"Peace is more than the absence of war. Peace is accord. Harmony." -Laini Taylor
Africa is a continent riddled with civil wars and strife. If a nation is not at war or in the middle of a violent conflict, then we sometimes overlook the concerns that are happening within them for more obvious issues. While it may not be so obvious, change is happening in Tanzania and not all of it is good. For many years the people of Tanzania have lived in harmony with one another; the Christians, Muslims, and Animalists each representing a third of the population. Since no one group can claim a majority hold over the nation, the government has no political agenda that favors one over the other. However, in recent years, militant Muslims in the North of Africa have been pouring resources into the East African nations to radicalize the Muslim populations there and to wipe out any trace of Christianity. Attacks are on the rise and destruction of church property is no longer a surprise. While the country may be experiencing a break down of harmony, the church is growing in unity. The attacks have only served to bring the Christian community together even more as they pray for faith to see them through their coming trials. As we pray for Tanzania this month, let us not forget that our God is faithful; He walks with us through the valleys, and no matter what we may face, we are never alone.
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Tanzania
Basic Info: Tanzania is a country slightly larger than twice the size of California in Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique. It is comprised of mainland Tanganyika and the offshore islands of Zanzibar and Pemba (2,460 sq km). The population is 48,261,942 (July 2013 est.) people; the mainland is 99% African (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of more than
130 tribes), and the other 1% consists of Asian, European, and Arab.
Zanzibar is a mixture of Arab, African, and mixed Arab and African. There are a total of 127 languages, but Swahili is the official language and English is the official language primarily used for commerce, administration, and higher education. Only 2% speak only Swahili and no local African language. Arabic is widely spoken in Zanzibar. About 26% of the population is urban. The average life expectancy is 60 years, but that is in part to AIDS. Besides AIDS, some problems this country faces are soil degradation, deforestation, desertification, destruction of coral
reefs threatens marine habitats, recent droughts affected marginal
agriculture, and wildlife is threatened by illegal hunting and trade,
especially for ivory. The International Maritime Bureau reports that shipping in territorial
and offshore waters in the Indian Ocean remain at risk for piracy and
armed robbery against ships, especially as Somali-based pirates extend
their activities south. Numerous commercial vessels have been attacked
and hijacked both at anchor and while underway. Crews have been robbed
and stores or cargoes stolen. Tanzania still hosts more than a half million refugees, more than any
other African country, mainly from Burundi and the Democratic Republic
of the Congo, despite the international community's efforts at
repatriation; refugees (country of origin): 67,549 (Burundi) (2011); 62,978 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (2012). The country is also targeted by traffickers moving hashish, Afghan heroin, and South
American cocaine transported down the East African coastline, through
airports, or overland through Central Africa. Zanzibar likely used by
traffickers for drug smuggling. Traffickers in the past have recruited
Tanzanian couriers to move drugs through Iran into East Asia.
Government: Shortly after achieving independence from Britain in the early 1960s,
Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the nation of Tanzania in 1964.
One-party rule ended in 1995 with the first democratic elections held in
the country since the 1970s. Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and
popular opposition have led to two contentious elections since 1995,
which the ruling party won despite international observers claims of
voting irregularities. The formation of a government of national unity
between Zanzibar's two leading parties succeeded in minimizing
electoral tension in 2010. The country is a republic
and legislative
offices have been transferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new
national capital, and the National Assembly now meets there on a regular
basis. The Executive Branch with all ministries and diplomatic
representation remains located in Dar es Salaam. The President of Tanzania is Jakaya Kikwete, but Zanzibar
also elects a president who is head of government for matters internal to
Zanzibar, who currently is Ali Mohamed Shein. The National Assembly or Bunge is unicameral. There are 357
seats: 239 members elected by popular vote, 102 allocated to women
nominated by the president, 5 to members of the Zanzibar House of
Representatives. Besides enacting laws that apply to the entire
United Republic of Tanzania, the Assembly enacts laws that apply only to
the mainland. Zanzibar has its own House of Representatives with
jurisdiction exclusive to Zanzibar (the Zanzibar House of
Representatives has 50 seats).
Economy: Tanzania is one of the world's poorest economies in terms of per capita
income, and about 36% of the population is below the poverty line. However, it has achieved high overall growth rates based on
gold production and tourism. Tanzania has mostly completed its
transition to a liberalized market economy, though the government
retains a presence in sectors such as telecommunications, banking,
energy, and mining. The economy depends on agriculture, which accounts
for more than one-quarter of GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs
about 80% of the work force. The World Bank, the IMF, and bilateral
donors have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's aging economic
infrastructure, including rail and port infrastructure that are
important trade links for inland countries. The
financial sector in Tanzania has expanded in recent years and
foreign-owned banks account for about 48% of the banking industry's
total assets. Competition among foreign commercial banks has resulted in
significant improvements in the efficiency and quality of financial
services, though interest rates are still relatively high, reflecting
high fraud risk. All land in Tanzania is owned by the government, which
can lease land for up to 99 years. Proposed reforms to allow for land
ownership, particularly foreign land ownership, remain unpopular.
