JUSTICE SLOWLY BUT SURELY COMING TO THE JOS PLATEAU

The Federal High Court 2 Jos, sitting in Abuja sentenced a moslem to 21yrs imprisonment. The convict was arrested with a gun which he confessed using in killing Christians at Channel 7. Meanwhile we were able to get 41 of our brethren discharged today before the same court in three separate cases after our no case submission was upheld by His lordship.
How painful it is that after wasting a whole year in prison, they will return back to their respective villages with their homes and farm produce already destroyed.

7 MORE DIE IN THE JOS FREE KILLING FIELDS

In Jos on Tuesday, the mobile policeman, identified as Corporal John Isuwa, was stabbed to death at the Abuja Market in the Terminus Area by hoodlums who were said to have traced him to the market where he had gone to shop for his wife who just delivered a baby. A little girl who was standing by was also stabbed by the hoodlums.
An eyewitness told our correspondent that the girl however ran to safety with blood all over her body thus provoking anger among traders in the market.

“The sight of the girl with blood all over her body angered the people around and within minutes the whole market was in turmoil. Traders quickly closed their shops and vehicles started fleeing the area,” the witness narrated.

Some of those who saw the corpse of Isuwa at the Bingham University Teaching Hospital (Jankwano) were said to have launched reprisals in Gada Biu and other sections of the city.

In the reprisal attacks, three other persons were killed in Gada Biu while four others were murdered at the Terminus area.

Businesses around Rwang Pam Street, Ahmadu Bello Way, Moshalasi Juma’a and Bukuru Park were completely paralyzed as traders hurriedly closed shops.

Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Abdulrahman Akano, who confirmed the incident, said that his men and soldiers attached to the Special Task Force had been mobilized to keep the peace in the areas.

Akano said that four people were arrested in connection with the incident.

(Curled from The Punch Newspaper of 16 Feb. 2011)

Return Court of Appeal and Federal High Court to Jos and Remove the Leader of JTF

Jos Crisis: Return Court of Appeal and Federal High Court to Jos and Remove the Leader of JTF

The Plateau Good Governance Forum (PGGF) has read with dismay and concern newspaper reports about the transfer of the Court of Appeal from Jos to Gombe and the Federal High Court to Abuja. If this story is true, then the action is unfortunate as it sends a wrong signal, not only to Nigerians but to the international community as well as investors at large, on the crisis in the state.

The Federal Government is expected to find solution to the crisis rather than scaring people from the state by transferring the Court of Appeal and the Federal High Court to other states. The action gives the impression that the crisis is beyond the State Government, the security outfits and the Federal Government that are expected to assure Nigerians on peace and stability. The question is how many Federal agencies and institutions have been moved out of crisis-proned areas such as Bauchi, Borno, Kano, Gombe, Kaduna, Niger Delta and others? Why single out Plateau?

The Plateau Good Governance Forum (PGGF) therefore calls on the Federal Government to order the return of the Court of Appeal and the Federal High Court to Jos as well as find lasting solutions to the crisis in this naturally peaceful state.

The PGGF also commends the Federal Government for replacing the Special Task Force in the State with new soldiers. It is unfortunate that some of the soldiers had become “economic extractive agents” and “mercenaries” rather than peace keepers in the state. It is hoped that these new soldiers will be neutral and more humane.

To complete the process, we call on the Military to replace the Commander of the Special Task Force, Brigadier GeneralHassan Umaru to maintain the trust of the people of Plateau State and other Nigerians. The Task Force leader has lost the trust of the communities in Plateau State.

Meanwhile we advise all communities in the state to set up security watch groups to protect and avoid their wives and children being slaughtered by marauders. We assure Nigerians and the International community that Plateau will soon overcome the crisis and maintain its status as the most peaceful state in the country. PGGF is an organization for Plateau professionals and eminent persons in the diaspora.

