Angola denies ‘Islam ban’ but mosques remain closed

The government of Angola has denied that it is engaged in the process of ‘banning’ Islam from within its borders.

“There is no war in Angola against Islam or any other religion,” said Manuel Fernando, director of the National Institute for Religious Affairs, a division of the ministry of culture.

This despite an earlier reported quote from the Minister of Culture Rosa Cruz e Silva, who is reported to have said: “The legalisation of Islam has not been approved by the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights… Their mosques will be closed until further notice.”

There has been some confusion over the original breaking of the news story, specifically, the central quote from President José Eduardo dos Santos proclaiming “the end of Islamic influence in Angola”. The President was allegedly out of the country when the quote was reported.

A photograph supposedly depicting the destruction of a mosque somewhere in Angola has been debunked, after being found elsewhere cited as the destruction of Bedoin houses in Israel in 2008 and as a Moroccan mosque and houses in 2003.

FULL ARTICLE FROM CHRISTIANTODAY.COM