Haveeru
News Article 26 March 2005
http://www.haveeru.com.mv/
Quick Translation
Some Foreigners Providing Assistance to Tsunami Victims Trying to Convert
People into Christianity: Supreme Council
26 March 2005
Ismail Rasheed
Al Ustaad Mohamed Rasheed Ibrahim the President of the Supreme Council of
Islamic Affairs said that some parties visiting the Maldives to provide aid in
connection with the tsunami are trying to convert Maldivians into Christianity.
The President of the Supremem Council also said they have received evidence that
some people who came to Maldives to provide aid after the tsunami disaster have
tried to convert Maldivians into Christianity, and that necessary steps were
being taken with regard to these incidents.
“One party has given some people a copy of the Bible translated into Dhivehi.
This copy is now with the Supreme Council,” said Rasheed.
He also said that when a search was conducted in order to find the people who
distributed this Book and carried out this work, it was found that these people
had already left the country.
The Supreme Council stated that from the information available at present it is
known that the work of conversion had been undertaken by people belonging to
Western countries.
Rasheed said since it is in the other islands that such people carry out this
work, public awareness programmes have now been commenced.
“We are informing the island leaders of action to be taken in the event of such
an occurrence. Necessary steps will be taken against people trying to spread
Christianity,” said the President of the Council.
The Council also stated since some parties elsewhere in the world are conducting
activities against Islam it is important to be attentive to such developments.
Various activities, at different points in time, have been conducted with the
aim of converting Maldivians into Christianity by some foreign parties. Some
expatriates have also tried spreading this religion while in the Maldives.
According to the Sureme Council, following such activities, meetings to provide
religious counsel have been conducted in five islands of Raa Atoll the previous
week.
Ends