Yakubu Gam

For: Plateau Good Governance Forum

Taken from the watchdogeportershttp://www.watchdogreporters.com/

MORE KILLINGS IN JOS

News filtered in this morning that unknown persons attacked and killed three people in Kwata village, about 14 km from Jos, at about 11:30 pm last night. The village head was on State television saying that between 7 and 8 men, dressed in black, were seen speeding in a pick-up van and shouting, "The Fulanis are here. The Fulanis are here." The unknown men then proceeded to shoot the villagers sporadically killing 3 people and wounding 2 who are now in hospital.

A month ago, 7 persons were killed in Bassa LG in similar fashion. Of course, the Mazzah incident in Jos East LG of three months ago is still fresh in our memories.

Note that all these armed attacked were totally unprovoked. Also, the communities attacked have remained calm and law-abiding. The Dogo Na-Hawa and Kuru jenta attacks were also not avenged by the villagers.

As usual, the Joint Task Force (JTF) personnel stationed all over the Jos area, arrived after the deed was done and they could not arrest anyone. It appears these attackers have some understanding with the JTF. How come they search us thoroughly when we meet then while armed bandits seem to pass their check-points unnoticed? Should we retain the JTF after such dismal failure to defend us? Are we sure that the Fulanis and Muslims among them are being partisan in these repeated attacks?

WINSTON CHURCHILL ON ISLAM 1899

Winston Churchill On Islam A quote from an 1899 book by Winston Churchill, "The River War", in which he describes Muslims he apparently observed during Kitchener 's campaign in the Sudan

"How dreadful are the curses which Mohammedanism lays on its votaries! Besides the fanatical frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy. The effects are apparent in many countries. Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live. A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity and sanctity. The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property - either as a child, a wife, or a concubine - must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men. Individual Moslems may show splendid qualities.Thousands become the brave and loyal soldiers of the Queen; all know how to die; but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step; and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the strong arms of science - the science against which it had vainly struggled - the civilisation of modernEurope might fall, as fell the civilisation ofancient Rome." Someone should please correct this 100 year old impression.

THE MIDDLE BELT DIALOGUE

I wish to use this space to announce the launch of a new movement that seeks to promote the actualization of the Middlebeltan in the geographical entity called Nigeria after 50 years of marginalization. All the text below, which includes the communique issued at the end of the their first conference, has been copied from their website. It is a cause to which I fully subscribe:

A Middle Belt Summit organised by the Middle Belt Dialogue held at Manyi Royal Suite, Lafiya, Nasarawa State from 17th to 18th September 2010. Delegates from Kogi, Plateau, Kaduna, Adamawa, Bauchi, Kebbi, Niger, Gombe,Taraba, Benue States and the Federal Capital territory were in attendance. Key note addresses were presented by Professor Yusufu Turaki and Dr Bala J Takaya. Delegates thereafter broke into syndicate groups to discuss issues raised in the presentations as well as issues that had been discussed on the social networking platforms of the Middle Belt Dialogue.

COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE MIDDLE BELT SUMMIT ORGANISED BY THE MIDDLE BELT DIALOGUE, HELD AT THE MANYI HOTEL, LAFIA, NASARAWA STATE, 17TH – 18TH SEPT. 2010. A Middle Belt Summit organised by the Middle Belt Dialogue held at Manyi Royal Suite, Lafiya, Nasarawa State from 17th to 18th September 2010. Delegates from Kogi, Plateau, Kaduna, Adamawa, Bauchi, Kebbi, Niger, Gombe,Taraba, Benue States and the Federal Capital territory were in attendance. Key note addresses were presented by Professor Yusufu Turaki and Dr Bala J Takaya. Delegates thereafter broke into syndicate groups to discuss issues raised in the presentations as well as issues that had been discussed on the social networking platforms of the Middle Belt Dialogue. It was resolved that the Middle Belt Region would support all efforts by politicians and activist groups to expand the political space in Nigeria as the 2011 Elections approaches so as to allow all groups and peoples of Nigeria to be incorporated into the Nigerian project. In that light, the Middle Belt Region will vigorously support the bid by President Jonathan Goodluck to run for the 2011 Presidential election because he presents the best prospect for more a democratic and just Nigeria. Furthermore, the Summit notes that the South-West, the North and now the South-South have held the Presidency. Consequently, the Summit resolved that by 2015 it would be the turn of the Middle Belt to produce the President. To achieve this noble goal, the Summit calls on all social and political groups including churches and traditional institutions to immediately commence vigorous mobilization of the people of the Middle Belt to come out en mass to register for the forth coming general elections. The Summit notes with great concern the increasing tendency by the Hausa Fulani Oligarchy and also other Nigerians who in their home regions and states forcefully protect their ancestral rights to land and traditional institutions only to deny the same rights to Middle Belters. It is now common practice for Nigerians from other zones to lay claim to ancestral rights of their Middle Belt host communities, sometimes attempting to chase out their hosts from their lands by means of violence. Land ownership everywhere in Nigeria is based on ancestral rights, but in the Middle Belt everybody claim ancestral rights to land and traditional institutions . The Summit therefore resolved that all non Middle Belters resident in our region remain settlers, without prejudice to their constitutional citizen rights, just like our people are treated in other parts of Nigeria. The summit viewed with concern the spate of attacks on communities of the Middle Belt and the complicity of the security agencies in allowing the free flow of arms and ammunitions. It is sad that up to date the people who were allegedly arrested for the genocide at Dago Nahauwa, Riyom and Mazzah are yet to be prosecuted. Over 200 school children at Chwelnyap who were picked by the Army in Jos are still in detention without trial. The Summit therefore resolved that henceforth, any attack by any aggressor on any community of the Middle Belt, would be considered an attack on all parts and people of the Middle Belt. The Summit welcomes the recent changes in the high command of the Armed Forces and other security agencies. The Summit is however dissatisfied that the General Officer Commanding GOC, 3rd Armoured division, Jos, General Saleh Maina who has demonstrated gross incompetence in managing the security of Jos and grown contemptuous of the Constitution. He has assumed exclusive control of the security of Jos and is behaving as alternative governor. The Summit therefore insists that the allegations of extra judicial killings personally ordered by General Maina and other serious allegations should be investigated be brought before a Court Marshall since the allegations are numerous and persistent. The Summit is alarmed and concerned with the continuous selective retirement of military officers of middle belt origin from the Nigerian Armed Forces. Over 40% percent of military officers retired in the recent retirement exercise are of middle belt origin. The Summit calls on the President to institute an inquiry into this situation. The summit calls on politicians and political parties to encourage and support women and youths of the Middle Belt to go into partisan politics and productive economic activities. Mr. Rima Shawulu Kwewum, Facilitator, Middle Belt Dialogue Barr. Mark Jacob, former PDP National Legal Adviser Ms Ngukwase Surma, Political Activist

ISLAMIC HONOR KILLINGS IN AMERICA

We are told that Islam is a religion of love and peace. In reality, it appears to be more a religion of hate and murder. The vicious acts of terrorism aside, consider the practice of honor killing. This is defined by the Human Rights Watch as “acts of violence, usually murder, committed by male family members against female family members, who are held to have brought dishonor upon the family.” These are very common in the Middle East and Turkey. According to the United Nations, 5,000 females are murdered every year (“Murder in the Family,” Fox News, July 26, 2008). The perpetrators usually get off scot free or with a light sentence. Islamic apologists pretend that honor killings are “cultural” rather than a product of Islam, but Jihad Watch reports that in 2003 the Jordanian Parliament voted down ON ISLAMIC GROUNDS a provision designed to stiffen penalties for honor killings, and Al-Jazeera reported that “Islamists and conservatives said the laws violated religious traditions and would destroy families and values” (“Muslim Ran Down Daughter,” Jihad Watch, Oct. 22, 2009).

Honor killings are on the rise in the United States.

The first documented case was in November 1989, when Zein Isa, a Palestinian terrorist living in St. Louis, murdered his 16-year-old daughter, Tina, for having a boyfriend, going to a school dance, and applying to work at Wendy’s restaurant. Her mother held her down while her father plunged a 9-inch knife into her chest 13 times, the mother shouting “Shut up!” in response to the girl’s pleas for help (Ellen Harris, Guarding the Secrets: Palestinian Terrorism and a Father’s Murder of His Too-American Daughter, 1995).

