US First Lady Michelle Obama on Saturday denounced as an "unconscionable act" the kidnapping of more than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls by Islamic militants as a mobilised international community helped with the search effort.
For the first time standing in for President Barack Obama on his weekly Saturday morning address, she said they were both "outraged and heartbroken" over the mass abduction from a school dormitory in a remote corner of northern Nigeria last month.
Their sentiments were shared by "millions of people across the globe," she said.
This violence "was not an isolated incident... it's a story we see every day as girls around the world risk their lives to pursue their ambitions," Michelle Obama said.
"This unconscionable act was committed by a terrorist group determined to keep these girls from getting an education - grown men attempting to snuff out the aspirations of young girls."
On April 14, 276 schoolgirls were abducted in the northeastern Nigerian town of Chibok, with eight more seized from Warabe on May 5. Three weeks later 223 girls are still missing.
The Islamist militant group Boko Haram claimed responsibility, and threatened to "sell" the girls into slavery.
The abductions have sparked offers of help from the United States, France, Britain and China.
Seven military officials from the US Africa regional command AFRICOM along with a State Department expert arrived in Nigeria on Friday. Seven more, including FBI personnel, were expected on Saturday.
"They'll be providing technical and investigatory assistance, helping with hostage negotiations, advising on military planning and operations and assisting with intelligence and information," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.
Among the help on offer would be intelligence-sharing as the teams work to track down the girls, who range in age from 16 to 18.
Sources close to French President Francois Hollande told AFP on Saturday that the French team of experts were now on the ground.
"The French mission including experts, human and technical information specialists as well as observation and image analysis equipment arrived in Nigeria today," said the source. "If necessary we will reinforce it."
Britain said Wednesday it would send a small team to Nigeria to concentrate on planning, coordination and advice to local authorities rather than operations on the ground to look for the girls.
China has promised to supply "any useful information acquired by its satellites and intelligence services" to Nigeria.
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, whose long silence after the abductions was sharply criticised, said Friday that a search team was already at work in Sambisa forest, near Chibok, with remote sensors trying to locate the kidnappers and their victims.
The United States and officials in Chibok voiced concern that the girls might have been moved to neighbouring Chad and Cameroon to be sold.
But Jonathan said Friday that he believes the girls were still in Nigeria, possibly in the Sambisa forest.
Global media campaign
The abductions have also led to a growing social media campaign with the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls joined by public figures and celebrities.
The Financial Times on Saturday published an open letter signed by 50 leading personalities, including former world leaders as well as the singer Bono, Bill and Melinda Gates and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus who have called on the international community to do everything to ensure the return of the pupils.
"We urge all local, national and regional governments, with the full support of the international community, to dedicate their expertise and resources ...to #BringBackOurGirls," it read.
Other signatories of the letter were the former presidents of Brazil, Mexico, Mozambique, Mauritius, Tanzania, Botswana, Liberia, Cape Verde, and Ireland along with CNN founder Ted Turner, Virgin founder Richard Branson, Unilever CEO Paul Polman and Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu.
Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala also signed the letter, as have numerous United Nations officials.
The UN Security Council said Friday the mass kidnappings "may amount to crimes against humanity" under international law, but made no explicit reference to charges in the International Criminal Court.
The 15 members of the council said they would follow the situation and consider "appropriate measures" to take against Boko Haram.
The statement urged their immediate release, without conditions.
AFP
Sun May 11 2014
MICHELLE: This unconscionable act was committed by a terrorist group determined to keep these girls from getting an education - grown men attempting to snuff out the aspirations of young girls.
Berita tempatan pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Berikut adalah berita yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang Ahad, 5 Mei 2024.
Faisal Halim disimbah asid, Hannah Yeoh gesa PDRM ambil tindakan segera
Menteri Belia dan Sukan, Hannah Yeoh menggesa Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) untuk mengambil tindakan kepada pelaku yang menyimbah asid kepada pemain sayap skuad Harimau Malaya, Faisal Halim pada Ahad.
Simbah asid: Sultan Selangor titah PDRM siasat hingga ke akar umbi, cari segera pelaku
Sultan Sharafuddin mahu siasatan turut mengambil kira kemungkinan ia melibatkan kegiatan kumpulan atau samseng bola sepak.
