In an article in the The Weekly Standard, Joseph Bottum refutes the argument that the slaughter of Christians in Nigeria is not about religion:
Much of this is the incompetence, corruption, and fear of encountering well-armed rebels typical of too many third-world militaries. But another factor is at work in Nigeria—for the military police forces are terrified of being perceived as taking sides in the struggles between Christians and Muslims that divide the country.
Make no mistake: What is happening in Nigeria is a battle of religion. Perhaps it has roots in the ancient divide between herdsmen and farmers. Perhaps it echoes some of the old tribal animosities among the Fulani, Berom, Hausa, Tarok, Yoruba, Ibo, and all the rest. And perhaps it is exacerbated by the geographical problems of a nation with an impoverished but politically powerful north and an oil-rich but weak south. One way or another, however, these divisions are now invariably translated into religious terms—and the blood that gets spilled is always in the name of God.
March 22nd, 2010 | 1:25 am
I fear Bottum’s interpretation was needlessly inflammatory. When was he last in Nigeria? Does he speak its tribal languages? How does he know the downplaying of sectarianism is just a matter of “wishful tone”?
I can see the Muslim propaganda already if this story gets out: “Arm the Christians,” says magazine which pushed for war in Iraq.