Senior Reporter
jensen.lavende@guardian.co.tt
Jamaat-al-Muslimeen Imam Sadiq al Razi says the time has come for healing between the Jamaat and the country.
He made the comment yesterday at the Jamaat’s Mucurapo Mosque, as he noted the Jamaat will be part of the African Emancipation Day procession today.
Al Razi, who was one of the 114 insurrectionists in the 1990 attempted coup, said just as countries in World War II who are now allies were once enemies, so too the country should be with the Jamaat.
“Why can’t we move on as a people and each one embrace one another? I think that is long overdue and most of the people who are aggrieved by 1990, most of them under the ground based on the passage of time,” al Razi said.
He said the Jamaat has been “building bridges” in the shadows, but there are those still wanting to stoke the fire of animosity and reignite the flames of division and hatred. He said the Jamaat will continue to do good and keep at it until the good is recognised.
“All who don’t want to work with us will sit by and watch the train going along. The train of progress is moving along and at some point, they will ask for a ride.”
On the 34 anniversary of the attempted coup on Saturday (July 27), social activist Wendell Eversley repeated his call for the roll-out of recommendations of the Commission of Enquiry into the 1990 attempted coup.
Asked about those who can’t forgive the Jamaat because they believe there was no retribution for the deaths and destruction caused during the event, al Razi said this is because the full story of 1990 is yet to be told.
“I have seen books written and I know, as an elder, we need to put the record straight about what happened. But that is a whole episode by itself,” he said, adding that after the full story is told, the pain in the hearts of some will leave.
Al Razi said part of the rebranding of the Jamaat is to educate the public and one of the steps will be the role that Muslims played in the emancipation of slaves. He said Bath Street in East Port-of-Spain was named after a former slave, Jonas Mohammed Bath, who purchased his freedom and then those of others.
The Imam, who took over the Jamaat three years ago after Imam Yasin Abu Bakr, who led the 1990 attempted coup died, said he had big shoes to fill but he was up to the task. He joked that Abu Bakr wore size 13 and he wears nine and just as they differ in shoe sizes, they differ also in leadership style.
Asked why the decision had been made to rejoin the African Emancipation Day procession, the 69-year-old said it was part of the new focus of the Jamaat to not just change internally but show externally that they are ready and willing to work with all who want better for the country.
He stressed the Jamaat’s vision of reclamation is one of reuniting the Muslim community and then the Jamaat with T&T.
Al Razi said most of the country wants a peaceful and crime-free country to live in and the Jamaat will be working with those like-minded people to bring about this. He said the Jamaat will not be endorsing any parties as an organisation, but members are free to support whoever they wish.
