Stigmatization vs Extremism

It is indeed possible to draw on a multitude of personal experiences or historical events to build a firm case demonstrating the strong and positive correlation between stigmatization and extremism. Having been born and raised a Catholic (though at present the existence, or even more so the practice of my faith is highly questionable, probably less by God but more by his/her self-proclaimed representatives) by parents and a society of mixed faiths, I am also very hands on familiar with both stigmatizing and being stigmatized. However, my thought process behind this correlation surfaced not due to a flashback of my religious upbringing but rather an article I stumbled upon on BBC regarding Zara, a 17 year old girl from North-Eastern Nigeria, abducted by Boko Haram and forced into being a bride, or simply sexual slavery under the label of a bride. She was rescued and returned to her family at which point she was pregnant, following which she went on to give birth to a son who 9 months later died after being bitten by a snake. Almost a year following her rescue Zara lives hidden within her house not from Boko Haram or the fear of being abducted again, but rather the stigma her family, neighbours and society shoots at her for having converted to Islam from Christianity during her hostage period, for bearing a child and for being a Boko Haram bride. The original article can be found http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-36041860

Apart from the somewhat stereotypical nature of this article to any other story written by a popular media website related to war, sexual slavery, child brides, extremism, human rights and so on there are 3 key facts which particularly made me raise an eyebrow in disbelief, shake my head in disappointment, clench my fists in anger or in general lose my ability to articulate. Three factors which made the little part of me wanting to save the world roar, or rather whimper.

1. The article heading was Boko Haram abductions: Freed 'bride' tells of stigma ordeal. The first thing that caught my eye. The first thing that catches the eye of anyone who reads this article and unfortunately everyone who is a part of Zara's life following the abduction. Her identity has been stripped off from her and just as Boko Haram made her choose between being either a slave or a bride, she is now presented with the choice of being a 'former Boko Haram Bride' or non existent. As simple as choosing to fast or starve. She is 17 and considering the lifespan of a woman in her circumstance she possibly has another 25 years ahead of her all of which she is very likely to spend as having being just a Boko Haram bride.

2. Upon her return one of the main concerns was not her trauma, health, rehabilitation or the celebration of her coming home and being alive, but rather the fact that she had been made to convert from Christianity to Islam and she bore a child of Boko Haram blood. Even after 26 years of watching the battles fort between countries, families and in my head, human-beings' capacity to divide and fight over things they cannot prove has continued to baffle me. To quote my father, 'it is not poor Jesus who should have been crucified but rather these miserable people who gossip, fight and destroy mankind'. When search for salvation is made into a competitive blood bath and religion surpasses humanity, it is fair to conclude that no soul will be saved.

3. The stigmatization: Zara feels she cannot leave her house, go to school or simply live her life because she is hurt, embarrassed and frightened by the stigma she received from her divided family, neighbours and even children of nearby families who call her names for being a Boko Haram bride and for changing her religion. Zara admits that she would probably feel more comfortable living back in the the forest with her Boko Haram partner who was good to her. Putting aside variables such as brainwashing, post traumatic stress disorder, naivety etc. I am ashamed to be a part of a society which has yet again forced a young girl, a child or another human being to contemplate returning to her abuser because we as a society were more tormenting.

As opposed to going in circles with metaphors and cliches to make the point sexy, hot or easy on the eyes the 4-1-1 of stigmatization vs extremism in my opinion is this. The moment we proactively or indirectly stigmatize and discriminate another individual, we ourselves become fully responsible for triggering and fueling extremism. Don't get me wrong from Nazi's to KKK to Boko Haram, and everyday sexism and racism I condemn all those who violate humanity, there is truly no excuse. But, for all of us so eager to throw the first stone it is high time we gave our heads a smack hard enough to knock us off our hypothetical, high horses. There is no way we can live in a world where young girls wish to return to forests to continue their lives as sex slaves rather than be with their loves ones, and deny the blood on our hands.

Ultimately, those who start the witch hunt must face the black magic.