36 dead in Nigeria church attacks, rioting

Someone is playing a very dangerous game.

The same old pattern. A handful of Muslims attack a church, so Christians go out and attack some Muslims who had nothing to do with it, thus drawing otherwise peaceful Muslims into the conflict and sowing discord that will benefit Boko Haram. This is how terrorists win.

Both sides need to go attack Boko Haram instead.

@IncenseAndPeppermints

You're assuming that both sides are reasonable smart people, which they clearly aren't.

The Muslims kill Christians, then Christians go and kill Muslims, back and forth back and forth, horrible! Time to make 2 new countries?? One for Muslims?? One for Christians??

You're assuming that both sides are reasonable smart people

Where did I assume that??? In fact, I think these backward brainless people will continue to attack each other with machete gangs and do exactly what Boko Haram wants them to do.

Ouch, Sounds like a place that will soon attract Al Qaeda "reinforcement". This can't be good. On a side note, here comes the image bug again, this time with 11 thumbnails instead of 54

Quote Elbuda: "The Muslims kill Christians, then Christians go and kill Muslims, back and forth back and forth, horrible! Time to make 2 new countries?? One for Muslims?? One for Christians??"

Erm, ...that is exactly what Boko Haram want and why they are doing this. So you just hand them half of your country as a reward for their violence, in the meantime setting an example for all other crazies in the world to go out and copy?

So you just hand them half of your country as a reward for their violence, in the meantime setting an example for all other crazies in the world to go out and copy?

I think you should think less of "handing out rewards", and, for the sake of the innocent people dying for the sake of standing tough, allow people the right of self-determination. There is no reason to hand Boko Haram "half the country" anyway. The lands they control is quite enough. If it saves lives, let them have their own little fiefdom.

I&P, if you look at the map and read the news they often say the north of Nigeria, as if it is actually about half of the country. The problem is, this is nothing to do with self-determination. Boko Haram, well three different factions of them, are located in different areas of the country and none of them represent the people there. Loads of money and weapons and fighters have also come in from outside. A radical group is attempting to set off ethnic cleansing on a massive scale and literally divide the country in half. This reminds me of the movement towards the deadly partitioning of India and Pakistan and the mass killings that ensued.

PS Aside from that I agree with your sentiments, I&P.

So Nigeria should learn from the Hindus in India and the Muslims in Pakistan??

Is that a rhetorical question? I don't think either the Hindus or the Muslims have learnt the most important thing for world peace, ie how to overcome their religious differences, so no.

In considering a split-up of their own country, Nigeria might look at India and see that there are still internal bloody riots between Muslims and Hindus.

Nigeria might also see that Pakistan and India share so much in common and yet they are constantly at war with each other along their common borders.

Perhaps the present leaders of Nigeria might learn something they did not already know? Possibly. But giving in to an armed group, Boko Haram will not lead to any kind of solution for ordinary folks living there, I can imagine.

@IncensedAndPeppermints

Ok. I thought you were suggesting these two groups would come together or something. My bad.