In April 2004, Ismail Peltek of Rochester, New York, murdered his wife and fractured the skulls of his daughters because he was “concerned that my family’s honor was taken” (Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, April 24, 2004).

In January 2008, teenage sisters Amina and Sarah Said were shot to death in Irving, Texas, by their father, Yaser Abdel Said. Their great aunt, Gail Gartrell, told reporters, “This was an honor killing” (“Honor Killing in Texas,” Human Events, Jan. 8, 2008). The mother says that Yaser killed them because they were dating non-Muslim boys (“Honor Killing Dad Secretly Taped Girls,” Fox News, Aug. 6, 2010). Yaser Said vanished the night of the murders.

In July 2008, Chaudhry Rashid strangled his daughter to death in Jonesboro, Georgia, “to restore the family’s honor” after she wanted to end her arranged marriage.

That same month, in upper state New York, 22-year-old Waheed Mohammad attempted to murder his sister for wearing western clothing. He explained the stabbing by saying that she was “a bad Muslim girl” (“An American Honor Killing,” New York Post, July 23, 2008).

In February 2009, Muzzammil Hassan beheaded his wife, Aasiya, in upstate New York after she filed for divorce. Phyllis Chesler, author of “Are Honor Killings Simply Domestic Violence,” said, “The fierce and gruesome nature of this murder signals it’s an honor killing” (“Beheading Appears to Be Honor Killing, Experts Say,” Fox News, Feb. 17, 2009).

In October 2009, police in Peoria, Arizona, reported that Faleh Hassan Almaleki ran over his daughter because she was becoming too “westernized” (“Police: Strict Iraqi Father Ran Daughter Down,” myfoxphoenix.com, Oct. 22, 2009). Noor, the twenty-year-old woman, was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries and died a couple of weeks later. It had all of the appearances of an “honor killing.”

Recent honor killings in other Western nations include the following:

In August 2010, a Turkish man beat his 20-year-old daughter, Gulsum Semin, to death with a club in Germany. The assistant in the terrible deed was the girl’s own twin brother (“Honour Killing: Father Beat Daughter in Face with Club,” Sydney Morning Herald, Aug. 8, 2010). The young woman had recently had an abortion.

In 2009, Mohammad Shafia was charged with murdering his three teenage daughters (Zainab, Sahari, and Geeti) and his first wife, Rona, in Montreal, Canada. Also charged was Mohammad’s son. The women were found in a car submerged in a canal. Rona’s brother and sister have testified that it was an honor killing (“More on the Canadian Honor Killings,” Atlas Shrugged, July 24, 2009).

In 2008 in Australia, a Muslim man, assisted by his three brothers, shot his daughter to death. They first shot Pela Atroshi twice in the back in an upstairs room. Her mother and sister helped her down the stairs to the lower level, but the men pursued and while the severely wounded girl pled for her life her youngest uncle shot her in the head (“Honor Killing in Australia,” Jihad Watch, April 2008).

In June 2007, a British court found Mahmod Mahmod guilty of murdering his 20-year-old daughter Banaz. She was strangled with a boot lace, stuffed into a suitcase, and buried in a garden. The killing stemmed from her father’s hatred of her Western ways and non-approved boyfriend. An uncle assisted in the murder. Her life had been threatened since her teenage years. Once she ran away from home, but she agreed to come back after her father sent an audio tape warning that he would kill her sisters and mother if she did not return. More than 100 homicides are under investigation as potential honor killings in Britain (“British Court Finds Muslim Father Guilty,” Fox News, June 11, 2007).

Because of an upsurge in Islamic murders in India, the nation’s Home Minister proposed in August 2010 a new law “to provide specific, severe penalties to curb honor killings” (“India Proposes New Law,” Yahoo, Aug. 5, 2010). A study found that as many as 900 honor killings are committed each year in the three northern Indian states of Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh.

The Iranian and Kurdish Women’s Rights Organization says, “We’re seeing an increase around the world, due in part to the rise in Islamic fundamentalism.”

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