Cuba acknowledges Muslims' right to have mosque

Rasa - Cuban Ambassador Albertao Gonzales Casals says that they had been thinking of building a mosque for some time and that the Muslims living in the country had a right to have a mosque.

News ID: 1854

Date: 20 December 2014 - 20:00

RNA - Cuban Ambassador Albertao Gonzales Casals says that they had been thinking of building a mosque for some time and that the Muslims living in the country had a right to have a mosque.

The remarks come in response to Turkish President Erdogan's comments regarding a mosque to be built in Cuba.

During NTV's live broadcast, Casals answered Can Ertuna's questions saying that the 11 million population of Cuba had 5000 Muslims.

Stating that he did not want to enter a historic debate, the ambassador said that this issue had previously been raised. Two years ago, “The Muslims in Cuba had submitted a request for a mosque. We are a secular country. We consider the demands of the different religions. Muslims have a right to a mosque. The Turkish government will help of the Ministry of Religious Affairs will also help with the construction. What is important is the requestion of the people living in Havana and we have been considering this for quite some time. This mosque will be built”.

President Erdogan said in his speech at the 1st Latin American Muslim Religious Leaders summit that America had been discovered prior to 1492. He has said that “prior to Columbus, 314 years earlier Muslim sailors sailed and had reached the American continent in 1178. In Christopher Columbus' memoirs, there is mention of a mosque on the top of a hill. We speak about this with my Cuban brothers. And a mosque will suit that peak very nicely”.

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