 1967/70 and uptill now, the international community has not done anything about it. The murder of over 5 million Biafrans during Biafra war by the Nigerian government through the help of the British government has not been attended to and United nations are in face off concerning that genocide.
It is imperative that in a situation whereby over 5 million Biafrans was massacred, it should be recognized as genocide especially by international community. It is true that Britain has outlawed this Biafra genocide by not regarding it as a genocide, but united Nations which gave approval to the Convention on the Prevention and punishment of the Crime of genocide should look into the Biafran genocide and bring those that perpetrated the dastardly act to judgment.
Looking into the Lemkin's and the UN conceptions of what constitutes genocide, mass murder of any group of people qualifies as Genocide. And the mass murder of Biafrans during Nigeria - Biafra war of 1967/70 should be seen as genocide and should also be looked into.
Again, the murder of over one million Armenians by Ottoman Turks in 1915-1916 was recognized as genocide by many countries and France wanted to outlaw its denial as genocide. As it is with the Turkish and Armenian case, so is also with the case of Biafra and Nigeria. Since the genocide was committed, Britain has totally sat on that genocide because they feel that if it was made open, people will see and know the part they played during that war. That is why they purposely sit on that Biafra genocide till today and don't want to bring it to table for proper investigation.
Also the reports that a Polish member of international observer team in Biafra during the war claimed- "We have been unable to find one single trace of mass killings of IBO's" as they use to call Biafrans. This is indeed wickedness of the highest order. Thank God that another eye witness has it that truly there was deliberate bombing of civilians and genocide against Biafra. The eye witness accounts of individuals and international organizations are cited to buttress their claim.Newsweek of 24 March 1968 for example, reports the account of one Rev.Fr. Raymond Mahar who said: "When I got to the market every square yard was covered by a body or a part of a body."
Again, Giwa Amu, a solicitor-General, writing in the Sunday observer, March 16, 1983 has it that a large number of Midwestern Igbo (Biafra) were slaughtered.
For record purposes, let me state fearlessly that I saw hundreds of unarmed civilians being shot at sight in Benin City when Federal troops arrived to liberate the city from rebel soldiers. I must tell you that till date, Biafrans are continually killed and massacred in their thousands by Hausa Fulani, especially by Fulani herdsmen and nothing has been done over that. They keep killing us, destroying our farm lands and even raping our women, but nothing has been done to them just as in the case of the Biafra genocide. The worst thing that has ever happened to Biafrans as those who are called by God's name is being in the same country with another ethnic group that doesn't regard killing as an abomination.
When we come out for peaceful protest without arms, they kill us, when they wickedly invade our farmland with their cattle and we try to talk or stop them, they also kill us. And in all these, the international community always posits like they are not aware all these.
I will conclude that Biafrans are a species set out for total extermination in Nigeria. And that is why we are agitating for our freedom and self determination which is a universal law guiding right of the indigenous people.
Edited by Paul Ihechi Alagba
For Family Writers
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