Dr. Ebrima Sall,
I agree entirely with your position on the current line of debate. I am however uneasy about your including Imam Fatty's name in that list of honourable Gambians, who in so many different ways stand out in the struggle for true democracy, Human Rights, the right to free expression and association, and religious tolerance.
All Imam Fatty did was to express his right to free speech by taking his Boss to task on a matter close to his heart. But throughtout the past, the reputable Imam has championed nothing except to chorus the opportunistic forays of President Jammeh in destroying the 100-year old peaceful calm between Muslims and other Faiths in Gambia since the end of the Marabout -Soninke wars at the end of the 19th century.
(In a recent editorial run on the Independent D. A Jawo claimed that Muslims and Christians lived peacefully for four hundred years in Gambia. This view was echoed by someone else subsequently. I do not know why 50 years of fighting between the Soninke and Marabouts that began around 1849 seemed to have escaped from memory. This period in Gambia history was one of religious bloodletting fanned by political incentives.)
Since President Jammeh came to power, he deliberately tried to desecularise the Gambian State first creating a ministerial portfolio of seceretary of religious affairs, constructed a mosque on State House grounds and appointed Fatty as its Imam, an action which itself precludes the probability of a Christian Head of State in Gambia. This was not just a clear violation of the Constitution, but by subsequently harrying the Ahmaddiya out of the country through sectarian instigation, and toying with the idea of introducing Sharia in Gambia, Jammeh managed to tear up the congenial mutual tolerance that obtained for a hundred years between various Gambian Faiths.
Gambian society has seen a clear tendency towards Islamization with increased intolerance towards catholics and animists; and all the while this Imam was behind the President, prodding him in his anarchic religious adventures. Imam Fatty infact was once advocating a ban on contraception for Gambia women, a truely medieval cast of opinion only made tolerable because of being veiled by heavy layers of muslim kaftans.
The Imam may be a true muslim, but he clearly reeks of intolerance and reaction. He does not belong in a line of Gambian heroes.
Cheers,
Momodou S Sidibeh.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ebrima Sall" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, August 09, 2003 2:49 PM
Subject: Re: Fresh Standoff Over Veil, Imbroglio State House Imam Confronts Jammeh
> Dear friends,
>
> I don't often join debates on the L, but I would like to share my feelings about this issue, which I think is fundamental.
>
> I find the tone of the message below from Mr Jallow very disturbing. For our own good, we MUST have people in Gambian society who have the courage and moral authority to voice out the truth, whatever it takes. It would be very foolish for anybody to to think that intimidation or terror-physical or verbal-tactics will prevent people from thinking, or saying what they think. We should be proud that we have people in our society who have the courage, integrity and commitment to truth and to our national interest of a Honourable Halifa Sallah, D.A. Jawo, Imam Fatty, Baboucarr Gaye, George Christensen, Sidia Jatta, Sam Sarr, Bishop Tilewa Johnson, Dr Lenrie Peters, Amie Sillah, and MANY OTHERS, like we have had the Dickson Colleys and the Edward Smalls, and many, many others .
>
> The worst thing that could ever happen to our country would be for only people singing praises to the president being allowed to preach in churches and in mosques, or speak on radio and TV, or write in newspapers, or make other forms of intervention in the public sphere. In this particular, case, I see nothing in the Imam's sermon that warrants threats such as this one in Mr Jallow's message:
>
> "...Jammeh will soon put such characters to check with alacrity".
>
> The sermon seems to me to be very carefully worded, and very respectful. After all, he is just being true to himself, and to the teachings of a religion that most Gambians claim to live by.
>
> Mosques, churches, and newspapers are all part of civil society, and it is quite amazing for someone living in America, seeing how strongly people feel about their freedoms, to think that our standards should or could be lower in hat regard. The good thing about the 'liberal democracy' that Mr Jallow is refering to is that it leaves space for different views to be expressed. What makes a public sphere liberal is the fact that it is a sphere in which critical public discussion of matters of general interest is institutionally guaranteed.
>
> What anybody who feels offended by the sermon, or other public statements made by people in politics or in civil society should do is to consult a lawyer and see whether there is a case for defamation/libel or whatever they think they ought to seek redress for. That too would be a way of respecting our own institutions.
>
> I think President Jammeh is much more intelligent and much more magnanimous than most people would like to think, and I hope that he will ignore the hawks and protect, and further nurture the growth of our democracy, by letting the public discussions on this and other issues go on as long as is necessary.
>
> I wrote this contribution to the debate simply as a concerned, very ordinary Gambian citizen, with no desire to lecture anybody.
>
> Have a pleasant weekend!
>
> Ebrima Sall
>
>
>
> Ebou Jallow <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Jabou,
>
> This is one classical case that supports the argument for the
> separation of church and state in a liberal society. It is wrong for
> the clergy to engage in politics by preaching from the pulpit. In any
> case Jammeh will soon put such characters to check with alacrity.
>
> The real Imam Fatty is a demagogue and a closet fundamentalist
> terrorist cum Bin Ladin.
>
> Ebou
>
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