This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/10/michelle-obama-nigeria-presidential-address
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Michelle Obama raises pressure over kidnapped schoolgirls | Michelle Obama raises pressure over kidnapped schoolgirls |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Michelle Obama has taken the unique step of delivering her husband's weekly presidential address to express outrage at the kidnapping of the Nigerian schoolgirls. | Michelle Obama has taken the unique step of delivering her husband's weekly presidential address to express outrage at the kidnapping of the Nigerian schoolgirls. |
| Speaking for the first time instead of the US president, before what is Mothers' Day in the US on Sunday, she said the couple were "outraged and heartbroken" over the abduction of more than 300 girls from a school in Chibok on 14 April. | Speaking for the first time instead of the US president, before what is Mothers' Day in the US on Sunday, she said the couple were "outraged and heartbroken" over the abduction of more than 300 girls from a school in Chibok on 14 April. |
| "What happened in Nigeria was not an isolated incident. It's a story we see every day as girls around the world risk their lives to pursue their ambitions," she said. "I want you to know that Barack has directed our government to do everything possible to support the Nigerian government's efforts to find these girls and bring them home. In these girls, Barack and I see our own daughters. We see their hopes, their dreams, and we can only imagine the anguish their parents are feeling right now." | "What happened in Nigeria was not an isolated incident. It's a story we see every day as girls around the world risk their lives to pursue their ambitions," she said. "I want you to know that Barack has directed our government to do everything possible to support the Nigerian government's efforts to find these girls and bring them home. In these girls, Barack and I see our own daughters. We see their hopes, their dreams, and we can only imagine the anguish their parents are feeling right now." |
| As the international rescue effort to find the girls continues Islamic extremists blew up a bridge on Saturday night, killed an unknown number of people and abducted the wife and two children of a retired police officer in north east Nigeria. It comes as a senior aide to the president, Goodluck Jonathan, came the closest yet of anyone within government circles to admitting there was "much to be remorseful and angry about" in the way last month's abduction had been handled politically. Ken Wiwa, the president's senior special assistant and son of playwright and activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, wrote in an article for the Observer that there was something "reassuring" in the fact that the world cared about the plight of the girls and insisted that, with support, Nigeria could "overcome this challenge". He called it the turning point in the battle against terrorism. | |
| There are warnings, too, of a refugee crisis emerging from the escalating violence by insurgents. A quarter of a million people have fled their homes. | There are warnings, too, of a refugee crisis emerging from the escalating violence by insurgents. A quarter of a million people have fled their homes. |
| "The brutality and frequency of these attacks is unprecedented," Adrian Edwards of the UN refugees agency said. "The past two months have seen multiple kidnappings and deaths, creating population displacement both inside Nigeria and into neighbouring countries." | "The brutality and frequency of these attacks is unprecedented," Adrian Edwards of the UN refugees agency said. "The past two months have seen multiple kidnappings and deaths, creating population displacement both inside Nigeria and into neighbouring countries." |
| Refugees report acts of extreme violence, of homes and fields being burned down and grenades being launched into crowded markets and bus stations. People are being caught in the crossfire between the insurgents and government forces, and there are allegations of arbitrary arrests and summary executions. | Refugees report acts of extreme violence, of homes and fields being burned down and grenades being launched into crowded markets and bus stations. People are being caught in the crossfire between the insurgents and government forces, and there are allegations of arbitrary arrests and summary executions. |
| The US ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, said the security council should act quickly to designate Boko Haram as a terrorist group and hold "its murderous leaders to account". The security council has demanded the release of the girls and is threatening to take action. | The US ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, said the security council should act quickly to designate Boko Haram as a terrorist group and hold "its murderous leaders to account". The security council has demanded the release of the girls and is threatening to take action. |
| "The members of the security council expressed their intention to actively follow the situation of the abducted girls and to consider appropriate measures against Boko Haram," the 15-member council, which includes Nigeria, said. | "The members of the security council expressed their intention to actively follow the situation of the abducted girls and to consider appropriate measures against Boko Haram," the 15-member council, which includes Nigeria, said. |
| A team of UK experts is now in Nigeria to help with the hunt. Jonathan said he believed the girls were still in the country despite fears, prompted by the sabotage last week of a border bridge, that the kidnappers were trying to stop anyone following them into Cameroon. | A team of UK experts is now in Nigeria to help with the hunt. Jonathan said he believed the girls were still in the country despite fears, prompted by the sabotage last week of a border bridge, that the kidnappers were trying to stop anyone following them into Cameroon. |
| In her speech, broadcast nationwide on radio and uploaded as a YouTube video, Michelle Obama said: "This unconscionable act was committed by a terrorist group determined to keep these girls from getting an education – grown men attempting to snuff out the aspirations of young girls." | In her speech, broadcast nationwide on radio and uploaded as a YouTube video, Michelle Obama said: "This unconscionable act was committed by a terrorist group determined to keep these girls from getting an education – grown men attempting to snuff out the aspirations of young girls." |
| She noted that the Chibok state secondary school where they were abducted had been closed because of terror threats, but the girls had gone back to take exams. "They were so determined to move to the next level of their education … so determined to one day build careers of their own and make their families and communities proud," she said. | She noted that the Chibok state secondary school where they were abducted had been closed because of terror threats, but the girls had gone back to take exams. "They were so determined to move to the next level of their education … so determined to one day build careers of their own and make their families and communities proud," she said. |
| Earlier this week the first lady tweeted a picture of herself holidng a placard with the #bringbackourgirls campaign hashtag. | Earlier this week the first lady tweeted a picture of herself holidng a placard with the #bringbackourgirls campaign hashtag. |
| On Friday Amnesty International claimed Nigerian commanders were warned before the kidnap that armed men were assembling near Chibok, but the military were unable to raise enough troops to respond. "This abduction could have been prevented," said Amnesty spokeswoman Susanna Flood. | On Friday Amnesty International claimed Nigerian commanders were warned before the kidnap that armed men were assembling near Chibok, but the military were unable to raise enough troops to respond. "This abduction could have been prevented," said Amnesty spokeswoman Susanna Flood. |
| The Nigerian government said it does not believe the Amnesty allegation but they are investigating. | The Nigerian government said it does not believe the Amnesty allegation but they are investigating. |