U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said in her remarks to the press, that Boko Haram “has targeted some people simply because of their religion or professional occupation, and indiscriminately killed and maimed many others,” burning down houses, churches and schools.
Close to half a million people have been displaced inside Nigeria and some 57,000 are now reported to have spilled across borders into neighboring countries, such as Cameroon, Chad and Niger. In regards to Nigeria’s decision to deploy its military in the region, Ms. Pillay stated “it is vital that Government forces do not exacerbate the problem by taking actions that displace, endanger or kill civilians. Many people I have met with during this visit openly acknowledge human rights violations have been committed by the security forces, and these have served to alienate local communities, and created fertile ground for Boko Haram to cultivate new recruits.” Boko Haram (an islamic militant group) continues to attempt to carve out an Islamic state in a religiously mixed country of around 170 million people.
The High Commissioner ended her remarks with a strong appeal for the Nigerian government to implement concrete policies to protect all members of the nation vulnerable populations which includes children, women, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, and people living with albinism. In regards to the LGBT community, she said the new law known as the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition Act) violates international law in that it is discriminatory and seriously impinges on freedom of expression and freedom of assembly.
Source: un.org
~Waheeda| @1waheeda
www.waheedatv.com
~I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Navi Pillay (UN High Commissioner for Human Rights)
she is a inspiration to myself and many other young women worldwide!
