September 2013 Action Item

In a video released mid-August, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau stated that the terrorist group would no longer limit their atrocities to Nigeria, where they have carried out systematic attacks on Christians and their churches and communities for several years now. The extremist group, whom the United States State Department still has failed to officially designate a terror organization, indicated that Nigeria was no longer a “big deal,” and that they now planned to extend attacks to all who did not follow Sha'ria law—meaning the United States and other Western nations. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom released a report detailing the religiously motivated violence perpetrated by Boko Haram, whose targets have extended beyond Christians to individuals who are Muslim critics of Boko Haram, those deemed “un-Islamic,” and institutions such as police stations and newspapers, among others. However, according to Jubilee Campaign, more Christians were killed in Nigeria in 2012 than in all other places around the globe combined, and Boko Haram is second only to the Taliban for sheer number of violent attacks. Pray for two bills currently in Congress attempting to address the violence in Nigeria, to call on Secretary Kerry to designate Boko Haram as a foreign terrorist organization or submit an unclassified report justifying his reasons for not doing so, and to make provisions to place sanctions on any persons known to provide support to Boko Haram.

Act!

Contact your members of Congress urging them to cosign Senate bill, S. 198 Boko Haram Terrorist Designation Act 2013 and House Bill Boko Haram Terrorist Designation Act 2013.


Write or Call!


For Illinois Senators, write to:

Senator Richard Durbin
711 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-2152

Senator Mark Kirk
524 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-2854

Tammy Duckworth
104 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-3711

Jan Schakowsky
2367 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 226-6890

Peter Roskam
227 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-4561

Randy Hultgren
332 Canon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-2976

Brad Schneider
317 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-4835

 Call the Capitol Hill switchboard at 202-224-3121 to be connected to your senator or representative, or visit the follow websites:

For senators:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

For representatives:
http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/

Points to emphasize:

  • Indicate that as a constituent, you strongly urge your senator or representative to cosign their respective Boko Haram Terrorist Designation Act 2013.
  • Indicate that you are aware that Boko Haram has perpetrated attacks and atrocities against Christians in Nigeria and those who are critical of them in a pervasive and systematic manner termed by some human rights organizations as a “pre-genocide.”
  • Express your dismay and confusion at the State Department's reticence to designate Boko Haram a foreign terrorist organization, and your desire that Congress do all it can to rectify this travesty.