Thursday, March 11, 2010

In Nigeria



Women are demonstrating to demand better government protection against the recent religious/ethnic violence between Christians and Muslims:

Hundreds of women have taken to the streets of Nigeria's capital, Abuja, and the central city of Jos in rallies against Sunday's massacre near Jos.

The women, mostly dressed in black, demanded that the government protects women and children better.

At least 109 people were killed in the ethnic clashes near Jos. Many were said to be women and children.

Survivors have told the BBC how they saw relatives and friends hacked down with machetes and their bodies burnt.

Witnesses and officials say the perpetrators came from the mainly Muslim Fulani group. Most of the victims were Christians from the Berom group.

The attacks appear to be retaliation for violence in the villages around Jos in January, when most of the victims were said to be Muslim.

It is not just the government which should listen to them but the perpetrators of this violence. I'm almost thinking that the ones who want all this violence could go ahead and attack each other in some set-aside areas. There's nothing brave about killing small children and other innocent bystanders.

Yes, I know that is naive.