The
United States has fingered some state governments and politicians as
being behind the spate of communal and sectarian violence rocking
Nigeria. It would be recalled some politicians had made outlandish
comments blaming Cchristians of being behind the series of boko haram
bombings in church only to turn around and attack the Joint Task Force
when it announced plans to go after terrorist. It wouldalso bbe recalled
that after the President of the Fhristiann Adsociation of Nigeria (CAN)
Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor appealed to the U.S. Congress to label Boko
Haram terrorists, these same politicians descended on him with insults
and all mannner of abuse.
It
may also be recalled that a certain politician who has curiously
remained silent in condemning Boko Haram's murderous activities has
however been issuing inciting threats including one where he threatened
that "the dogs and baboon will both be soaked in blood"
It
identified the main targets of such violence to include political and
ethnic rivals, businesses, homes, churches, mosques and rural villages.
It said in the latest International Religious Freedom Report for
2011, released on Monday that there were reports of abuses of religious
freedom by some state officials and politicians.
The
Department of State in compliance with Section 102(b) of the
International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998, submitted a report
to the US Congress on the matter.
The
report is used by many US government agencies and offices to shape
policy; conduct diplomacy; and inform assistance, training, and other
resource allocations.
The
latest report, which also indicted the Federal Government for not
acting swiftly or effectively to quell communal violence nor investigate
and prosecute those responsible for such violence, said: “Federal,
state and local authorities have not effectively addressed underlying
political, ethnic and religious grievances that lead to violence.”
It
noted that in 2011, government responded to conflict and groups it
considered violent extremists in ways that restricted religious freedom
and contributed to societal intolerance, adding, “Authorities often
failed to distinguish between peaceful religious practice and criminal
or terrorist activities.”
The
US, however, added that while there were no credible reports of abuses
of religious freedom by the Federal Government, a climate of impunity
exists in Nigeria because of the reluctance to punish perpetrators of
violence.
The
report said despite the fact that the constitution and other laws and
policies protect religious freedom and forbid adoption of any religion
as state religion, there were reports of societal abuses or
discrimination based on religious affiliation, belief or practice.
“In
February (2011), Niger State authorities reportedly dislodged a small
Islamic group called Islahuddeen, which had allegedly spoken out against
the state government from the Mashegu, Mariga and Kontagora Local
Government Areas.
“Armed
police allegedly bulldozed the group’s central mosque and other
buildings and took members into custody for an indeterminate amount of
time,” the report added.
It
also cited the law that the Katsina State legislature passed last
October that many opponents believed inhibited the freedom of Muslim
clerics to preach openly against the government as another example of
government’s attempts to regulate religious practice in Nigeria.
The
report said in some Northern states, authorities reportedly denied
building permits for the construction of churches and expansion and
renovation of existing ones, while churches occasionally applied for
residential permits as alternatives.
The
report added that Muslims in the predominantly Christian southern part
of Kaduna State accused local government officials of stopping the
construction of mosques and Islamic schools.
The
report said despite the fact that the Nigerian constitution provides
for separation of religion and state, many Christians have argued that
the widespread use of Sharia courts for adjudication in some Northern
states amounted to the adoption of Islam as a state religion.
“Although
the jurisdiction of Sharia technically does not apply to non-Muslims in
civil and criminal proceedings, certain social mores inspired by
Sharia, such as the separation of the sexes in public schools, health
care, voting, and transportation services, affected non-Muslim
minorities in the North.
“Many
non-Muslims perceived that they lived under the rule of a Muslim
government and often feared reprisals for their religious affiliation,”
the report added.
The
report also noted the case of Zamfara State, which promoted Islam as a
state religion through the establishment of a Commission for Religious
Affairs that tended to favour Muslims.
It
cited a recommendation by the commission to the state government to
fund the construction of mosques without similar recommendation to use
state funds for the construction of churches.
It
also drew attention to the non-implementation of the reports of many
commissions set up by the Federal and Plateau State Governments on the
internecine clashes in Jos, the state capital, and its environs.
On
Boko Haram, the report said: “Boko Haram has likely killed more Muslims
than Christians, since its primary bases of operation have existed in
the predominantly Muslim North.”
It
described Boko Haram as an extremist sect which aims to overthrow the
Federal Government and imposed a stricter form of Sharia nationwide.
On
Nigeria’s religious demography, the report said: “Many groups estimate
the population to be 50 per cent Muslim, 45 per cent Christian, and 5
per cent practitioners of indigenous religious beliefs.”
Giving
a breakdown of the demography, it said the North is dominated by the
Hausa-Fulani and Kanuri ethnic groups who are predominantly Muslims,
while significant Christian communities reside and intermarry with
Muslims in the area for more than 50 years.
It
added that both Muslims and Christians reside in about equal numbers in
the “Middle Belt”, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and
the South-west, where the Yoruba ethnic group predominates, with most of
them practising either Christianity or Islam, while the practice of
traditional Yoruba religious beliefs continues.
In
the South-east, where the Igbo ethnic group is dominant, and in the
Niger Delta region, where the Ogoni and Ijaw ethnic groups are most
numerous, it noted that Christians form the majority, with only an
estimated 1 per cent Muslim population in the latter.
The
report said US officials discussed religious freedom with the Nigerian
government as part of its overall policy to promote human rights and
also encourage government to address sectarian violence in a sensitive
manner.
“The
main message involved encouraging authorities to bring the perpetrators
of violence to justice while respecting human rights and to modify its
record of impunity to deter future acts of violence,” it added.
Apart
from shaping US government policy towards countries appraised, the
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also uses the report to help
determine which countries have engaged in or tolerated “particularly
severe violations” of religious freedom, otherwise known as countries of
particular concern.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
THIS IS TO
OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCE THE COMING 60TH
CONVENTION OF THE REDEEMED CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF GOD.
THEME: COME
UP HIGHER
VENUE:
REDEMPTION CAMP,KILOMETER 46, LAGOS –IBADAN EXPRESS WAY
MINISTERING:
PASTOR E A ADEBOYE AND OTHER ANOINTED MEN OF GOD.
DATE :
AUGUST 6-AUGUST 12
TIME: 7PM
DAILY.
YOU CANNOT
AFFORD TO MISS IT. IT PROMISES TO BE GREAT.
ANY INQUIRY:
KINDLY VISIT ANY RCCG PARISH CLOSED TO YOU.PLS SHARE
GOD BLESS
YOU
SaharaReporters has gathered that there are serious security concerns
over the safety of Sheik Ahmad Gumi following his critical statement
against sectarian bombing that targets innocent people. In a Ramadan
sermon delivered yesterday, the Islamic cleric declared that it is not
Islamic to inflict death on others, adding that those killing innocent
people are ignorant of Islam’s core teachings.
