“We regret the death of this unifying and moderate imam, a lover of peace and tolerance in the context of radical Islamism”, said the local non-governmental organisation CEPADHO (Center for Studies for the Promotion of Peace, Democracy and Human Rights) after the assassination of Sheikh Ali Amin, president of the Islamic community in the city of Beni in North Kivu Province in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

According to CEPADHO, the imam was murdered on May 1st in the Jamia Mosque in Beni / Mupanda in the Municipality of Ruwenzori, while the Imam was leading the evening prayer. The murderers managed to break into the mosque and killed the Imam with a shot in the head. Immediately afterwards, the perpetrator fled with an accomplice who was waiting on a motorcycle in front of the mosque.

“CEPADHO believes that the assassination of Sheikh Ali Amin was the work of the jihadist militias of the ADF / MTM (Allied Democratic Forces / Madinat Tawhid wa-l-Muwahidin). The NGO deduces this from the fact that the day before his death the victim condemned jihadism and the massacres of innocent civilians in the region in his sermons. In addition, security services were aware of the extent of the threats to Sheikh Ali Amin and tried to “offer him special protection” last month”. CEPADHO encourages Muslim believers not to be intimidated and “to follow in Sheikh Ali Amin’s footsteps to preach an Islam of peace”. 

Source: Fides.org