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Zanzibar Muslims hit out at US
2005-07-12 07:52:33
By Issa Yussuf, Zanzibar
Muslim activists in Zanzibar have called on the US government to stop what they described as torture of prisoners being held in Iraqi jails.
They also want the prisoners in confinement on Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, freed unconditionally.
Leaders of the Zanzibar Organisation of Islamic Propagation (UAMSHO), hit out at the US authorities during a demonstration ahead of visits by US First Lady, Laura Bush and former US president Bill Clinton.
Laura Bush is expected in the country tomorrow, while Clinton will jet into Dar es Salaam on July 20, this year.
’’The Americans are bigots because they do not practise what they preach.
The US government forces foreign countries to stick to the rule of law and respect human rights.
But they practise the opposite,’’ the UAMSHO vice-chairman, Azzan Khalifan Hamdani, told the demonstrators at Lumumba Secondary School on Sunday.
The Muslim faithfuls braved a heavy downpour that pounded the Isles to express solidarity with Iraqi prisoners in the presence of heavily armed policemen, who, however, remained calm throughout.
The Muslims accused US soldiers, the Israeli and Zanzibar governments of abuse of human rights.
’’We condemn the police in Zanzibar for denying us our constitutional right to demonstrate against the US.
We want Americans to apologise to Muslims by freeing Iraqi prisoners and stop sexually abusing women prisoners in Iraq,’’ Sheikh Azzan said.
He said they would forward their demands to the US embassy in Dar es Salaam.
The Muslim activists also condemned what they described as continued violation of human rights in Israel and Zanzibar.
The Muslims staged a rally on Sunday to protest against the desecration of the Q’uran by US soldiers after authorities reversed an initial ban on the demonstration.
The police in Zanzibar had thrice turned down notification by Muslims of their planned demonstration in Stone Town on the grounds that it would harm tourism and disrupt the annual international film festival on the Isles. The festival ends today.
Muslims worldwide, including Tanzania Mainland, have expressed outrage at the desecration of the holy book.
In May, Muslims were allowed to hold a demonstration in Dar es Salaam, the highlight of which was a meeting with US embassy officials during which a protest message for the US government was delivered.
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