U.S. Agency says Boko Haram attacks religiously-motivated

USCIRF gives independent policy
recommendations to the U.S. President,
Secretary of State, and the Congress.
The U.S. Commission on International
Religious Freedom (USCIRF) on Tuesday
said Boko Haram had become the primary
perpetrator of religiously-related violence
and gross freedom violations in Nigeria.
The USCIRF, in a brief statement issued in
Washington, stated it had documented the
group’s attacks from July 2012 to July
2013 to arrive at its conclusion.
“Boko Haram’s targets include churches,
individual Christians, Muslim critics, and
persons engaged in behaviour deemed
un-Islamic.
“Others are northern elders, schools,
police stations, government buildings,
newspapers, and banks”, it noted.
It said the International Criminal Court
prosecutor Fatou Bensouda in November
2012 and August 2013 said there was
reasonable basis to believe that Boko
Haram committed crimes against
humanity.
USCIRF had earlier this year
recommended that Nigeria be designated
a “country of particular concern” (CPC).
The statement also recalled that the
commission recommended CPC status for
Nigeria since 2009, adding: “Before that,
Nigeria had been on USCIRF’s Watch List
since 2002.’’
The USCIRF was created by the
International Religious Freedom Act of
1998 to monitor the status of freedom of
thought, conscience, and religion or belief
abroad.
This was in line with the definition of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
and related international instruments.
It gives independent policy
recommendations to the U.S. President,
Secretary of State, and the Congress.
(PANA/NAN)