By Mustapha Jallow
Alhajie Sering Faye, the Chairperson of the National Council for Civic Education (NCCE), has urged local communities to avoid slander, intimidation and provocation because they are a threat to Gambia’s young democracy.
Faye made these remarks in the Upper Saloum District of the Central River Region (CRR) North, during the NCCE’s first phase of their nation-wide sensitization on democracy, political pluralism, tolerance, and civic rights and duties with the population in collaboration with TANGO.
The tour party begins in CRR North and the theme for the sensitization is: ‘Strengthening Human Rights and Good Government in The Gambia’.
Faye said the principle of equality requires that people’s interest should not only be attended to by Government policy, but equally by their views. “We should remember that democracy enshrined the equality of all citizens and does not recognize the division of citizens into majority and minority ethnic groups, religions and other status,” he said; that it is the duty of every citizen to recognize each other’s sovereignty and live together as brothers and sisters.
On his part, the Deputy Governor of CRR Omar Sey who spoke on behalf of the Governor, applauded UNDEF, NCCE and TANGO for their timely collaboration in sensitizing the citizenry of the country. Sey told the local communities that the synergy is not about politics but instead to sensitize and make the citizenry aware and to educate the Gambian population on what democracy, political pluralism, civil rights and duties among others, is all about.
“The people of Upper Saloum and CRR welcomed the sensitization campaign and called on the Upper Saloum and CRR communities to be law-abiding at all times,” he told the gathering.
Other speakers at the event gave similar remarks.
The Civic Rights campaign continues in Sandu in URR North, Tumana in URR South and subsequently in other local regions.
