Africa has a new Islamic state

President Yahya Jammeh of Gambia, while celebrating their 51st independence unilaterally declared the river nation of Gambia as an Islamic state, the second one in the continent after Mauritania.

"Accepting Allah's religion as your religion and as your way of life is not negotiable," said President Yahya Jammeh in December.

 He said declaring his country an Islamic state was "in line with the country's religious identity and values."

Pakistan, Iran, and fellow African nation Mauritania also identify themselves as Islamic states.

Some groups have since then argued that Gambia is a 'secular state'  where Christians make up about 5 percent of Gambia’s 1.7 million population. More than half of this group is Catholic, while Protestants make up 1.5 percent of the total population. Majority are Muslims.

According to reports, many citizens are concerned the declaration and the president's violent record could lead to an increase in persecution of religious minorities.

Jammeh went on to reassure the Christian minority that this will not jeopardize their freedom to practice their faith.

"Let me make it very clear: that does not mean Christians cannot worship in their way of life,” he said. “Christians should be given their own respect; the way they celebrate Christmas or whatever will continue. In our relationship with all the rest of the religions, nobody has the right to interfere with their way of life."

 "I have not appointed anybody as an Islamic policeman," Jammeh said late last year. "The way women dress is not your business; you are Muslim, she is a Muslim; you should not tell her how she should dress, it is not your business, in the next world you cannot defend her."

But just weeks after his declaration, Jammeh issued an executive order banning all female civil employees from having their hair uncovered at work.

Source:CT