By Radwa Hassan, IOL Correspondent

CAIRO, November 18 (IslamOnline.net) – Although making up to 15 millions of the country’s 60-million population, Muslims in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) still struggle for their religion to be recognized and better living conditions.

“Despite this large number of followers, Islam has not yet been officially recognized in the country,” the Congolese National Islamic Council chairman has told IslamOnline.net.

Gamal Lumemba Ramadan believed that Muslims had been up to many such challenges, as they were not allowed to carry out their religious rituals until the end of the Belgian colonial era in 1960.

“Lack of mosques, schools and even Qur’an copies reveals how alarming is the lack of knowledge among Muslims in the DRC,” he averred.

In Kinshasa, 14 small mosques serve 950,000 Muslims, compared with the spread of churches each serving ten houses.

The country has 380,000 mosques in Congo, which is more than two million square kilometers.

Few Schools

There are also a few number of Islamic schools, all in bad need for financial support,” the Islamic leader admitted.

Many Muslims were forced to send their children to Christian schools “which set conditions to comply with all Christian rituals”.

Many of the Muslim students, mostly from impoverished families, drop out after secondary school, said Ramadan, calling on Arab and Islamic countries “to stretch their hands for help”.

“They should help build more Islamic schools, and offer scholarships in an effort to set up a cultured Islamic community in the DRC,” said Ramadan.

Poorly Represented

Muslims are also all but poorly represented in the Congolese Parliament, with only three members of 450 MPs in the legislature, Ramadan said.

He voiced anger that no Muslims occupy posts of ministers, deputy ministers or governors.

Unfortunately, Muslims had took the brunt of the tripartite invasion of Congolese lands by Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda that had left one and a half civilians dead, said Ramadan.

“No wonder most of those killed were Muslims, as the armies of the three countries focused their thrust on the western areas, which are intensely inhabited by Muslims”.

But he admitted the situation has witnessed an improvement with the establishment of the National Islamic Council, which helped promote Muslims’ knowledge of the religion and better improve the image of Muslims “away from impaired conceptions and foreign interpretations”.

The council holds courses for Imams and offers relief supplies to Muslims stricken by tribal disturbances besetting the country.

More Preaching

For Haj Modelo Maliba, former chairman of the National Islamic Council, Muslims in the DRC are still in need of more preachers, teachers and “people who could provide guidance to them, in matters related to their faith and its proper practice”.

Maliba said in press reports that the Congolese Muslims do not own any of the infrastructure facilities, such as hospitals, health centers, universities, schools, and that the few they have are not up to par.

He said there should also be a broadcasting and television station to beam guidance program to the Muslims of his country, and also news about their brethren in other parts of the world.

Ramadan agreed, saying “the media outlets could be used to “express ourselves and send the message of Islam clear to others”.

“Our voice is hardly heard in the country’s media, as we are allowed to turn up for five TV or Radio programs a month in the 23 stations in the country,” he lamented.

Source: http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2003-11/18/article04.shtml