Angola bans Islam and Muslims

 

LUANDA – According to several Angolain newspapers, Angola has become the first country in the world to ban Islam and Muslims, taking first measures by destroying mosques in the country.
“The process of legalization of Islam has not been approved by the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, their mosques would be closed until further notice,” Rosa Cruz e Silva, the Angolan Minister of Culture, was quoted by Agence Ecofin on Friday, November 22.
Silva comments were given during her visit last Tuesday to the 6th to the Commission of the National Assembly.She asserted that the decision was the latest in increased efforts to fight against religious sects, including illegal ones. According to the minister, the action was necessary to fight relentlessly against the emergence of congregations whose worship are contrary to the customs of the Angolan culture.
Same as Islam, other faiths which were not legalized will face closure of their houses of worship.
“All sects on the list published by the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights in the Angolan newspaper” “Jornal de Angola” are prohibited to conduct worship, so they should keep their doors closed,” she said.
“In addition, we also have a long list of more than a thousand legalization applications,” she added.
Recurrent
The anti-Islam comments were not the first by Angolan officials after several hostile actions have been conducted in several cities across Angola.
“This is the final end of Islamic influence in our country”, said the President, José Eduardo dos Santos.
Last October, Muslims from the urban municipality of Viana, Luanda, attended the destruction of the minaret of their mosque Zengo.
The provincial governor of Luanda, Bento Bento, said on the airwaves of local radio that “radical Muslims are not welcome in Angola and the Angolan government is not ready for the legalization of mosques.”
He added that Muslims were not welcome in Angola and that the government would not legalize the presence of mosques in the country.
According to CIA Factbook, 47% of Angolans practice indigenous beliefs, 38% Roman Catholic and 15% Protestant.
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