DATE=5/24/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=NIGERIA / CLASHES (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-262773
BYLINE=LUIS RAMIREZ
DATELINE=ABIDJAN
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: News reports from northern Nigeria say clashes
between Muslims and Christians have killed at least 50
people in recent days. V-O-A's Luis Ramirez reports
from our West Africa bureau.
TEXT: The riots in Kaduna are the worst sectarian
violence in Nigeria since February, when hundreds of
people were killed in Kaduna in rioting over the
proposed introduction of Islamic Sharia law in the
state.
Eyewitnesses say the latest attacks took place Monday
and Tuesday. But it remains unclear how extensive the
violence was, or how many people may have died.
// OPT // Reuters news agency reports the violence
may have been sparked by the death of a Christian in
Kaduna earlier this week. Reuters and the French news
agency have also reported death tolls of more than 200
people. However, none of these reports has been
independently confirmed. // END OPT //
Following the sectarian violence in Kaduna in
February, Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo called
for restraint and dialogue between Christians and
Muslims.
The Nigerian government has also been trying to
persuade several other northern states that have
adopted Sharia law to reconsider, and return to using
a secular legal code.
But so far, these appeals have not won any
concessions from pro-Sharia states like Zamfara, where
an Islamic court carried out the first Sharia
execution in January.
Muslim supporters of Sharia defend the strict legal
code, saying they should be allowed to implement
Islamic teachings in all aspects of their lives.
Supporters also maintain Sharia will apply only to
Muslims. However, Christians remain skeptical, saying
they fear Sharia could infringe on their own rights to
worship freely. (Signed)
NEB/LR/JWH/WTW
24-May-2000 15:43 PM EDT (24-May-2000 1943 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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