{"id":5935,"date":"2013-07-03T23:26:41","date_gmt":"2013-07-03T23:26:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/disnaija.com\/nigerian-newspapers\/weighing-the-war-amnesty-for-insurgents\/"},"modified":"2013-07-03T23:26:41","modified_gmt":"2013-07-03T23:26:41","slug":"weighing-the-war-amnesty-for-insurgents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disnaija.com\/weighing-the-war-amnesty-for-insurgents\/","title":{"rendered":"Weighing the war, amnesty for insurgents"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

As the Nigerian government battles Boko Haram insurgents in the northeast, officials are also grappling with how to end the fighting and what to do with the rebels once peace is restored. New York-based Human Rights Watch says when the battle is done there will be no peace without justice. But some Nigerian leaders say the battles will never end without compromise.<\/p>\n

How to stop Boko Haram insurgents from killing people has become a national debate in Nigeria. The most common answers are: crush them with military might or, find out why they are killing people and negotiate a peace deal.<\/p>\n

The Federal Government is currently trying both approaches.<\/p>\n

Three northeastern states have been locked down in a state of emergency for more than six weeks now and thousands of troops have been deployed. Meanwhile a presidentially appointed committee is trying to get Boko Haram leaders to come out of the shadows and talk.<\/p>\n

\u201cConstructive discussion that will lead to dialogue. Dialogue that will lead to peaceful resolution of the security challenges in the north,\u201d said Amnesty Committee Chair Kabiru Tanimu Turaki explaining how the process will work.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd which will also lead not only to disarmament but de-radicalisation of a large chunk of the members of the movement who have unfortunately been radicalized on ideologies that cannot be said to be straight.\u201d<\/p>\n

HRW said more than 3,600 people have been killed since 2009 in attacks by Boko Haram, clashes, and extra-judicial killings by security forces.<\/p>\n

In a letter to Turaki published Tuesday, Human Rights Watch urged him to \u201creject amnesty for atrocities\u201d and exclude anyone responsible for \u201ccrimes against humanity\u201d from any amnesty deal. The group said if Nigeria fails to prosecute those who they believe have violated international law, the International Criminal Court has the authority to do so.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But before anyone can be punished, or given amnesty, whoever is responsible for the Boko Haram carnage has to be caught or come to the table. And they don\u2019t appear to be interested.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, in Nigeria \u201camnesty\u201d is sometimes considered code for a pot of gold and could attract a lot of interest from low-level Boko Haram soldiers in a region where most people live in abject poverty.<\/p>\n

After years of fighting the government and oil companies in the southern Niger Delta region, tens of thousands of ex-militants still get roughly $ 350 a month after turning in their weapons in 2009. Some of their leaders are reported to be getting much more.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u2022Culled from VOA<\/p>\n

————————————————————————————————————————-
Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. <\/a>A DisNaija.Com<\/a> network.<\/p>\n

Source: The Nation Newspaper<\/p>\n

DisNaija.Com<\/b> publishes regular posts on Nigeria News,<\/a> Nigerian Newspapers,<\/a> Online Nigeria Gist.<\/a><\/p>\n

Follow us on Twitter<\/a> and Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Nigerian Newspapers<\/a>
\n
\nFollow @Dis_Naija<\/a>
\n