Nigeria Buries Troops Killed in Darfur

By EDWARD HARRIS – 4 hours ago

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — A small girl in a tulip-yellow dress, tears gathering along her quivering chin, sobbed before the newly filled grave of a Nigerian soldier killed in the deadliest attack on peacekeepers trying to calm Sudan's Darfur region.

Mourners at Friday's military funeral — colleagues and relatives of seven Nigerians killed in a weekend attack by Darfur rebels — vowed Nigeria would continue a long history of sending its sons and daughters to try to secure peace across the world's poorest continent.

"This is the sacrifice Nigeria is making for the world. We must view it as a badge of honor," President Umaru Yar'Adua said in remarks delivered at the funeral by an aide.

"There is no sacrifice Nigeria won't make for the African man, the black man," said Yar'Adua, who was traveling abroad Friday.

Nigeria has long been a leader of Africa's homegrown peace initiatives. The country has the continent's largest population on the continent — 140 million people, split between Christians and Muslims — one of its largest militaries and among the world's largest oil deposits.

Earlier this week, an army spokesman said the deaths might prompt a rethinking of Nigerian peacekeeping. But there has been no national debate nor calls to withdraw from Darfur; Nigeria has lost more troops in previous peacekeeping forays.

The country's troops battled rebels in Sierra Leone — now at peace since a decade-long civil war ended in 2001 — and Nigerian negotiators have hammered out peace deals in various countries.

While Liberia was in the throes of its 1989-2003 civil war, Nigeria sent a former military leader to Ghana to lead peace talks sponsored by a regional bloc based in Nigeria.

After rebel representatives began arriving at the long-running talks with new suits and sunglasses, the Nigerian envoy cut their daily food allowance and moved all negotiators from a four-star hotel to more downscale lodgings.

A deal was soon at hand, and Nigerian troops became the vanguard of a peacekeeping force that is now among the largest anywhere in the world. Liberians handed out cigarettes to the Nigerian troops and chanted "Thank you, oga," a Nigerian term meaning "boss."

"Nigeria has committed itself to a number of pan-African processes ... to put out the fires of conflict. It sees itself as an African leader," says Ross Herbert, an analyst with the Johannesburg-based South African Institute of International Affairs. "To their credit, they've shown some commitment to ending conflict and recognizing that's there a contagion effect for the whole of Africa."

Nigeria's Gen. Martin Agwai leads the African Union peacekeeping force that has struggled to stop Darfur's bloodshed for four years. In the weekend attack, the AU post of 157 peacekeepers and support staff was overrun by some 1,000 Darfur rebels. Three other African troops were also killed, and three Nigerians are missing.

The attack has spurred new calls for swift deployment of the joint force of 26,000. The first troops are expected to arrive this month, and the new mission is expected to assume responsibility for Darfur on Dec. 31.

Nigeria, which has a battalion of about 800 troops in Darfur, has said it will likely send another battalion to join the joint AU-United Nations force.

The slain Nigerian troops were meant to be home by Christmas, rotated back after a nine-month stint in Darfur. About 500 people attended their funeral on an open, grassy plain in the capital that serves as the main military cemetery. The slain troops' boots stood on their flag-drapped caskets.

The Muslim soldiers were taken out of their caskets and placed into the ground by hand, following Islamic custom, while the coffins of the Christian troops were lowered by ropes.

The sobs of the girl in the yellow dress pierced the silence as family members laid bouquets of plastic flowers.

"Anywhere you have war, you will have losses," said Matthew Edoh, whose uncle, Lance Corp. Danjuma Madaki, was among the seven buried. "But if you can go for peace, even if you sacrifice yourself, you must go. We are all fellow human beings."

"We're all African brothers, so we must all help each other," said Sunday Ebute, a 25-year old shop clerk burying his uncle, Pvt. Samuel Orokpo. "But Nigeria, Nigeria is the king of Africa, and it must settle the peace."

