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http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23796332-2862,00.html
Muslims quitting regional Victoria due to lack of mosques
Jane Metlikovec
June 02, 2008 01:22pm
MUSLIMS are quitting regional Victoria by the dozens because there is nowhere for them to pray.
Many are abandoning regional centres just weeks after they arrive because there are no mosques within hundreds of kilometres of their new homes.
There are more than 90,000 Muslims in Victoria, and only four mosques in regional areas.
There are a further 32 mosques in Melbourne.
About 30 Muslim workers have recently left Warrnambool because the nearest mosque is in Geelong- almost 200km away.
The Islamic Council of Victoria said rural towns would suffer if they didn't start providing devout Muslims with places of worship.
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ICV executive committee member Sherene Hassan said four mosques in regional Victoria was not a large number.
"For devout Muslims a mosque is a central aspect of their lives,'' Ms Hassan said.
"If Muslims are leaving towns because of this, then this is affecting these towns economically.''
Ms Hassan said the ICV would support any efforts to build new mosques, but said they must be built in consultation with the local community.
``We would want the wider community to support it, and would urge Muslims to consult as widely as possible,'' she said.
Warrnambool Muslim community leader Mohamed Khanyari said about 30 workers he had encouraged to move to the state's west last year had already returned to Melbourne because the area has no mosque.
Mr Khanyari said plans to bring more migrant workers to the area would fail if a place of worship was not built soon.
"I am already bringing people here to work, but they just cannot stay, because they are very
religious people and they must have somewhere to pray,'' Mr Khanyari said.
Mr Khanyari said Warrnambool was suffering.
"The people I am bringing here are good, skilled workers, but they simply leave because of the situation,'' he said.
"It would be good for us, yes, but also good for the town and tourism.
"There are many Muslim families here and we have many visitors who are disappointed when we tell them there is no mosque.''
Mr Khanyari said he would continue to lobby the local council about building a mosque in Warrnambool.
Comments:
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23796332-2862,00.html
Muslims quitting regional Victoria due to lack of mosques
Jane Metlikovec
June 02, 2008 01:22pm
MUSLIMS are quitting regional Victoria by the dozens because there is nowhere for them to pray.
Many are abandoning regional centres just weeks after they arrive because there are no mosques within hundreds of kilometres of their new homes.
There are more than 90,000 Muslims in Victoria, and only four mosques in regional areas.
There are a further 32 mosques in Melbourne.
About 30 Muslim workers have recently left Warrnambool because the nearest mosque is in Geelong- almost 200km away.
The Islamic Council of Victoria said rural towns would suffer if they didn't start providing devout Muslims with places of worship.
r
ICV executive committee member Sherene Hassan said four mosques in regional Victoria was not a large number.
"For devout Muslims a mosque is a central aspect of their lives,'' Ms Hassan said.
"If Muslims are leaving towns because of this, then this is affecting these towns economically.''
Ms Hassan said the ICV would support any efforts to build new mosques, but said they must be built in consultation with the local community.
``We would want the wider community to support it, and would urge Muslims to consult as widely as possible,'' she said.
Warrnambool Muslim community leader Mohamed Khanyari said about 30 workers he had encouraged to move to the state's west last year had already returned to Melbourne because the area has no mosque.
Mr Khanyari said plans to bring more migrant workers to the area would fail if a place of worship was not built soon.
"I am already bringing people here to work, but they just cannot stay, because they are very
religious people and they must have somewhere to pray,'' Mr Khanyari said.
Mr Khanyari said Warrnambool was suffering.
"The people I am bringing here are good, skilled workers, but they simply leave because of the situation,'' he said.
"It would be good for us, yes, but also good for the town and tourism.
"There are many Muslim families here and we have many visitors who are disappointed when we tell them there is no mosque.''
Mr Khanyari said he would continue to lobby the local council about building a mosque in Warrnambool.
Comments:
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23796332-2862,00.html