ARGENTINA: Argentine women join campaign for return of schoolgirls taken by Islamist rebel group in Nigeria

Record ID: 236728

  • Title: ARGENTINA: Argentine women join campaign for return of schoolgirls taken by Islamist rebel group in Nigeria
  • Date: 15th May 2014
  • Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (MAY 14, 2014) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF NIGERIAN EMBASSY VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS SHOWING SUPPORT ABDUCTED SCHOOLGIRLS IN NIGERIA, SIGNING FLAG POLICE ON SITE VARIOUS OF WOMAN SIGNING FLAG GENERAL VIEW OF PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN LIKE YOU CAROLINA BARONE STANDING AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE NIGERIAN EMBASSY (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN LIKE YOU CAROLINA BARONE SAYING: "This activity which we are promoting in Argentina is part of a global agenda of actions that are being carried out simultaneously with one, definitive purpose which is 'bring back our girls'. It is an enormous responsibility for us to do this in our country and we do it with an enormous conviction because those girls could be us and despite the distance, they (the abducted girls) should not feel like they are alone. From each one of the continents and from every major city possible, we are carrying out these actions so that the governments act and for the people not to forget." VARIOUS OF ACTIVISTS HOLDING UP SIGNS THAT READ 'BRING BACK OUR GIRLS'
  • Embargoed: 30th May 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAM5XGCT7R08RG6GKC6UPCKV2M
  • Story Text: Argentina joined on Wednesday (May 14) the call for the return of more than 200 schoolgirls taken by the Islamist rebel group Boko Haram in Nigeria.
    Standing outside the Nigerian embassy in Buenos Aires, members of the NGO group Women Like Us signed a flag in a show of solidarity to demand the return of the girls.
    "This activity which we are promoting in Argentina is part of a global agenda of actions that are being carried out simultaneously with one, definitive purpose which is 'bring back our girls'. It is an enormous responsibility for us to do this in our country and we do it with an enormous conviction because those girls could be us and despite the distance, they (the abducted girls) should not feel like they are alone," Carolina Barone, president of the association 'Women Like Us' told Reuters Television.
    About one month ago, rebels stormed a school in the northeastern village of Chibok a month ago and seized 276 girls who were taking exams. Some have escaped, but about 200 remain missing. On Monday, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau released a video showing some of the girls in captivity and offered the swap.
    Nigeria's president has rejected an offer from the Islamist rebel group to exchange the schoolgirls for imprisoned militants, but the government is open to broader talks with the rebels, a visiting British minister said.
    President Goodluck Jonathan is under pressure to crush the rebels who have killed thousands in their campaign for an Islamist state and to free the girls whose abduction has sparked global outrage.
    Government officials initially said they were exploring all options with respect to the swap proposal and later said they were willing to negotiate with Boko Haram without specifying whether any putative talks might include an exchange for the girls.
    The abductions have triggered a social media campaign under the Twitter hashtag #BringBackOurGirls and the United States, Britain, France and Israel have offered help or sent experts to Nigeria to assist the effort.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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