Biafra and the Question of Genocide: Examining the Dimensions of Violence in Heroes and Toads of War

Abstract

Genocide is often used to describe the Igbo experience during the Biafra/Nigeria civil war, particularly within secessionist discourse. This has become a potent tool in gathering support among the Igbo youths – who did not witness the war and consequently rely on “available” narratives of the war. The classification of the war as a genocide presents certain polemics, some are: the difficulty of casting Biafra as vulnerable and lacking in agency; the framing of the war suffering as a universal Igbo experience; the presentation of Biafra as ethnically homogeneous, and that Biafra stimulated linear solidarity from its inhabitants as a force for absolute good. Employing insights from literature, this study reads the dimensions of violence in selected literary narratives of Biafra against International Criminal Court’s definition of genocide. It concludes that there were events that could be described as cases of war crimes narrated in the texts; but there was no intention to annihilate the Igbo. The texts narrate acts of brutality perpetrated by both belligerents. It finds also, that genocide was used as a tool for mobilizing support for the Biafran cause during the war. It was a propaganda tool to gain the attention of the world and to motivate a fight to the end.

Opsomming

 “Volksmoord” is ʼn term wat dikwels gebruik word om die Igbo-ervaring gedurende die Biafra/Nigerië-burgeroorlog te beskryf – veral binne die afstigtingsdiskoers. Dit het 'n kragtige instrument geword om steun onder die Igbo-jeug, wat nie die oorlog beleef het nie en gevolglik op “beskikbare” oorlogvertellings staatmaak, te werf. Die klassifisering van die oorlog as 'n volksmoord ontketen bepaalde polemieke, waaronder: die problematiese uitbeelding van Biafra as kwesbaar en hulpeloos; die representasie van die lyding wat met die burgeroorlog gepaard gegaan het as 'n universele Igbo-ervaring; die voorstelling van Biafra as etnies homogeen, en die veronderstelde lineêre solidariteit onder die inwoners van Biafra as 'n absolute mag ten goede. Hierdie artikel interpreteer dimensies van geweld in bepaalde literêre vertellings van Biafra aan die hand van die Internasionale Strafhof se omskrywing van “volksmoord”. Die gevolgtrekking is dat daar inderdaad gebeure plaasgevind het tydens die burgeroorlog wat as oorlogsmisdade beskryf kan word en wat in die tekste oorvertel word. Die bedoeling was egter geensins om die Igbo uit te wis nie; die tekste beskryf dade van brutaliteit wat deur beide strydende kampe gepleeg is. Verder blyk dit dat volksmoord as 'n propagandistiese hulpmiddel aangewend is gedurende die oorlog om steun vir die Biafraanse saak te wen – dit is gebruik om die wêreld se aandag te trek en die konflik enduit te regverdig.