Nadene Goldfoot
Nigeria, a country in Africa, has a population of 154,279,000 and is the 4th largest Muslim country in the world. Although only 50% of the population are Sunni Muslims, its government is that of a Presidential Federal Republic, which many Muslim countries have adopted. Indonesia, Pakistan and Bangladesh have larger populations with higher percentages of Muslim populations. March was the month when 500 Christians were killed in Central Nigeria, mostly by gangs wielding machetes. Thousands more were killed in past years. In January the Christians had fought back, killing Muslims. Lately the Muslims have been engaged in "secret killings," involving one or a few people at a time being killed. These religious clashes have been going on for some time with the Muslims living in the North and the Christians living in the South.
Nigeria is the #3 supplier of oil to the USA. It is seeing a rise in power and has lucrative oil contacts. It's very important to us.
There are a few Jews here in the embassy. Jews make up only about 2% of the world's population. Most Jews are either in the USA or Israel. Relations between Nigeria and Israel were severed from 1973 to 1992, but by 1993 Israel had an embassy in Nigeria and Nigeria had an embassy in Tel Aviv. Israel is able to help Nigeria in the field of agriculture, and Nigerians have gone to Israel as tourists and for learning. Judaism does not proselyze, but the Koran does not teach love for Jews.
38 Christians were killed over this Christmas weekend by Muslims in Malduguri, Nigeria. At least 24 or more armed men attacked a church and dragged the pastor out of his home to shoot and kill him. Two young men who were practicing for the choir were also killed. 30 Muslims attacked two people who were just passing by Victory Baptist Church and were killed by guns and knives. The attackers then set the church and the pastor's house on fire before leaving the scene.
At the other end of the city more attacks were carried out. Three men attacked the Church of Christ an hour later, killing the 60 year old security guard.
In Central Nigeria, 32 people died from bomb blasts in the worst violence in months. Was the Muslim group al-Quada or the Taliban?
Radical Muslims have been more at the forefront due to their leaders becoming more brazen. Christians have the goal of proselyzing, which is taboo with Muslims, so this may be why they have been attacking them.
Pakistan, 2nd largest Muslim country in the world, with 172,800,000 has a 97% Muslim population of Sunni and Shi'as. It's definitely an Islamic state with a Parliamentary democracy. With all the fighting going on among the tribes, 300,000 are very poor villagers that cannot feed themselves any longer. Many were lined up outside a World Food Program food distribution center and a female suicide bomber managed to kill 45 of them. The Taliban was responsible for this killing. They've closed the Center because of this. Pakistan saw coordinated attacks by 150 Islamic militants at 5 sites in two days of fighting that killed 11 soldiers and 64 terrorists.
Israel does not have an embassy in Pakistan. It has offered aid to Pakistan in time of tragedy that has been turned down, but on one occasion said it would accept it through a 3rd party. Pakistan doesn't recognize Israel. One reason is that Israel has helped India. Pakistani head have been known to have visited Israel, however. One amazing thing is that in the 2002 wimbledon Open, Israel's tennis player Amir Hadad was partnered up with Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi of Pakistan and they even played in the 3rd round doubles.
Why kill their own people? They're all the same religion. Pakistan says perhaps it's the terrorist desperation. Desperation about what? Their bombings and fights challenge the government's claims of victory over al-Qaida and the Taliban on the NW border. That's a pretty lame excuse to me to kill one's own innocent people. These terrorists stand for no moral purpose at all. It's just a matter of a power struggle. They have said that they stand for saving Afghanis from terror, lawlessness and corruption. They're worse than anyone!
Somalia, the 25th largest Muslim nation in the world with 9,558,666 and a 99.9% Sunni Muslim population where their coalition government is the Muslim state religion, naturally, saw 12 of their men go to the Netherlands for unknown reasons. The Dutch authorities have cleared 5 of them who they suspicioned were preparing a terrorist attack. They were all picked up at Rotterdam after receiving a tip that an attack might be imminent. Somalia has been involved with so much war tht 77% of Somalis need emergency humanitarian support. They have the highest malnutrition in the world.
Somalia is also after the USA. Fuad Mohamed "Shongole" Qalef, a leader of the Somalian Islamist insurgency,
threatened President Obama in a speech today or they would attack the USA unless Obama embraces Islam.
Three of the men had no residency permits and were turned over to immigration. Two were from Denmark. When 12 Somali men are traveling together, one just might be suspicious. I have a feeling that they weren't there in Rotterdam for the Christmas Eve celebration. Rotterdam is one of Europe's biggest centers with a huge port and large oil and gas storage facilities. The officials in charge of security must be extremely careful.
Israel has no bilateral ties with Somalia, but Israel is ready to again recognize Somaliland's independence. Somaliland is a section of Somalia that wants its independence. Israel was the first nation to do so in 1960 when they became independent from Great Britain and is ready to do so again. Somaliland is the only Muslim democracy in the region.
Resource: Oregonian Newspaper, 12/27/2010, page A7
Nadene Goldfoot
