Date: 2014-05-20
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Let me also indicate that it is important for the United Nations peacekeepers and the African Union and others to realize this is a much larger issue. Today I stand on the floor of the House and condemn Boko Haram. but ask that these girls be rescued and brought home safely. Mr. Speaker. as an original cosponsor. a senior member of the Homeland Security and Judiciary Committees. and. most important. a mother. I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 573. a resolution condemning the abduction of female students by armed militants from the terrorist group known as Boko Haram in northeastern provinces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I thank my colleague from Florida. Congresswoman WILSON. for introducing this bipartisan resolution and urge all Members to support it because it is important for the House to go on record in opposition to the brutal and outrageous assaults on human dignity and freedom committed by the Boko Haram. a militant group that has no respect for the rights of women and girls. Since 2013. more than 4.400 men. women. and children have been slaughtered by Boko Haram. The victims include Christians. Muslims. journalists. health care providers. relief workers. And schoolchildren. I urge our government. the United States of America. to assist the Government of Nigeria in developing its own capacity to deploy specialized police and army units rapidly to bring Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau to justice and to rescue the more than 200 schoolgirls who were kidnapped from the Chibok School for Girls in Borno State on April 15. and the 11 schoolgirls kidnapped last night in the Warabe community of Borno. and reunited with their families and loved ones. Boko Harams reign of terror must be brought to an end. I also call upon our government to work with the African Union and the international community to detect. disrupt. and dismantle Boko Harams funding sources derived from other Islamist groups. including AIQaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and to AIQaeda in the Arabian Peninsular (AQAP). the Al Muntada Trust Fund. and the Islamic World Society. I commend President Obama on his decision to deploy American security experts and equipment in Nigeria to help locate and rescue the abducted schoolgirls and we applaud Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan for accepting that assistance. The leader of Boko Haram has threatened to ransom or sell the abducted schoolgirls into the human trafficking market for about twelve dollars each ($12.00 USD). I say to him: "Dont you dare." Boko Harams outrageous conduct will not be tolerated or overlooked for not only is it a violation of the girls human rights. it is also contrary to United States policy which supports and promotes equal access to education and economic opportunity for women and girls. As the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. said. injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. So we will not stand idly by. But we do stand in solidarity with the good people of Nigeria and especially those beautiful and courageous schoolgirls who wanted nothing more than to get an education to make life better for themselves and their beloved country. We will not forget or forsake you. This is what I think we should do. First. since we know that terrorist groups cannot operate effectively without reliable and steady funding to support their criminal acts. the United States should work with the international community to detect. disrupt. and dismantle the funding networks financing Boko Haram. Published reports in the media indicate that Boko Haram has received as much as $70 million from other Islamist groups. including AlQaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and AlQaeda in the Arabian Peninsular (AQAP). the Al Muntada Trust Fund. and the Islamic World Society. Second. as I mentioned. the United States should work with the Government of Nigeria to develop its own capacity to deploy specialized police and army units rapidly to prevent and combat sectarian violence in cities and around the country where there has been a history of sectarian violence. The creation and deployment of an elite highlytrained rapid response unit was used to successful effect by the Indonesia Government in 2004 to neutralize the Laskar Jihad terrorist organization. Third. the United States should also take appropriate action to help the Government of Nigeria establish a Victims Fund to provide humanitarian relief and economic assistance to the victims of attacks by Boko Haram so that they can rebuild their lives and communities. "People are the great issue of the 20th century." declared. thenSenator Hubert Humphrey in 1948. Mr. Speaker. the wellbeing of people remains the great issue of the 21st century. And there is no better measure of any society than the way its treats its women and girls. Boko Haram understands that when Nigerian girls are educated. Nigerian women can succeed. and when Nigerian women succeed. Nigeria succeeds. And that is why it is so important that the United States help Nigeria ensure that Boko Haram fails. Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent to include in the record a copy of the May 8. 2014 letter to President Obama from myself and 15 Members of Congress commending his decision to deploy American security experts and equipment in Nigeria to help locate and rescue the kidnapped schoolgirls urging the Administration to work in concert with the Government of Nigeria and the African Union to bring Abubakar Shekau and other leaders of Boko Haram to justice.