International Day for religious violence victims: Forum wants prompt prosecution of perpetrators

Aug 30, 2019

The Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace (IDFP) has urged the Federal Government to intensify security response and ensure prompt prosecution of persons found culpable in perpetrating violence against others.

They made the call on Thursday in Abuja at the commemoration of the “International Day for Victims of Violence Based on Religion and other Beliefs” and donations of food and household relief materials for the Internally Displaced Camps (IDPs) at Malaysia Garden, Apo and New Khuchigoro Games Village Camp, both in Abuja.

The event was organised by the Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace (IDFP) and the King Abdullah bin Abdul’aziz Centre for Inter-religious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID), Vienna, Austria.

The Co-chairmen of IDFP, Alhaji Kunle Sanni and Bishop Sunday Onuoha, urged Nigerians to remember the IDPs across the country and not abandon them to their plights.

The Co-Secretary of IDFP, Alhaji Ibrahim Yahya and the co-chairman, Central Coordinating Council (CCC), IDFP, Amir Muhammad Jameel Muhammad, who spoke on behalf of the co-chairmen, donated the relief materials at the two IDP camps.

Alhaji Ibrahim Yahya, speaking at the Malaysia Garden, said the donation was part of the forum’s two week activities to make UN International Day.

Yahya said the gesture for the maiden celebration of the UN Day celebrated every August 22, was necessary to amplify the need for response to the plight of the victims who were often forgotten.

He urged government and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) for urgent response to the plight of IDPs for rehabilitation and resettlement.

“The IDFP stands in solidarity with all victims of violence especially those perpetrated in the name of religion and encourages all religious adherents to seek the truth, peace and justice as enshrined in the teachings of the Holy Books. IDFP also wishes to encourage all religious adherents to respect the rule of law and fundamental rights to freedom of worship and religious participation,” Yahya said.

Mallam Jameel on his part, said the essence of the donation was to commiserate with the IDPs.

He said, “We have come to commiserate, empathise with them and to show them that we are with them and that we are craving for peace in this country and we will continue to support them.”

He urged religion leaders to always preach peace and do the right thing in order to promote peace.

Also, the Co-Secretary of IDFP, Pastor Joshua Ibrahim, urged religious leaders to continue to assist and provide relief materials to victims of crisis with the belief that such would not necessarily make them to change religion.

Joshua said that would rather make them to know that God is in every situation and that it would also help to douse the tension in their hearts. --www.dailytrust.com.ng