FRANCE: France's former first ladies Bruni-Sarkozy and Trierweiler attend Nigeria demo in Paris

Record ID: 236751

  • Title: FRANCE: France's former first ladies Bruni-Sarkozy and Trierweiler attend Nigeria demo in Paris
  • Date: 13th May 2014
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (MAY 13, 2014) (REUTERS) DEMOSTRATION IN FRONT OF EIFFEL TOWER DEMONSTRATORS HOLDING SIGNS READING (English and French): 'BRING BACK OUR GIRLS' FORMER FIRST LADY AND WIFE OF FORMER FRENCH PRESIDENT NICOLAS SARKOZY, CARLA BRUNI-SARKOZY, AND FRENCH SINGER LINE RENAUD ARRIVING FOR DEMO (SOUNDBITE) FORMER FIRST LADY AND FORMER PARTNER OF FRENCH PRESIDENT FRANCOIS HOLLANDE, VALERIE TRIERWEILER, SAYING: "Because we must all, men and women, be together for these young girls but beyond that it must be a symbol for all women who are oppressed in the world. With Yamina Benguigui (French film director) we were very mobilised for women raped in the Republic of Congo, very young girls who were tossed out into the street, and I think all that has a meaning. I think the 230 young girls must be a symbol for all oppressed women in the world." BRUNI-SARKOZY SURROUNDED BY JOURNALISTS BRUNI-SARKOZY GREETING TRIERWEILER, JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) FORMER FIRST LADY AND FORMER PARTNER OF FRENCH PRESIDENT FRANCOIS HOLLANDE, VALERIE TRIERWEILER, SAYING: "We are calling not only for the liberation of these young girls but we are asking for a protection of all women, all these young girls who go to school, see this (POINTS TO SIGN), secure the paths of education, and beyond that for all women who are raped across the world in periods of conflict or periods of danger, in countries where there is terrorism." BRUNI-SARKOZY SURROUNDED BY JOURNALISTS EIFFEL TOWER / DEMONSTRATION DEMONSTRATION IN PROCESS UNSUCCESSFUL PARIS MAYORAL CANDIDATE AND FORMER SPOKESPERSON FOR NICOLAS SARKOZY, NATHALIE KOSCIUSKO-MORIZET, BRUNI-SARKOZY AND OTHER DEMONSTRATORS AT DEMO BRUNI-SARKOZY, KOSCIUSKO-MORIZET DEMONSTRATOR HOLDING SIGN READING (French): 'BRING BACK OUR GIRLS' DEMONSTRATION IN PROCESS, TRIERWEILER HOLDING SIGN KOSCIUSKO-MORIZET SPEAKING TO BRUNI-SARKOZY RENAUD AND DEMONSTRATORS HOLDING SIGNS READING (French): 'SECURE THE PATHS OF EDUCATION' DEMONSTRATION IN PROCESS / EIFFEL TOWER TRIERWEILER DEMONSTRATION DEMONSTRATORS HOLDING SIGNS READING (French): 'BRING BACK OUR GIRLS' SIGN READING (English): '#BRINGBACKOURGIRLS' / EIFFEL TOWER
  • Embargoed: 28th May 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA4X6DTID37VAOW6ND2XSHIYCUO
  • Story Text: Former French first ladies Carla Bruni-Sarkozy and Valerie Trierweiler attended a demonstration in Paris on Tuesday (May 13) to call for the speedy release of more than 200 schoolgirls kidnapped in Nigeria last month.
    The girls were abducted by Islamist rebel group Boko Haram who stormed a secondary school in the northeastern village of Chibok on April 14 and seized 276 girls who were taking exams. Some managed to escape but around 200 remain missing.
    President Francois Hollande's former partner Trierweiler and former President Nicolas Sarkozy's wife Bruni-Sarkozy stood in front of the Eiffel Tour holding a sign which read 'Bring Back Our Girls'. The abductions have touched a chord worldwide and triggered a widespread social media campaign.
    Trierweiler, who split with Hollande in January after magazine Closer alleged the president had an affair with actress Julie Gayet, told Reuters Television all men and women must be together for the young girls.

    "Beyond that it must be a symbol for all women who are oppressed in the world. With Yamina Benguigui (French film director) we were very mobilised for women raped in the Republic of Congo, very young girls who were tossed out into the street, and I think all that has a meaning. I think the 230 young girls must be a symbol for all oppressed women in the world," she said.
    French singer Line Renaud and unsuccessful Paris mayoral candidate and former spokesperson for Nicolas Sarkozy, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, also attended the event.
    Trierweiler said they were not only calling for the liberation of the young girls but also campaigning for the broader issue of women's rights.

    "We are asking for a protection of all women, all these young girls who go to school, see this (POINTS TO SIGN), secure the paths of education, and beyond that for all women who are raped across the world in periods of conflict or periods of danger, in countries where there is terrorism," she said.
    The leader of Boko Haram has offered to release more than 200 schoolgirls abducted by his fighters last month in exchange for its members being held in detention, according to a video posted on YouTube on Monday.
    The search for the girls intensified as a senior U.S. administration official said the United States deployed manned surveillance aircraft over Nigeria and was sharing satellite imagery with the Nigerian government.
    About 100 girls wearing full veils and praying are shown in an undisclosed location in a part of the 17-minute video in which Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau speaks.
    Nigeria has deployed two army divisions to hunt for the girls, while several countries, including the United States, Britain, Israel and France, have offered help or sent experts.
    Boko Haram militants, who are fighting for an Islamist state, have killed thousands since 2009 and destabilised parts of northeast Nigeria, the country with Africa's largest population and biggest economy.
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