Solidariti Palestin gegar konvokesyen di Michigan
Penunjuk perasaan yang memperjuangkan nasib rakyat Palestin tampil menyuarakan desakan mereka di Universiti Michigan, supaya keganasan di Gaza dihentikan. Mereka yang dipercayai terdiri dalam kalangan mahasiswa menyuarakan tanda sokongan dengan memakai keffiyeh serta mengibarkan bendera Palestin ketika majlis konvokesyen di universiti berkenaan sedang berlangsung.
SASC: Speedy Tigers bangkit tewaskan Kanada 6-2
Pasukan hoki lelaki negara bangkit daripada ketinggalan satu gol untuk menewaskan Kanada 6-2 pada Kejohanan Hoki Piala Sultan Azlan Shah ke-30, malam ini.
34,683 individu terkorban di Gaza sejak 7 Oktober
Sekurang-kurangnya 34,683 rakyat Palestin terkorban dalam serangan berterusan tentera rejim zionis Israel di Gaza setakat ini. Dalam laporan dikeluarkan oleh Kementerian Kesihatan Palestin itu lagi, 78,018 individu cedera.
Operasi Al Jazeera diharamkan di Israel
Kerajaan Israel sebulat suara memuktamadkan keputusan penutupan operasi saluran berita 24 jam, Al Jazeera di negaranya berkuat-kuasa serta merta. Pengumuman itu dibuat menerusi undian kabinet Israel yang dinyatakan dalam kenyataan rasmi kerajaan zionis dan perkongsian di laman media sosial 'X' Perdana Menteri Benjamin Netanyahu pada Ahad.
10 Berita Pilihan - (05 Mei 2024)
Antara pelbagai berita dalam dan luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Kampung Angkat Madani Jabatan Wilayah Persekutuan fokus pembangunan modal insan
Membantu penduduk di kampung yang terpilih dapat meneruskan kelangsungan hidup tanpa bergantung kepada kerajaan semata-mata.
Agong, Raja Permaisuri berangkat ke Singapura pada 6,7 Mei
Keberangkatan Yang di-Pertuan Agong dan Raja Permaisuri Agong akan diiringi Menteri Pengangkutan, Anthony Loke Siew Fook dan Pesuruhjaya Tinggi Malaysia ke Republik Singapura, Datuk Dr Azfar Mohamad Mustafar.
Lebih 100 pelajar Nigeria berjaya diselamatkan tentera
Tentera Nigeria telah menyelamatkan pelajar dan kakitangan yang diculik oleh lelaki bersenjata dari sebuah sekolah di utara negara itu.
10 terbunuh dalam serangan Boko Haram
Organisasi pengganas itu menyasarkan pekerja di ladang, dengan sembilan lagi mangsa diculik.
Boko Haram dakwa tembak jatuh jet tentera udara Nigeria
Dalam video dipercayai daripada Boko Haram, tertera tulisan "NAF 475" pada bangkai pesawat yang hangus terbakar.
Lebih 300 murid diculik militan Boko Haram dibebaskan
Kesemua 344 kanak-kanak itu telah dibawa pulang oleh pihak keselamatan.
50 lelaki bersenjata serbu kampung, culik 15 gadis
Seramai 15 remaja perempuan telah diculik oleh sekumpulan lelaki bersenjata dalam kejadian di tenggara Niger, pada Sabtu.
Cameroon tubuh pusat latihan vokasional untuk bekas pejuang Boko Haram
Beliau membuat pengumuman itu di pangkalan pasukan petugas multinasional di Mora yang terletak dalam rantau Utara Jauh, Cameroon ketika bertemu kira-kira 100 bekas pejuang Boko Haram.
Nigeria sabitkan 205 suspek anggota Boko Haram
Sabitan ke atas sejumlah 205 individu dalam perbicaraan beramai-ramai itu menandakan tamatnya peringkat kedua cabaran perundangan terbesar di Nigeria terhadap Boko Haram.
Boko Haram bebas 13 tebusan kepada kerajaan Nigeria
Tiga daripada tebusan itu adalah pensyarah dari Universiti Maiduguri yang diculik semasa perjalanan penjelajahan minyak di Magumeri, di timur laut Borno, pada Julai 2017.
50 maut dalam serangan bunuh diri di Nigeria
Tiada pihak mengaku bertanggungjawab, namun polis percaya serangan didalangi puak pelampau Boko Haram.
Serangan bom di Nigeria, 18 terbunuh
Kejadian berlaku kira-kira pukul 8.15 malam waktu tempatan, pada Rabu, selepas empat orang dipercayai pengebom bunuh diri meluru masuk ke kawasan tempat masyarakat Islam sembahyang di Muna Gari.