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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