Union of Islamic Associations in Burkina Faso Issues Urgent Call
to Combat Hate Speech and Promote National Unity
The Union of Islamic Associations in
Burkina Faso has issued a statement urging citizens to avoid hate speech and
extremist rhetoric that threaten public peace and national stability.
The statement called for a ban on the
exchange of insults and offensive language, and rejected remarks that mock
religious symbols or describe Islamic outreach organizations in ways that
incite discord and tension among the various components and sects of society.
This statement followed the conclusion of
a three-day scholarly forum held in the capital, Ouagadougou, under the theme
“Ethics of Islamic Discourse in the Digital Age.”
The forum addressed the challenges posed
by hate and violent rhetoric spread by some social media influencers, and the
resulting strife among religious currents in the country.
In a statement, Adama Sankadé, Executive
Secretary of the Union, affirmed that things would not return to how they were
before, urging everyone to embrace the ethics of true Islam and adopt discourse
that strengthens social cohesion and unity.
The Union also warned that preachers and
religious speakers operating outside the officially recognized regulatory
framework would face penalties that could amount to criminal offenses.
This forum comes a month after
Transitional President Ibrahim Traoré called for the removal of extremism from
Islam, emphasizing that extremist and terrorist groups do not represent Islam —
a religion that advocates tolerance, moderation, peace, and stability.
In October 2024, Islamic associations in
Burkina Faso had already issued a warning about the rise of extremism and hate
speech that threaten unity among followers of different Islamic schools of
thought, amidst a surge in terrorist attacks carried out by groups claiming to
represent jihad and Islam, targeting the government and those cooperating with
it.
(Source: Agencies)
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