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Momodou
Denmark
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 Posted - 26 Oct 2007 : 18:01:31
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Africa Human Rights Day Commemorated in URR
By Lamin Fatty
Africa Human Rights Day was celebrated in Basse (URR) to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of African commission on Human and Peoples Rights. The commemoration took the form of a march past by the school children in the region, backed by the regional Scouts band headed by Abubacar Krubally who is also a cluster monitor. The theme for this year’s celebration is “Consolidating the ethics of human rights in African societies.” Speaking on the occasion, the Director of SoS Children’s village in Basse, Mr. Henry Mendy highlighted that the day was a great day which is not only to be celebrated but to take stock of the protests against injustices on women and children globally. According to Mr. Mendy the world has witnessed series of human rights violations, ranging from colonialism, which Africans were subjugated to, and which he called “mans cruelty against man”. He pointed out that the violation of human rights could affect everybody stating that the war in the neighbouring Senegalese region of Cassamance affects The Gambia in many ways. He said if we have a right to life, we must therefore respect peoples’ rights to life, since the most important right is right to life. Mr. Mendy finally stated that a nation that does not treat its children in a respectable and dignified manner is indeed a failed nation.
For her part, the PEO in region 6, URR, Madam Cole welcomes the students and said the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights is situated along the Kairaba Avenue in The Gambia. She pointed out that the theme for this year’s celebration is for people to focus and reflect their minds on the past human rights records to see what human rights were violated and what must be done to ensure the protection and promotion of those human rights. She said this year’s celebration took the form of a march past, a football match, role race, symposium and all geared towards engaging the youths and inculcating the spirit of fair play, positive behaviours and competition and that games should not end in fights or impartiality, but should conclude in fair play. She said the celebration also engages youths in discussing issues of human rights; that as we celebrate the day we must also remember the following that as long as we have rights, we have responsibilities that go along with these rights’. She finally urged the students to take up their education seriously thus fulfilling their responsibilities towards human rights to education.
Declaring the occasion open, the Regional Education Director in URR, Mr. Mam Bala Njie welcomed the students and the general public, particularly TOSTAN staff who joined the people of URR to contribute towards the protection and promotion of human rights. He pointed out that the issue of human rights dates as far back as the slave trade, colonialism, and to the present. He cited some human right defenders like Nelson Mandela, Kwame Nkrumah, Steve Biko and the recent South African musician Lucky Dube, whose rights, according to Mr. Njie, ended up being violated. He stated that The Gambia is a signatory of the African Charter. He therefore stressed that reflecting our minds on some of the oppressions and suppressions of people all over the world makes it an obligation on all of us. He finally concluded by stating that as educationists, their main aim and objectives must be how to make and ensure education to be accessible and affordable to every child of school going age as his or her basic human right.
Mr. Alpha Camara, Senior Education Officer in Upper River Region delivered the vote of thanks.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 126/2007, 26 – 28 October 2007
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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