In
December 2010, Tunisian protestors filled the streets, sparking a revolution
that resulted in the overthrow of their long-standing dictator, President Zine
el-Abidine Ben Ali. What happened in Tunisia set off an often violent chain
reaction around the Middle East now referred to as the “Arab Spring”, and I
know of no world leader or policy maker who didn’t appear off-guard. But
the rioters weren’t limiting their actions to political ambitions, the
overthrow of national leaders, but their fanned violence targeted western
embassies and religious institutions.
There
are two primary problems with radical Islam. The first is their tendency to
want to murder everyone who follows a different faith. A second serious problem with modern Islam is that those in the general population in the Arab
world, who
are not violent terrorists, are expected to keep silent when terrorism is
committed in the name of their religion.
The White House does not want to call the action in Libya or that
sweeping the Arab states a war. But what is it?
“It is a time-limited, scope-limited military action, in concert with
our international partners, with the objective of protecting civilian life in
Libya from Moammar Gadhafi and his forces,” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said Thursday.
“But not a war?” a reporter asked.
“I’m not going to get into the terminology,” Mr. Carney replied. “I
think what it is certainly not is, as others have said, a large-scale
military—open-ended military action, the kind which might otherwise be
described as a war. There are no ground troops, as the president said. There’s
no land invasion.”
Why then has
the White House officially named
their retaliatory actions as the ‘War on Terror’. These operations
include the use of drones, air attacks, and Special Forces to carry out a
focused, targeted war against AQAM Al Qaeda. The group has declared its
intention to attack Algerian, Spanish, French, and American targets. It has
been designated as a Foreign
Terrorist Organization by the U.S.
Department of State, and similarly classed as a terrorist
organization by the European
Union.
KENYA
MOMBASA, KENYA -- The Salvation
Army church had stood in Mombasa, Kenya’s second largest city, since before the
country was declared independent in 1963. Regulars said they’d always
maintained neighborly relations with the impoverished Muslims who lived around
them. Now that world of harmony was as shattered as the windows lying around
their feet.
"It was
as if there was a war here. Stones were flying," recalled Herbert Kaduki,
an elder of the church. "They were specifically targeting us."
What now?
"We still don’t know," he replied despondently.
Kenya is no
Nigeria, where Muslim-Christian antagonism dominates the nation’s politics and
roils its hinterlands in fatal clashes every year. Kenya, with a booming
economy and a strengthening democracy, is predominantly Christian and the
relationship between that majority and the sizable Muslim minority has been
mostly friendly.
But that
veneer of tolerance was ripped open last week. At least five churches,
including the Salvation Army one in the poor Muslim district of Majengo, were
attacked during heavy rioting, local religious leaders say. Other churches have
been attacked with grenades in separate incidents over the past year.
BY ALAN
BOSWELL
McClatchy
Newspapers
“Part of the building has been burned and most of the corps equipment,
including brass instruments, the sound system and corps flags, has been
destroyed.
Please pray for the corps as it seeks to find a way forward, while
still bringing the love of Jesus to the community, during this time of unrest.”
From TSA, Nairobi, Kenya:
‘Today
I call you to a special prayer for our fellow Salvationists in Kenya. In
consequence of the breakdown of civil order in the city of Mombasa, our corps
of the Salvation Army had suffered extensive damage. Part of the building was
burned and most of the equipment, including wind instruments, sound system and
corps flags were destroyed. Unfortunately, not only the building of the
Salvation Army was attacked, but also to other churches in the settlement. Yet,
in light of such risks, our building after the damage had been used as a place
where people could come and get medical help. Thank God for giving us the
opportunity to remain a bright light, even in the areas affected by the attack!
Our
prayers should be on many levels. Please pray for the body, as it seeks to
address, during the ongoing unrest, while bringing the love of Jesus to people.
Also pray that the light of this religious and ethnic tensions and the peace of
God.’
IHQ
Do we as a movement, numbering just over 1,000,000 soldiers,
realistically believe we can impact or shape policy among a people whose
numbers seek our extinction? Can Christians really trust an Arab movement?
While
there are no easy answers, one thing is clear: The Arab Spring has put
Salvationist in a dilemma.
“Only
the army, as a matter of official policy at his international center, refused
to pass judgment or to make formal comment of any kind upon the warring
parties, or to offer political or moral opinion as to the origins or course of
the conflicts”. (WW II) Shaw Clifton, The Army’s Attitudes to War p160
“Don't suppose that you are under any
obligation to have any opinion as to the righteousness or otherwise of the war…
A pronouncement on these characters not required from you...” William Booth in
the War Cry addressing Salvationist during the Boer war.
Are
we to do nothing as we witness the destruction of our property and abuse of our
brother and sister Salvationists?
Sven Ljungholm
Liverpool, UK
Sven Ljungholm
Liverpool, UK
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