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Tuesday, September 23, 2014

BIAFRA: NO STATUTE OF LIMITATION ON MURDER OF ND'IGBO

Written by Zubbie Ekwueme

My heart goes out to the mothers, the wives
Who bear when the hawk snatches its game at dawn.
My heart goes out to those whose sorrow mops the pavements of the blood of their own, those whose tears wet the streets
daily, whose souls sorrow weighs down like stone on a mule,
whose tears must now mingle with mine;

A prodigal sings your pain, mothers. - Oguibe, A Song from Exile, 1990

This is a narrative of a forgotten war and its most vulnerable victims - the children. This is a story of the most vicious, most savage crime of black people on black children. This is the forgotten story of the unfortunate children of Biafra.
A few days ago, the world demanded that truck loads of relief be shipped to the embattled people of Gaza. Israel made sure that food and medicines were being delivered for three hours every day to the besieged and embattled people. The effect is to some how protect vulnerable civilians from the more of the most horrendous, most damaging consequences of any war - hunger. Bombs could still be falling, rockets flying and buildings exploding, but at least the civilian non combatants - children, mothers and elderly could eat even a little - to stand a chance to fight or die another day.

But the Biafran children had no such luck. In their thousands, bloated, kwashiorkored and starved to death, they died horrendous, agonizing miserable deaths. They died at the feet of Nigeria, at the hands of fellow black people, fellow Nigerians. Death by hunger as everybody knows is the most inhuman, most savage, most beastly act of war ever meted out to children anywhere. Nigerian soldiers and politicians planned and carried out these dastardly massacres of little innocent children. And why did the children have to die? Your guess is as good as mine. Nigerian soldiers and politicians made sure that the Biafran children paid the price, the blood price for the oil the elitist Nigerians now enjoy. Click on the first link below to watch a video of the horrifying spectacle as a few Biafran children were airlifted out of Biafra by Caritas to San Antonio.http://www.newsplayer.com/plight-of-biafran-children-video


Also, do not forget to read what New York Times had to say about the starved children of Biafra on August 1, 1987 http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE3DD103DF932A3575BC0A961948260 - New York Times August 1, 1987

"This is misleading: American doctors found 480,000 children in serious condition as a result of inadequate relief weeks after Biafra was conquered. ''It is necessary to keep in mind,'' I write, ''that the 31.4 percent of the children under 5 found suffering edema, marasmus or kwashiorkor in early February 1970 were not the same children as the 42.2 percent under 4 in that condition the previous October. Many of the latter had died, their statistical numbers being replaced by those who slipped from moderate to severe malnutrition, then into death, and so on.'' There is no mystery about the generation of Biafran children born between 1963 and 1970. Most died. Representatives of the Red Cross and the World Council of Churches kept a careful count, which leads to the conclusion that some 2 million starved, three-quarters of them small children. As a result, shortly after the war, an official consensus emerged that only ''1 million had died, rather than the 2 million once feared.'' You repeat this ''official'' figure. It should be challenged whenever it appears as a continuation of the cynicism with which governments dealt with one of the most brutal man-made tragedies of our time." - DAN JACOBS New York, July 15, 1987.


