Pope Francis closes Africa tour with poignant plea for unity at besieged mosque in CAR

Two years of Christian-Muslim violence has divided the capital and forced nearly one million people to flee their homes

Nicole Winfield,Krista Larson
Monday 30 November 2015 21:50 GMT
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Pope Francis celebrates Mass at Bangui Stadium in the Central African Republic
Pope Francis celebrates Mass at Bangui Stadium in the Central African Republic

For months it had been separated by a no-man’s land from the rest of the Central African Republic’s bitterly divided capital city, its perimeter guarded by armed Christian militia fighters and its remaining Muslim residents too frightened to venture forth.

But for a few hours today Pope Francis brought an unaccustomed sense of freedom to the enclave known as PK5 as he made the most significant journey of his five-day visit to Africa – to Bangui’s main mosque.

By the time he had left for the airport, thousands of people had followed his example and crossed into the neighbourhood chanting “war is over” in the local Sango language – a sign that, at least for a day, his message – that Christians and Muslims had long lived peacefully together here and that religion could never justify violence – had taken hold.

United Nations peacekeepers stood guard in the minarets of the mosque as the Pope arrived in his open-air vehicle, which he had insisted on using throughout his trip despite security risks. Two years of Christian-Muslim violence has divided the capital and forced nearly one million people to flee their homes. The once vibrant markets of PK5 have now been largely closed and many Muslim-owned businesses stand in ruins.

Of the estimated 122,000 Muslims who were living in the capital in 2013, only 15,000 remain there. Most fled or were killed last year in a backlash against Muslim civilians, seen as revenge for a brief but brutal reign by Muslim rebels who had overthrown the former Christian president. Mobs attacked Muslims in the streets, decapitating and dismembering many and setting their corpses ablaze.

About 200 men seated inside the mosque welcomed the Pope, who told the chief imam that Muslims and Christians were brothers and must behave as such.

“Christians and Muslims and members of traditional religions have lived peacefully for many years,” he said. “Together, we say no to hatred, to vengeance and violence, especially that committed in the name of a religion or God.” The imam, Tidiani Moussa Naibi, told the Pope that his visit was “a symbol that we all understand”.

Francis urged the international community not to view the country as doomed to a cycle of violence; the current conflict, he said, was “a painful moment, a regrettable moment, but just a moment”. He added: “Christians and Muslims of this country are condemned to live together and love one another.”

AP

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