Christians Mediate Between Muslims.
Just because people belong to the same faith doesn’t always mean they will get on well. Differences can emerge even between brothers who worship together.
Ramjan Miya and Adbul Gaffar Shah, of Pathardiaya in Kapilvastu, fell out over the location of a new mosque for their Muslim community.
Ten years ago, the community decided to build a mosque on public land provided by the VDC, outside Gaffar’s brother’s house.
Gaffar and some of his friends were not happy about the decision, and said they would leave the mosque if it were to be built there.
Ramjan and his friends felt that they had no choice but to build in the agreed location, so they did. And so Gaffar and his group left and started attending another mosque.
Ramjan and the other remaining members are not able to complete building roof of the mosque, because they ran out of money and support. Members of that mosque have faced rain and storm and even snake bites during their regular services.
Fewer and fewer people attended services. Relations between the community and the religious people also started to break down. It was becoming difficult to run mosque activities.
In 2010, Srijansil Peace Group was formed in that village with the support of Lumbini Christian Society (LCS).
Both Ramjan and Gaffar became members of this group.
They participated together in various peace and reconciliation activities like community peace education training, interfaith interactions and interfaith feasts conducted by LCS and the Interfaith Network.
But they would not talk to each other.
The mosque issue was discussed in the regular group meetings repeatedly. Other members who belonged to other religions helped to complete the mosque building by providing whatever they could: rice, wheat, bricks, a tractor etc. The mosque was able to get funds from the VDC due to the group’s recommendation. The VDC provided NRP 35,000 (AUD 412) to complete the roof of the mosque.
Group members tried to bring the former friends together again. One of the leaders, a mediator called Ali Hasanbabbu Musselman, created a supportive environment for them to discuss their differences. After a long discussion, all mosque members agreed that they would go to the existing mosque for their regular services.
Gaffar and his friends are back to the old mosque for service, with happiness and cheer. This year they celebrated Eid in mosque together.
“After ten years, we are able to forgive each other and able to accept our mistakes. Now we have a new life in Allah. All this happened due to our group, with support from LCS,” they said.
By Hari Sharan Adhikari, Project Coordinator, Lumbini Christian Society