Islamic leader's statement causes furore in Macedonia

Islamic leader's statement causes furore in Macedonia

Analysts and activists caution religious leaders to be careful about their statements on social networks and elsewhere.

IVZ head Sulejman Rexhepi’s post about the Prilep mosque is being criticised. [Facebook/Sulejman Rexhipi]

Officials and civil society condemned a Facebook posting by the Islamic Community (IVZ) leader in Macedonia that celebrated the deaths of those who set fire to a Prilep mosque in 2001 and predicted a similar fate for Prilep Mayor Marjan Risteski.

IVZ head Sulejman Rexhepi posted on his Facebook wall a photo of Carsi mosque in Prilep, noting that God is punishing with death those who burned it down during the 2001 conflict in Macedonia.

A group of Prilep inhabitants burned the mosque down in retaliation for the killing of Macedonian security forces by the National Liberation Army.

"Respected Muslim brothers, this is the Carsi mosque in Prilep that was burned down in 2001 by a group of 30 people and all of them were sentenced to death by Allah. ... The last one left is Marjan Risteski who will face Allah's big punishment," Rexhepi said in the Facebook post.

Risteski, who has never been accused of or admitted to burning any structure, called the statement scandalous, and said Rexhepi is trying to portray himself as a radical in the pre-election period.

Risteski also said he does not profess the Islamic faith, but asks God to give Rexhepi strength to remain consistent with the principles of Islam, which call for tolerance and understanding, instead of saying and doing things unbecoming of a religious leader.

"In the spirit of Christianity, I have forgiven him for the unfortunate and not-well-thought-out statement. I...