Where Are Our Girls?

Chibok school girls abducted by Boko Haram

110 days have passed since the Chibok girls were abducted by Boko Haram militants from their boarding school in Nigeria. Both the international community and local Nigerian government pledged to do all they could to bring back the girls but till now; nothing of material has been done. There is no sign of any of them at all. So, WHERE ARE OUR GIRLS?

Each and every passing second is more than a living nightmare for the girls’ families. Each passing minute, each and every single one of these girls is exposed to such ills as violent rape, physical, emotional and sexual assault, sexual slavery, ‘forced marriages’, unwanted pregnancies, miscarriages due to abuse, risk of contracting all forms of sexually transmitted infections, murder, torture, hunger, lack of proper sanitary-ware and sanitation, brainwashing and indoctrination, risk of developing stockholm syndrome...OH DEAR LORD! All this is happening as the world powers are more concerned about their economic wars in Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Syria, Iraq, and Gaza. Nobody seems to care about the girls anymore, that is if they ever did.

The international community which was so seemingly adamant to get the girls back, seems to have been affected by a ‘quiet syndrome’ because they ain’t talking about it anymore. Have you done all you can to help locate the girls? If it were your daughter would you be so silent? The time has come for you to tell us, Where Our Girls Are?

In April, people around the world marched, demonstrated, showed all forms of remorse against the Chibok girls abductions and these gross human right violations. The media was less than eager to report on this issue which was in the interest of the public until they were compelled to do so by members of the public. Yes, there was a lot of coverage of the story for a few days but now it has died out...just how this whole atrocity is about to die out and the girls never to be recovered again.  The media are now instead, focusing on Gaza’s children. Are the Chibok girls of less importance? I beg, Where Are Our Girls?

The United Nations is sitting every other day and Secretary General Ban ki Moon calling for immediate cease fire in the Israel – Gaza conflict again and again. The children of Gaza seem more important than those of Chibok because Mr. Sec. General is not calling for any move to stop Boko Haram. Is the UN not a representative of the girls? Is the UN not a representative of the girls’ parents? Mr. Secretary General, Where Are Our Girls?

Boko Haram has unleashed a reign of terror through bombings, kidnappings and all sorts of other ills in the Nigerian society as well as neighbouring countries. They demand the release of their soldiers from prison in exchange for the girls – like, seriously!!??

Just the other day, two Boko Haram militants were captured and arrested after being found with a 10 year old girl who had a bomb strapped to her body. Are our girls now being used as suicide bombers? Is this a sure sign that more other girl-child abductions are going unreported? The Nigerian government continues to look on since the militants have connections with high officials. Maybe the white colour on your flag which ‘resembled’ peace ought to be changed to black for terror, war and bloodshed. You are not willing to stop these acts of impunity but we continue to ask, Where Are Our Girls?

Cameroonian Vice President’s wife who was kidnapped last Friday by Boko Haram has already been rescued! How easy is it to hide and conceal one person as opposed to 273 girls? Definitely there was some kind of settlement. It’s a pity the Chibok girls don’t have parents in high positions for example politicians and business people otherwise they would be back home by now.

Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan dashed the kidnapped girls’ parents some money equivalent to and in some cases less than US$2000 as a way of ‘consoling’ the bereaved families. He has resorted to the old adage Nigerian style of settling issues – that is bribery. Is the money going to stop the families missing their daughters and sisters? A mother carried her daughter in her womb for nine whole months and was the happiest and proudest when she delivered her into the world. A world full of un-just and in-human people. At birth the mother shed tears of JOY. Three months ago till the daughter comes back home, it will just be tears of SORROW. Mr. President, we want to see some luck as your name suggests, otherwise you have desperately failed us. We eagerly wait for the return of our girls.

We yearn for that day when you will bring back our girls and tell us, ‘Here they are, safe and sound’.

Aberdeen International Youth Festival - Colorful Parade Gets the City into the Mood

Aberdeen was as busy as bees and colourful on Saturday the 27th of July as the International Youth Festival entered its third day with various performing artists showcasing their unique performances.

The mood in the granite city of Aberdeen was eclectic and exciting and the weather was exceptionally friendly – temperatures rising up to 24 degrees celcius. 

A vibrant street parade and party took centre stage yesterday as all local, national and international groups joined together to bring a celebratory vibrancy to the city centre. 

Elbrus Circassian Dance Troupe

Elbrus Circassian Dance Troupe showing off their traditional clothes

Majestic performance by the Circassian Dance Troupe

Elbrus Circassian Dance Tropue from Jordan performed in their impressive costumes which are the traditional clothing of the Circassian people. The group has the aim to promote a message of peace, love and harmony to the world.

Beijing 57 High School Jinfan Marching Band

Also part of the parade was a popular band to the festival, the Beijing 57 High School Jinfan Marching band which has won among other accolades the Orchestral Music Golden Award. They out-did themselves  with their bold drumming, marching and eloquent costumes. The band which comprises of students aged from 14 to 20 years was an inspiration to many. 

