Nigeria is currently number 12 on a list of 30 countries at risk to have mass killings and one of eight countries with mass killings under way, as compiled by the Early Warning Project and the Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide. Mass killing is defined as deliberate actions of armed groups that result in the deaths of at least 1000 noncombatant civilians, targeted as part of a group, in 12 months or less. These countries are all in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. What is behind this widespread violence erupting in so many places?

The geographic distribution of major pockets of hatred and violent recrimination is a legacy of history, because those areas of the world have, in general, suffered the most for the longest period of time. They have, as a consequence, a much deeper and more difficult karmic history of strife and suffering at the hands of others, following millennia of tribal warfare and willingness to eliminate perceived adversaries who compete in territorial disputes. That dark history makes members of those societies quite vulnerable to mind control manipulation to heighten tensions, and ramp up passions when differences arise and there are looming threats, at least in the perceptions, from encroachment by neighbors. When this leads to armed conflict, that bad blood becomes a legacy, not only culturally, with expectations being handed down that other factions are to be avoided or destroyed if feasible, but the ongoing tensions will be stirred up further by the Law of Karma wanting to resolve what has been set in motion and will bring the issue up for those people with an intent for it to get healing attention. Unfortunately, all too often that can lead to a worsening of things when people have no good guidance and role models to follow when their own religious leaders are cheering on a holy war as an answer for disputes. With the growth of the Secular Movement and the fading of religion, there is a slow conversion of people to the promotion of selfish interests and that is no better than following a false teaching offered to people of faith. The willingness to resort to violence not only makes people dangerous as individuals, but all too often, encourages them to come together as a mob or a kind of religious vigilante group seeking vengeance or retribution for perceived wrongdoing that might be quite real. We always argue against fighting fire with fire. As Gandhi stated about revenge so eloquently, “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” The same strengths that make people capable, and powerful, and able to defend themselves, can be turned to an offensive purpose when unleashed against a foe inappropriately. This is what the interlopers will do again and again to sow discord and hatreds so people harm one another. It serves the interlopers as an amusement because of their depravity. All those individuals and cultural groups simply do not realize they are being lowered by the interlopers to become like them—heartless and savage.