On Friday 26 February, a violent clash errupted between Muslims and Christians in Voinjama, the capital of Lofa country in northern Liberia, that left four dead (3 Christians) and 18 wounded, 3 critically. Calm has been restored and investigations are underway, but tensions and fears remain.
On 23 Feb. 14-yr-old Korpo Kamara, a student at the local Luthern school, went missing in Konia town, some 55 miles south-east of Voinjama. On 24 Feb. police dispatched from Voinjama found her body near a Konia mosque. When local Christians (ethnic Lormas) arrived at the mosque and began asking the local Muslims (ethnic Mandingos) what had happened, the Muslims denied having any knowledge of the incident. Some ethnic Lormas reportedly blamed the Muslims, saying that Muslims have been known to kill for ritual sacrifice (see The Inquirer). Now this might be true, or it might not. It could possibly be a case of blame shifting as ritual sacrifice is widespread in Liberia. Hopefully the investigation will uncover the truth.
According to Liberia's Daily Observer, during the confrontation at the Konia town mosque, a Muslim made a telephone call to the Muslim community in Voinjama, the county capital, delivering the false rumor that Christians had torched the Konia mosque.
The Muslim community in Voinjama responded to this false report by mobilising against Voinjama's Christian community. The Catholic Church on the Macenta Road was torched and the Voinjama Free Pentecostal CHurch was "massively looted". Private homes and vehicles belonging to Christians were also burned.
Eyewitnesses told the Daily Observer that automatic weapons-fire was heard coming from the Mandingo quarter, and that during the confrontation, Pakistani peacekeepers deployed tanks around the Konia's two mosques and protected them from looters, but left the churches and other Christian-owned establishments to be vandalized.
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has expressed her grave concern over the development, and promised that a full investigation will be undertaken and that the perpitrators will be prosecuted in keeping with the law. In the meantime, the Council of Churches and the National Muslim Council will initiate mediation.
Violence Erupts in Lofa
27 Feb 2010
http://www.liberianobserver.com/node/4844
Four Killed In Voinjama Violence
1 March 2010
http://liberianobserver.com/print/4880
Four dead in religious clashes in Liberia: official
AFP 1 March 2010
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jwcBPvPiQdkWURQ3VJqaZohaGmrg
Calm Returns To Voinjama…4 Killed, 18 Wounded
By Patrick K. Wrokpoh
http://theinquirer.com.lr/story.php?record_id=2398&sub=14
Monday, March 1, 2010
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Spiegel: "Christianity's Modern Day Martyrs" 26 Feb 2010
Germany's SPIEGEL online international has just published an excellent article on Christian persecution , specifically on Christians as the victims of radical Islam.
Christianity's Modern-Day Martyrs
"The rise of Islamic extremism is putting increasing pressure on Christians in Muslim countries, who are the victims of murder, violence and discrimination. Christians are now considered the most persecuted religious group around the world."
* Part 1: Christianity's Modern-Day Martyrs
* Part 2: 'Creeping Genocide' against Christians
* Part 3: 'We Don't Feel Safe Here'
includes a map, and a photo gallery entitled "Dying for Their Faith" (nine photos)
Christianity's Modern-Day Martyrs
"The rise of Islamic extremism is putting increasing pressure on Christians in Muslim countries, who are the victims of murder, violence and discrimination. Christians are now considered the most persecuted religious group around the world."
* Part 1: Christianity's Modern-Day Martyrs
* Part 2: 'Creeping Genocide' against Christians
* Part 3: 'We Don't Feel Safe Here'
includes a map, and a photo gallery entitled "Dying for Their Faith" (nine photos)
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Burmese troops crucify Karen women. 24 Feb 2010
NOTE: Sunday 14 March is Global Day of Prayer for Burma http://www.prayforburma.org/
On Thursdy 24 Feb 2010, the Karen Women’s Organization (KWO) released a report entitled “Walking Amongst Sharp Knives” (see: http://democracyforburma.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/walking-amongst-sharp-knives-by-karen-women/ ) in which they report horrendous attrocities committed by the Burmese military. According to the report, on one occasion, Burmese troops crucified Karen women before cutting their throats.
While the attrocity is horrendous in its own right, why would Burmese soldiers bother to crucify these women unless they were wanting to make a religious statement? Around 40 percent of all Karen are Christian. Ethnic and religious repression and persecution (long a reality in Burma) are escalating ahead of elections scheduled for later this year.