These crimes against the children of Biafra must never be allowed to stand. They must never to go unpunished. All good men and women must stand up to be counted as the collective conscience of a nation. British Government must be put on notice because that government was duplicitous for acquiescing to the starving deaths of these children. The Governments of Egypt and Russia (Soviet Union) were all instrumental to these starving murders of the Biafran children.
Everyone I guess has now forgotten this ugly crime. Some prefer not to remember, others prefer to completely forget that horror. We call it "see no evil, hear no evil" It was too grave and too painful. Let the sleeping dog lie, they say. Revisiting this crime some say, is akin to resurrecting the primordial darkness, the eerie ghost of the bloodied Biafra. Still, that ghostly darkness is still pervading and slowly torturing the consciousness of all Nigerians.
It is not impossible to wake up, to galvanize the just peoples of the international communities (UNICEF) to seek a redress. International people of conscience must be mobilized against the inhuman pain and injustices suffered by Biafran children. No, it is not impossible. All that is required are a few good men and women of conscience, a few good people with fortitude and determination to seek justice for the executed children of Biafra. Appropriate UN organizations should be put on notice. These UN agencies must be invited to take a second look at the Biafran war. Such an action can be nothing but cathartic at best. This is what the doctor had just ordered for Nigeria. Nigeria needs to be exorcized from the children-eating demons of the civil war. This for a fact is, absolutely necessary and essential.
Nobody as far as I know, had ever requested a mere apology. Nobody either had volunteered any. The Igbo people and all other nationalities of the Eastern Region are still waiting for an apology from the Nigerian government. They might as well wait for ever. Ten years after the Rwanda genocide, the murderers as well as suspects are still being picked up all over the world and tried. Rose Kabuye in particular, a close associate of President Kigame of Rwanda was recently arrested in Germany and immediately handed over to France for questioning. This is yet to happen in Nigeria. While some Rwandan genocide perpetrators have been sentenced and some are currently awaiting trial, the people that committed this evil against Biafran children are still walking around enjoying the fruit of their infamy. Why not? They have gotten away with murder.

Nigerians need to look inward to find the truth and the courage to face the darkest days of Nigerian-Biafran conflict. Those were the very dark days when black African animals ate their own young, own offspring for the sake of oil. Please take a look at these grotesquely bloated, distended-bellies, scarecrow of children. They could have been yours but by the grace of God. These children could have been yours children. If you have tears prepare to shed them now - to paraphrase Shakespeare.
This discussion should not degenerate into a pro or anti Biafra rhetoric. No body should have to get away with murder. Whether you are against Biafra or for Biafra, this crime should have nothing to do with your position one way or the order. The world needs to know about the starved children of Biafra. Nobody had ever apologized let alone paid any price or compensation for these egregious crimes. Everybody knows that there is no Statute of Limitation on murder.
Listen to what Nigeria Finance Minister in 1968 had to say:

As Federal Finance Minister of Nigeria in 1968, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, later a contender for the Presidency of Nigeria, stated: "starvation is a legitimate weapon of war, and we have every intention to use it against the rebels."At the peace talks in Niamey, Niger in August 1968, Nigeria refused to consider the opening of a monitored food corridor to allow food relief for starving civilians in Biafra including children and the elderly. Under the provisions of Appendix D, Article 2 of the United Nations Convention, "deliberately inflicting on a group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part" is qualified as genocide and whether carried out in time of peace or war is qualified by the convention as a punishable crime under international law. The irony, of course, is that although the death toll in Biafra topped 1 million in 1968 thanks in large part to Chief Awolowo's policy of strategic starvation, the United Nations reported "no genocide" in Biafra. - Oguibe
"All is fair in war, and starvation is one of the weapons of war. I don't see why we should feed our enemies fat in order for them to fight harder." - Awolowo
Listen to the commander of the 3rd Marine Commando of Nigerian army put it more tersely:
"I want to see no Red Cross, no Caritas, and no World Council of Churches, no Pope, no missionary and no UN delegation. I want to prevent even one Ibo (child) from having even one piece to eat before their capitulation. We shoot at everything that moves ....and when our troops march into the centre of Ibo territory, we shoot at everything even at things that do not move… " - Benjamin Adekunle, (Black Scorpion)
If the two statements above is not self-indicting of murder and war crime I don't know what is. 


Black inhumanity to black
Black Africans are a weird lot. We dance, cavort and sing kumbaya as President Obama is about to take office. Do we have the good nature, the focus and the capacity to look inwards and ask troubling questions about ourselves and of ourselves? Or are we like Adolf Hitler described in 1936 "just going through the external motions" of civilized people. The time to act is now -not tomorrow or next month. Now! Some of the perpetrators of these horrible crimes against international human rights laws are still alive today. Nobody has ever apologized nor got penalized. The Oputa report (that could have shed some light on this crime) is gathering dust where it is buried deep in blinding officialdom. It will never see the light of day just like these dead children. There may never be justice for these murdered children. There may never be justice for the kwashiorkor children of Biafra.





