Press Statement about KADUNA

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ANB-BIA - Av. Charles Woeste 184 - 1090 Bruxelles - Belg
TEL **.32.2/420 34 36 fax /420 05 49 E-Mail: editor@anb-bia.org
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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 26-11-2002   - FROM NIGERIA

Please find here below a Press Statement from
THE DEPARTMENT OF CHURCH AND SOCIETY, CATHOLIC SECRETARIAT OF NIGERIA
Greeting
Paolo (anb-bia)
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PRESS STATEMENT ON THE RECENT RELIGIOUS RIOTS IN KADUNA AND ABUJA BY THE 
DEPARTMENT OF CHURCH AND SOCIETY, CATHOLIC SECRETARIAT OF NIGERIA

The Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria condemns unreservedly the religious 
riots that took place in Kaduna and Abuja which have provoked hundreds of 
deaths and a huge loss of property since last week. A situation where 
fellow citizens, particularly Christians are continuously being subjected 
to danger even to death simply because they are Christians can no longer be 
tolerated.

In Kaduna alone at least five Catholic Churches were vandalised along side 
other Christian Churches. The Catholic Resource Centre and property in 
Kaduna were equally vandalised and a retired Catholic Priest in one of the 
vandalized churches was severely brutalized by these Muslim zealots. The 
priest is still in very critical condition just as many people are still 
remaining under fear and insecurity in many parts of the country as a result.

While we express our dismay about what has happened, we also unequivocally 
lay the blame for these acts against our people on the Federal Government 
of Nigeria. This is particularly for its continued inefficiency and lack of 
will at all levels to decisively deal with issues relating to the 
maintenance of law and order in the country. A Government that cannot 
provide even basic security for its citizens has failed in governance and, 
therefore, has no reason to remain in power.

It has become clear that the law enforcement agents react very sluggishly 
whenever issues have to do with religious riots. We are certain that the 
law enforcement agents can contain these riots if they have the will and 
should therefore wake up to its responsibilities of protecting lives and 
properties of innocent citizens.

We wish to state categorically that Nigeria belongs to all of us and that 
the Federal Government should always strive to promote and maintain peace 
rather than create the impression that this country belongs to a sacred 
group. No religious group has the right to take the laws of the land for 
granted. That we, as Christians, uphold the virtue of tolerance and good 
neighbourliness need not be mistaken by Government and its "sacred" group 
as weakness on our part or that we cannot defend ourselves if pushed to the 
wall. The rule of law must prevail and we expect Government itself to abide 
by it and unequivocally promote its compliance by all and sundry in this 
country.

In the interim, we demand the Federal Government, as a matter of urgency, 
to do the following:

- offer an unalloyed public apology to Christians;

- compensate and re-build all the Churches damaged by the hoodlums; and

- bring to book all those who, directly or indirectly, were behind these 
crimes against humanity so as to serve as a deterrent to others.

Meanwhile, we pray for the repose of the souls of the innocent citizens who 
lost their lives during this incident. May they Rest in Perfect Peace. 
Finally, we console the relatives, friends and colleagues of the dead. We 
pledge our solidarity with them to see that the death of their loved ones 
may not be in vain.

Signed:
Rev. Fr. Iheanyi Enwerem, O.P. [Director: Church and Society]

November 26, 2002

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x - Un homme meurt chaque fois que l'un d'entre nous se tait devant la 
tyrannie (Wole Soyinka, Prix Nobel litterature) -  Everytime somebody keep 
silent when faced with tyranny, someone else dies (Wole Syinka, Nobel Prize 
for Literature)
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