T&T’s largest Muslim organisation, the Anjuman Sunnat-ul Jamaat Association (ASJA), says it applauds Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s commitment to bring back the T&T nationals being held in Syria and Iraq.
According to ASJA’s public relations officer, Imam Raffaic Mohammed, the Prime Minister must be credited for deciding on behalf of the people of T&T in the longstanding matter.
“I’m sure he will have his people make checks and all those sorts of things because you have to check these people. But the people are citizens of T&T and the Government is taking an action to bring them home. It doesn’t have any harm in that. He’s just taking precautions. That’s why it probably took so long,” Imam Mohammed said.
“So, the Government is within its rights. They have to find out and investigate. They have to do what they have to do, and I applaud the Prime Minister if, on behalf of Trinidad, he decided to take a decision that he’s bringing the people, and if he’s bringing the people, he’s bringing the people.”
Asked if ASJA would be willing to assist with the reintegration and rehabilitative process of the citizens upon their return home, Imam Mohammed said ASJA has always helped those in society.
“As a religious organisation, if a person comes and they need some help, they could get the help, and whatever ASJA has in place, they will try to do. ASJA has never refused anybody in Trinidad of anything,” he said.
“But ASJA cannot commit themselves and say ASJA will do this or do that. It will be out of place. ASJA cannot promise someone that they will do this or do that - bring the people and we will do this - no, you have a Government that is the authority of T&T, whether it is Muslim, Hindu, Christian, whoever it is.”
Attempts to get a comment from head of the Jamaat Al-Muslimeen organisation, Imam Sadiq Al Razi, were unsuccessful yesterday.
On Monday, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley committed to bringing back the more than 100 T&T nationals who were either held in refugee camps or detained in prison in Syria and Iraq.
The PM has also appointed a three-man team, headed by former House Speaker Nizam Mohammed, to liaise with the families of the Trinis to get further information The other members are Imam Kwesi Atiba and former ambassador Patrick Edwards.
Following a meeting with the PM and members of the national Security Council at Whitehall on Monday, Mohammed told the media, “A lot of discussions have taken place and we have looked at all the ramifications surrounding the return of our people from Syria.
“It is not a simple matter of just taking our people and bringing them back home. All the circumstances surrounding this situation are such that they have all kinds of international implications and the Government, though it is committed, has to be very thorough in its approach.”