- Title: Gambia's Christian converts seek shelter amid hostilities
- Date: 9th November 2018
- Summary: VARIOUS OF CONVERT, MARIAMA JOBARTEH, WALKING TO HER HOUSE IN A MUSLIM NEIGHBOURHOOD VARIOUS OF JOBARTEH DRYING PAP AT HER HOUSE (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHRISTIAN CONVERT, MARIAMA JOBARTEH, SAYING: "Because now I be a Christian I decided to give them everything. I don't go to the mosque again so they just get angry about that. They're mocking me and they even want to kill me. Because sometimes they send some boys to harass me on the way, to fight me. So I cannot even have a place to sleep." VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF A CHURCH BRIKAMA, GAMBIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CHRISTIAN CONVERT, EDRISA FABUREH, WALKING ON A STREET NEAR HIS HOUSE (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHRISTIAN CONVERT, EDRISA FABUREH, SAYING: "I declared that I am a Christian then from that moment our parents, our mothers all rejected us. They said that, let us know that we have no more fathers, we have no more parents. From there we have been abandoned and we have been kicked out of the house to leave the family totally." SEREKUNDA, GAMBIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF A BIG MOSQUE DAKAR, SENEGAL (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF IMAM, AHMADOU MAKHTAR KANTE, READING WHILE SEATED INSIDE A MOSQUE KANTE NEXT TO A FELLOW WORSHIPPER (SOUNDBITE) (French) ISLAMIC SCHOLAR AND IMAM, AHMADOU MAKHTAR KANTE, SAYING: "In general, the religious leaders and traditional Muslims and Christians have a rhetoric that is very responsible in respect of diversity. And in respect of Islam, the majority of religious leaders call for good neighbourship, for respect for Christians and read verses of the Koran that say that the Prophet (Mohammed) respected Christians." VARIOUS OF KANTE TALKING TO A FELLOW MUSLIM (SOUNDBITE) (French) ISLAMIC SCHOLAR AND IMAM, AHMADOU MAKHTAR KANTE, SAYING: "In the end, one cannot force someone to stay. So if he decides in the end to go into the Christian community, at that moment, we will let him go. But of course, this person will have to manage his relationship with his family. And there everything depends on the family: if it's a very tolerant family there will not be too much trouble; if it's a conservative family there can be problems." BRIKAMA, GAMBIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CONVERTS SITTING OUTSIDE THEIR HOUSE TUJERENG, GAMBIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) PREACHER AND BOARD MEMBER OF THE CHRISTIAN CARE FOUNDATION THE GAMBIA, MOSES JASSEY, SAYING: "We are going to build skill centres to empower the people. Those who are professionals, we are going to make sure they reside here and they will be able to go to work and come back. We will also give them discipleship training… teachings, which will make them to be strong in their faith. So this place is going to be their permanent home, where they will be established. Like I have my family, I go to work and come back and then take care of my family." SEREKUNDA, GAMBIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) JASSEY SPEAKING TO CONVERT JANAIBA SOWE AND ANOTHER CHRISTIAN (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHRISTIAN CONVERT, JANAIBA SOWE, SAYING: "We the converters we really need that (centre). Because sometimes it is very hard. You become a Christian and then your family will send you out."
- Embargoed: 23rd November 2018 14:26
- Keywords: Christian converts Muslims praying shelter for Christians choir singing praying in church hostility from families Islam in Serekunda changing faith
- Location: SEREKUNDA, BRIKAMA AND TUJERENG, GAMBIA / DAKAR, SENEGAL
- City: SEREKUNDA, BRIKAMA AND TUJERENG, GAMBIA / DAKAR, SENEGAL
- Country: Gambia
- Topics: Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA00295SAK47
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Christian convert Mariama Jobarteh was cast out of her family when she decided to leave the Muslim faith, forced to move from shelter to shelter in Gambia's capital.
She's one of a number of ex-Muslims who say they have been met with hostility since changing religions, ostracised from their communities and left to fend for themselves.
"Because now I be a Christian I decided to give them everything. I don't go to the mosque again so they just get angry about that. They're mocking me and they even want to kill me. Because sometimes they send some boys to harass me on the way, to fight me. So I cannot even have a place to sleep," Jobarteh said.
Gambia is predominately Muslim, with around 90 percent of its population following Islam. The country's Christian minority is estimated to be between 5-9 percent.
Freedom of religion is enshrined in the law and Gambian President Adama Barrow has actively promoted tolerance during meetings with religious leaders.
Yet while friendships and marriages amongst Muslims and Christians are not uncommon, converting from Islam to Christianity is at times met with hostility, especially from families.
"In general, the religious leaders and traditional Muslims and Christians have a rhetoric that is very responsible in respect of diversity," said Imam Ahmadou Makhtar Kante.
"But of course, this person (convert) will have to manage his relationship with his family. And there everything depends on the family: if it's a very tolerant family there will not be too much trouble; if it's a conservative family there can be problems," he added.
In support of converts, the Christian Care Foundation The Gambia is planning to build a centre to house ex-Muslims who have converted to the faith. The foundation, led by protestant evangelists, says it knows of at least 40 cases where Christians have been persecuted after leaving Islam.
"This place is going to be their permanent home, where they will be established. Like I have my family, I go to work and come back and then take care of my family," said the foundation's Moses Jassey.
A seaside plot in the village of Tujereng has already been ear-marked to build the sanctuary. The centre will have 10 rooms for families as well as a chapel, but plans to expand to house at least 100 converts in the future.
It will also offer vocational education to Christians, such as training to become a carpenter.
Building of the centre is expected to start in early 2019. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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