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Momodou
Denmark
11824 Posts |
 Posted - 01 Mar 2007 : 12:52:20
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HALIFA SALLAH ON THE 2007 WOMEN PARLIAMENTRIANS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON GENDER, NATION BUILDING AND THE ROLE OF PARLIAMENTS HELD IN KIGALI RWANDA
22-23 FEBRUARY 2007
Foroyaa: Halifa, how did you get to be invited to such a conference since you are neither a woman nor a parliamentarian at the moment?
Halifa: When I received the invitation from the senators from Rwanda, I thought that they had assumed that I was still a member of the Pan African Parliament. I had to write back to them to say that I was no longer a Parliamentarian. They were not only shocked but they insisted that they would like to invite me in my personal capacity to be a resource person and rapporteur. For your information I have been on this mission with some of the members of the Pan African Parliament from Rwanda. The other members in the Pan African Parliament from Rwanda have also held me in high esteem. In addition, WEDA an association of European Parliamentarians for Africa, had invited me a year ago to give a lecture in Nairobi where I met some Senators from Rwanda who were very impressed with my analysis of what happened in Congo, Rwanda and Burundi which led to the assassination of prominent leaders in the region, like Lumumba, at independence. I told them then that Rwanda and Burundi had the option of being unified by one language to build a federation that could have been an example of African unity, if Lumumba has his way in Congo. Anyway since the Rwandese Parliamentarians wanted to chart a new way forward, they decided to invite people they felt could make contributions in enabling them to carve a new destiny.
Foroyaa: Were you the only one from The Gambia?
Halifa: Clearly, when it comes to the issue of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity one cannot exclude the International Criminal Court. The Deputy Prosecutor General of the International Criminal Court, Mrs. Fatou Bensouda, chaired a session on gender based violence, an obstacle to development. The presence of the country was indeed felt in shaping the common destiny of the African people.
Foroyaa: Was the conference of any significance?
Halifa: This is the first international conference I have attended where one sensed that no one was paying lip service to the struggle for human dignity and worth. Status and post became less significant. People listened and absorbed the constructive things that one had to offer. One delegate from UK had to assert that, even though, they from developed countries are usually invited to Africa to teach, but the conference had taught them that they are also in Africa to learn. This summed up the comprehensive nature of the debate that took place. When the president of the Africa Development Bank began to sound like Patrice Lumumba on a National platform, it became evident to me that a new spirit of Pan Africanism is dawning. One could see that even Madam Cherie Blair, the wife of the Prime Minister of Britain, who was a panelist was moved. She occasionally turned and nodded her head to lend support to some of the views.
Foroyaa: Where did the delegates come from?
Halifa: According to the president of the Senate of Rwanda, Dr. Vincent Birutu, delegates came from as far as the Cook Islands and as near as Burundi. In his welcoming address, he noted the presence of the President of Liberia, President of Rwanda and wife, the President of the Pan African Parliament, the wife of the Prime Minister of Britain Madam Cherie Blair, the Speaker of the National Assembly of Burundi, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of Rwanda, the President of the African Development Bank, delegates representing sister parliaments, the World Bank, UNDP, UNIFEM, UN HABITAT, the World Trade Organisation, US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Ambassador Jendayi Frazer, Representatives of International Organisations, the diplomatic corps and International Organisations accredited to Rwanda and individual invitees like my very self.
Foroyaa: Why did they invite President Johnson Sirleaf. Is it because she is the first woman President in Africa?
Halifa: It was more than that. In his introduction, the President of the Senate said that "Mrs. Johnson Sirleaf was jailed for opposing the oppressive regime of Samuel Doe, that she spent years in exile and served in senior positions in the World Bank, CITI Bank and UNDP.
That she has a number of publications.
1. Disaster to Development
2. The Outlook for Commercial Lending to Sub-Saharan Africa
That she coauthored "War, Women and Peace. Apparently, this is why she was invited.
Foroyaa: Who financed the Conference?
Halifa: According to the President of the Senate, invaluable support had been given by DFID, UNDP, Women Waging Peace, ADB, the Swedish Embassy, UNIFEM, UNFPA, the government of Rwanda and others.
Foroyaa: Who financed your going?
Halifa: Those of us who were special guests were housed at the Serene Hotel and our tickets and expenses were paid by the government of Rwanda and the support agencies.
Foroyaa: What was your role?
Halifa: I was both a resource person and rapporteur for the Theme "Gender and Socio Economic Empowerment". Because of my experience in the Pan African Parliament I had enough facts to help the conference to be more concrete in our analysis and resolutions. I was given more opportunity than all delegates to speak on every theme.
Foroyaa: How did they react to your contributions?
Halifa: I guess I will be receiving more invitations going by the number of people who approached me to take my contact numbers.
Foroyaa: Can you sum up your contributions
Halifa: First and foremost it is best for Foroyaa to publish the statements made by President Johnson Sirleaf and President Kagame to enable readers to know what was said directly from their mouths I am writing a pamphlet on all the themes which can be serialize by Foroyaa I want to dedicate the book to the women of Rwanda who inspired me so much that I will forever remain steadfast in working for the total emancipation of the African people from tyranny and poverty so that we can live in collective liberty and prosperity.
See the statements in the next issue.
Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 024/2007, Feb 28 - March 1, 2007
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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