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Momodou
Denmark
11641 Posts |
 Posted - 14 Oct 2010 : 19:44:04
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SIC, BAKAWSU TUSSLE RESOLVED
by Hatab Fadera
Thursday, October 14, 2010
 The president of the Republic, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh has ended and resolved the much talked about tussle between the Supreme Islamic Council (SIC) and Imam Bakawsu Fofana, a 'controversial' religious scholar who was recently banned by the nation's Islamic body after being found that his methodology in Da'awah was contrary to the right ones.
President Jammeh appealed to the SIC to revoke the ban, while issuing a serious and stern warning to Imam Bakawsu Fofana to refrain from his style of propagation, which is characterised by inciting or agitating unrest; unacceptable harassment of people and creating confusion amongst Muslims. The move came after Bakawsu himself wrote a letter to President Jammeh shortly after he was banned by the SIC, requesting for an audience with the Gambian leader, which was granted.
Wednesday's delicate religious dialogue at State House provided an equal opportunity for both Bakawsu Fofana and the members of SIC to highlight the root causes of the problem that led to Fofana's ban; and to address all misunderstanding. The meeting culminated in reconciliation after Imam Bakawsu Fofana, who was seen to have caused the problem, apologised for any wrong doing, a move that saw him shaking hands with the members of the Council.
The Gambian leader stressed that he granted the audience because he is interested in peace and tolerance. He stressed that the SIC has been given the powers and mandate by the government to steer the affairs of the Islamic religion in the country just like the Christian Council. He further stressed that the Council is the only body that has an official authority to regulate problems, while urging Bakawsu Fofana to respect the decisions of the institution as well as the leadership.
The president strongly condemned some of the actions of Imam Bakawsu Fofana, and warned him to refrain from agitating problems amongst the people as he [Fofana] will not be given a second chance if found to be doing the same things that led to his ban. He made it categorically clear that he is not going to entertain anyone who wants to bring fitna [unrest] in the religion, the Gambia in particular, stressing that the peace and stability of the country will not be compromised. "What I want to tell you is that this will be your first and last chance. I will appeal to SIC to revoke the ban, but if it occurs again, that will be an issue between you and me," President Jammeh warned Bakawsu.
While appealing to the SIC to lift the ban, the Gambian leader urged Bakawsu to apologise to the Council in view of the fact that he had created the problem and harassed them. He pointed out that Islam is a peaceful and truthful religion, and urged Fofana to be careful and sensitive to it. Similarly, he urged Fofana not to allow himself be pushed by others as he alone will face the consequences when in a problem.
President Jammeh concluded by stressing that the country's existing peace and stability will not be compromised and urged Fofana to keep in mind that a repetition of his actions will not be entertained. Speaking earlier, Ousman Sonko, the minister of the Interior and NGO's Affairs, who moderated the meeting, said it was meant to resolve all the problems and ensure peace in view of the fact that the religion of Islam is peaceful and to give chance for reconciliation as the religion would desire.
"This country is a peaceful nation and Islam is a religion of peace. So anyone who wants to agitate unrest in the country will not be tolerated. The peace and security of this country is the responsibility of all. The Gambia is what we have and it is our hope," the Interior minister stated. As Bakawsu apologised for what happened, Minister Sonko urged him to keep up that spirit.
Also addressing the meeting, Dr Njogu Bah, the secretary general and head of the Civil Service reminded the scholars and Gambians in general that peace and stability has and is still the objective of the president, stressing the need for absolute unity. SG Bah said that as Muslims we must be careful of what Islam is and what should be the habit or attitude of a Muslim.
While noting that the president's objective is for Muslims to be one, Secretary General Bah condemned fitna [unrest] in the strongest terms and described it as one condemned by God and the religion. He urged those who preach to the general public to say things that will bring about peace and not violence. The secretary general, while urging the need to renew faith in Allah also enjoined Bakawsu to nurture peace and unity.
The ministers of Basic and Secondary Education; and Trade, Employment and Regional Integration, Fatou Lamin Faye and Yusupha Kah respectively, both expressed similar sentiments, while expressing their total dismay and disappointment over the tussle. The duo preached that as Muslims, we must be one and avoid things that will bring unrest and disunity amongst the people.
Also speaking at the meeting, Imam Sheriff Bajan of the SIC maintained that since the establishment of the Council, it has always been governed by people selected to steer its affairs without government interference. He stated that the SIC is governed in a way in-line with the right teachings. He further stated that the leadership wants peace and stability, and assured that the Council will not relent in striving to ensure that whatever will ensure peace and understanding amongst Muslims prevails.
The president of the SIC, Imam Momodou Lamin Touray; Imam Abdoulie Fatty, a member of the Council; and Imam Bakawsu Fofana all spoke extensively, narrating the circumstances that led to the SIC's decision to ban the latter.
Source: Daily Observer
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
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Momodou
Denmark
11641 Posts |
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Momodou
Denmark
11641 Posts |
Posted - 19 Oct 2010 : 18:10:00
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Dailynews Editorial: Ba-Kawsu Palaver
The purpose of the meeting between Ba Kawsu, Supreme Islamic Council and the president was to reconcile and lift ban imposed on Ba Kawsu.
Any ardent viewer who has been keenly following the development during the meeting cannot conclude without having a question in mind, “Whether Ba Kawsu, the council and the president have any previous agreement on reconciling and the lifting of the ban on Fofana. Or would one call it a forum to degrade an Imam?
The Gambia needs a good democratic culture. This problem of Ba Kawsu is a religious matter. What is the sense in people gathering at State House in the name of reconciling and still the rivalry remain evident in their speeches. The discussion at State House was marred with warnings, allegation, condemnations and degradations.