People of conscience, men and women of good will would you help to right the wrong done to the innocent children of Biafra that were starved to death.

No comments:

THE IGBO RANT

I am an Igbo, I was born an Igbo, I live the life of an Igbo, I come from Igbo, I speak Igbo, I like to be Igbo, I like to dress in Igbo, I eat Igbo food, my heritage, culture and tradition is Igbo, my parents are Igbo.

Am sorry I cannot help it if you hate my lineage. Am sorry I cannot help it if you detest Igbo, am sorry I cannot help it if you hate me because am Igbo. Igbo is who I am, my name is Igbo and I must die an Igbo.

You see Igbo as a threat, why? You call Igbo rapist, criminals, ritualist, prostitutes, kidnappers. You attribute all negative vices to represent Igbo? Why do you do that? You do because you feel threatened that Igbo might outrun the rest of the tribes. Why do you hate Igbo and despise us? You do that because we are creative, enlightened, hardworking, industrious, genius, intelligent, smart, rich, beautiful and amazing. But its difficult for you to admit it because you feel jealous of my race.

Igbo do not own politics, Igbo do not control the economy neither do we control the natural resources and the common wealth of the nation. You do, we don't and yet, despite the fact that you own everything, we still remain one indispensable race that has outshined the other race in all ramifications.

You fear us because you want to exterminate and annihilate our race, you deny us many things and yet we are stronger, richer and mightier. You fear us because we are everywhere. You fear us because no matter how rural a place might be, when Igbo steps in, they turn it into a Paradise. We have our own resources, which lies in resourcefulness, we do not bother you and your control over the polity, but yet when we cough you and the other race begin to shiver.

Am proud being an Igbo, am proud of my heritage and culture. Igbo means high class, Igbo means independence, Igbo means hard work and strength, Igbo means riches, Igbo means resourcefulness, Igbo means self belonging, Igbo means self esteem, Igbo means pride, Igbo means swag.

Udo diri unu umunnem.
# IgboAmaka
# AnyiBuNdiMmeri

Michael Ezeaka
------------------------------

This is beautiful poetry ...

In response to Alaba Ajibola, the Babcock Lecturer Hate Speech against Igbos.

BIBLICAL TRADITIONS OF NDI IGBO BEFORE THE MISSIONARIES CAME TO AFRICA* IGBO 101.

1. NSÓ NWANYĮ
In Igboland women live apart from their husbands and neither cook for them nor enter their husband's quarters when they are in their period. They are seen as unclean. Even up till today such practice is still applicable in some parts of Igboland especially by the traditionalists. Before a woman can enter the palace of Obi of Onitsha, she will be asked if she is in her period, if yes, she will be asked to stay out.

Leviticus 15: 19-20
When a woman has her monthly period, she remains unclean, anyone who touches her or anything she has sat on becomes unclean.

2. ANA OBI
An Igbo man's ancestral heritage, called “Ana Obi” is not sellable, elders will not permit this. If this is somehow done due to the influence of the West the person is considered a fool and is ostracized by the community.

1 Kings 21:3
I inherited this vineyard from my ancestors, and the Lord forbid that I should sell it, said Naboth.

3. IKUCHI NWANYĮ
Igbos have practiced the taking of a late brother's wife into marriage after she had been widowed until the white men came. Now it is rarely done but except in very rural villages.

Deuteronomy 25:5
A widow of a dead man is not to be married outside the family; it is the duty of the dead man's brother to marry her.

4. ĮGBA ODIBO
In Igboland, there is a unique form of apprenticeship in which either a male family member or a community member will spend six (6) years (usually in their teens to their adulthood) working for another family. And on the seventh year, the head of the host household, who is usually the older man who brought the apprentice into his household, will establish (Igbo: idu uno) the apprentice
by either setting up a business for him or giving money or tools by which to make a living.

