Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Catholic News

Home

Home
Catholic
Religion News
Under pressure to convert, Zanzibar Christians concerned for future

Under pressure to convert, Zanzibar Christians concerned for future

Last updated on: May 21, 2014 at 8:17 am by CNA Daily News

Under pressure to convert, Zanzibar Christians concerned for future 2014-05-21T08:17:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Dodoma, Tanzania, May 21, 2014 / 02:17 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Members of the small Christian minority on the Tanzanian islands of Zanzibar are suffering intimidation and now fear that their children will be coerced to convert to Islam, one resident said.

“If we go to church on Sunday, we have to go through a crowd of people who often try to intimidate us,” a Catholic man speaking under the pseudonym Matthew Limo told the Catholic pastoral charity Aid to the Church in Need.

The houses around Limo’s church belong to Muslims.

“They often shout that we are fools to go to church or that our women are naked. In fact, the Muslim women are all covered from head to toe,” he said.

Limo said that he personally does not feel intimidated, though he noted that many of the harassers’ comments are “directed towards women and children.”

His parish has about 400 members, though only 200 regularly go to Mass. About 98 percent of the Zanzibar archipelago residents are Muslim.

Limo voiced concern about his children’s future.

“At home we try to encourage and to teach them a love for Christ and the Church. But we are insecure about what others do,” he said. “We often hear stories about Muslims trying to convert children. Sadly enough we need to tell our children to be careful in building friendships with Muslim children.”

A trend of violent attacks on churches and individual Christians began on the Zanzibar islands in December 2012.

Father Evarist Muchi, a 55-year-old Catholic priest, was shot to death when his car arrived at the entrance of St. Joseph’s Cathedral for Sunday Mass. A Protestant minister has also been killed.

Father Ambrose Mkenda suffered serious injuries in another attack, Aid to the Church in Need reports.

The perpetrators have not been caught and many local Christians say local police have at times obstructed the investigation and distorted evidence.

Limo said the perpetrators are not outsiders but locals who have been “radicalized.” He said they have been trained by the Somalia-based terrorist group Al-Shabab. He said the organization is linked to the religious group Uamsho, which aims to establish an independent Islamic state in Zanzibar.

While Limo said he feels generally safe to leave home and to travel, he added that the atmosphere can become “explosive” in election years.

“On the street, people try to embarrass you or to make you angry. In periods like that I come home early and do not go out in the evening.”

The next election will take place in 2015.

Some anti-Christian violence has also taken place on the Tanzanian mainland. In May 2013 an attack on a newly opened Catholic parish killed three and injured 60. Two Tanzanians and four Saudi nationals were arrested for the attack.

In February 2014, Bishop Bernardin Mfumbusa of Tanzania’s north-central Diocese of Kondoa blamed the violence on the “infiltration of foreign Jihadis” and the return of native-born Muslims who had been radicalized abroad.

The bishop told Aid to the Church in Need that most Tanzanians of different religions live together well. He noted that Christian-Muslim tension in Zanzibar is “not new,” though he said the “vast majority” of people on Zanzibar would prefer to live in peace.

Middle East - Africa

Previous Post

May 21, 2014

Seminarians in the Holy Land anticipate Pope's visit

Next Post

May 21, 2014 Bishops' synod head: October meeting not solely about divorce

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What city was Paul heading to when he encountered Jesus?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Antioch Damascus Rome Jerusalem