5. The #BringBackOurGirls that the world
has forgotten about
It was a story that grabbed the world's
attention for its sheer brazenness. On the
night of April 14 to 15, Nigerian terrorist group
Boko Haram kidnapped 276 female students
from a school in the town of Chibok in Borno
state, Nigeria. While over 50 later managed
to escape, the rest were forced to convert to
Islam and marry members of Boko Haram.
Social media in particular responded with
disgust, giving birth to #BringBackOurGirls,
the rage directed at both Boko Haram and
the Nigerian government. Mainly because
the government received advanced warning
of the kidnapping, yet reportedly were
not able to do anything to stop it. Protests
followed in both Nigeria and in the West.
To date the girls haven't been found.
“A T E R R I B L E
DISEASE WITH
AN INCREDIBLE
S T R I K E R AT E .”
6. ICC drops case against Kenyatta
The long standoff between the International
Criminal Court and Kenyan president Uhuru
Kenyatta finally came to conclusion at the
beginning of December. Charged with
crimes against humanity for allegedly being
behind post-election violence in Kenya
between 2007 and 2008, where more than
1200 people died and thousands more
were displaced. Kenyatta, 53, the son of
Kenya's founding president Jomo Kenyatta,
has always maintained his innocence. The
investigation lasted four years. The charges
were finally dropped in the Hague based
court and Kenyatta is now a man at work.
The ruling begs the thought; have African
leaders become so snuggled with The West
that they now enjoy privileges once reserved
for George Bush and co?
With those headlines in your pocket you
should be have quite a bit to reflect on this
holiday.
by Eddie Schmidt
13
IMBO/ ISSUE 32/ '14