Vanuatu Christians boycott reconciliation ceremony involving Muslims

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Christian groups in Vanuatu would not support an international reconciliation ceremony which  involved Muslims.

The reconciliation took place on Sunday.

The chairman of the Vanuatu Christian Council, Pastor Allan Nafuki, said they would not support the ceremony and instead plan a march for all Christians in Vanuatu next Friday.

The want to  send out a message that Vanuatu is a Christian country.

Earlier this year Nafuki said Vanuatu must amend its law on ‘Religious Rights’ by inserting the word ‘Christian Country’ into its Constitution.

He said leaders might reason that Vanuatu is a democratic country but on the contrary they should consider countries like Greece where only a certain number of religious faiths are allowed into their country.

About 83%  Vanuatu’s population is Christian.

The 2009 census di not seek data  about the Muslim community. However it is reported that there are about 200 Muslim converts. Other sources put it as high as 1000.

The Moslem population is centred on the village of Melle, near Port Villa.

The first mosque in Vanuatu was built there in 1992.

It is just a small building painted white, green, like a very simple house.

Other mosques in the island of Tanna and Erromango Island.

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News category: Asia Pacific.

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