Rep. Sara Jacobs Questions US Strikes in Nigeria on Religious Freedom

US Foreign Policy and Religious Freedom

• 💡 US foreign policy has historically included supporting civil society to promote religious freedom abroad, a recommendation supported by the speaker.
• 📉 The Trump administration's foreign assistance review terminated millions of dollars in programs that supported defenders of religious freedom.
• 🌍 Programs by USAID, the State Department, and Voice of America have been critical components of the US effort to promote religious freedom globally.

Humanitarian Aid and Refugee Support

• 💔 Funding for refugee camps, such as those for the Rohingya in Bangladesh, largely came from the United States but has significantly decreased.
• ⚠️ These dire situations in refugee camps can lead to radicalization without adequate support.
• 📉 The overall funding for humanitarian assistance, civil society development, and interfaith relations has withered due to budget cuts.

Strikes in Nigeria and Religious Freedom

• 🎯 The US conducted strikes in coordination with Nigerian authorities against supposed ISIS terrorists in Nigeria over Christmas.
• ❌ The speaker believes these strikes did not improve religious freedom challenges in Nigeria.
• 💸 The cost of the Tomahawk missiles likely exceeded the funds previously allocated to Nigeria for improving interfaith relations and humanitarian aid.
• 📈 Strikes may potentially drive militant organizations together, increasing their unity and future mobilization.

Drivers of Religious Freedom Violations in Nigeria

• terror organizations like Boko Haram and ISWAP are operating in Nigeria.
• 🌾 Farmer-herder conflicts are exacerbated by herders being driven out of the Sahel into agricultural areas.
• ⚖️ Significant banditry, organized crime, and a corrupt, failing Nigerian government incapable of providing basic services contribute to the problem.
• 🤝 The US should work with the Nigerian government to address these primary drivers of religious freedom violations.