By Alfred Kollie, alfredkolliejr92@gmail.com
A group of Christian Pastors under the banner of the “Concerned Pastors Network of Liberia” has opposed calls by the Muslim community for a law to be passed declaring national Muslim holidays in Liberia.
The position of the Christian clerics come after comment and called by Liberia Chief Imam Ali Krayee of granting Muslims a National holiday in Liberia and that “the country is treading on dangerous path due to inpatient of Muslims in Liberia,” over the failure to have national Muslim holidays for Ramadan and “Tabaski” or Abraham Day.
According to the 1986 Constitution of Liberia, there is no state religion and the country is considered a secular state in Article 14:
“All persons shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment thereof except as may be required by law to protect public safety, order, health, or morals or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others. All persons who, in the practice of their religion, conduct themselves peaceably, not obstructing others and conforming to the standards set out herein, shall be entitled to the protection of the law. No religious denomination or sect shall have any exclusive privilege or preference over any other, but all shall be treated alike; and no religious tests shall be required for any civil or military office or for the exercise of any civil right. Consistent with the principle of separation of religion and state, the Republic shall establish no state religion.” Article 14
Several Christians Pastors are calling on the national security to invite Imam Krayee for further explanation of what they say is the threat made to the nation.
Liberia’s Chief Imam, Ali Krayee said at the end of the Muslim Eid celebrations in Monrovia recently, that Liberia was treading on a ‘dangerous path’, if Muslims are not given the basic social rights that they deserve.
Liberia Chief Imam Ali Krayee
Delivering his Ramadan message to Muslims on Sunday, May 24, 2020 in Monrovia, Imam Krayee said “Liberia refusal to grant the Muslim community a national holiday is a recipe for chaos. Our people are growing impatient,” he noted.
According to Chief Krayee, Muslims will no longer accept what he called bags of rice as a means of silencing their quest for noting that Muslim and other rights must be given.
Liberia’s Chief Imam noted that Muslims in Liberia continue to wonder why Christians are not been given bags of rice during Easter and Christians as but are given Muslims bags of rice during Ramadan saying that they do not want bags of rice buy want a holiday.
‘’We are calling on all the religious leaders, the political leaders that this country is treading on a very dangerous path, we are not threating anything but our people, the masses of Muslims are growing impatient. We will not accept any offer from government anymore until Muslim are given a holiday in Liberia,” Chief Imam Krayee asserted.
It is against this backdrop that the Leadership of the Concern Pastors Network of Liberia condemned such statement and called for further investigation.
The Leadership of the Concerned Pastors Network of Liberia believe that such statement has the propensity of disrupting peace and stability in the country.
Rev. Dr. Amos Beyan chairman of the Concern Pastor Network of Liberia wants the government of Liberia through its security apparatus to invite Imam Krayee for further explanation of threat made to the nation.
Speaking over the weekend at the News Conference in Monrovia, the Chairman of the Concerned Pastors Network of Liberia, Rev. Dr. Amos Beyan called on the Liberia Council of Churches, the Inter Religious Council of Liberia and the government including the Liberia Muslims Council to properly look in to the matter and avoid further crisis in the country.
According to Rev. Beyan, ‘’Liberia Chief Imam Krayee will be responsible for any religious disturbances that will interrupt peace and stability in Liberia by any religious group’’
In reaction, the Bishop of the Lutheran Church in Liberia, Jensen Sayenkulo noted that Christmas is a global holiday that Christians celebrate worldwide and as such it is not a legislated holiday in Liberia.
According to Bishop Sayenkulo, Easter is not a national holiday and Fast and Prayer day is religion holiday not only restricted to Christians but cross across all religion.
Another group, the Grassroots Pastors Network of Liberia has also condemned statement by Liberia chief Imam Ali Krayee that Liberia is treading on a dangerous path.
Speaking over the weekend at the News Conference in Paynesville City, the National Chairman of the Grass Root Pastors Network of Liberia Pastor Roland Chester called on Liberians not to grant Muslims a holiday in the county.
According to him, granting Muslims a holiday “will create a serious crisis in the future.”