In the wake of the black flag incident at the Cyril E. King Airport on Friday, some 13 religious and community leaders gathered Sunday at the Masjid Nur Islamic Center in Sugar Estate with a plan to send the community a strong message against religious intolerance.
“When they see us together, they’ll understand that this is not a religion thing,” said Ronald Walker, pastor at the Word of Faith International Christian Center. “We’re not against each other. We have a common goal, and that’s to push this community further.”
Sunday’s meeting came in response to the removal of nine international flags from the entrance to the Cyril E. King Airport and their replacement with black banners bearing the word “Allah” and other Arabic symbols on them.
The V.I. Police Department arrested 29-year-old Alla H. Salem Friday and charged him with several misdemeanors, including conversion of federal property, malicious mischief and petty larceny.
In a news conference Saturday, VIPD Commissioner Delroy Richards commended the Muslim community and residents of Sugar Estate for providing critical information that assisted in Salem’s capture, something not lost on participants of Sunday’s meeting.
“The apprehension was so swift, and that’s because of what? Community involvement, and we should applaud that,” said Bruce Flamon, founder of the Citizens and Police Association, who helped bring the religious leaders together.
Mahdi Abedallah, president of the board of trustees at the Islamic Center, emphasized that they are interested in keeping the community at large safe, as well as to be able to practice their faith without fear of harm.
‘Muslims have been living with other faiths and all over the world, and it’s not necessarily always a conflict or any problems,” said Abelallah. “Sometimes, it’s just politics or interests of states or countries.”
While Salem is alleged to have acted independently, and the Arabic symbols on the flags did not represent actual words, reactions came quickly on social media, with residents calling the action “evil” and expressing fear of travelling out of the St. Thomas airport until the incident is cleared up. Resident Moti Sujanani said it’s no different on the streets.
“There are lots of unanswered questions on the island,” Sujanani said. “People fear that there’s actually more bad things to come. Again, I’m on the street. This is what I hear.”
Margaret Price, who works at the Islamic Center, said the act of connecting the incident to the Islamic Center is “bringing a blight on all of us as Muslims.”
“This is why we’re here, to get out to community,” Price said. “I’ve been telling the imam, ‘Let’s get out there in the community. Let them see what we’re about,’ so we don’t live in fear because we don’t believe in violence.”
Walker said that after the incident, he reassured his congregation that there was nothing to fear, telling them of his good relationship with Abu Baker Muhammad, imam at the Islamic Center.
“We cannot blame what one person believes on the entire Muslim community. It’s up to us as faith leaders to eliminate the fear people may have because me and him are cool,” said Walker, gesturing at Muhammad.
Participants brought up the need to revive the Interfaith Council of the Caribbean, an organization comprised of various religious denominations that has become less active after the 2017 hurricanes.
Muhammad said the council, which they eventually plan to expand to other islands, will host programs and seminars where different denominations can educate the community about different faiths and beliefs.
“And to be able to have a platform where we can address incidents as they occur and show support for one another,” added Muhammad.
Residents who came to the meeting, however, stressed the importance of meeting the community where they are.
“People are not going to go to interfaith events … going to find out what’s happening at the synagogue, what’s happening [at the Islamic Center,” said Sujanani. “You have to go to them, they have to see you and feel the brotherhood.”
Resident Harriet Mercer agreed, saying, “I’m tired of seeing when we act reactionary in this community only when something happens. I hope we can come together and be more proactive.”
Religious leaders are holding a press conference to show solidarity and unity at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Islamic Center, a date they picked specifically, they said, because it is July 4, the celebration of American independence, which ties in with their goals.
“This is what America is about, the greatness of working together and not fear and division,” said Michael feshbach, rabbi at the Hebrew Congregation of St. Thomas.
“The truth is the more we come to know people we initially think are different, the more we realize how much we have in common,” said Feshbach. “Get to know people and walls fall down.”
