By Mark Neywon Mengonfia, mmenginfia@gmail.com
Muslims in Liberia are demanding two Islamic festivals to be legislated by the Liberian legislature.
On Tuesday, August 4, 2020, a group of Muslims walked to the grounds of Capitol carrying plackets with wordings such as ” Stop discriminations against Muslims, we want holiday for Muslims.”
The group under the canopy” Movement for Islamic Holiday In Liberia” said in their petition to House’s Committee on Claims and Petition that they are seeking their intervention to ensure that Eid al-Fitr known as Ramadan Day and Eid- Edha also known as Abraham day be set aside as national holiday.
They said like it is done in other 14 other West African Countries, Liberia with 12.2 percent of Muslims should copy same. Reading the statement on behalf of the group, Ayouba Dauda Swary said.
“Liberia is a secular state with 12.2% Muslims and 85.5% Christian, and Cape Verde, a secular state with 85.3% Christians, 1.8% Muslims are the only two countries in West Africa that are not observing holidays for Muslims.”
He said Niger with 99% Muslims and 1% Christians, Mali with 95% Muslims and 2% Christians, Gamba with 96% Muslims and 3% Christians, Senegal with 95% Muslims and 4% Christians, Guinea with 85% Muslims and 8% Christians have holidays for their Christian Brothers and sisters.
“It is saddened that our dearest Country Liberia, as a secular state with whole 12.2% Muslims, Islamic holidays are considered an abomination; which should not be at all! Fellow Liberians, we should now join hands in stopping this uncalled-for act of extremism against Muslims,” Swary added.
As he read on, the group of Muslims who stood up with the plackets where heard saying,” Taben, Alahokubalu”.
He said ” honorable Lawmakers, Liberia as a member state of United Nations, it’s only best that we keep up to those international laws as mentioned with in declaration on the Right of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistics Minorities adopted by General Assembly resolution 47/135 of December 1992.”
He went on to say” with this said, we have gather here on today Tuesday August 4,2020 to call on each and every one of you regardless of your Faith, sex, political associations, or backgrounds to stand with us in legislating our two festivals as national holidays before going for the agriculture break.”
Receiving the petition, House’s Committee Chairperson on Claims and Petition, Rustonlyn Suacoco Dennis said” we will do both reginal amzd international competitive analysis to on countries that are predominantly Muslims to see what level of tolerance they have given their Christians counterparts.” She said, they as Committee members will present the request of the Muslims to the plenary of the House of Representatives at the same time cautioning them to remain peaceful in making their request.
“It is a little bit of disservice to the 85% non-Muslims in Liberia. I think the issue here is to have it legislated as a holiday, but ever since I was born in Liberia, I have not witness a time that Muslims in Liberia have been distorted on their Religious holidays” the Montserrado district four lawmaker said as her colleagues who have accompanied her looked on.