18 - 24 October 2001
Issue No.556
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 18 - 24 October 2001 Issue No.556 |
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Hunting the hoodlums
The outbreak of sectarian violence in Nigeria's second largest city, Kano, fuelled by anti-US protest bodes ill for Nigeria's two-year experiment with multi-party democracy, writes Gamal Nkrumah
As the US-led coalition rains bombs on Afghanistan, some of the hawks have been muttering about fifth columnists back home. Anti- war protests and rallies have startled residents in European capitals, in Australia and in the US. The London protests have brought together anti-globalisation protesters, Muslim groups and an organisation that campaigns for nuclear disarmament. In the US, the "independent" media have celebrated marches involving "up to 10,000", but the national media have either been silent on any anti-war protests or stressed their meagre support.
In Britain, the very day the bombing began on 7 October, a small group of 50 reportedly gathered in Trafalgar Square, in London, while 100 more held a peace vigil opposite Downing Street, the residence of the prime minister. On 13 October, a large rally organised by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) and others, snaked its way from Marble Arch in London to Trafalgar Square. CND was last prominent in British public life during the 1980s, when it clashed repeatedly with then prime minister Margaret Thatcher over Britain's nuclear defence system.
Religious clashes in the northern the Nigerian metropolis of Kano claimed the lives of some 250 people last Saturday when a peaceful anti-war protest turned violent. The protesters charged that the "[United States President George W] Bush's crusade is a war on Islam and not on terrorism."
The US-led war on terror has not pleased everyone. In Europe and America there have been peace marches, while in Sudan (above), objections have taken a more provocative turn
A dusk to dawn curfew was imposed on the city, and Kano State Police Commissioner Yakubu Bello Uba ordered security forces to "shoot troublemakers on sight." He accused "hoodlums" of hijacking the anti-US protest, and instigating Muslims to rise up against their Christian compatriots. The looting of shops owned by Christians ensued and police and security forces intervened with tear gas and live ammunition.
"People are trying to exploit religion to support their hidden political agendas," Nigeria's Ambassador to Egypt Alhaji Abubakar Udo told Al-Ahram Weekly. "Those who promote violence want to further their own personal and political interests. It is the common people who suffer and are killed, and not those who incite violence," Ambassador Udo said. He explained that much of the religious violence in Nigeria is among co-religionists as opposed to being between people of different religions. "Much of the religious violence is between rival Muslim factions and rival Christian sects," he said. And, in fact, the clashes have pitted moderate Muslims against their more militant co- religionists.
Ambassador Udo pointed out that social factors, such as rampant unemployment, are at work. "An idle mind is an evil mind. If a young man is unemployed five years after graduation, he is likely to be a very angry man," he pointed out. There is also a widespread perception of the abuse of power and the injustice of the system as a whole. Violence, Udo said, was a means of venting the deep resentment and frustration felt by the man in the street because people are not given equal opportunities and do not see a way out of their predicament.
Following the disturbances, there were conflicting reports that the Nigerian government rescinded its earlier directive to stop all international flights to and from Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, the city's and northern Nigeria's main gateway to the outside world.
EgyptAir, which has been offering service to Kano for over 30 years, was ordered to quit by 30 October. EgyptAir manager in Kano, Muwafak Mohamed, confirmed that Egypt's national carrier was preparing to close shop. However, the airline does plan to continue service to Murtala Mohamed International Airport, Lagos. An estimated 3,000 Egyptians currently reside in Nigeria -- most are professionals, in the fields of medicine, education and agriculture.
Nigerians democratically elected a civilian administration just over two years ago after decades of military rule. A former military head of state was sworn in as the country's new civilian president, and Nigeria has even instituted a new Human Rights Violations Commission inaugurated by President Olusegun Obasanjo two years ago to examine atrocities committed under previous military administrations. Many ordinary Nigerians have petitioned the commission over violations of their basic rights, including imprisonment and torture in military jails. President Obasanjo himself has made two appearances before the commission.
There are growing fears in the country and abroad that the spate of religious violence that periodically erupts with alarming regularity may undermine the democratic process. "Any strife will derail democracy. What we have in Nigeria is political strife and not religious strife per se," noted Udo.
The Independent Shari'a Implementation Committee seized and destroyed a consignment of alcohol worth $10,000. The Christian merchant involved was understandably piqued. "The sale of alcohol was prohibited after the imposition of Shari'a law even though they promised that it would not impact on non-Muslims," a prominent Cairo-based Nigerian told the Weekly on condition of anonymity.
The Kano suburb of Zangon, inhabited mainly by Christians from the south of Nigeria, was engulfed in flames resulting in churches being burnt to the ground and shops ransacked. Police raided several militant Islamist organisations' headquarters and detained some of the leaders of these organisations. Another bone of contention between militant Islamists and the Nigerian government is that Gen Aliyu Gusau, President Obasanjo's National Security Adviser, had submitted to the US government the names of Muslim clerics who allegedly preach vengeance against Americans, labelling them as associates of Saudi dissident Osama Bin Laden. Gen Gusau, who hails from Zamfara, a state that has instituted Shari'a, has come under intense criticism from militant Nigerian Muslims.
Kano's sectarian violence follows last month's devastating religious clashes between Muslims and Christians in Jos, the capital of Plateau state. Similar clashes last year in another northern Muslim state, Kaduna, were allegedly instigated by Christians worried about the introduction of Shari'a. Several northern states, including Kano, imposed Shari'a law in 2000. President Obasanjo described these sectarian clashes as "callous, barbaric and dastardly acts."
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) decried the situation and CAN is currently probing arms purchases by a number of northern Nigerian state governors ostensibly to "defend Islam."
Opposition political parties were also implicated in the disturbances. In the northern state of Zamfara, the opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) was said to "profane Islam and defile Shari'a." While the ruling All People's Party (APP) was presented as championing the Muslim cause. The PDP has now become a legitimate target for Shari'a enthusiasts in many parts of northern Nigeria. Most PDP leaders fled the Zamfara state capital Gusau following sectarian violence there.
Nigeria's sectarian violence comes at a time of economic instability and reduction in government spending -- factors likely to aggravate matters. Nigeria is closing its diplomatic missions in Beirut, Dhaka, Karachi and Kuwait for economic reasons.
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