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According to several newspapers, the tiny African country of Angola has become the first country in the world to ban Islam and Muslims.
The Angolan Minister of Culture, Rosa Cruz e Silva was quoted by news agencies and Angola newspapers as saying, "The process of legalisation of Islam has not been approved by the Ministry of Justice and Human rights, their mosques would be closed until further notice."
As part of the ban, the Angolan government ordered the demolition of the mosques in the country.
According to Silva, the decision was the latest in a series of efforts to ban "illegal" religious sects in the country. Silva's statement was made during her appearance last week at the 6th Commission of the National Assembly.
According to the minister, the move was necessitated in order to fight the emergence of congregations whose worshipping is contradictory to the customs of Angola culture.
Not just Islam, many other faiths which have not been legalised will face closure of their houses of worship.
Silva further said, "All sects on the list published by the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights in the Angolan newspaper 'Jornal de Angola' are prohibited to conduct worship, so they should keep their doors closed," she was quoted by Cameroon Voice?.
"In addition, we also have a long list of more than a thousand legalization applications," she added.
Speaking about it, Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos said, "This is the final end of Islamic influence in our country."
A ridiculous and extraordinarily backward thing to do. Who are they to say what religions are legitimate and what religions are not?
This Rosa Cruz e Silva must be somewhere between seriously stupid and utterly bonkers. Something like this normally precipitates a call for someone's resignation. I wonder what madam has to say about that?