{{Tanzania’s President Jakaya Kikwete has dismissed allegations that the government is taking sides in dealing with religious tensions in the country, appealing for calm and wisdom to avert further escalation of the precarious situation.}}
At least one Catholic priest in Zanzibar and a Protestant pastor in Geita Region have been killed in separate incidents, while churches were torched in recent months in Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam.
Furthermore, in Zanzibar, another Catholic priest was shot and wounded and a Muslim leader was splashed with acid in incidents that are still under police investigations.
A suspect on the February 17 killing of Rev Evaristus Mushi was apprehended in Zanzibar last Friday and he is due to appear in court upon completion of investigations.
About 17 people were arrested for allegedly causing the death of Pastor Mathayo Kachila in Buseresere, Geita. Some have been charged with murder and a manhunt continues to look for other perpetrators.
There is a growing trend of some religious leaders blaming the government and counterpart religions for these tragedies, making it appear that one religious group was plotting to persecute the other, President Kikwete observed in his end-of-the-month speech he delivered on Sunday.
Trading blame, he cautioned, would only serve to infuriate differing faiths rather than resolving any problems the people might be having.
“In fact we have now reached a stage where Christians accuse the government of favouring Muslims while Muslims, for their part, accuse the government of acting in favour of Christians,” Mr Kikwete said.
“Muslims are alleging that there is too much Christian dominance in government, that the government did nothing when a boy urinated on the Quran. They also charging that I ignore Islamic functions including burials of Muslim leaders”
At the same time, noted Mr Kikwete, Christians complain that the government is not showing concern over the killings of their leaders and burning of their churches.
“But the government has been doing what it can, including enlisting the help of international police and investigators to pursue the killings of Fr Mushi, for example,” Mr Kikwete said in defence of his government’s performance.
He noted that it was dangerous to suggest that some criminal acts are coordinated by groups of people or leaders of one religion against another.
So far, noted the President, investigations have shown that most of the crimes targeting religious leaders or houses of worship are uncoordinated.
There was no connection between the burning of churches in Mbagala last year and the violence that erupted in Geita this year as a result of a dispute on who has the right to slaughter animals that are sold in village butcheries, he said.
“Churches were invaded in Mbagala after a group of angry Muslim fanatics marched to a police station demanding that the boy who urinated on the Quran be handled to them.
When the police said No, the group went on a rampage,” Mr Kikwete noted, adding that a few months later a separate incident took place in Geita after a dispute on slaughtering animals.
The only incidents that could be connected are those that took place in Zanzibar that include the burning of various churches, the killing of Fr Mushi, the shooting of Fr Ambrose Mkenda on Christmas day last year and the splashing with acid of Sheikh Fadhili Soroga, the deputy mufti of Zanzibar, he noted.
“But we are yet to establish any connection because security organs haven’t yet concluded investigations,” Mr Kikwete said.
He warned that there are some people using these incidents to cause further problems by inciting leaders and followers of both religions.
“We must not listen to these people if we are to avoid plunging our country into a civil war. These people do not wish our country well,” Mr Kikwete said without giving details.
The President’s appeal for calm on the face of religious violence seem to have partly been a response to various Easter messages issued by some Chrisitian leaders.
Earlier last week, Polycarp Cardinal Pengo blamed the police for laxity and failing to conclude investigations on the death of Fr Mushi.
On Good Friday, leaders of various churches read out what they called “Waraka wa Jukwaa la Makanisa” loosely translated as “Letter from the Churches Forum” which blatantly accused the government of failing to protect Christians.
The Citizen
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