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Crowds flock to Mali's 'religious wall sign' | Crowds flock to Mali's 'religious wall sign' |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Thousands of people in Mali's capital, Bamako, are flocking to see what it believed to a religious sign on a wall that suddenly appeared last weekend. | Thousands of people in Mali's capital, Bamako, are flocking to see what it believed to a religious sign on a wall that suddenly appeared last weekend. |
Many believe the white image on the outside wall of a toilet shows a man praying, interpreting it as a message from God. | Many believe the white image on the outside wall of a toilet shows a man praying, interpreting it as a message from God. |
Riot police have been deployed to keep an eye on the crowd as people queue day and night to see the mark. | Riot police have been deployed to keep an eye on the crowd as people queue day and night to see the mark. |
Most southern Malians are Tijani Muslims, a moderate sect of Sufi Islam. | Most southern Malians are Tijani Muslims, a moderate sect of Sufi Islam. |
''We believe it is a vision of our prophet,'' Aliou Traore, who lives in the compound, told the BBC. | ''We believe it is a vision of our prophet,'' Aliou Traore, who lives in the compound, told the BBC. |
''People have come from Senegal to see it and several Malian government ministers and religious leaders have paid us a visit,'' he said. | ''People have come from Senegal to see it and several Malian government ministers and religious leaders have paid us a visit,'' he said. |
Mr Traore said the mark has been changing shape since it first appeared. | Mr Traore said the mark has been changing shape since it first appeared. |
"Sometimes the white apparition leaves the wall altogether and moves around the compound. Then it goes back,'' he said. | "Sometimes the white apparition leaves the wall altogether and moves around the compound. Then it goes back,'' he said. |
The BBC's Alex Duval Smith in Bamako says people do not have to pay to see the mark but are leaving money in a bucket, which the Traore family say they will give to the local mosque. | The BBC's Alex Duval Smith in Bamako says people do not have to pay to see the mark but are leaving money in a bucket, which the Traore family say they will give to the local mosque. |
When our reporter visited the compound, the mark seemed to look like a drying patch of cement in the shape of a standing woman. | When our reporter visited the compound, the mark seemed to look like a drying patch of cement in the shape of a standing woman. |
Photos of the image have been circulated widely in Bamako by mobile phone since it appeared on Saturday evening, our correspondent says. | Photos of the image have been circulated widely in Bamako by mobile phone since it appeared on Saturday evening, our correspondent says. |
"It's a miracle, I've seen it," schoolteacher Aboubakar Diarra said after looking at the wall. | "It's a miracle, I've seen it," schoolteacher Aboubakar Diarra said after looking at the wall. |
"It's obviously true. It's a sign from God to Mali that our nation is great." | "It's obviously true. It's a sign from God to Mali that our nation is great." |
Followers of Tijani sect - who are mostly found in West Africa - are known for respecting "miracle" signs. |
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