Pope Francis meets with Muslims in Central African Republic

Pope Francis waves to the crowd at the Central Mosque in the Muslim enclave of PK5 in Bangui, on November 30, 2015 where Muslims there have been unable to leave for months because of the armed ChristiShow more

BANGUI // Pope Francis ventured into a volatile Muslim neighbourhood of Central African Republic’s capital on Monday and brought his message of reconciliation to the city’s main mosque, insisting that Christians and Muslims have long lived peacefully together here and that religion can never justify violence.

Under heavy security, Pope Francis crossed into the PK5 neighbourhood where Bangui’s Muslims have been unable to leave for months because of the armed Christian militia fighters who surround its perimeter. The pope travelled in his open-air vehicle through the neighbourhood despite the security risks. Armed UN peacekeepers stood guard in the minarets of the mosque.

The pope’s visit immediately ushered in a greater sense of freedom to the beleaguered area. In what had been a no-man’s land separating the Muslim enclave from the rest of the city only the day before, thousands crossed over into the area chanting “war is over” in the local Sango language after the pope’s departure. Some followed the pope’s entourage all the way to the sports stadium for a final Mass before he heads back to Italy.

Pope Francis had insisted on coming to the PK5 neighbourhood to appeal for peace in a country where two years of Christian-Muslim violence has divided the capital and forced nearly 1 million people to flee their homes. The once vibrant markets of PK5 have now been largely shuttered and many of the Muslim-owned businesses stand in ruins.

About 200 men seated inside the mosque welcomed Pope Francis, who sat on a sofa. In comments to the chief imam, Pope Francis insisted that Muslims and Christians are brothers and must behave as such.

“Christians and Muslims and members of traditional religions have lived peacefully for many years,” he said. “Together, we say no to hatred, to vengeance and violence, especially that committed in the name of a religion or God.”

The chief imam at the mosque, Tidiani Moussa Naibi, thanked Pope Francis for his visit, which he said was “a symbol which we all understand.”

Pope Francis removed his shoes, bowed his head and stood silently at the mihrab, or area of the mosque that faces Mecca.

The pope’s visit to the mosque marked the highlight of his three-nation African tour, with previous stops in Kenya and Uganda.

Central African Republic descended into conflict in 2013 when Muslim rebels overthrew the Christian president. That ushered in a brutal reign. When the rebel leader left power the following year, a swift and horrific backlash against Muslim civilians ensued.

Throughout the early months of 2014, mobs attacked Muslims in the streets, even decapitating and dismembering them and setting their corpses ablaze. Tens of thousands of Muslim civilians fled to neighbouring Chad and Cameroon. Today, the capital that once had 122,000 Muslims has only around 15,000, according to Human Rights Watch.

Pope Francis urged the international community to not view the country as doomed to a cycle of violence, saying the current conflict is a moment in time — “a painful moment, a regrettable moment, but just a moment.”

Before the fighting drove away many Muslims, Central African Republic was 37 per cent Catholic and about 15 per cent Muslim, with traditional faiths and Protestants making up the rest, Vatican figures show.

While the two opposing militias are identified by their religious affiliation, Muslim and Catholic leaders disavow the perpetrators of violence.

The conflict did not begin over religious ideology but rather found its roots in a bid for political power.

* Associated Press