Nigeria massacre leaves more than 120 dead

[cali]

March 8, 2010



Reporting from Kano, Nigeria - The attacks came in the night, as the villagers slept. Hundreds of Muslim herdsmen armed with guns and machetes swooped down on three Christian villages outside Jos in central Nigeria, killing more than 120 people early Sunday, according to witnesses.

There were contradictory reports on the casualties. Some said more than 120 were killed, while others put the number at about 200.

The massacre in volatile Plateau state -- long beset with ethnic-religious violence -- was apparently a revenge attack. Nomadic Fulani herdsmen had accused a group of local indigenous Christians -- Berom people -- of attacking their camp late last month, killing four people and stealing about 200 cattle.

In the latest violence, which appeared unrelated to national sectarian political frictions, hundreds of herdsmen launched coordinated attacks about 3 a.m. on three villages, Dogo Nahawa, Ratsat and Zot, about six miles south of Jos.

The herdsmen charged the villages, firing in the air, then cut down villagers as they fled their huts, witnesses said.

<snip>

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-nigeria-violence8-2010mar08,0,838349.story

[maddezmom]

1. 500 killed in sectarian attacks in Nigeria

500 killed in sectarian attacks in Nigeria
Monday, 8 March 2010 10:34
Nigeria's government sent troops to the flashpoint northern Jos region today after attacks by machete-wielding gangs on Christian villages that officials say killed at least 500 people.

Under fire for failing to prevent another outburst of sectarian violence only weeks after hundreds died in Muslim-Christian clashes, authorities say they have arrested scores of people in connection with the latest attacks.

Witnesses described how the mainly women and children victims in yesterday's three-hour systematic orgy of violence were caught in animal traps and fishing nets as they tried to flee their attackers, who hacked them to death.

Witnesses said armed gangs had scared the victims out of their homes by firing into the air but most of the killings were as a result of machete attacks.

The official death toll was initially put at a little over 100 but the number - though still varying depending on the source - has now been raised substantially to at least 500.

more:http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0308/nigeria.html

[cali]

2. awful.

and expected to get worse.

[Chulanowa]

3. A few weeks ago, we had a nearly identical story

Except it was christians killing Muslims.

I wonder if all those people who were adamantly supporting those murders, will come out of the woodwork now to support these murders, too.

Sickening, all around.

[cali]

5. what??? are you saying people here supported those murders?

I'm calling bullshit on you. I saw nothing of the sort. please link to even one post supporting those murders or stop making accusations.

[Chulanowa]

6. Peruse this thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=214&topic_id=233924&mesg_id=233929

You'll see a chunky subthread or two there is people trying to justify those murders because "the other side did it, too!" or trying to downplay the religious angle. You can do your own search to look up threads about Muslims killing christians and you know what... you don't fund people justifying, excusing, or whitewashing.

I think that's rather telling. I also think your post here is rather indicative, Cali. I seem to have stung a nerve. Why is it you get super-defensive whenever anyone notes that there's anti-Muslim bias here on DU? It's a rather strange reaction from you since I've seen you argue against some of the haters, and you clearly know they're there.

[LostInAnomie]

4. Ahhh... religion.