PRESS RELEASE
NO EMBARGO
21 August 2020
ACDP ATTACKS ISLAM IN NATIONAL PARLIAMENT FOR ATROCITIES IN MOZAMBIQUE
THE AL JAMA-AH views the ACDP’s accusations that Islamic jihadists are committing atrocities in Mozambique as a direct attack on Islam.
At yesterday’s sitting in Parliament, the National Assembly House Chairperson, Hon. Ms Mmatlala Grace Boroto ruled that Hon. Ganief Hendricks (AL JAMA-AH leader in Parliament) had merely cautioned Hon Wayne Thring (ACDP) against using words loosely that may be deemed offensive by a certain section of society,
The ruling followed a previous plenary session last month, when Hon. Thring (ACDP) stated in Parliament: “Expose the cowardly and brutal acts of Islamic Jihadists by reporting on the burning of churches and kidnapping of young girls, the beheading of people by Islamic jihadists,” to which Hon Hendricks responded: “The last speaker has obviously gotten his facts wrong. Those people in Mozambique are agents of Israel and agents of America. They are not Islamic jihadists and you must be very careful about making such a statement in the 6th Parliament.”
Hon. Swarts (ACDP) then raised on a point of order and asked whether Hon. Hendricks had threatened Hon. Thring. The Chairperson said Hendricks had a different view on who was committing the atrocities Hon. Thring had mentioned and that his Hendricks words could not be construed as a threat to Hon. Thring.
Following advice on the matter and studying of the video, Hon. Chairperson Boroto ruled: “As such, I find that Hon. Hendricks input could not be deemed as a threat to another Member of this House.”
“While Members in the Assembly enjoy freedom of speech as enshrined in Section 58.1 of the Constitution of 1996, that freedom is subject to Section 16.2 of the Constitution – 1996 as provided for the rules and orders for the House, Rule 84 provides that no Member may use offensive, abusive, insulting, disrespectful or un-parliamentary words or language, no offensive or unbecoming gestures,” the Chairperson explained.
For further comments contact:
Mr Ganief Hendricks (AL JAMA-AH leader in Parliament)
Cell: 082 7802573