ISAF teams up with reconstruction team to open new mosque

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Joseph Kapinos
  • 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan (AFPN) --  The Air Force-led Gardez Provincial Reconstruction Team and the International Security Assistance Force opened a new mosque in the village of Sayeed Karum, part of the Paktia province, Oct. 19.

The mosque project, which lay dormant for a number of months, had seen a flurry of activity by the PRT and the Afghan Maskan Construction company in order to open the building during the holy month of Ramadan.

"Today is a great day, today is a day to rejoice, because today we celebrate progress and improvement for your community," said Canadian Brig. Gen. Daniel Pepin, deputy commanding general for all reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan.

Speaking to a large crowd of Afghan political and religious figures, the general spoke of the cooperation between the central government of Afghanistan and the governments of Canada and the United States.

"This mosque is an example of the commitment of the governments to rebuild this great country and to improve the lives of its citizens," General Pepin said.

Located close to the center of the village, next to a school and other government buildings, the completion of the mosque finally gave the villagers their own location to worship as the next closest mosque was five miles away.

This project, however, was very close to not becoming a reality. A contract dispute between the contractor and previous PRT had caused the doors to be locked. A district commissioner, seeing the importance of a new mosque in the village, asked the current team if they could take up the project and complete it in time for Ramadan.

"It was not a problem to finish once the locks were off the door," said Army Maj. Charles Barton, the team leader. "Because we fell into the contract, the groundwork was already laid out. It was easy to finish, this contractor was really good."

Working with the contractor proved easy for the team, and he will be used again on the upcoming well project for the mosque and the community.

"This project needs just a little more work," said Major Barton. "A well is needed here in the compound so people don't have to haul water here from far away."

"It is on our list of future projects," he said.

The mosque cost just under $15,000 and was completed in two months. It was considered by many in the crowd to be a huge accomplishment in showing the people that the coalition forces were there to help the people -- not to take away their right to practice their religion.

"The enemy of the state would have you believe coalition forces are trying to stop Afghans from practicing Islam, nothing could be further from the truth," said Lt. Col. Tracey Meck, the Gardez PRT commander.

"This mosque, and the others we are building throughout the nation, is symbolic of your government's and coalitions forces' dedication to each of you," Colonel Meck said. "We are committed to rebuilding Afghanistan as an Islamic republic, representative of its people and all of their beliefs."