US embassy cable - 05MAPUTO836

UNCLAS MAPUTO 000836 
 
SIPDIS 
PARIS FOR ARS 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/PD (LMING); AF/S (HTREGER) 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, KPAO, PINR, PTER, KISL, MZ, Islam, Education 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR VISITS MATOLA MUSLIM SCHOOL 
 
1. On June 16 the Matola Muslim School (Massjid Hamza) 
warmly welcomed its first visit by an American ambassador. 
Following up on his participation in last November's Iftar 
hosted by the Ambassador, the school's director and the most 
important Imam in Mozambique, Sheik Aminudine Muhammed, gave 
a warm introduction in front of sixty students and faculty. 
He presented Ambassador La Lime, the PAO, and USAID officer 
with gift books. Ambassador La Lime in turn took advantage 
of the occasion to explain U.S. activities and objectives in 
Mozambique, including the desire to reach out to the Islamic 
community. 
 
2. Sheik Muhammed then accompanied the Ambassador on a tour 
of the campus, located in suburban Maputo. During the course 
of the walk-through, the Sheik and various faculty 
colleagues waxed enthusiastic about the Ambassador's 
presence. They emphasized that education made up only one 
aspect of the institution's community functions; they also 
operate a morgue, mosque, a kitchen for the needy, and a 
radio station. 
 
3. The visit, a part of the PA-coordinated Mission Speakers 
Initiative, included a lively question-and-answer session 
with about forty students. Students asked several direct 
questions, dealing with Iraq, Islam in the U.S., and 
homosexuality under American law. All three Americans gave 
interviews to Radio Imame, the local Muslim radio station 
that reaches a daily audience of 15,000 in the Maputo area. 
The PAO then toured the nearby radio station and arranged 
for a follow-up radio appearance. The school itself has 
requested an ongoing relationship with the Mission, with 
focus on its library, small grants, and support for English- 
language education. 
 
4. COMMENT. Massjid Hamza is primarily a boarding school, 
grooming talented Muslim students from throughout Mozambique 
for leadership positions in Islamic institutions and 
communities. Students study for ten years and more through 
high school, often going years without returning home. 
DUDLEY