Timbuktu women protest against militants' imposition of strict sharia law - Polidicks

[url]http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/10/06/uk-mali-crisis-timbuktu-idUKBRE8950A620121006[/url] [quote=Reuters][B]More than 100 women marched against the imposition of strict Islamic law in the northern Malian town of Timbuktu on Saturday, but were dispersed by gunmen linked to al Qaeda firing shots in the air, witnesses said.[/B] Islamists linked to al Qaeda's North African wing, AQIM, have been in control of the fabled desert town since April and have steadily imposed their interpretation of sharia law, banning music and forcing women to cover themselves with veils. Women gathered in the main square late morning and were due to march around the town but they were stopped by gunfire. "Life has become more and more difficult with these people," Cisse Toure, one of the protesters, told Reuters by telephone. "We are tired. They impose veils on us and now they are hunting us like bandits for not wearing them," she added. Estimates for the number of women who took part ranged from 100-300. Sanda Ould Bounama, a spokesman for the Islamists confirmed a protest had taken place but was not able to give any further details. Islamist group Ansar Dine is officially in charge of the town but the group has maintained close links with AQIM since a mix of secular and Islamist gunmen routed Malian government forces, seizing the north of the country six months ago. The Islamists have since defeated the secular Tuareg rebels and are in full control of the desert zone. They have been imposing strict Islamic law, including the amputation of limbs of suspected criminals, sparking localised protests by a population that has long practise a more tolerant brand of Islam.[/quote]

there you have it folks, islam spread like flesh eating bacteria and with each day the democratic antibiotics effectiveness is reduced to almost nothing, we must march the peoples to liberty and euthanize these oppressors! drama aside, i'm not fresh on Timbuktu politics, but wouldn't the government side with the people on this and at least try to make right?

[QUOTE=DrBreen;37937825]drama aside, i'm not fresh on Timbuktu politics, but wouldn't the government side with the people on this and at least try to make right?[/QUOTE] The government only controls the southern half of the country, because the rest was seized by Islamist militants earlier this year. The army has been unable to defeat them and the UN is considering an ECOWAS military intervention plan

oh shit that's fucked up

Islam the religion of "Peace". [highlight](User was banned for this post ("Meme crap" - Starpluck))[/highlight]

[QUOTE=SilverKnight;37938765]Islam the religion of "Peace".[/QUOTE] It is when it isn't in the minds of fundamentalists.

Wait, Timbuktu is a real county? I thought it was just a made up term for somewhere really out of the way.

[QUOTE=Rents;37938863]Wait, Timbuktu is a real county? I thought it was just a made up term for somewhere really out of the way.[/QUOTE] Timbuktu is a city in Mali, a West African country. Mali is in a civil-war at the moment, Northern area is under the control of Islamist rebels and the Army is trying to retake it.

I thought the dark ages ended a long-ass time ago

[QUOTE=SilverKnight;37938765]Islam the religion of "Peace". [highlight](User was banned for this post ("Meme crap" - Starpluck))[/highlight][/QUOTE] Oh this is a meme now? Thank God, I was tired of seeing that continuously spewed out in every Islam related thread by closet racists.

[QUOTE=Rents;37938863]Wait, Timbuktu is a real county? I thought it was just a made up term for somewhere really out of the way.[/QUOTE] I used to think this too. Bloody 'Aristocats'

[QUOTE=DaysBefore;37939392]Oh this is a meme now? Thank God, I was tired of seeing that continuously spewed out in every Islam related thread by closet racists.[/QUOTE] Half the time I see it it's SilverKnight doing it anyway.

[QUOTE=Rents;37939525]Half the time I see it it's SilverKnight doing it anyway.[/QUOTE] Also a lot of Scandinavians.

[QUOTE=DrBreen;37937825]there you have it folks, islam spread like flesh eating bacteria and with each day the democratic antibiotics effectiveness is reduced to almost nothing, we must march the peoples to liberty and euthanize these oppressors! drama aside, i'm not fresh on Timbuktu politics, but wouldn't the government side with the people on this and at least try to make right?[/QUOTE] The government has been evicted from those areas by an islamist secular coalition. Said coalition then split and the secularists got defeated by the orthodox islamists. The interesting part here is though, that the islamist don't have support of the population compared to the case with a lot of rebel movements.

[QUOTE=salty peanut v2;37938914]I thought the dark ages ended a long-ass time ago[/QUOTE] The irony in your post is, during the medieval ages, Timbuktu had one of the greatest universities in the world at the time.