Gabon is shrinking, but places of worship remain closed: religious angry

Text by: RFI Follow

In Gabon, Gabonese spent their first weekend in partial deconfinement mode. But four months later, places of worship are still prohibited from opening.

Publicity

With our correspondent in Libreville, Yves-Laurent Goma

With family or lovers, the Gabonese have again tasted the pleasure of a meal or a coffee in the restaurant. The streets were crowded. The religious are not happy. They are even angry.

Pastor Sylvain Edzang wanders alone in his church of about 1,000 places located in Ozangué in the 5th arrondissement. He believes that keeping places of worship in total confinement is discrimination: "  You have open hotels, open restaurants, I think it is a problem of discrimination, as if the pastors, the evangelists were not aware of the presence of the virus on Gabonese territory. Why not say directly: "Pastors, we confuse you, but respect the same barrier measures that are imposed on all?  "

The Muslim community, less vindictive, supports the initiative of the Minister of the Interior. Last Friday, the Minister of the Interior announced that he will receive in the coming days those in charge of worship to work together to draw up specifications before a possible opening of churches and mosques. Ali Radjoumba is the communications advisor of the High Council for Islamic Affairs in Gabon. “  It should be remembered that certain large mosques in Libreville have already been disinfected. As Islam is a religion that advocates hygiene, we will further intensify cleaning operations in our mosques across the country.  "

For the time being, national television has offered time slots for live services. Many pastors spread their preaching through social media. Others collect the offerings and the tithe via mobile money .

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• Gabon
• Coronavirus
• Religion

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