While the world was focused on the spectacular terrorist attacks in Mumbai over the Thanksgiving holiday, equally brutal attacks were taking place in Nigeria. At last count, over 200 people had been killed in sectarian violence which erupted following a rumor that the mostly Muslim, All Nigerian People's Party had lost an election to the mostly Christian, People's Democratic Party. The violence has also resulted in widespread property damage and the displacement of thousands of people now living in refuge camps.
News from Africa is hard to find in most of our country's major newspapers and television networks. As huge a continent as it is, it is easy to ignore. Africa's problems are so numerous and complicated that they can leave one feeling discouraged and helpless. I suppose that most people would rather not know. But they are our brothers and sisters. Who knows how their poverty and violence will eventually spill over to affect us. We chose to ignore Afghanistan's problems until we realized what a nest of terrorist violence it had become. Africa's problems will eventually affect us in ways which will be impossible to disregard.
For those interested in learning more about current events in Africa, I've found the best sources to be the BBC and the Christian Science Monitor.
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