Somalia: Islamic extremism and tribal antagonism

Written by Linda Digby 27 Nov 2015
Somalia: Islamic extremism and tribal antagonism

The militant Islamist group al-Shabaab has publicly declared that it 'wants Somalia free of any Christians'. Those who are suspected of being Christians are frequently killed on the spot. Christians must keep their faith hidden. Believers are isolated, and meet in small groups. They cannot own Bibles, as this could put them in danger. Islam is enshrined as the state religion in the nation's constitution, making apostasy illegal, and those who attack Christians do so with impunity. A believer says, ‘We are experiencing horrible things here every day. It appears that I live in hell on earth. I wish I could just stand inside a church and cry out in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.’ The government is barely functional and the nation is largely governed by a tribal system. Somalia has become a safe haven for Islamic radicalism. But one Somali Christian has regular contact with camel-herders and has given them a radio tuned to a Christian station.

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