Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Flash Point?

I'm getting a bad feeling in my water about developments in the horn of Africa. What I worry about is the correlation of conflicts there with Moslem/Christian tension as the whole continent grows ever more segragated along religious lines.

Whether or not it is strictly correct, it is certainly tempting to view Ethiopia's intervention in Somalia as a fight between an ancient Christian country and the Council of Islamic Courts.

I've read that Africa is about 40% Muslim and 40% Christian, with the Muslims concentrated in the North, and the Christians clustered in the South.

Take a look at this table of Islamic population in Africa by country. Amazingly in1900 there were about 9 million Christians in all of Africa, but by the year 2000 that number had grown to 380 million.

What's going to happen when that demographic tidal wave from sub Saharan Africa starts colliding with a radicalised post 9/11 North?

No comments: