Kiir tells Muslims in the South to freely spread Islam
March 1, 2010 (JUBA) – Muslims in Southern Sudan held a conference in Juba with assurance from the top leadership of government allowing them to freely spread Islam in the semi-autonomous region.
Thousands of cheering members of Islamic religion, some of whom were invited from Middle Eastern countries, converged at Nyakuron Culture Center in Juba on Monday to discuss the future of Islam in Southern Sudan.
“Don’t just operate here in Juba; go to Torit, go to Yei, go to Warrap and other places,” Kiir told the conferees who responded with chanting, “Alah Akbhar” meaning God is great.
Kiir who is a frequent attendant of Kator Cathedral Church on Sundays in Juba, where he usually enlightens the congregation on political developments in the country, however warned Muslims to stick to religion and not mix it with politics when preaching, adding religion has no political party.
He also added that his government would be interested to receive the resolutions that would be passed in the conference.
Southern Sudan Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar, during the same occasion congratulated the Muslims for their successful organization in Southern Sudan after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
He explained that the SPLM-ruled government took a hard decision to assist in organizing Muslims in Southern Sudan, which he said the government was first reluctant to do given the policy of separating religion from the state.
The government finally decided to help the Muslims in organizing themselves and forming the Council of Islamic Affairs under the leadership of Sheikh Tahir Biar, a southerner from Jonglei state.
Some observers however say the body was probably established with the purpose of giving Muslims a focal point that would shoulder the responsibility of their activities in the South instead of letting them loose without a controlling central structure.
Sheikh Biar on his part commended the government of Southern Sudan for its good relations with the Islamic Council as well as the freedom given to Muslims in the South.
Sheikh Biar was previously also appointed as leader of the New Sudan Council of Islamic Affairs during the liberation struggle by late Dr. John Garang de Mabior.
His group was merged with the other Islamic groups inside the government controlled towns in the South after the signing of the CPA.
(ST)
Dr.Agany
Kiir tells Muslims in the South to freely spread Islam
Hope this Islamic group won’t reach my village otherwise they will meet the worse part of their Islamic campaign there. Biar and group should use that highway right away off the Juba bridge to Jonglei.
Dinka Boy
Kiir tells Muslims in the South to freely spread Islam
Great speech, in fact, we have no problemed with islam and christianity.
Yes, Muslim can be in the South as long they don,t mixed their sharia law ideology of North to South. Please you guys are free as Salva Kiir said as well as Dr John Garang said too that we are not fighting the Islam,but for the policies that will make all Sudanese free in the country.
Thanks
Young Nation
Kiir tells Muslims in the South to freely spread Islam
I think the leaders of the South including SPLM should really be warned for their infinite liberal views. Liberalism, including religious tolerance should really be handled with carefulness.
I think the position taken by Kiir by authorizing Islam to flourish in the South is a very dangerous step. Southern Sudan is not and can not be a place for Islam to flourish anyhowly considering what Southerners have gone through because of this very same religion. Believe it or not, Islam has alway, is always and will always be mix with politics.
By: Young Nation
Oduck Bol
Kiir tells Muslims in the South to freely spread Islam
By inviting to husbands to your hour at the same time is a danger thing. Christinity and Islamic which have longe history of who will dominate the world will not get along with each other in south Sudan. Let us wait for a couple of years.
Iam glad have my own.
Angelo Achuil
Kiir tells Muslims in the South to freely spread Islam
Christianity is restricted in the Muslim world, and “Islam (encouraged) to spread freely in the South,” I don’t think Kiir understand what he is doing – If muslims become too many in the South, does he understand what that would make us (N. Sudan or Somalia)? Islam and Sharia is like the Bible and Jesus, no army in the world can separate the two. Compaign for mere votes can makes people do strange things! I am getting disappointed with Kiir, God help him control himself.
James John
Kiir tells Muslims in the South to freely spread Islam
That is why Equatorian doesn’t like Kiir be’s people died be’s of muslim war on us and yet again this stuip Cow boy is calling them again. what kind of leader is this?
Kiir should just be a dinka leader not all people in Southern Sudan.
babadit
Kiir tells Muslims in the South to freely spread Islam
Tell them to preach peace and unity within south sudan but not terorism and sucide boombing in the south and that jihadist has no place in the south.
If not they will then be comple out of the south.
