Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin | RLPB 124 | Wed 07 Sep 2011
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NIGERIA: JOS ON A KNIFE EDGE; also SUDAN: WAR IN BLUE NILE STATE
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By Elizabeth Kendal
Religious tensions soared in volatile Jos, Nigeria, after a sectarian
clash in Gada-biu district of Jos North Local Government Area (LGA) on 29
August left at least 20 Christians and 22 Muslims dead. [See RLPB 123 (31
Aug 2011) http://rlprayerbulletin.
As was expected, Muslim youths immediately plotted revenge, forging plans
to attack Christian places of worship the next Sunday, 4 September.
However, Jama’tu Nasril Islam and the Council of Ulama Plateau State set
up a committee to mediate in the crisis. They managed to convince the
Muslim youths to ‘sheath their swords’ and leave the matter in the hands
of the police. Despite this, on the Sunday around 2am a mob of some 30
Fulani Muslims — reportedly with ‘sophisticated weapons’ — crept into
Tatu village and forced their way into the home of the Chollom Gyang
Christian family. Apart from the couple’s fourth child who was away, all
eight other family members were massacred in their beds, including a four-
month-old baby. Due to rumours that they would be attacked there, most
Christians stayed away from their churches all day.
Later that night of 4 September, mobs of Fulani Muslim tribesmen
accompanied by uniformed Nigerian soldiers raided several predominantly
Christian villages, shooting sporadically and hacking down those fleeing.
Seven people were killed and three injured at Zallaki village near Babale
in Jos North (LGA). A 74-year-old man, his wife and two grandchildren were
murdered at Dabwak in Jos South (LGA) and ten were injured in nearby Farin
Lamba. The al-Qaeda-linked, Maiduguri-based Islamic fundamentalist group
Boko Haram has reportedly sent funds, vehicles and trained militants to
Jos to help mobilise a ‘mass attack’.
Previously a suicide bomber struck the heavily guarded UN offices in the
Nigerian capital, Abuja, on 26 August, killing 23 and wounding some 80.
Boko Haram claimed responsibility for this their second suicide bombing in
the capital where they had struck the police headquarters on 16 June. [See
Religious Liberty Monitoring http://elizabethkendal.
2011.] Churches in Abuja are employing security and closing early in
daylight hours. Fear and anxiety are rising.
SUDAN: WAR ERUPTS IN BLUE NILE STATE
Abyei, South Kordofan and Blue Nile are three border regions located in
the Arab and Muslim-dominated North but are populated by predominantly
Christian African tribes. According to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement
(CPA) they were entitled to determine their own futures by means of
popular consultations. [See RLPB 117, 21 July 2011.] Fully defying the
CPA, the Government of Sudan (GoS) has seized and ethnically cleansed
Abyei and is now doing the same in South Kordofan. On 1 September fighting
erupted in Blue Nile State as GoS forces attacked the home of elected
governor, Malik Aggar in Al-Damazin, the capital of Blue Nile State. The
GoS then launched a full-scale assault on Sudan People’s Liberation Army
positions. In what is being described as a ‘political and military coup’,
President Bashir subsequently dismissed Governor Aggar, declared a state
of emergency and installed Major General Yahya Mohamed Khair as military
ruler. Reports are flowing in of military deployments, aerial bombardments
and massive displacements across the region in yet another GoS-engineered
humanitarian crisis.
PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT GOD WILL —
* bring Nigeria’s Boko Haram and Sudan’s President Bashir to account
(Psalm 10: 10-13) sooner rather than later, in answer to the prayers of
many (2 Corinthians 1:11).
* grace Nigerian and Sudanese Christian leaders — both civil and
religious — with great spiritual wisdom and authority so they might
rightly lead God’s people through this ‘valley of the shadow of death’
(Psalm 23:4).
* intervene for his suffering people in the ethnic-religious fault-line
regions of Nigeria and Sudan, providing all their needs and keeping
them safe; may he draw them into prayer, hear their cry and answer it
(Isaiah 30:18,19) ‘that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you
alone are the LORD’ (Hezekiah’s prayer — Isaiah 37:20b ESV).
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SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE
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CHRISTIANS BESIEGED IN NIGERIA & SUDAN
Christians and Muslims clashed in volatile Jos, Nigeria, on 29 August
leaving 20 Christians and 22 Muslims dead. Muslim leaders managed to
convince their youths not to retaliate by attacking the churches. However,
mobs of Fulani Muslims still proceeded to raid Christian villages on
Sunday 4 September, killing 19 and wounding dozens. Pray for the cycles of
violence to end, and for God to protect his people. Meanwhile, conflict
erupted on 1 September in Sudan’s Blue Nile State, in the southern border
region that is populated by predominantly Christian African tribes.
Government forces attacked the home of the elected state governor, Malik
Aggar. Sudan’s President Bashir has dismissed Aggar and installed a
military ruler amidst reports of aerial bombings and massive displacement
of tribespeople. Please pray for Sudan’s besieged Christians.
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We suggest that churches and fellowships using the above Summary might
also provide a copy of the listed prayer points to be used in their
worship by people who are leading in prayer.
For more information, updates and helpful links see Elizabeth Kendal’s
blog ‘Religious Liberty Monitoring’ <http://elizabethkendal.
Previous RLPBs may be viewed at <http://rlprayerbulletin.
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