Boko Haram amnesty: Jonathan endorses Victims’ Support

Boko Haram amnesty: Jonathan
endorses Victims’ Support programme
on november 10, 2013 at 4:06 am in news
By JIDE AJANI
Owing to his compassionate disposition and the
need not to be misunderstood, President Goodluck
Ebele Jonathan has endorsed the proposition
regarding a VICTIMS’ SUPPORT AGENCY, VSA, in
the report submitted last week by the committee on
Boko Haram, Sunday Vanguard can reveal
authoritatively.
This is coming on the heels of what sources
described as the perceived misunderstanding of Mr.
President’s position on the worth of human life.
In fact, the President reportedly hinted at this
possibility while receiving the report from members
of the committee.
Aso Rock Presidential Villa sources confided in
Sunday Vanguard at the weekend that “contrary to
the misconception and misrepresentation that
President Jonathan has declined any form of
compensation for the victims of the Boko Haram
insurgency, the true position is that Mr. President
went beyond the ordinary and is not wont to play to
the gallery”.
One of the sources went on: “The issue the
President was relating to when he made the
statement on compensation and victims’ support
was that you do not cheapen human life by placing
monetary or any other form of ephemeral value on
it.
“The committee had suggested the creation of a
Victims’ Support Agency, which is expected to
engage a creative means of catering to the needs of
the victims of terror in such a way that life would be
more meaningful and more productive to them”.
Sunday Vanguard was made to understand that
following the controversy that trailed media reports
that President Jonathan declared that there would
be no compensation for terror victims, the President
“could not believe the reports”.
Indeed, Aso Rock insiders explained that “President
Jonathan wanted to make a distinction between
monetary compensation – which was the
expectation of many – and the need for
rehabilitation of victims.
“The President believes that rehabilitating the
victims using the instrumentality of the VSA would
serve a longer lasting purpose than just
denominating human lives or body parts that have
been lost in naira and kobo terms.
“It was this differentiation that was misconstrued to
mean that there would be no compensation.  That is
not President Jonathan’s position.
There would be an institutionalized victims’ support
programme to aid to assist victims of terror in the
country”.
The source also said “the report is being studied by
Mr. President and a white paper would soon be
made public”.