We have to bear in mind that elders are teachers to the younger generation. Many behaviours are adopted by young people because they have seen them been practiced by older people. In the same manner, if the way to reconcile with a person believed to be a critic and an adversary should necessitate calling a group of people which included the Head of State uttering degrading words then that is far from been a perfect reconciliation.
It should be understood that there is no organisation or person that have the legal authority to ban a person from speaking in public. It is only a court of law that can ban a person if his activities or speeches would cause public unrest.
The SIC should know that they are not the judiciary of The Gambia to ban a preacher or an Imam.
If we as a nation allow all and sundry to punish any person we deem fit if he or she is critical to us, this may result to rampant mob justice and others taking advantage of putting the law in their own hands.
The reconciliation we have seen on GRTS -TV between Ba Kawsu, the SIC executive and the head president leaves much to be desired.
The State House being turned into a tribunal of a short trying to establish the guilt of Ba Kawsu, still indicates that the right method of reconciliation has not been applied.
The viewers should have just seen Imam Fofana, the president and the SIC members embraced each other with an excellent resolution to the public. This will show us that no one is trying to settle scores and that future revenge is impossible.
There is no doubt that the president and the SIC executive members would be very delighted to see Ba Kawsu Fofana accepting before the whole nation that he is faulty and appeal to the SIC and the president for what he has said. In the same vain, Fofana would also be glad to see the president and the SIC lift the ban on him as a way allowing him to exercise his rights as a preacher and an Imam.
None of these has been achieved at the meeting, because the SIC president Muhammed Lamin Touray and the State House Imam Abdoulie Fatty were all concentrating on trying to establish the guilt of Ba Kawsu, while the president issued him stern warnings.
In this, Ba Kawsu also tried not to be a perfect apologist, but tried to show that he has no problem with the SIC leadership but was only trying to educate people on the sighting of the moon to pray instead of relying on another country in a different continent.
The State House meeting was not actually what many conscientious Gambians interested in religious co-existence want to see. Tolerance is the lifeblood for any co-existence. Ba Kawsu and the SIC executive members are Muslims. The only difference is their opinions.
Source: DailyNews |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11641 Posts |
Posted - 19 Oct 2010 : 18:13:19
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Ban on Imam Ba Kawsu Lifted
“A Moses-Pharaoh Scenario”
By Baboucarr Ceesay
The president of The Gambia Yahya Jammeh has on Wednesday, October 13th 2010 in collaboration with Supreme Islamic Council (SIC) lifted ban on Imam Ba Kawsu at a meeting that many described as “a Moses-Pharaoh scenario” held at State House in Banjul.
Ba Kawsu before been banned has been boldly critical to the president, SIC and people of different cultural backgrounds, which earned him both his beautiful and odd names in The Gambia.
From news monitored on GRTS -TV, president Jammeh who declared the ban on Ba Kawsu lifted was speaking with fury, stressing that Ba Kawsu’s problem with the Supreme Islamic Council is over and now it is a matter between him and Ba Kawsu. He described Ba Kawsu as an unimportant personality in The Gambia, that even his mere shoes are more important than him. He went on to say that memorizing the Qur’an does not qualify one to be knowledgeable. He lifted a copy of the Qur’an and asked whether there is any verse in the holy book that says that one tribe is better than the other.
He said that it is Allah who choose a leader and if Ba Kawsu was not chosen as SIC leader he should not criticize others. He said no one has the right to tell others that they will be burnt in the hell fire, saying that before he (president Jammeh) will be burnt it is Ba Kawsu who would first get into the hell fire. He warned Fofana to avoid criticism in his preaching.
The president made reference to Pharaoh’s regime said that Moses was sent to Pharaoh but he was accompanied by Haroun so that he does not say anything contemptuous to the King.
“Pa Fofana talk to your son!” president Jammeh exclaimed, referring to an old man believed to be an uncle to Ba Kawsu present at the meeting.
When given the floor to speak at the meeting, Ba Kawsu Fofana said that he believes that if he was not a citizen he who would have been thrown out of the boundaries of The Gambia by now. He added that his ban has an adverse impact on his work as an Islamic teacher who had hundreds of students, but the majority of them have left due to the ban imposed on him. He said that he supported the president’s address on the planned burning of the Holy Qur’an by an American citizen. He said his problem with the Supreme Islamic Council was about the sighting regarding Muslim feasts.
Fofana mentioned that he was insulted and caricatured in all manners during the meeting and he was banned at the SIC head office in the presence of hundreds of people. He said that he was also threatened that he will be taken to jail.
The Secretary General and Head of the Civil Service, Dr. Njogu Bah called on religious leaders to promote unity, love and understanding for a peaceful co-existence.
The minister of the Interior and NGO Affairs, Ousman Sonko emphasised that the security of the country will not be compromised, saying that The Gambia is for all of us and dispute should not be encouraged.
Imam Sheriff Badjie who said the Supreme Islamic Council’s activities are based on Sunnah and Sharia told the gathering that the Supreme Islamic Council was initiated by the president to regulate the activities of Muslims in the country.
The president of the Supreme Islamic Council, Imam Momodou Lamin Touray and Imam Abdoulie Fatty accused Imam Ba Kawsu Fofana for heaping allegations against them, insulting the president and his tribe.
Source: DailyNews |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2011 : 15:58:12
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DAILY NEWS "A controversial Gambian Islamic scholar whom the Gambian president Yahya Jammeh once slammed: “Even the shoe I wear is closer to Allah [God] than you are,” has been permitted to resume his weekly Islamic forum at the state-owned radio."
MORE Ban on Imam Ba-Kawsu Lifted
AND The Preacher and the Presidents |
Edited by - kobo on 18 Aug 2011 16:01:35 |
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