to experience a society in which different religions co-exist peaceably. The
hilly city is dotted with mosques and churches. While the country is
overwhelmingly Christian with a 13% Muslim population, the two dominant
religions have lived side by side.
cowardly suicide bombers preyed on those gathered to watch the World Cup soccer
final at two venues: the Ethiopian Village and the local rugby grounds. They
set off their bombs and 76 people were killed, scores more were injured to put
a damper on a Cup that had helped to recast the image not only of South Africa
but Africa as a whole.
have been on high alert for a possible attack from Al-Shabaab, which claimed
responsibility, when the radical militia began beating up Somalians who tried to
watch the soccer. But that news came and went too quickly of yet another
abrogation of rights in the Horn of Africa. Somalians live under a Taliban-like
regime across large swathes of the country that is in the grip of the maniacal
youth called Al-Shabaab.
conservative Islam backed by arms, both small and large, which make theirs a reign of terror. Until now they have not
exported their policies except for skirmishes with Ethiopia which provides most
of the force trying to hold up a transitional government and to return the
country to a semblance of structure and peace. Uganda came within the target
lines of Al-Shabaab
because it has also sent peace-keepers aligned to the African Union to Somalia.
Museveni has vowed to pursue Al-Shabaab and to hunt down the cowards who killed so many
at the weekend. He must be supported in this endeavour for a resurgent Africa
cannot now be blighted as a continent where terrorists roam free. As we try to
pry loose old borders to encourage greater trade flows to grow economic blocs,
these must not become so porous that those who seek to sow terror and
instability move across them with ease.
due caution given how it was misused in South Africa’s past to describe people
most of us called freedom fighters.
believe women and those of other faiths are lesser beings are hardly
revolutionaries.
must give way to loud cries of opprobrium against what is happening in Somalia
and what could be exported to the region.
