A report in El Dia says that countries are on alert given the increasing proliferation of Islam followers in gang-dominated Haiti. The newspaper says this is a wake-up call for security agencies both in the Dominican Republic and the United States. The newspaper reports that the present situation and worsening of the poverty in Haiti has lead thousands of Haitians to turn to Islam with the help of NGO funding.
El Dia reports: “In addition to the widespread domination of Haitian territory by gangs and the uncontrollable wave of violence they are carrying out, there is a growing presence of Muslim groups in that nation, which is beginning to attract attention due to the fear of possible threats to the security of the region.”
The newspaper says that security agencies from several countries have documented more than 50 new Muslim centers in Haiti. It reports that the schools of Islam are similar to those that gave rise to the Taliban that ended up controlling Afghanistan.
“Dozens of Muslim organizations have been springing up in Haiti with funding from various NGOs, Muslim universities and other types of organizations,” reports El Dia.
The newspaper mentions that Imam (Muslim leader) Bilal Al Habashi, a Haitian national, revealed in a radio program that since 2009 to date, 40 Muslim mosques have been installed in his nation, of which only the organization he leads has built 18 thanks to the support of entities from Turkey.
The newspaper reports that among the organizations that are promoting the expansion of Islam in Haiti are Life for Relief and Development, Muslim Community Center of New York, International Human Care and Relief Organization and Fondation Salam.
It also highlights that many young Haitian women are being taken to the Islamic University of Madinah in Saudi Arabia to complete their studies.
According to El Dia, Muslim organizations have been funding the expansion of mosques and promoting the growth of Islam, finding fertile ground in the country’s widespread misery, violence and corruption.
El Dia says that reports in this regard have caused concern among Dominican and US authorities due to the possibility that given Haiti’s institutional fragility and the corruption in that country, cells of fundamentalist groups that look to the West as their enemies may be installed.
El Dia says it had access to a report that indicates that many Haitians who profess Christianity and who occupy leadership positions in their communities have begun to accept Islam as a religion, seeking an improvement in their living conditions and initially attracted by the gifts.
The rapid construction of new buildings for Islamic indoctrination is related to the financing received by Islamic groups from Middle Eastern countries.
The mosques contrast with the poverty of their surroundings, which allows them to attract followers attracted by the distribution of food and other handouts.
News media over the years has been reporting on the increase in Islam constructions in Haiti.
Meanwhile, Hoy reports that churches have closed in Haiti due to the threat of gang violence on church-goers.
Read more:
El Dia
Haiti Libre
My Ultimate Decision
Hoy
17 April 2023