Ethnic Cleansing is when you try to kill or evict members of an ethnic group because of their ethnicity. since 2008, the International Criminal Court (ICJ) has classified it as a Crime Against Humanity and punishes people who try it. When some Hutus ethnically cleansed Tutsis in Rwanda, they were rounded up and prosecuted in ICJ. When Nigerian Government almost refused to handover Charles Taylor to International Criminal Court, do you remember what almost happened?
Anyone who thinks they can repeat 1966 in 2017 should forget it, because now the Igbos have the international presence (they are all over the world in large numbers) and social media power to get and hold the world’s attention if we are pushed to do so. Believe me, if we begin protest from Washington DC, to London, to New York, to Paris, to the doorsteps of the ICJ at the Hague itself, the world will not ignore us.
Look at our Facebook, Nairaland, Twitter, blog, Whatsapp activists and their reach and abillity to stop fight unjust government policies to a standstill and fight anti-Igboism. Look at our fearless lawyers, human rights activists, journalists and cultural champions spread all over the world and constantly interconnected – constantly checking to see that everything is allright. Which world leader has not heard of the fearless Ndigbo? If we speak the truth to them, they will listen to us, both those that like us and those that hate us.
In 1966 we didn’t have international spread and social media power. In 2017 we do. So, don’t try US unless you want to relocate to Hague. There is no country you cannot find the Igbo in today, and we therefore have the power to harness public opinion, and no Western politician can ignore public opinion when it is so glaring.
Today the Igbo protest in front of courts, on the streets, in front of embassies and everywhere if they feel they are being shortchanged, and judges know they have our backing to do the right thing even when governments may oppose what they want to do.
You want to stop Igbos from remaining in Nigeria. Where you when Nnamdi Azikiwe was building Nigeria? You want to stop Igbos from legally agitating for Biafra, who told you you can deny them their rights to agitate legally for Biafra?
So, let there be peace not violence. Everybody loses from violence. But when people discuss in peace, they can achieve much.
