To crush Boko Haram insurgents, Nigeria's Defence Headquarters last week declared it would employ the "Sri Lankan method." It's hard to imagine a worse idea.
Boko Haram's brutal campaign in northern Nigeria demands urgent action to protect the civilian population. The militant Islamist group's atrocities have killed thousands and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes, sparking a humanitarian crisis in Nigeria's northeast and across national borders. Boko Haram's April kidnapping of nearly 300 schoolgirls has dramatically increased international attention on the problem and pressure on the government to resolve it.
Nigeria’s Defense Ministry said Sri Lanka’s top military brass made presentations to Nigerian counterparts last week and Nigeria is “seriously considering” using the Sri Lankan model against Boko Haram Islamic extremists who have killed thousands in a 5-year-old insurgency that is spreading.
Human Rights Watch said Monday it is “hard to imagine a worse idea.” It noted that the United Nations finally is investigating both sides in Sri Lanka’s conflict, which ended in 2009 with 40,000 civilians killed in the final months of conflict.
Both countries’ military are accused of abuses that could amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Nigeria's military and other security forces have already committed many serious abuses in their fight against Boko Haram including offenses that might constitute crimes against humanity.
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