The meeting commenced shortly after
Asri prayers, around 4pm, and it held inside the mosque with faithful of
both religions suing for peace, especially in Kaduna south, presumed to
be a Christian dominated area.
Coordinator of Foundation, Pastor
Yohanna Buru, expressed worry over the incessant destruction of places
of worship by followers of both religions each time there is crisis.
While he called on Christians to
always protect mosques and business premises owned by Muslims where they
(Christians) are dominant, he urged Muslims to do same for Christians
in the interest of peace.
Speaking at the event Pastor Buru
said: “I recall a fight over a piece of land at Kasuwar Magani between
the Hausa Fulani and the Adara and Gbagi people in 1980. At that time,
everyone was asking how a person could be killed because of land; but
today, human lives are no longer sacred. People are being killed with
impunity on daily basis.
“In 1987, a crisis erupted on
religious basis at the College of Education; by 1992, the Zango Kataf
crisis stroke and by 2000, we had the Sharia crisis. By 2001, there was
the Jos crisis; when all these things happened, my heart bled,”
“Again in 2011, there was the post
presidential election violence in Kaduna, and last year, still in
Kaduna, there were bomb blasts in Wusasa church and Trikania church, all
of which led to some fighting in town.
“After all these I decided to form a
foundation to negotiate peace between Muslim and Christian groups in the
state. I have discovered that the Muslims are afraid to worship and
even do their businesses in Christian dominated areas; so also the
Christians are afraid of going to Tudun-Wada, Rigasa and other Muslim
dominated areas.
“That is why I said I want my Muslim
brothers in southern part of Kaduna to have lasting peace and I want
them to go on with their transactions the way they use to before as
brothers and sisters.
“Let them practise their faith and
live their lives normally, so this is what motivated me to sit with my
Muslim brothers in Sabo and Maraban Rido. I want to hear their views,
after which we will meet others in parts of Kaduna south including
Kakuri, Makera, Trikania, Nasarawa, Barnawa, Narayi and Rido, among
others and discuss the way out.”
Buru said he would go to any length to
encourage the state and federal governments to ensure that Muslims in
Kaduna south are protected, and that Christians lving in Muslim
dominated areas are also protected.
“I will also go to Churches and
Mosques to cry to them that whatever happens in Sabon Tasha, Christians
should not touch the Muslims. If the Muslims in Sabo Tasha are
protected, the same thing should be done to Christians in Tudun wada and
other Muslim donated areas. If that is done, there is no way a crisis
that starts somewhere will escalate to other parts of the state.
He also called on government to
endeavour to punish perpetrators of crisis and assured Muslims that
their mosques and businesses will be protected in Sabon-Tasha
henceforth.
“I will write a letter to district
heads and youth leaders on this matter; if it is something that we can
resolve and get into agreement, we will do it. If we have to bring in
government, we will do it to make sure that everyone irrespective of
tribe and religion enjoys peace wherever he lives or worships in the
state,” he added.
The Dagacin Hausawa of Maraban Rido,
Mallam Idris Adamu, in his remark, commended Pastor Buru for his peace
initiative and prayed that God to make the peace initiative to succeed.
The community leader said: “This is a
very important gathering. For long we have had problems with our
Christian friends, now we pray that God will help us to achieve whatever
will bring solution to the problem. The search for peace in the
circumstance is a difficult path and he should bear it in mind that he
will be insulted by his fellow Christians and Muslims too. But he should
remain focused.
“We are truly very happy with this
initiative and we pray to God to encourage him to continue with it until
he reaches the finishing line. We also pray that our leaders assist him
to achieve this course,” he added.
Malam Adamu appealed to the people of
the state to shun violence and embrace peace. He noted with dismay that
the crises happening do not affect the elites but the poor.
“Presently, I am doing business with a
Christian and his goods worth N10million are with me. If not for trust,
this wouldn’t have happened. We need to trust one another; we have to
trust one another; it is possible, we can do it like we use to do,” he
said.
While he blamed followers of both
religions for the problems being faced in the state; he warned the
youths to be careful saying without peace there can be no development
and peace of mind. He also appealed to political leaders to ensure that
whoever incites people against each other is punished.
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