Tanzanian Christians Invited To Inter-Faith Debate By Muslims Who Have Them Arrested For "Preaching"

Until people of different religions can come together in civil debate, we will always continue to distrust each other. That's why when Rabbis and Imams and Reverends can create inter-faith dialogue, it should be hailed as a good thing. That is, if all participants truly want to create harmony through understanding. Sometimes inter-faith conferences are set up as a ruse, which sadly is what happened to 2 Christian evangelists in Tanzania.

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Although Tanzania is a Christian majority country, with a population of approximately 62% Christian to 35% Muslim, the President (Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete) is Muslim, so Christians are constantly persecuted, with the collusion of the police force.

Anglicans Cecil Simbaulanga and Eleutery Kobelo, had been invited to participate in a debate by Muslims, but instead they were arrested by police after the Muslims claimed they were preaching illegally. Arrested and then

..released on bail and facing a hearing on Feb. 11, [the men] told Compass that Christian and Muslim groups organized the inter-faith debate that was planned for a neutral venue in October of last year in the Kariakoo area of Dar es Salaam.

Kobelo said no Muslims showed up at the debate until Islamists arrived with government security agents who charged them with “using religious sermons to incite Muslims and Christians into viewing each other with suspicion.”

“This continuous intimidation by the Muslims using the police is worrying us,” he said.

They weren't the only ones arrested, jailed and released on bail last October; 7 other men were, as well: Joseph Lima, Shadrack Mwasonya, Festo Mumba, Erastus Mwarabu, Joseph Mmari, John Chacha, and Daniel Mwakemwa. And although Tanzanian citizens have the right to congregate and worship freely, the men are also are being charged with unlawful assembly, which runs counter to the Tanzanian Constitution which guarantees freedom of religion. None of the men expect a fair trial,

Kobelo said he does not foresee a fair hearing on Feb. 11, but that he cannot afford a lawyer.

“Without legal representation, it’s a long shot for justice to be done in this matter,” he said. “It is very difficult for me to raise 500,000 Tanzanian shillings [US$365] at the moment.”

According to the men, Muslims are not happy with Christian proselytizing and that this is a way of attempting to stop their success, and since Muslims have position of power they are using the police to do their dirty work.

This isn't the first time Simbaulanga has been jailed for his beliefs.

Simbaulanga was imprisoned for 62 days between December 2006 and February 2007 in Kigoma, he said. Denied bail, he was accused of trying to convert Muslims to Christ and “abusing Islam” by saying Muhammad had married a young girl. Several cases are pending against him in different courts, he said, and Muslims are constantly searching for him.

The fact is, Muhammad did marry a young girl, Aisha. There's no refuting that, whether that was something done back in those days is irrelevant. So claiming he was abusing Islam by saying that is totally bogus. As for being jailed for converting Muslims to Christianity- since when should someone be jailed for converting someone to another religion. Where is the crime in that? People should be free to choose whatever religion they feel suits them best. Many Muslims say there is no compulsion in Islam, so if that's the case, then let Muslims convert, if they so chose. No-one complains when a Christian or Jew converts to Islam. So what's the big deal? There needs to be far more tolerance if we ever hope to coexist.