Controller
Kiir tells Muslims in the South to freely spread Islam
Great speech Mr. President Salva Kiir
We need everyone to have a freedom of religons in South Sudan.
If we don,t give Muslims freedom in the South sudan, Dinka Bors would be wipped out from the map of Jonglei State because majority of them are muslims.
By the way, Sheikh Biar is the cousin of John Garang.
Nobody will believe this, only Dakbai and Dinka Boy know that majority of Dinka Bors are muslims.
Thanks
John Costa
Kiir tells Muslims in the South to freely spread Islam
Islam has spread through political will, invasion, and coercion; therefore, it is impossible to separate Islam from politic. Whatever is happening right now in South is just a political game.
South Sudan will never be resemble to Nigeria. Islam has done its own damage before the Christian in the south oppose its expansion. They need to work harder to proof its goodness, which I think hard to proof with the current affair.
If Kiir meant not to upset the Islamic world, I will considered it very smart approach since we are heading towards independent. This is a crucial moments, and we as Southern do not want to make more enemies than what we have already have.
Kur
Kiir tells Muslims in the South to freely spread Islam
Islam is not a religion but a system of demoniacs who drink the blood of the innocents. They cannot be given a license of freedom that they do not give to others. They got to leave the South of Sudan completely. They have shed enough of our blood in the name of this evil call Islam, and so their business is over.
Kur
Time1
Kiir tells Muslims in the South to freely spread Islam
Freedom of religion, is one of the principles of UN universal recognition of rights of believe, is it s human rights issue, it has nothing to do with politics, people are free to practise religion, but let them try their very best to keep religion out of politics, religion is a personal choice, they should keep it tothemselves, trying to mix religion with politics is not acceptable to everyone.
AUGUSTINO DENG
Kiir tells Muslims in the South to freely spread Islam
Hey Salva Kiir Miyardit,
Your weakness is quiet obvious through the way you look. What make the life of 2 millions people lost in Southern Sudan is because of Muslims. If you litterly mean that Arabs should continued preaching their religions within Southern Sudan like as you said in your statement that Arabs should also preach their religion even in Yei and Juba plus others areas.
If you like Arabs Salva Kiir, then it is better for you in order to allow them in Akon County which is your native place. What you like is not what other people like so far. Salva Kiir Miyardit, you will remain stunted because the vision you are trying to show is completely serving no purpose at all. Be frank or loyal to your people that if Arabs from Khartoum Government bribed you, then go to Khartoum and work in Sanitation Department which is not involved with politic.
It is really useless if Omar Bashir made his campaign in Juba. I’m really getting fate up because why God always give a wrong gift to Southern Sudanese people? When we Southern Sudanese tried to get a prosperity life God prevented us from getting a sweet fruit and give us unrippened fruit which is not rippen. Look, Lord Jesus Christ, 22 years in war and now our leaders from Southern Sudan wanted us to kneeled ourselves to Arabs.
“Lord, we are not worthy to receive you, but said the word or open the minds of the Southern Sudanese leaders and we shall be healed from a gangreen wound”. Lord, we are thirsty of your power, but would you please lifted us from darkness? Make us like other people who are enjoying their life in other countries. Lord, you can imagined that around the globe, there is no place where you can not find any one of Southern Sudanese people. But, it does not mean that the Southern Sudanese people have no place to live in. Obviously, what make them scattered all around is not because that they don’t have a dwelling place, but because no one willing enough to take them to the promise land. Lord, the whole Southern Sudanese people including me who wrote this article love you, but we need your help. Lord, give us a right person to fight for our right otherwise if not, then take us back to the hands of Arabs.
David Arok
Kiir tells Muslims in the South to freely spread Islam
I thinks it is a positive approach a good leader should put into consideration. Freedom to worship is important because it unite us and alter our perception in the way we approach religion and politics. We all knows that imposition of Islamic law in the south is also considered to have contributed to 1983 break away of SPLM/A. You can not compel the people to do what is against their will, That can be considered as dictatorship. It was a good point to highlight the issue of beliefs and politics. Sudanese were not at war because of religion but because of inability of leaderships in Khartoum. There is nothing democratic if we can not allow people a freedom of worship. islamic and christianity can not divide us. Religion always look at the positive aspects of living and disregade negatives. I totally agree with Kiir in this issue.