KWO’s report on horrifying abuse of women village chiefs
News - Mizzima News
Report by Usa Pichai
Thursday, 25 February 2010 16:06
http://www.bnionline.net/news/mizzima/7988-kwos-report-on-horrifying-abuse-of-women-village-chiefs.html
Report: Myanmar troops commit atrocities
Burmese troops 'rape and murder' Karen women chiefs
25 Feb 2010
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23809821-burmese-troops-rape-and-murder-karen-women-chiefs.do
See also:
International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women of Burma
http://www.nobelwomensinitiative.org/blogs/burmatribunal
Escalating repression
Anmesty International warns of increased repression of Burma's minorities before election
16 Feb 2010
http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/asia/Amnesty-International-Warns-of-Increased-Repression-of-Burmas-Minorities-Before-Election-84475707.html
AI report:
Document - Myanmar: The repression of ethnic minority activists in Myanmar
16 Feb 2010
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA16/001/2010/en/183ebaaa-6f76-4d61-952b-8555034d56fd/asa160012010en.html
see particularly:
4.2 Oppression of [Christian] religion and ethnic minority identity among the Kachin, Karen, and Chin
Ethnic Chin flee persecution in Burma
Dr Graham Thom, Refugee Coordinator 5 February 2010, 12:26PM
http://www.amnesty.org.au/refugees/comments/22494/
Civil war could be imminent
Burma's Kachin army prepares for civil war
22 Feb 2010
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8528985.stm
BACKGROUND
Ethnic Kachin Christians live under duress
11 Dec 2008
http://www.kachinnews.com/Feature/Ethnic-Kachin-Christians-live-under-duress-feature.html
World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Myanmar/Burma : Kachin (2008)
http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/topic,463af2212,469f2cd92,49749cdec,0.html
ALSO
Christian Solidarity Worldwide
http://dynamic.csw.org.uk/country.asp?s=id&urn=Burma
in particular:
Carrying the cross 23 Jan 2007
http://dynamic.csw.org.uk/article.asp?t=report&id=36
On Thursdy 24 Feb 2010, the Karen Women’s Organization (KWO) released a report entitled “Walking Amongst Sharp Knives” (see: http://democracyforburma.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/walking-amongst-sharp-knives-by-karen-women/ ) in which they report horrendous attrocities committed by the Burmese military. According to the report, on one occasion, Burmese troops crucified Karen women before cutting their throats.
While the attrocity is horrendous in its own right, why would Burmese soldiers bother to crucify these women unless they were wanting to make a religious statement? Around 40 percent of all Karen are Christian. Ethnic and religious repression and persecution (long a reality in Burma) are escalating ahead of elections scheduled for later this year.
KWO’s report on horrifying abuse of women village chiefs
News - Mizzima News
Report by Usa Pichai
Thursday, 25 February 2010 16:06
http://www.bnionline.net/news/mizzima/7988-kwos-report-on-horrifying-abuse-of-women-village-chiefs.html
Report: Myanmar troops commit atrocities
By DENIS D. GRAY
24 Feb 2010
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/24/AR2010022404909.html24 Feb 2010
Burmese troops 'rape and murder' Karen women chiefs
25 Feb 2010
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23809821-burmese-troops-rape-and-murder-karen-women-chiefs.do
See also:
International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women of Burma
http://www.nobelwomensinitiative.org/blogs/burmatribunal
Escalating repression
Anmesty International warns of increased repression of Burma's minorities before election
16 Feb 2010
http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/asia/Amnesty-International-Warns-of-Increased-Repression-of-Burmas-Minorities-Before-Election-84475707.html
AI report:
Document - Myanmar: The repression of ethnic minority activists in Myanmar
16 Feb 2010
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA16/001/2010/en/183ebaaa-6f76-4d61-952b-8555034d56fd/asa160012010en.html
see particularly:
4.2 Oppression of [Christian] religion and ethnic minority identity among the Kachin, Karen, and Chin
Ethnic Chin flee persecution in Burma
Dr Graham Thom, Refugee Coordinator 5 February 2010, 12:26PM
http://www.amnesty.org.au/refugees/comments/22494/
Civil war could be imminent
Burma's Kachin army prepares for civil war
22 Feb 2010
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8528985.stm
BACKGROUND
Ethnic Kachin Christians live under duress
11 Dec 2008
http://www.kachinnews.com/Feature/Ethnic-Kachin-Christians-live-under-duress-feature.html
World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Myanmar/Burma : Kachin (2008)
http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/topic,463af2212,469f2cd92,49749cdec,0.html
ALSO
Christian Solidarity Worldwide
http://dynamic.csw.org.uk/country.asp?s=id&urn=Burma
in particular:
Carrying the cross 23 Jan 2007
http://dynamic.csw.org.uk/article.asp?t=report&id=36