Liberia's Muslims oppose Christian state proposals

Lorraine Caballero Monday, March 14, 2016

Women from a evangelical Christian community locally referred to as 'prayer warriors' celebrate after the WHO declared the country Ebola-free in Monrovia, Liberia, May 9, 2015. | REUTERS / James Giahyue

Liberia's Muslim community does not want a proposal for a new Christian state to push through, saying they fear an increase of religious intolerance.

For National Muslim Council of Liberia (NMCL) Secretary-General Sheikh Akibu Sheriff, the proposal to declare Liberia as a Christian state only aims to give preference to Christianity. He said the move will alienate other community members from another faith, Africa News reports.

After hearing that the Liberian Council of Churches (LCC) had expressed support for the Christian state proposals, the NMCL pulled out of the Inter-Religious Council of Liberia (IRCL) on Friday.

"It has become unequivocally clear to the Muslim community of Liberia that the Council of Churches has embarked on a carefully crafted plan to declare Liberia a Christian nation," said Sheriff.

The Muslim community of Liberia has released a draft of a resolution in the wake of the news about the LCC's support for the proposition. The group threatened to boycott the forthcoming referendum if the proposal to declare Liberia as a Christian state is not removed from the provisions, Front Page Africa Online relays.

The statement released by the Imam Council also says the boycott will be followed by other acts of civil disobedience. While they appreciate the mutual tolerance among Liberians from different religious backgrounds, the council said they are against the country being officially labeled a Christian state.

"The National Imam council of Liberia calls upon the Economic Community of West African states (ECOWAS), the African Union and the United Nations to help Liberians once more against people of Liberia who are once and again sowing seeds of bitterness and civil unrest," the Imam Council said in the statement.

However, LCC president Bishop Jonathan B. B. Hart has denied reports saying they have expressed support for the Christian state proposal. He explained that the LCC had tasked a committee to look into the proposition when it was brought up during the Gbarnga Conference, according to Star Africa.

In addition, Bishop Hart emphasized that the council has not yet announced a decision regarding the proposition.