by M Krishnamoorthy
Malaysiakini
Nov 25, 10

Malaysians were urged not to take the path of religious fanaticism and not allow politicians to exploit religious or racial issues when campaigning for votes.

“If politicians use religion or race to sway the people’s minds then the country may head for disaster,” said Pastor James Wuye and Imam Muhammad Ashafa in a public talk to an audience of over 200 last night at the Hussein Onn Eye Hospital.

Organised by MRA/ Initiatives of Change Malaysia, they concurred that religious leaders should be sincere, fair and mediate conflicts without any agenda for political advantage.

“Neither should politicians use religious leaders to influence the people, and in countries which have used such propaganda have torn their social fabric and were doomed,” Pastor Wuye said.

The net result of any wrong actions by politicians will be a political tsunami and governments can be brought down if religion or race is preached the wrong way to win the people’s support, Ashafa stressed.

Once these religious figures, Pastor Wuye and Imam Ashafa were bitter rivals, but now consider themselves as brothers. In fact, at one time, they each tried to have the other killed.

Force of two for change

James Wuye and Muhammed Ashafa are living proof that people can change, and that the urge for revenge can be replaced by an urge to for love, forgive, foster reconciliation, understanding and peaceful coexistence.

Both the religious leaders were awarded honorary doctorates from Glasgow University and the Open University of India. The DVD that portrays their experience won the first ‘Conflict Prevention’ prize awarded by the Jacques Chirac Foundation, Paris, France

The Imam and the Pastor is a documentary from the heart of Nigeria and represents a moving story of grassroots peace building that gives hope to humanity.

Originally, both leaders belonged to opposing religious militias in Nigeria, and were in constant war through Christian and Muslim militias.

Then both experienced a spiritual transformation and became activists for interreligious dialogue. Together in 1995 they created the Interfaith Mediation Centre (IMC) in the State of Kaduna in northern Nigeria.

They have since worked to pacify their country and to spread their method of dialogue to other countries.

Founded in 1995 in Kaduna, IMC trains teams of religious leaders and religiously motivated individuals in conflict resolution throughout the country.

They lead seminars and workshops in schools and universities on subjects ranging from democracy to interreligious dialogue. Religion as a factor of rapprochement is presented as part of their method.

“It’s the incompetent religious leaders who turn out to be ugly and instead of preaching compassion and they manipulate people who can be easily influenced by politicians. Be careful because politicians play the card to win votes. For this reason, religion and politics cannot be brought together,” said Imam Ashafa.

Go for basic issues advice

For that matter, Ashafa added that politicians should not play the card of identity but instead be issue based like looking into the improvement of water supply, transportation and fulfill other basic needs.

Nigeria is regarded as one of the most religiously sensitive places in the world, stressed Imam Ashafa, but what has our religiosity got to do with life.” We are also one of the most corrupt societies in the world”.

They were looking forward to their visit to Malaysia as they were captivated by the international advertisements that captioned Malaysia as truly Asia.

“You have a diversity of people in Malaysia that has to be cherished” they said. Pastor Wuye stressed that peace is cheap but war and violence are costly.

“Dialogue, dialogue, dialogue, communicate, communicate, and communicate,” Wuye stressed. “Even until you sweat but do not lose a pint of blood,” he added.

The two protagonists have experienced forgiveness and healing. “We have used our experience to strengthen the call for unity which is critical for humanity at this stage in history, even in Malaysia,” they said.