WASHINGTON, Aug 14, (AFP) -In a passionate defence of religious freedom, President Barack Obama on Friday waded into a bitter controversy by defending the right of Muslims to build a mosque just blocks from Ground Zero.
“As a citizen, and as president, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practise their religion as anyone else in this country,” Obama said.
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| U.S. President Barack Obama is reflected in a mirror as he delivers remarks during the Iftar dinner in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington August 13. REUTERS |
“That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community centre on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances.”Obama's remarks, delivered at a White House Iftar meal for Muslims breaking their Ramadan fast, were the president's first on the controversial project, which has become a test of tolerance for Islam in post-9/11 America and sparked a national debate on freedom of religion.
Intended to include a mosque, sports facilities, theater, restaurant and possibly a day care, the multi-story Islamic centre would be open to all visitors to demonstrate that Muslims are part of their community, planners say.
But the proposed location, two blocks from the gaping Ground Zero hole, where the Twin Towers were destroyed on September 11, has touched raw nerves.
Obama acknowledged that the site where the World Trade Center towers once stood remains “hallowed ground,” and that 9/11 attacks “were a deeply traumatic event for our country.”But he said American values required that all religious groups be treated equally and fairly.
“This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakeable. The principle that people of all faiths are welcome in this country, and will not be treated differently by their government, is essential to who we are.”New York City has approved plans for the lower Manhattan building to be turned into a mosque and an interfaith venue called “Cordoba House.” But hearings on whether the construction should be allowed prompted furious exchanges, with supporters accusing critics of racism and Islamophobia, and opponents warning insulted the memory of the 3,000 victims of the 9/11 attacks.
Applause erupted when a New York city commission unanimously approved the project August 3, but others shouted “shame,” and waved signs reading “Islam builds mosques at the sites of their conquests.” Obama acknowledged the “pain and suffering experienced by those who lost loved ones is unimaginable,” but he called on Americans to “always remember who we are fighting against, and what we are fighting for.”
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