Opinion: Is Amnesty International Truly Anti-Nigeria?

Posted by African Examiner Articles/Opinion, Featured, Featured Contributors/Columnists, Latest Headlines Tuesday, February 28th, 2017

By Olawale Rasheed

Across the world,Amnesty International releases several reports on various conflict situations that many considered subversive and squared to de-legitimise state authorities. From Middle East to several troubled spots,the body acts mostly as agents of anti-state platforms . That judgement may be harsh.

In reality, the experience of Nigeria in the hands of the organisation portrays a deliberate attempt at undermining the legitimacy of the state and strengthening anti-state elements. State institutions are favourite targets.

Worldwide there is a plot to destory the nation state through multiple organizations mandated to destory confidence of the citizenry in their governments. Critical state institutions are targeted for demonisation and final supplanting by international organizations . Hence, the trend of seeking international interventions in matters best handled by state authorities.Amnesty International has important role in this respect.

This is not to say there is no excesses on the side of military authorities. Those are truly condemnable. But troops operate under difficult conditions against terrorists who are not bound by Geneva rules.

Nigerian experience shows that Amnesty has issued about five reports on the insurgency in Nigeria and it is interesting that all directly indicted the Nigerian military and state. If one report is not accusing the state of genocide ,another is alleging extra judicial killings . It was so bad that at a point the organisation becomes like a defacto spokespersons for the insurgents.

It is also annoying that most of those negative reports always emerged when our military are making headway against the insurgents . When the terrorists were dislodged from their hideouts,Amnesty issued a damming report alleging all sorts of human rights abuses against the military. At no point does the organisation finds a space to rejoice with Nigeria on the crushing of the insurgents .

Many are already forming opinions that Amnesty International is already infiltrated by Islamic state ,Al-Qaeda and Boko Haram. That conspiracy theory arises from the fact that the organisation is now openly canvassing for observance of human rights for terrorists while at the same time downplaying the human rights of many Nigerians killed unjustly by the insurgents or the fate of many military personnel killed in several counter insurgency operations. Why is Amnesty always eager to weaken the morale of a military that has successfully restored the territorial integrity of the Nigerian nation?

The greatest achievement of the present government from security perspective is that the insurgents no longer hold and control any territory.Nigerian military at great cost has restored the dignity of Nigeria . Our troops have saved us from the humilitation of a rag tag armed group ridiculing our pride as a nation.

There is the feeling Amnesty Internayional was happy with old humiliation of Nigeria in the hands of the terrorists . Is the organisation on the pay roll of the insurgents? Is the organisation bitter the terrorists are defeated? Or why is the organisation always so angry with the Nigerian military anytime huge progress is recorded in the sacred task of keeping Nigeria united while protecting the territorial integrity of the nation?

It is even more shocking because all entreaties by the military authorities to open up to the organisation is always followed by more negative reports. Officials of the organisation have been invited to the military headquarters several times for briefing and brainstorming on whatever areas of concern it may have . The military had since established human rights desk alongside more transparency in military operations. All these gestures were never reciprocated by the organisation.

What then is the real mission of Amnesty International as per the Nigerian state ? Is the organisation working to destroy the Nigerian military as a shortcut to destroying Nigerian state ? Is the organisation working with forces hell bent on setting Nigeria ablaze through skewed and false reporting by equally false experts and researchers ?

One cannot but agree with our military authorities that Amnesty International has grown to become a threat to the corporate existence of the Nigerian nation. Its activities seem designed as a de-legitimisation project targeted at the heart of Nigerian unity,the military.

As canvassed in paragraph three above ,there is a global fight to suplant patriotism with globalism. There is a gradual transfer of state responsibilities to international bodies . That is why we today have the struggle between nationalists and globalists. Globalism only succeeds when the state is delegitimised before her citizens.That is what Amnesty International is doing and all patriots should fight back and resisit the drive to “pakistan” or “afgan ” Nigeria.

Nigerian military should learn one or two tricks from the Egyptian military. No responsible military and security organization should allow a subversive foreign body to destory its from within or without. Invoking imperative of national security is a must.

*Olawale Rasheed ,a public affairs analyst and the Publisher of Sahelstandard.com,writes from Abuja