Morocco: “Christian proselitism is terrorism”, ulemas say
by Claudia on April 13, 2010 · Comments
7,000 Moroccan ulemas (Islamic scholars) rejected in a common message the Christian proselitism in their country and considered it even like a “moral rape” and “religious terrorism” that “tries to divert Moroccan children from their faith”.
The collective text released this weekend is the last episode of the campaign by the authorities in Rabat against foreign Christians who settled in Morocco accusing them of proselytizing and trying to shake the faith of Muslims, a crime in the code Moroccan criminal.
Throughout the month of March about 70 Christians have been forced to flee the country, as calculated by the different churches, but the Moroccan Interior Ministry acknowledged only the expulsion of 16 who ran a small orphanage in Leuh Ain, in the Atlas Mountains .
The Christian victims of the decision of the Interior are all Protestants except a Franciscan who lived in Larache. It is the first Catholic ever expelled from northern Morocco, as the Archbishop of Tanger which also denies that would make proselytism. Attending to the small community of foreign Catholics in that city.
The message of the ulema expressed “full support and great pride” of those who subscribe to “the relevant historic decisions taken by the government to abort the plan hypocritical for a group of Christian proselytizing.” His performance with the children, he continues, is “a moral violation, a form of religious terrorism and is equivalent to the abduction of innocent children.”
“These tough decisions,” the statement concluded, “reassured about the future of the national faith protected by Divine Providence that watches and on His Majesty Mohammed VI, Commander of the Faithful, as defender of the faith (…)” . The text of the scholars of Islam was spread by its highest hierarchical body, the Supreme Ulema Council chaired by the monarch.
The Archbishops of Rabat and Tangiers, the apostolic nuncio in Rabat and the official representative of Protestant churches in Morocco have demanded an explanation to the authorities on the wave of expulsions, but so far not been obtained. Some Moroccan converts to Christianity have been the victims in March, as they say, of police harassment.
At least two governments, the U.S. and the Netherlands, have criticized the measures taken by the Moroccan authorities, but not the Spanish that is currently chairing the European Union. The bulk of the expulsions were carried, however, held during the first weekend in March that was held in Granada the first summit between Morocco and the EU supported by Spain.
So, Zapatero didn’t critizise Morocco because they were negotiating the “united economic space”. Hasn’t he sooo marvellous a relationship with Moroccan King? Weren’t this Govt staunch defenders of Human Rights?
Oh, wait, the expelled ones were Christians…
