Muslins and Christians casualties in Jos, Plateau state, Nigeria
Like most people, I recently used text messaging to help a worthy cause by texting “Haiti” to 90999 to make several financial donations. Backed by the U.S. State Department, the funds went to support the American Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti. The Red Cross' usage of texting messaging during the Haitian incidence is an opportunity to utilize cell phones to positively change the world.
Recently, the New York Times reported that texting in East and Central Africa has enabled farmers to increase their livelihoods. Farmers receive texts about incoming disease strains, volatile pricing, and weather patterns. Farmers in rural areas are connected to urban centers where markets and commodity brokers influence prices. This urban, rural dialogue is changing farmer’s behavior and their access to global markets. This is a contributing factor to Africa’s cell-phone boom, the largest growth sector in the mobile industry.
Without a doubt, the pros of text messaging far exceed the cons. While the western and civilized worlds are using texting technology to enhance themselves and improve their standard of living, Nigerians appeared to be using it for their own self-destruction. The barbaric and deadly secular killings between Nigerian’s Christian and Muslim communities around Jos, Plateau state in Nigeria are nothing new. However, the mixed of secular violence and inflammatory text messages have taken a turn for the worst. Residence around the city of Jos are receiving hundreds of daily texts message with instructions urging Christians to kill Muslims or urging Muslims to kill Christians. Jos' Police is reporting that the number of deaths in the ongoing clashes have increased to about 500. Recent crisis rekindled after an argument over the rebuilding of homes that were destroyed in the November 2008 clashes. Jos, the capital of Plateau state, lies between Nigeria's mainly Muslim north and predominantly Christian south and has seen sectarian riots in the recent past.
Things have not always been this bad in Nigeria. Nigerians have lived together relatively harmoniously. The situation at the moment is such that, nowhere in the country can be said to be safe from inter-ethnic or secular hostilities. Some experts however see an inverse relationship between the rise in secular violence and Nigeria's rampant corruption and the uneven distribution of the country's natural resources.
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
This is a horrifying example of how easy it is to misuse a piece of technology that was created with no mal-intent. I had no idea that this was going on. I recently wrote an article entitled "Would you mind" that discusses the scientific advancements towards brain controlled devices. When devices like these are created, we encounter a whole host of moral questions and quandries. To think that one could recieve instructions to kill via text is outrageous. I'm linking my article "Would you mind" below. I think that you'll find it interesting.
Thanks for sharing this!
EAB
http://cchronicle.com/2010/01/would-you-mind/