President Joyce Banda on Monday met Mangochi Muslim clerics after a section of the Muslim community in the district recently protested the sale of pork and alcoholic beverages in the area, claiming that the district is an “Islamic State”.
The President asked the Muslim community, through their clerics in Mangochi, to put their differences aside and coexist peacefully.
In a statement released by the State House Press Office after the meeting, Banda reportedly appealed to the clerics to desist from provoking the situation.
The statement quotes the President as having said: “I urge you to please put your religious differences aside and make sure that you live peacefully among yourselves. The issue of pork selling should not divide the people. I appeal to market leaders to designate specific places for pork sellers to avoid friction amongst the people.
“Those selling pork should also respect other people that do not eat pork. If you start chasing non-Muslims from Mangochi, what will happen to Muslims from Mangochi who are scattered across the country? Please let us avoid bringing anarchy in the country.”
Banda reported to the clerics the development initiatives specifically targeting the Muslim community in the country such as the yet-to-be-established Islamic University and an Islamic bank.
The statement also quoted Sheikh Ali Makalani as speaking on behalf of other clerics who thanked President Banda for convening the meeting.
Makalani is reported to have promised the President that there will be no friction between Muslims and non-Muslims in the district.
The Malawi Law Society (MLS) recently condemned the conduct of some Muslims in Mangochi for stopping certain businesspersons from selling pork and requesting farmers involved in piggery to leave the district on grounds that there are many Muslims in that district.
MLS president Mandala Mambulasa observed that the behaviour displayed that a section of the Muslim community has the potential to cause widespread religious intolerance, civil strife and possible violence in other parts of the country. n