Exodus 21:2
If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve you for six years. In the seventh year he is to be set free without having to pay you anything.

5. IRI JI OFŲŲ
In Igboland , the yam is very important as it is their staple crop. There are celebrations such as the New yam festival (Igbo: Iri Ji) which are held for the harvesting of the yam. New Yam festival (Igbo: Iri ji) is celebrated annually to secure a good harvest of the staple crop. In the olden days it is an abomination for one to eat a new harvest before the festival. It's a tradition that you give the gods of the land first as a thanksgiving.

Deuteronomy 16:9
Count 7 weeks from the time that you begin to harvest the crops, and celebrate the harvest festival to honor the lord your God, by bringing him a freewill offering in proportion to the blessing he has given you. Celebrate in the Lord's presence together with your children, servants, foreigners. Be sure that you obey my command, said the Lord.

6. IBE UGWU
In Igboland it's a tradition that the male children are circumcised on the 8th day. This tradition is still practiced till date.

Leviticus 12:3
On the eighth day, the child shall be circumcised.

7. ÓMŲGWÓ
In Igboland, there is a practice known as "ile omugwo ". After a woman has given birth to a child, a very close and experienced relative of hers, in most cases her mother is required by tradition to come spend time with her and her husband. During which she is to do all the work of the wife, while the new mom's only assignment to the baby will be to breastfeed. This goes on for a month or more. In the Igbo old tradition, at this time, the new mom lives apart from her husband, would not cook or enter his quarters.

Leviticus 12:1-4
For seven days after a woman gives birth, she is ritually unclean as she is during her monthly period. It will be 33 days until she is ritually clean from the loss of blood; she is not to touch anything that is holy.

THE IGBO TRIBE AND ITS FEAR OF EXTINCTION

The Igbo tribe is in a serious problem and danger of extinction for the following reasons:

50% of Igbos are born outside Igbo land. Meaning that those children are not likely to live and work in Igbo land and cannot speak Igbo language but foreign language (Yoruba, Hausa, French, English).

40% of Igbos girls between the age of 25 & 45 are single with no hope of marriage because 35% of Igbo boys live overseas and they have all married white ladies.

75% of Igbo youths leave Igbo land every year in search of opportunities in Yoruba, Hausa land or overseas.

85 % of Igbos have family houses and own investments outside Igbo land. They strongly believe in one Nigeria but failed to know that NO Yoruba or Hausa man has a family house or investment in Igbo land.

Igbos are the only people who believe that living outside their land is an achievement.

Igbos are the only tribe that celebrate their tradition outside their land e.g. Eze Ndi Igbo, Igbo Village in America and this is because they have family homes in foreign lands.

Igbos have failed to know that the children you have outside Igbo land especially overseas will never think of living in Igbo land. So what happens to the properties you are building for them when you are gone?

Igbos are the only tribe who see their land as a place to visit or a tourist site than a place to work and live.

Igbos are the only tribe who instead of promoting and appreciating their culture through movies and documentaries they have sought to ridicule it by portraying rituals, killings, wickedness, love for money and other social vices which were not originally inherent in our culture thereby cursing more harm than actually promoting their culture.

Igbos are the only people who without hesitation believe their history and description when it is told or written by an enemy or a foreigner. E.g. that you do not love yourselves or that you love money.

Igbos are the ONLY largest tribe on earth who fought for their independence and failed to achieve their freedom after 40 years.

Igbos are the only tribe who fails to honour their brave heroes and heroines especially the innocent children starved to death during the Biafran war.

Igbos are the only tribe who embraced their enemy after a bloody civil war and subsequently become slaves.

Igbos do not find it necessary to teach their own version of history to their children.

Igbos fight for marginalisation in Nigeria but has no collective strength or teeth to bite.

Igbos how long are you going to fight for your relevance in Nigeria?

How long are you going to fight for a functional airport, rail networks and other structural establishments that underpin sustainable development?

