BEIRUT: Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil lauded the majority Muslim African state of Senegal for exercising religious tolerance and moderate Islam at a time Muslim fundamentalism is on the rise in the Middle East and North Africa.
“We never heard that a Senegalese had one day left Senegal to go to fight in Syria, or Egypt, or Libya, or that (Senegal) had meddled in the affairs of another country,” Bassil said in Dakkar, where he attended a meeting of the Francophone Organization.
“This country (Senegal) is a mere example of true religion, reflecting the bright and radiant image of Islam which has no links whatsoever with the practices of certain terrorists,” Bassil said.
He pointed out that thousands of fighters from Europe and Arab countries as well as other parts of the world have converged to fight in Syria or Iraq, but not a single Senegal national was recorded fighting abroad.
“This fact is due to freedom of worship and speech and the consolidation of religious understanding and practice (in Senegal),” Bassil said, praising the West African state for deterring the use religion as a means to attack others.
“Those who use God Almighty, who created us, to eliminate other creations in the name of God, is not a human being, and definitely not a Muslim, nor a Christian,” Bassil added.
He also praised Senegal for hosting a large Lebanese expatriate community, estimated at more than 30,000 people.
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