Robot  Villager

# 1 ...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 05.10.2007 18:17

I Love Nigeria  Villager

# 2 I grieve with the family and friends of our troops, who were murdered in the course of their selfless duty .... peace keeping duties in the middle of nowhere in Darfur Sudan. These fallen Nigerian soldiers were enduring most harsh conditions in that Janjaweed terrain in Sudan. It is a very sad day for the families of these soldiers and it is as well a gloomy day for Nigeria and Africa. I hope that measures are taken immediately to forestall a repeat of this distardly act by those Janjaweed murderers Such equipping our troops with more sophisticated arms or changing the rules of engagement.... letting our troops shoot when they are threatened or provoked.... We must refuse and insist on not being sitting ducks to be murdered by these Janjaweed criminals. I grieve for the family and for our nation... and my condolences is offered accordingly. Posted by I Love Nigeria| 05.10.2007 18:42

skanbroy  Villager

# 3 I join all Nigerians in wishing these fallen heros eternal rest. Posted by skanbroy| 05.10.2007 18:49

purple  Villager

# 4 Bring our troops back home. The situation on the ground in some parts of Nigeria is worse than what obtains in some of the so called war torn countires. Nigerians too need peace keepers right in their own country! Posted by purple| 05.10.2007 18:49

katampe  Villager

# 5 There is no sacrifice Nigeria won't make for the African man, the black man," said Yar'Adua, who was traveling abroad Friday. The folks died in service of humanity. My heart goes to the family of those that died. I pray the government remembers to to take care of the children and wives of the deceased soldiers. It is sad that we don't have this same measure of commitment when it comes to national development. Posted by katampe| 05.10.2007 19:04

Dapxin  Villager

# 6 That girl's picture brings tears to my eyes... Agonising. Posted by Dapxin| 05.10.2007 19:06

busanga  Villager

# 7 May their souls rest in peace. It is time for our leaders to do right by their ideals, and make it clear to Sudan that negro slaughtering is not acceptable. :mad: Posted by busanga| 05.10.2007 19:23

ezyvic  Villager

# 8 Peace keeping and peace enforcement are two different roles carried out by the military. In Darfur, it is rather unfortunate that the role of the soldiers is peace keeping, which means they are not allowed to shoot unless they are in grave danger. The soldiers are to hold fire until it is certain that they are under attack (often too late). This strategy is aimed at keeping a neutral position even when under threat. A robust troop which might include the Americans will never accept such conditions, I sometimes wonder how the AU force would achieve any meaningful peace without enforcing it, even when negotiations have failed. The good people of Darfur have seen enough suffering to last 3 generations and until a sound position is taken by the UN, I would implore that the Nigerian troops return home, rather than be caught in the web of politics. We (Nigeria) suffered enough casualties in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Congo and even Cote D'voire, and how were we paid back - attack on innocent Nigerians. I sometimes wonder if the present position of our troops does not run contrary to the policy of 'citizen diplomacy' as envisaged by this government. My position is simple- BRING OUR TROOPS HOME and spare other families sorrow and pain of loosing their fathers under the disguise of solving a problem we are ill equipped to face, and not even close to solving it. The UN (Security Council) should raise a joint force similar to what is obtained in Lebanon, rather than apply a half baked solution. Darfur is a massive land mass, and equipments and man power needed to secure the civilians cannot be provided by Nigeria meager 2000 troops of 3 battalions. If the AU and UN will not wake to their responsibilities, and Nigeria is NOT going to get any 'reasonable' mileage from our generous service to humanity, PLEASE BRING THE TROOPS HOME. Lets put our house in order and mind our business. I dearly wish God provides the families of the deceased soldiers the fortitude to bear such loss- quite disheartening. Posted by ezyvic| 05.10.2007 21:36

Big-K  Villager

# 9 What's more painful is that Nigerians keep dying for ungrateful African ountries. We lost thousands to achieve peace in Sierra Leone, while the British came in at the last minute to claim all the credit and get all the contracts. Same thing in Liberia. Now Darfur Posted by Big-K| 05.10.2007 21:42

Jah Guda  Villager

# 10 Rest in peace and we are all proud of you. You died for Africa, our troubled continent. You did not die in vain, those you left behind will continue your good work. Up Nigeria! Posted by Jah Guda| 06.10.2007 03:31

---

The conversation continues in our forum. Click here to read all comments

---