Muslim leader calls for SIC’s dissolution Accuses members of dabbling in politics 72-year-old Baba Jawara has called for the immediate dissolution of the Supreme Islamic Council claiming that the council has failed to address what he called pertinent Islamic matters affecting the country’s Muslim population. “The council has no proper code of conduct to punish the evil deeds in society and other intolerance and irreligious behaviors,” Baba who is a religious leader remarked during an interview with The Independent Thursday. The community leader expressed over the perceived involvement of the Supreme Islamic Council in politics despite its clear-cut role to promote religious tolerance and Islamic principles. “It is an organisation for political propaganda which is unfair to the Gambian people” he said. The Muslim leader noted that the entire council should be dissolved to give way to a new Islamic organisation that will take into cognizance the serious concerns of Muslims and refrain from dabbling in politics. Commenting on the recent spectacle of women parading naked in Brikama, he noted that it was surprising that the Council did not condemn the women who he believes openly defied religion. He the women’s action as unIslamic and immoral and should not be condoned in a civilized society like The Gambia. Jawara asserted that “it is a most shameful and disgraceful behaviour unexpected from any group of women”. He said the failure of the SIC to denounce the manner of the protest was due to political reasons. “Islam is not a biased religion and therefore those chosen to represent the interest of Muslims should speak out the truth at all cost” he said. Mr. Jawara recalled that the SIC was so inactive that even when the security forces gunned down student demonstrators last year, the council refused to condemn it “knowing very well that it was against Islam to entertain brutality. He also took issues with the Council of Elders, whom he accused of “not fulfilling their obligations by failing to denounce or discourage such misconduct in society.” “Allah will never forgive anyone who entertains evil deeds in society especially those who are mandated to speak without fear or favour in such circumstances. Jawara also criticised Alhaji Banding Drammeh the president of the Supreme Islamic Council and Imam Abdoulie Fatty of the State House mosque for trying to please members of the government at the expense of the principles of Islam. “They are only interested in topics favourable to the government while they deliberately ignore the truth. He charged.” “It is Allah who gave them such positions and not any government. They should believe in Allah and speak out the truth without fear or favour,” he added. Fatty and Drammeh are not aware of it but they should know that well-meaning Gambian Muslims do not believe in anything they say anymore because they know that these men contradict what Islam stands for” he charged. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>