Nairobi — The violence which has resulted in one death and scores of injuries and the burning of two Nairobi shrines must not be allowed to escalate.

Already, there are many cases of unwarranted damage and great destruction of property which do not help solve the problem at all. The confrontation, which started as a dispute over land, has deteriorated into an unseemly conflict pitting Muslims against Christians.

This strife could not have come at a more inauspicious time, erupting as it does in the week that Muslims began the Ramadhan fast and Christians prepare to enter the festive Christmas season.

The burning of the mosque in Nairobi's South B and the retaliatory petrol- bombing of a church in the same area are manifestations of the anarchy that lurks in disrespect for the law. These are trying times, indeed, and they demand perseverance and forbearance - even in the face of perceived provocation.

It is reassuring that the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims acknowledges the problem at Nairobi's South B as purely a land dispute.

The leaders of the various religious organisations must now commit their energies to building bridges that ensure peaceful co-existence between the various faiths and unhindered enjoyment of the rights of religion and worship. The escalation of a straightforward land matter into a sectarian war will not benefit anyone.

We appeal to Kenyans of all religious persuasions to remain calm and not view this outbreak of violence as a religious war. What is at issue is not faith but, rather, a piece of land whose true ownership or tenancy can be established beyond a shadow of doubt without loss or injury.

Certainly, there ought to be questions about why there has been no attempt to solve this problem, which the provincial administration says has been simmering for the past 10 years. There will be questions, too, about the low-spirited police reaction to the flare-up.

However, the Government's pledge to stand up for the rights of all people - be they Muslim, Christian or of any other confession - must be followed by visible mediation aimed at defusing the rising tension.

It is in this spirit that we welcome Nairobi Provincial Commissioner Cyrus Maina's undertaking to resolve the land dispute within a month.