TANZANIA: Unrest After Arrest of Top Muslim

 

Sheikh Ponda, the Secretary of the Council of Muslims’ Organizations, was
arrested for inciting religious hatred that lead to Friday’s attacks against churches,
says Father Vic Missiaen, Secretary of the Justice and Peace Commission of the
Bishops Conference.

 

Sheikh Ponda was later arraigned in court together with his supporters and
charged with incitement which he denied. The case was set for mention on
November 1.

 

The Sheikh said he only sensitized people and nothing else. He denied having
incited anyone, saying the placards contained sentiments from Muslims, and
pointed that he had no idea on who wrote them.

 

“The peak of tension coincided with a rally of youths demanding the release of
Sheikh Ponda Issa Ponda”, said Fr Missiaen.

 

Fr Missiaen called the Council an extremist organization that doesn’t represent
the large majority of the Muslim community. According to him, the Council is
linked to the Uamsho,
a radical Islamic group whose name, when translated to English, means
Reawakening.
This comes after an almost similar unrest, mainly concentrated in the Mbagala neighborhood,
took place last week.

 

In the Mbagala unrest, hundreds of people stormed an Anglican church, a
Lutheran church and an Evangelical church after a clash among youths triggered
an act against a copy of the Koran. Police intervention impeded the youths from reaching the Catholic Church in

Mbagala.

 

SOURCE:
CISA News