Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi:

Unarmed Shiite Nigerians attacked by fully armed force

Rasa – Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi has condemned the massacre of a large number of Shi’a Muslims in Nigeria saying: "The Nigerian army attacked a number of Shi’a Muslims, who were totally unarmed, with full force.”

News ID: 3687

Date: 16 December 2015 - 18:36

RNA – At the beginning of his advanced jurisprudence course at Qom’s Grand Mosque, Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem-Shirazi referred to the tragic crime of the killing of a large number of Shi’a Muslims in Nigeria, saying: “The Nigerian army attacked a number of Shi’a Muslims, who were totally unarmed, with full force.”

The revered source of emulation added: “The actual reason why they were massacred was that they had taken part in a peaceful procession, in which millions of people had taken part, to mark Arba’een.”

His Eminence further stated: “What is wrong with such a peaceful religious gathering that justifies opening fire on a large number of innocent people, including Shaykh Ibrahim al-Zakzaky the leader of Shi’a Muslims in Nigeria, killing some of his relatives and family members and wounding and capturing him? This is while last year the Nigerian army killed three of Shaykh al-Zakzaky’s sons in a single day!”

Emphasizing that the Muslim world should announce public mourning in solidarity with the Muslims of Nigeria, and that an emergency conference must be held by the Muslims in this regard, Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi noted: “Is it not the responsibility of the Organization of the Islamic Conference to hold a meeting regarding a critical issue like this and hold the Nigerian government accountable for this?”

Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi then noted: “The leader of the Shi’a Muslims of Nigeria must be immediately released and the perpetrators of this heinous atrocity must be put on trial and punished for their crimes.”

Criticizing the double standards of the human rights organizations and other responsible international organizations, His Eminence stated: “Why has the international community, which reacted so severely to the Paris incidents by condemning them, remained silent in the face of this horrendous crime? Surely any act of killing innocent people is condemned, regardless of where and against whom it is committed, but is the life of Europeans more valuable than that of the Muslims?”

Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi: “The real enemy of the people of Nigeria is the Boko-Haram terrorist group, which is armed with various kinds of weapons and has committed countless atrocities, not the peaceful and unarmed Shi’a Muslims who love their own country.”

He added: “We are sure that all those who perpetrated this unspeakable crime, as well as those who encouraged it, will ultimately receive their due punishment.”

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