Continued donor assistance and solid macroeconomic policies supported a
positive growth rate, despite the world recession. In 2008, Tanzania
received the world's largest Millennium Challenge Compact grant, worth
$698 million, and in December 2012 the Millennium Challenge Corporation
selected Tanzania for a second Compact. Dar es Salaam used fiscal
stimulus and loosened monetary policy to ease the impact of the global
recession. GDP growth in 2009-12 was a respectable 6% per year due to
high gold prices and increased production.
Religion: mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim
The strong church planting movement in
Tanzania has, since the 1980s, brought about new agencies within the country
and a greater level of partnership between nationals and expatriate
missionaries. There is a strong focus on planting new churches and
reaching the remaining unevangelized peoples of Tanzania, with much
fruit evident in recent years among animist and Muslim populations. Swahili is
used in 96% of church services even though it is not the heart
language of the majority. Pray for the development of songs, teaching
and resources in the first languages of all Tanzania’s peoples. AIDS continues
to spread and affect many. It has now afflicted over 1.7 million (8.8%
of the population) and orphaned over one million children. Tanzania’s
social fabric and economic structure are deeply affected. There are
several initiatives led by religious and church communities for
prevention, counseling and care.
Militant Muslims have been on the rise in Tanzania. One teenager, Eva Abdullah, converted from Islam to Christianity, and her parents disowned her and a group of radicals in her hometown of Bagher amoyo tried to persuade her to renounce her Christian faith. When she refused, they falsely accused her of desecrating a Quran. Many Christian leaders were afraid to defend Eva because of Muslim dominance in the district, and her father is a district Islamic leader. Eva was sentenced to two years in prison by a judge who was allegedly bribed by Islamic militants. A year after Eva had been in prison, the blasphemy charges
against her were acquitted by the High Court of Tanzania. A VOM
contact in the region believes that it was because of the prison letters that Eva received that helped to free her. Christians in Tanzania have lost churches, homes, cars and
livestock in a series of recent attacks, and some have received physical
injuries. In the most recent attack, Muslims returning from worship at a mosque
in October burned a car belonging to Bishop Muhiche of the Tanzania
Assemblies of God church. After burning his car, the extremists moved on to
destroy the pastor’s church. “Police had to intervene, but it was too late,” said a VOM
contact. “They had to use a helicopter to help some Christians escape the
attacks. When I went there, we were confronted by the police using tear-gas
bombs to scatter the attackers.” Muslims tried to keep the incident quiet by confiscating
journalists’ video cameras, but the news was still broadcast on all the local
television stations.
Most recently, on June 2, the home of Pastor Robert Ngai in Geita town,
northeastern Tanzania, was attacked by a large group of radical Muslims. The
attackers broke into the home and attacked Pastor Ngai with machetes. The
pastor received serious cuts on his hands and arms when he raised his arms to
protect his head from the blows. Doctors at the local hospital said the
injuries were beyond their ability to treat, and urged that he be rushed to a
hospital in a nearby, larger city for treatment. At last word from VOM contacts, he was still in ICU. Geita town
is less than 50 miles from Buseresere, the city where Pastor Mathayo Kachili
was killed by radical Muslims in February. Two nights before the attack on Pastor Ngai, the home of Pastor
Daudi Nzumbi in Geita also came under attack. Pastor Nzumbi leads the Free
Pentecostal Church of Tanzania (FPCT) congregation in Geita. Thankfully, the
attackers fled after they were confronted by Pastor Nzumbi’s large, barking
dogs. When Pastor Nzumbi heard his dogs barking, he looked out the
window and saw the attackers. He called the police, but the officer in charge
told him, “I cannot protect every pastor!”
VOM contacts are working to get more details on these
attacks, and to offer encouragement and assistance to these two pastors and
other Christians in Tanzania affected by violent Islamic attacks.
Info compiled from CIAWorldFactBook "Tanzania"; Operation World "Tanzania"
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Invest Africa Episode 10: Tanzania
Tanzania: Islamic Persecutors Target Christian Pastors
Tanzanian Christians to Obama: "Please speak out"
Saturday, July 13, 2013
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