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| Africa: East | |
| U.S. Tries to Win Over Kenyan Muslims | |
| 2003-11-22 | |
| More cheery news. EFL. In the medieval alleys of this old stone town, U.S. soldiers are lending a hand - stitching up cuts, fixing the plumbing at a girls’ school — and watching every smile for signs of breaking ice. But in coming to a Muslim community that U.S. officials fear is al-Qaida territory, the soldiers are struggling against powerful currents. Many in Kenya’s Muslim minority are deeply suspicious of the United States, their distrust fed by TV images of violence in Iraq and the West Bank, and by preachers telling them America is bent on destroying Islam. Even the best intentions get misread. After the troops fixed the plumbing at the Lamu Girls’ Secondary School, rumors spread that they had poisoned the water.
They apparently are also slow to learn. Lamu was once ruled by sultans from the Arabian peninsula, and the town has benefited from Saudi funding of mosques, schools and the hospitals. Many in the town of about 20,000 speak basic Arabic, so they can understand Arab TV stations that ``are not showing the good side of America,’’ Sharriff said. Boy, those Saudis sure do fund a whole bunch of mosques! They’re everywhere! Apart from a steady stream of Iraq and West Bank footage, they also carry American TV shows such as ``Buffy the Vampire Slayer,’’ which don’t go down too well in a deeply traditional society. "Fatuma! Lookeedat!" ``The devil! It is from the devil!’’ shouted Fatuma, an elderly veiled woman, whose teenage daughter is a Buffy fan. Mom’s a lost cause but maybe Babykins will give us a chance. American commanders say that by mixing into the 5-15 percent Muslim minority in Kenya, the soldiers can learn about an unfamiliar culture and showcase their own. ``When we reach out, both sides see the human angle,’’ said Maj. Ralph Engeler of the 478th, speaking from Camp Lemonier in Djibouti. Engeler said he could understand the skeptical reception in Lamu, but ``I think that by having a better understanding of each others’ cultures ... we may be able to deny terrorists the ability to prey on the more desolate areas, the poor areas, where they become embedded very easily.’’ In late July, the soldiers set up shop at Lamu’s King Fahd District Hospital, named after the Saudi king, and began performing routine medical checkups and lifesaving surgery, including an emergency Caesarean section. In early September, temporary medical and veterinary clinics opened in Wajir, an isolated town just 60 miles from Somalia, a nation also said to be an al-Qaida haven. The soldiers - who don’t wear uniforms in town - have fixed the school’s plumbing and rebuilt the slippery waterfront steps to the wooden dhows that are the main coastal transport. Whole western notion of charity and good works just isn’t going to sell easily in this part of the world. Lamu’s ambivalence was evident in conversation with Fahima Ahmed, a soft-spoken 17-year-old student at the school who dismissed the rumors of poisoned water. ``Of course we are thankful that the soldiers are helping us,’’ she said. ``But that doesn’t mean America is not killing Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan. It does not mean Muslims and Americans can always be on the same side.’’ Won’t know til you try, Fahima. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #8 - Re. propaganda : what has always surprized me is the clumsiness and ineffectiveness of the various US countercampaigns or "friendly" psyops. You're supposed to be the leading "soft power", yet you are seemingly unable to conciously project a better image. I simply can't understand it. - Re. chrisitanity : even if antagonizing the muslim world is to be avoided, religion should be accounted when prioritizing aid, trade, ties, and the like. There is a deliberate effort by some (you know who) muslims to set up a global non-reciprocity (christian NGO will help muslims, but islamic NGO will only help muslims, religious freedom is expected for muslim in non-muslim area, but denied to non-muslims in most islamic countries, etc, etc...). This has to be countered in some way, if only to re-establish a balance (help to the south-sudaneses, anyone? To the christian minority in Pakland?...). European simply cannot, for many reasons, even begin to formulate this demand; GWB seems to be the perfect candidate for this. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-11-22 3:27:28 PM |
| #7 Nothing beats sheer jealousy and envy: "You think we're Christian Crusader Infidels? Fine, we'll just move on down the road to the nearest Christian town, set up shop, and start helping THEM." Six months of "Christian brothers" helping each other, and they'll be so green with envy, they'll be demanding equal time. Normally, they'd take out their frustrations by rioting and burning a few Christian Churches (and Christians), but they wouldn't dare with US Soldiers in town. They'll just sit and do what Muslims do best when outdone: Seethe. |
| Posted by: Ptah 2003-11-22 1:45:23 PM |
| #6 I say f*ck all this. We see it as bridge-building good samaratanism. They see it as servitude and demand it as their right. Let them live or die as their ability allows. |
| Posted by: BH 2003-11-22 11:51:32 AM |
| #5 I missed something. I didn't realize that we were in Kenya. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2003-11-22 11:44:04 AM |
| #4 I am just trying to reconcile the belief that women are breeders to them watching Buffy. Maybe that is the way to the hearts and minds of Islamic women -- a small, blond, kick-ass, woman who stands up against evil supernatural forces. |
| Posted by: SamIII 2003-11-22 10:28:54 AM |
| #3 The house of Saud needs renovating, downsizing in the Arabian economy |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-11-22 10:09:29 AM |
| #2 Saudi subversion is going on in America. The more hostile the mosque or Islamic Center that is built, the more local politicians (AKA: whores) attend opening ceremonies. In New Jersey, locals fight construction of mosques. Now, that's a great State! |
| Posted by: Vlad the Muslim Impaler 2003-11-22 7:22:51 AM |
| #1 The chutzpah. He didn't care about Muslims being gassed by Saddam, starved to death by Taliban or cut to pieces in Algeria. And the little Uncle Tom doesn't seem to acre about the blacks being killed and raped by Muslims in Sudan and other places. |
| Posted by: JFM 2003-11-22 4:03:39 AM |