Letter to Barack Obama, President of the United States - Regarding Human Trafficking and the Boko Haram Abductions

Letter

Dear President Obama:

Mr. President, knowing of your longstanding interest in promoting fundamental human rights
and freedoms, we write to express concern over the recent abduction of over 200 girls in Nigeria
last month, and the at least eight kidnapped earlier this week. This brazen attack is only the latest
of Boko Haram's repeated and well publicized attacks throughout the north of the country. We
urge your administration to use every avenue possible to assist in the immediate recovery of the
missing girls and in bringing the perpetrators to justice.

The group Boko Haram, which the State Department has designated as a Foreign Terrorist
Organization, has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping and threatens to sell the girls into the
human trafficking market. Boko Haram has continually condemned education for young
women--their name loosely translates as "Western education is forbidden." In Nigeria, 40% of
the population is under the age of 15. Boko Haram seeks to prevent access to education for these
young people, which is vital to keeping communities productively employed, and in preventing
and resolving conflict.

The mass kidnapping and threat of human trafficking are human right violations that cannot be
tolerated. Human trafficking is a form of modern day slavery, which America must proactively
seek to end. We call on you to lead in seeking action at the United Nations to unite the global
community behind this cause.

We believe there is much more the United States government should do to address the growing
threat Boko Haram poses to international peace and security. We urge you to work towards
adding Boko Haram, and the splinter faction, Ansaru to the United Nations Security Council's Al Qaida Sanctions List, the mechanism by which international sanctions are imposed on Al Qaida and Al-Qaida linked organizations. While the Department of State officially designated the group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in November of 2013, Boko Haram's addition to the Security Council's Sanctions List would further curtail its terrorist activities. In addition to efforts with the United Nations, creating a strong working relationship with the African Union is also important to bringing about a sustainable peace in the region.

The Administration's efforts this week to form an interdisciplinary team to assist Nigerian authorities in rescuing these young girls is a positive step forward that we applaud. We stand
committed to supporting the Administration as it provides assistance in the recovery of the
kidnapped victims, and we thank you for your timely response to the incident and call for justice
for the victims.

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