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Nigeria crisis:

• Nigerian declares emergency in restive region | A retired general was put in charge of the central state of Plateau, a region racked for months by sectarian violence (The New York Times)
  
  
• Nigeria to debate state emergency | Nigeria's parliament is set to debate the state of emergency in the central state of Plateau declared by President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday (BBC)
  
  
• President flays Shekarau over Kano riots | President Olusegun Obasanjo has berated Governor Ibrahim She-karau for his handling of the recent Kano riots and advised him to draw a lesson from his tactical miscalculation (Daily Times, Nigeria)
  
  
• Obasanjo declares state of emergency in Plateau | Dariye, deputy, state House of Assembly suspended • Army directed to be on red alert (Daily Times, Nigeria)
  
  
• My suspension, sacrifice for democracy—Dariye | In apparent acceptance of his fate, suspended Plateau State Governor, Chief Joshua Dariye, on Tuesday spoke on his suspension from office, describing it as part of the sacrifice he has to make to foster democracy (Daily Times, Nigeria)
  
  
• Survivors recount experience of Plateau, Kano crises | (Daily Times, Nigeria)
  
  
• Why these recurring religious mayhem? | The operations of security agencies should include close monitoring of religious leaders who preach violence, intolerance and retaliation with the intention to nip their in the bud (Editorial, Daily Times, Nigeria)
  
  
• Obasanjo writes Sultan, Akinola over religious crises | In separate letters, dated May 17 and 18, respectively, president appealed to the two prominent religious leaders to act promptly to stop the incessant crises (Daily Times, Nigeria)
  
  
• Mr. President's Plateau shame | President Obasanjo must guide his utterances, which are tactless and unstatesmanly to say the least (Editorial, P.M. News, Nigeria)
  
  

Nigerian television:

• Crackdown on Nigeria TV miracles | Nigerian broadcasters are no longer allowed to show miracles on television in a way which are not "provable and believable," say the authorities (BBC)
  
  
• A man and his religion | When the NBC came up with their ban of on-air miracles a few weeks back, it was clear, in retrospect, that they expected much opposition. It was clear, also, that they were well prepared for this opposition, and the frame of their organizational mind was to push it to the very end (Morenike Taire, Vanguard, Lagos, Nigeria)
  
  

Religious freedom:

• China crackdown on a million-member house church | Leader kidnapped, over fifty coworkers arrested, and one tortured to death (Press release, The Committee for Investigation on Persecution of Religion in China)
  
  
• Eritrea slammed over human rights | Religious persecution and ill treatment of those trying to avoid military service are increasing, according to a new report by Amnesty International (BBC)
  
  
• More clashes expected in Maluku islands | Indonesia could face new bloodshed between Christians and Muslims in the Maluku islands ahead of July's national presidential election, an international think-tank warned yesterday (AFP)
  
  
• Thugs force cleric to close church's doors | A church has been forced to cancel an open-doors session over fears parishioners would be injured by vandals throwing bottles and planks of wood (Evening News, Scotland)
  
  

Gay marriage:

• Gay marriage foes work to reverse ruling | The election battle will be waged on two main fronts: an effort nationally to elect congressional candidates supporting a constitutional ban on gay marriage, and an effort in Massachusetts to tilt the balance in the Legislature by ousting 10 to 20 lawmakers who opposed a state ban (Associated Press)
  
  

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May (Web-only) 2004, Vol. 48