This information comes via the World Evangelical Alliance.
From: Gideon Para-Mallam
Date: Thu, Jan 21, 2010 at 12:43 AM
Subject: Fw: UPDATE ON THE JOS CRISIS AND CALL FOR HELP
Dear Friends
This is an urgent call to prayer and action from us to the international Christian community. Please find attached a write-up from certain ECWA leaders providing a situation analysis of of the ongoing attack on the lives and property of indigenous peoples and other Christians in Jos and environs. As I write men dressed in army uniforms, whose true identity is yet to be fully ascertained, are going from house to house pulling out residents and shooting them dead. This is happening in Anglo Jos, Eto Baba and Tinna Junction, Nasarawa where the Crises all started on Sunday with Muslims Youths invading a Christian worship. I just got back from Bukuru under security escort and came back greatly dismayed at what I saw. Rows of shops of Christian traders burnt down, in their section of the town not mention Churches burnt all over Jos. A number of different Churches are yet to count their dealths as sadly some are still lying out there on the streets.
From the attached write-up it is clear that this is a systematically planned and orchestrated attack as Muslim youths are armed with sophisticated weapons and military uniforms. There is no denying the fact that Muslims are also affected by the violence through the retaliatory activities of indigenous youth seeking revenge. Most of these youth are armed with sticks and stones and petrol. Christian and Muslim leaders made a joint press statement to calm their respective constituencies but this has limited effect so far.
Muslims have been harassing, tormenting and killing Christians; for how long will this be allowed to continue? The Muslims manipulate the media locally and now they are doing same internationally in order to discredit the Church when the Church is deeply hurting? The current General Officer Commanding the Nigerian Armoured Division based in Jos is a Muslim, the Officer Commanding the troops to quell the riots in Jos is a Muslim. This state of affairs would not be accepted in any of the core Northern states who are known to have rejected Christian Military and Police Commanders in the past. The evidence of premeditated attack is indisputable and says it all.
Please help us get word out to the international community and credible news media houses regarding the true picture of what has happened because Muslims have already carried false reports about the cause and nature of the conflict to the BBC and alleging hundreds of dead bodies of Muslims.With the curfew in place, it is very difficult to collate the exact number of Christian deaths and as I am sending this email, more Christians are being killed. We have also found it difficult to make phone calls as the network is erratic. Thank you for your prayers and strategic help at this critical time. For now I and my family are safe at home under the 24hour curfew put in place by the State government. However, even in the middle of the night we are receiving SOS calls reporting outbreaks of violence.
Many thanks as always for your understanding and help.
Gideon Para-Mallam
Regional Secretary, IFES-EPSA
Grace & Mercy Manor, Gutville, Rayfield
P.O. Box 1917, Jos, Plateau State
Nigeria. Post Code 930001
+234-803-312-0747 & +234-808-475-4748 – (Mobile)
{ 0 comments }