COTE D’IVOIRE RELIGIOUS LEADERS PEACE DECLARATION
Grand-Bassam terrorist attack killing 19 people and 23 wounded on Sunday 13th of March 2016.
Like other countries in the world that have faced the terrorist attacks killing innocent people, Côte d’Ivoire witnessed the horrible side of the so-called defenders of the Muslim faith bearers. Thus, all the religious leaders of the country, deeply affected by this killing met to make known their disagreement against the Muslim faith-bearers-killers.
On Friday 18th of March 2016, the religious leaders of the National Forum of the Religious Confessions of Côte d’Ivoire, gathered to express their concern regarding the terrorist and the unjustified attack in Grand-Bassam, a seaside city in Côte d’Ivoire in the southern part.
This meeting was held in the West-Central Africa Division headquarters located in Abidjan-Cocody Rue des Ambassades, 15kms away from where the crime took place. Before the meeting began, Pastor Elie Weick DIDO, President of the Division, welcomed all the participants and introduced them to the worldwide church. After his introduction, Reverent Pastor Ediemou Blin Jacob from the Celestial Church prayed for peace and protection over Côte d’Ivoire. He also thanked the Seventh-day Adventist Church for their hospitality for hosting the Press Conference of the National Forum of the Religious Confessions in a time like this.
The aim of this Press Conference was to read a motion or declaration of the Forum regarding the irresponsible act that took place in Grand-Bassam and plunged the whole country in a deep concern.
In fact, this seaside and first capital city of Côte d’Ivoire was attacked by terrorists on the 13th of March 2016 early in the afternoon where 19 persons died and 23 others were wounded as reported by the country officials. According to Pastor Kaha from the Cherubin and Seraphin Church, the Forum is composed of 20 to 25 religious entities such as the Roman Catholic Church, the National Islamic Council, the Superior Islamic Council, the National Association of the Evangelistic Churches, the Harrist Church, the Church of the 12 Apostles, the Messianic Church, the Church of Papa Nouveau, the Christ’s Soldiers, the Seventh-day Adventist Church.. For this occasion, each denomination sent a representative to attend the Press Conference in order to affirm their disagreement on Grand-Bassam terrorist attack. Among the guests were Reverent Pastor Ediemou Blin Jacob from the Celestial Church and the President of the National Forum, Imam Mahamadou Dosso from the National Islamic Council, Pastor Baka Paul the President of the Côte d’Ivoire Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and his entourage, Patriarch Nanguy Adjaco from the Harrist Church and even the representative of the Buddhist. From the Division were present, Pastor Elie Weick, President of the hosting institution and Pastor Irineo Koch, Director of the Communication, Public Relations and Religious Liberty Department.
Faithful to their peace ideology, the members of the Religious Confessions through their spokesman Imam Mahamadou Dosso, Vice-President of the National Islamic Council and special Adviser of Reverent Ediemou B. Jacob, President of the Forum, made a strong declaration about the Grand-Bassam terrorist attack. Imam Dosso first and foremost expressed the compassion of all the religious confessions to the parents of the victims and called for a positive cohabitation of all who live in Côte d’Ivoire both Christians and Muslims most especially. He then condemned the attacks and called the attention of the government to take their responsibility to protect the citizen of the country. In his speech Imam Dosso declared that “To these indelicates and to their masters who guide their conscience and use religious means to achieve their evils desires and destroy people’s lives claiming to defend Muslim’s faith, will not succeed in their attempt to disorganize the country. He then went further mentioning that here in Côte d’Ivoire, all believers and non-believers are living peacefully and will never be distracted by evildoers in the name of whatever ideology they may bring about because for so long people have been enjoying peace despite their religious differences. No terrorists can derive and mislead the brave populations of this country from their final objective that is to make this place a livable one, a united nation whereby all are free to worship the Lord and prosper under the control of God.” Ending his declaration Imam Dosso also stated that “Together we must refuse to be bruised and nibbled by the fear that this odious crime could create in us. Happiness must overcome all these crimes inflicted on women, men and even on children who deserve life and peace”. He finally appealed that “all Ivorians and non-Ivorians victims of this terrorist attack of all ages, the Forum of the Religious Confessions of Côte d’Ivoire reminds that no religion can lead somebody to kill his or her fellow being. May God help us to overcome evil! To all countries, families and all relatives of the victims: Africans, Europeans and Lebanese, the Forum expresses its profound compassion…Côte d’Ivoire shall remain tall by the special grace of God. May God bless Côte d’Ivoire!”
The final prayer was said by Pastor Baka Paul, the President of the Côte d’Ivoire Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in which he asked the Lord to protect the citizen of all nations and most especially those from his country to enable the church to proclaim the message of the end time calling all to Christ. After this prayer, the representative of the Forum thanked the President of the Division for hosting the Press Conference and also offering them a potluck. He did the same for the Côte d’Ivoire Conference for the opportunity given them to make known their position vis-à-vis the terrorist attack of Grand-Bassam.
Taking advantage of this gathering, Pastor Koch the Communication, Public Relations and Religious Liberty Director of the Division invited all the participants to the International Religious Freedom Conference planned for next year in Florida, USA from August 22-24, 2017 with the theme: Religious Freedom and Hope for Peace Co-existence.
Nestor BOLLET
