ANTI-CHRISTIAN, ANTI-WESTERN VIOLENCE: CHURCHES ATTACKED

MALAWI

30 June 2003

Several churches and offices of the charity Save the Children were attacked by a Muslim mob on 27 and 28 June in Malawi’s first religious violence in modern times.

On Sunday 29 June army units were deployed across Malawi following violence on Friday and Saturday which saw extensive damage to property and three people injured. Muslims were protesting that the government had allowed the US to secretly extradite five suspected associates of al-Qaeda.

In recent years, as the growing Muslim population of at least 13 % has become more vocal, tension has increased, but this is the first time that such religiously motivated violence has hit Malawi in any significant way. Said local police commander Patrick Hora “We were taken by surprise and that is why the situation got out of hand, but we are now in control.” The disturbance was centred on Mangochi which is a predominantly Muslim district 180 km north-east of the commercial capital Blantyre. A crowd of about 200 Muslims went on the rampage, breaking windows and doors in several churches. Justin Opuku, Save the Children USA Malawi Director, said that the charity had been targeted because of its American connections.

Malawi’s Muslim President Bakili Muluzi said over the weekend that he would not tolerate religious violence in Malawi. However some Muslims in Mangochi remained defiant, claiming that the President had failed them.

PRAY

Pray that the Christians in Malawi will not retaliate against these attacks. Leaders of the Christian community, comprising 80% of the population, have been urging restraint.

Pray that the normally peaceful co-existence of Christians and Muslims in Malawi will be restored.

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