Reports about the violence committed against Muslims in the Central African Republic (CAR) have shocked Muslims everywhere. These heinous crimes and images of dead bodies are being exploited to add fuel to the fires of civil strife in the wider region. They are being used to mobilise angry people, threatening to expand the theatre of war. A sober reading of the events is urgently needed to calm people and avoid communal tensions.
Of CAR’s population of more than 4.5 million, around 50 per cent are Christian, 25 per cent hold indigenous beliefs and the remainder 25 per cent are Muslim.
An armed alliance of militias called “Seleka” was formed, mainly of younger Muslims who hold extreme views towards the majority Christian population. In retaliation, an armed militia called “Anti-Balaka” was formed, consisting of younger Christians who hold similarly hostile and extreme views towards the Muslim minority.
Seleka came to power by seizing the capital and effectively deposing the Christian president, Francois Bozize, who himself assumed power by overthrowing the president before him. As Mr Bozize began to sense the threat being posed to his seat of power by the Muslim Seleka rebels, he began inciting the Christian Anti-Balaka militias against Muslims and calling for their killing, falsely claiming that the Seleka were immigrant Arabs who wanted to destroy churches and rule the country.
Seleka removed Mr Bozize only after the French withdrew their support for him after his regime’s financial corruption was exposed, in particular that Mr Bozize gave Chinese companies concessions for oil exploration and opened it up for competition, thus inflaming the anger of the French.
Mohammad Michel Djotodia, Seleka’s leader, assumed power and dissolved the group. But he was unable to rein it in. Many ordinary young Muslims joined Seleka and began hostilities against Christians and churches. They would arrogantly boast about their rule over the country and how they will turn it into a Muslim country, despite their scant devotion to the dictates of Sharia. They operated as gangs.
Local Muslim scholars strongly rejected Seleka’s hostilities towards Christians. Imam Omar Kobine Layama, president of the Central African Muslim community, stood firmly against their criminal activities. Seleka’s leadership threatened Imam Omar and he was exposed to harm but he continued to insist that Christians and their churches be protected. He joined together with the Archbishop of Bangui, Dieudonne Nzapalainga, to call for peace. They went on a tour of European countries to address politicians on the necessity of bringing stability to the country and preventing the armament of the Muslim and Christian militias.
Some members of the community responded to Imam Omar’s call and 30 of them stood to protect the Catholic church in their neighbourhood in the north of Bangui. They would face up to the armed Seleka militiamen and attempt to convince them that the Islam they claim to follow does not authorise them to attack churches. But they were not strong enough to respond to a group feeling victorious and powerful.
Likewise, hordes of Christians joined Anti-Balaka. Confrontations between the two militias intensified. Fighting between armed groups quickly extended to the killing of unarmed citizens, including women and children.
French troops intervened and tried to disarm the militias. It has been reported that there were some inconsistencies in their approach, tipping the balance in favour of Anti-Balaka, and leading to an increase in the killing of Muslims. The Muslim president resigned and a Christian interim president, Catherine Samba-Panza, was sworn in. She announced her determination to stop the killings and asked the world to support her fight against the crimes being committed against Muslims.
In the midst of the this, Christian church leaders came to the aide of Muslims by providing them with refuge and shelter, incurring the wrath of extremist Christians. Xavier Fagba, a priest at the St Peter’s Parish Church in Boali who offered refuge in his church to more than 650 Muslims, said: “Now is the time for men of good will to stand up and prove the strength and quality of their faith.” He added: “When I did this, nobody in the community understood me. They attacked me and threatened me.”
The humanitarian tragedy continues and massacres against defenceless Muslims persist. Thousands have been displaced and dozens of mosques have been destroyed.
But these crimes are not religious in nature. They are political and occur against a backdrop of economic interests. The perpetrators have dressed them with religion to ignite sectarian violence and inflame the zeal of people on both sides.
There must be an immediate end to these violations and help must be hastened to the displaced so they can return to their homes. If serious efforts are not taken, we will likely witness young, angry Muslims responding to the calls of extremist organisations to go to CAR and fight. The sphere of war will expand. Other armed outfits that claim religion, like the Lord’s Resistance Army, will incite angry Christians from around Africa to join. The fire will be lit that will be difficult to extinguish.
It is important that Muslims and Christians take a courageous stand against this futility. Religion is being used again to justify crimes, whether by Muslims who call it jihad or by Christians who claim the cover of religion. We must not surrender to extremists and their pressures and threats, however they may appear – be it smear campaigns or even death threats.
Habib Ali Al Jifri is the founder and chairman of the board of Tabah Foundation in Abu Dhabi, a research institute that explores contemporary issues through a faith-based approach
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
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RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m
Winner: Arjan, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer).
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: Jap Nazaa, Royston Ffrench, Irfan Ellahi.
6pm: Al Ruwais Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 1,200m
Winner: RB Lam Tara, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinal.
6.30pm: Shadwell Gold Cup Prestige Dh125,000 1,600m
Winner: AF Sanad, Bernardo Pinheiro, Khalifa Al Neyadi.
7pm: Shadwell Farm Stallions Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Patrick Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
7.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Dubai Canal, Harry Bentley, Satish Seemar.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
The biog
Name: Gul Raziq
From: Charsadda, Pakistan
Family: Wife and six children
Favourite holes at Al Ghazal: 15 and 8
Golf Handicap: 6
Childhood sport: cricket
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-AMG C63 S Cabriolet
Price, base: Dh429,090
Engine 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission Seven-speed automatic
Power 510hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 700Nm @ 1,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.2L / 100km
Scoreline
Saudi Arabia 1-0 Japan
Saudi Arabia Al Muwallad 63’
A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.
Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.
Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.
Benefits: No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last-16, second leg (first-leg scores in brackets):
PSG (2) v Manchester United (0)
Midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports
Honeymoonish
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SPEC SHEET
Display: 6.8" edge quad-HD dynamic Amoled 2X, Infinity-O, 3088 x 1440, 500ppi, HDR10 , 120Hz
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Memory: 8/12GB RAM
Storage: 128/256/512GB/1TB
Platform: Android 12
Main camera: quad 12MP ultra-wide f/2.2, 108MP wide f/1.8, 10MP telephoto f/4.9, 10MP telephoto 2.4; Space Zoom up to 100x, auto HDR, expert RAW
Video: 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps, full-HD@60fps, HD@30fps, super slo-mo@960fps
Front camera: 40MP f/2.2
Battery: 5000mAh, fast wireless charging 2.0 Wireless PowerShare
Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC
I/O: USB-C
SIM: single nano, or nano and SIM, nano and nano, eSIM/nano and nano
Colours: burgundy, green, phantom black, phantom white, graphite, sky blue, red
Price: Dh4,699 for 128GB, Dh5,099 for 256GB, Dh5,499 for 512GB; 1TB unavailable in the UAE
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
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More on Quran memorisation:
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
More on animal trafficking
The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