How long are you prepared to wait for your enemy to guide you to your destiny?

Oh Igbos!
Where are your leaders?

Unfortunately, none of them live and work in Igbo land. If you wish to save the future of your children, your identity, your generation and your race then you need freedom and that freedom is Biafra.

Ukpana Okpoko gburu bu nti chiri ya!

By Chime Eze
#COPIED

The Igbo: We die for causes, not for personalities

Written by Emeka Maduewesi

~on fb. 28th September, 2016.


The Igbo will never die for anyone. We will not even riot for anyone. But the Igbo will die for any cause they believe in because the Igbo have a true sense of justice and a determination to obtain it.


The Igbo will not riot because one of their own lost an election. Operation Wetie was the Western response to a massively rigged 1965 election. The Yoruba doused fellow Yorubas in petrol and burnt them alife. Properties were burnt with occupants. The Igbo will never do this.


In 1983, the Yoruba went on a rampage again over the massive rigging by NPN. Lifes were lost and properties destroyed. The riots were over personalities.


Contrast that with Anambra State where Chief Emeka Ojukwu was rigged out by his own NPN, who also rigged out Chief Jim Nwobodo. The Igbo did not protest because the goat's head is still in the goat's bag.


In the North, ba muso was the battle cry when Sultan Dasuki was imposed on the Sokoto Caliphate. The riot and protest lasted for days and crippled economic activities.


The Igbo will riot over issues and causes. The Aba Women Riot was over Tax. The Enugu coal mine riot was about conditions of service. The Ekumeku Uprising was over British colonialization.


Those of "Ekumeku" ancestry - Umu Eze Chima and Umu Nri - were at the forefront of the struggles for Nigerian independence, with people like Dr. A A Nwafor Orizu and Chief Osita Agwuna serving prison terms. Any struggles the parents could not conclude is continued by the children by other means.


The Biafran war was a response to the genocide. The war in fact was brought upon us. The battlefield was Eastern Region. The war ended in 1970 but the issues and causes were not resolved. That is where we are today.


The Igbo will also jointly rise to fight evil in their midst. They did it in Onitsha in the 1980's, Owerri in the 90's, and with Bakkassi in the 2000.


The Igbo will not die for any man. But the Igbo will stand by any man who symbolizes their cause and their pursuit of justice. Even if the man dies, the struggle continues, and like the Ekumeku warriors, the children will pick up the baton from their parents.


This is the Igbo I know, the Igbo I am, and the Igbo we are. This is my story. Feel free to tell yours.

RT. HON. DR. NNAMDI AZIKIWE TO DR. CHUBA OKADIGBO (1981)

"My boy, may you live to your full potential, ascend to a dizzy height as is possible for anyone of your political description in your era to rise. May you be acknowledged world-wide as you rise as an eagle atop trees, float among the clouds, preside over the affairs of fellow men.... as leaders of all countries pour into Nigeria to breathe into her ear.

But then, Chuba, if it is not the tradition of our people that elders are roundly insulted by young men of the world, as you have unjustly done to me, may your reign come to an abrupt and shattering close. As you look ahead, Chuba, as you see the horizon, dedicating a great marble palace that is the envy of the world, toasted by the most powerful men in the land, may the great big hand snatch it away from you. Just as you look forward to hosting the world’s most powerful leader and shaking his hands, as you begin to smell the recognition and leadership of the Igbo people, may the crown fall off your head and your political head fall off your shoulders.

None of my words will come to pass, Chuba, until you have risen to the very height of your power and glory and health, but then you will be hounded and humiliated and disgraced out of office, your credibility and your name in tatters forever...”
THE REST IS HISTORY AS EVERY WORD OF THE CURSE ON CHUBA CAME TO PASS.

LET'S BE AS PASSIONATE AS WE WANT TO AND BE MODERATE IN OUR CONTRIBUTIONS IN PUBLIC DISCUSSION TO ISSUES AS WORDS OF OUR ELDERS ARE WORDS OF WISDOM

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