Project Y

Scotland's dance group, Project Y, captivated audiences with their contemporary dance styles which include street dance, ballet and break dancing. The group with members aged between 16 and 21 is an initiative from Y-Dance (Scottish Youth Dance) the National Youth Dance Agency for Scotland. Y Dance’s aim is to encourage young people to get active and realise their potential through dance.

Beijing Jingshan School Music Theatre Group

Sweet and melodious voices from the Beijing Jingshan School music theatre group echoed the Bon Accord shopping centre, leaving the audience wowed by their bright and unique costumes.

Here are some of the acts that showcased at the festival.

                               

       

     

As the festival celebrates 42 years of existence this year, about 900 young performers from 16 different countries including Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Czech Republic, Azerbaijan, USA and Zimbabwe will be performing. Dance, theatre, world music, choirs, orchestras, opera and jazz are all packed in this creative and culturally diverse event which will run from the 25^th of July to the 2^nd of August.

Website: www.aiyf.org

Algeria Plane Wreckage Found In Mali

Algerian Plane Wreckage Found

The wreckage of a missing Air Algerie passenger plane that disappeared from radar on Thursday has been found in Mali, officials say.

Burkina Faso’s commander-in-chief Gilbert Diendere said the wreckage of flight AH5017 was found south of the Mali town of Gao.

According to Gen. Gilbert, the plane was totally burnt-out and the remains were scattered on the ground. No survivors have yet been discovered. The plane which was carrying 110 passengers and 6 crew members was travelling from Burkina Faso’s capital city Ouagadougou to the Algerian capital Algiers. It was recorded to have left Ouagadougou at 1:17am GMT and disappeared just 50 minutes into the flight.

Shortly after take-off around 1:30am GMT the AH5017 pilot had contacted Niger’s control tower in Niamey to change course because of a sandstorm, authorities say.

The plane’s passenger list according to Burkina Faso’s transport minister Jean Bertin Ouedrago included 51 French citizens, 27 people from Burkina Faso, eight Lebanese, six Algerians, five Canadians, and four Germans, two from Luxemburg, one Cameroonian, 1 Belgian, one Egyptian, one Ukrainian, one Swiss, one Nigerian and one Malian.

The Algerian plane crush affirms a week of aviation disasters with two other crashes having taken place. The 23^rd of July saw the Taiwan domestic flight GE222 TransAsia Airways crash in Taiwan’s Penghu archipelago, after a failed attempt to land at Magong airport due to stormy weather caused by Typhoon Matmo. The death toll has risen to 48 and 10 other people injured. No crew members survived.

The genesis of the week’s air disasters was eight days ago, the 17^th of July when Malaysian Airline MH17 was struck down by a war missile in Ukraine killing all 298 passengers and crew on board. Different nationals were on-board including the Netherlands, Malaysia, Australia and the UK. Investigations are still underway as to who was responsible for the strike-down in an area that has been a war zone between Russia and Ukraine in the last few months.

In a related incident, a Malaysian airline MH370 which was travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on the 8^th of March this year disappeared from radar on the South China Sea.Despite the multi-national search effort which became the largest and most expensive in history, no wreckage or bodies have yet been found. The Boeing 777-200ER was carrying 12 Malaysian crew members and 227 passengers from 15 nations.

The Cut Souls

The evening had gone on like any other we've had previously. A sumptuous dinner while on the side I fed my two year old toddler. Soon after, he drifted off to sleep as my hubby rented a movie which we watched downing a glass or two of red wine. Cuddling up on the living room sofa on the cold winter night, I could have thought too soon of anything that could spoil such a perfect moment.

In the coziness, I drifted and drifted and drifted.

Suddenly there was a loud bang on the door, I jumped, startled and released that the room was pitch black. I could hardly see anything.

“Achukwu, Achukwu,” I screamed out my husband’s name. I scrambled about frantically in the dark still screaming his name but alas, the only sound I could hear were the repeated thuds on the door. My heart was pounding harder than the drum in an African church and racing as if it were competing at the Grand Prix. Just outside the door seemed to be a big lorry raving angrily and blood curdling screams coming from women and some men.

All of a sudden, there was a flood of light that illuminated my house. The armed men had broken down the door and were scuffling their way in.

The world started to spin around and around as I almost lost consciousness with fear. As they advanced towards me I trembled like a lone reed in a cold swamp as I curled and hug my thighs so tight like a cocoon. At that time I was wailing not knowing what was happening. My wails were coded with in-explainable fear and heavy questions, “where are you Achukwu, where is my sonnn?” Just then I felt a heavy rough hand pound on my now already scattered braided hair and I started gasping for air. He vigorously pulled my head up with the braids and there he was, I couldn't believe it. The fear was too intense such that I felt my soul drift and drifting in space like a feather further and further away to nowhere.

A second man approached me with an arm long machete which shinned like new silver. I could only stare at him directly in his left eye because where his right eye was supposed to be, there were stitches that were still healing. He grinned to expose his grime filled semi-carnivorous rotten teeth and uttered a nauseating laugh. He bent down getting closer to my face and all of a sudden I heard the words…..

“Cut, Cut, Take 2.”