Estonian Extremists Oppose Building First Mosque
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IslamOnline 6th March, 2004
The Estonian Christian People's Party is championing a signature campaign to block the construction of the first mosque
in the capital Tallinn.
The move, coming as part of the right-wing party calls for curtailing the presence of Muslims in the East European and former Soviet-Union republic, is endorsed by some Estonian MPs.
"We have no reason to hinder the building of a mosque, but Estonia is a country with European culture, and Islamic belief does not really belong here," lawmaker Tallinn City Councilor Liina Tonisson was quoted as saying by the website of the Central Europe Review quarterly.
However, other Christian groups vocalized loud opposition to the campaign, asserting the Christian People's Party does not represent the country's citizens.
Press reports cited fears that preventing the construction of the mosque could trigger an atmosphere of non-tolerance and revive bad memories of discrimination.
Reacting to the campaign, Muslim leaders said that for Muslims to build a mosque would pose no danger to other religions in the republic.
Islam is a religion of peace, harboring no calls for racism towards Christians or violence, said Estonia's mufti Sheikh Ahmed Harsinov.
He recalled that Muslims arrived in Estonia some 100 years ago and have not since caused any problems, urging Estonians not to fear Islam.
The capital Tallinn has only 13 prayer rooms but not a single mosque.
Half of the 10,000 Muslims in Estonia -- which is more than the total number of Roman Catholics and Baptists - reside in Tallinn, according to a report by the Estonian Institute (February 1997).
For his part, the Muslim Red Crescent director said the aim of his society is to serve Muslims, including organizing religious and social get-togethers.
The first Muslim charity in Estonia was built in 1928, and continued work till 1940 when Soviet troops swept into and occupied the country, he said.
The first Islamic society was set up in 1984, although not officially recognized until August 2000.
Estonia got independence in 1991, and has 1.3 million population (U.N., 2003).
According to the 2002 International Religious Freedom Report, released by the U.S. Department of State, forty years of communism diminished the role of religion in Estonia.
Many groups have sent foreign missionaries into the country in recent years; the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) has the largest number of missionaries, read the report.
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