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Articles on political and social issues in Cameroon, Africa and the world as seen by Njei Moses Timah > The London Bombings-A Stab On The Back Of Africa (World)


8 Jul 2005

The London Bombings-A Stab On The Back Of Africa

 

The timing of the terrorist attack of July 7th on London’s transport system could not have occurred at a worse time for the world and for Africa in particular. For whatever reason the terrorists choose to launch their attack on this day, it is clear that their victims are not only the dead and wounded on London’s street but include millions of ordinary people all over the world.

This attack coincided with the time the G8 leaders were meeting in Scotland to take historic decisions on issues of poverty, AIDS and global warming. The future of millions of people in Africa depended on the outcome of decisions of this summit. For Africans and their sympathizers, the timing of the bombings was intended to sabotage the arrangements being put in place on their behalf as the African agenda could have been put on a back burner because of the development.

According to the British government, the attacks bore the “hallmark of Al Qaeda”. It was also reported that a little known group claimed that the bombings was ‘revenge’ against British policy in Iraq. If this is true, I fail to see how Al Qaeda stands to gain from slaughtering innocent ordinary people in a heterogeneous city like London.

We know that the invasion and occupation of Iraq has given some Islamic militant groups a ‘cause celebre’ to maim and kill in the name of jihad. Most people including me believe it was wrong to invade Iraq. I can clearly remember that multitudes of people turned out on the streets of London to protest against this Iraqi war. They even burnt the effigy of George Bush.

It beats my imagination that the terrorists choose to murder these ordinary people who generally were opposed to their government’s actions in Iraq and use the Iraqi cause for justification. Killing innocent people for whatever reason is wrong. Killing them for the reasons advanced above is doubly wrong.

Whoever is behind this attack should know that his sword has not only pierced the hearts of families in London but has also stabbed the backs of millions of Africans.

Copyright ã2005 by Njei Moses Timah

Njei Moses Timah [e-mail]