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Momodou
Denmark
11645 Posts |
 Posted - 22 Nov 2016 : 08:27:14
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THE CHRISTIAN LEADERS HAVE SPOKEN, IS THE PRESIDENT LISTENING?
Foroyaa Editrial: November 21, 2016
http://www.foroyaa.gm/archives/12971
At their national day of prayer at the stadium yesterday, the religious leaders who advocated for peace indicated that the president of The Gambia should be the president of everybody, be they Muslim, Christian or non-believer – all should be treated equally.
The religious leaders are speaking the language of the constitution which states in section 25(c) that “Every person shall have the right to freedom to practise any religion and to manifest such practice.”
Furthermore section 100 of the Constitution states: “The National Assembly shall have no power to pass a Bill to establish any religion as a state religion.”In short, the national assembly cannot even consider passing a Bill to establish an Islamic State.
Still further section 33 of the Constitution asserts that, all persons shall be equal before the law and no law shall make any provision which is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect. It further states that no person shall be treated in a discriminatory manner by any person acting by virtue of any law or in the performance of the functions of any public office or any public authority. The definition of discrimination includes affording different treatment to different persons attributable wholly or mainly to their respective descriptions by race, colour, gender, language, religion, …….whereby persons of one such description are subjected to disabilities or restrictions to which persons of another such description are not made subject, or are accorded privileges or advantages which are not accorded to persons of another such description.
Since the declaration of The Gambia as an Islamic Republic by President Jammeh the Christian community has been looking for assurance. This should be a concern for all presidential aspirants.
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11645 Posts |
Posted - 22 Nov 2016 : 08:29:25
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Christians pray out of concern
By Nelson Manneh
Foroyaa: November 21, 2016
http://www.foroyaa.gm/archives/12967
Thousands of Gambian and non-Gambian Christians converged at the Independence Stadium in Bakau on Saturday 19 November 2016 to engage in a National Day of Prayer.
This is the second of its kind since its inception in 2015, it was well attended with members of all the different denominations of Christianity in The Gambia in attendance (Catholics, Methodists, Anglicans and Pentecostal).
The Scripture reading for this year’s prayers is from 2 Chronicles chapter 7 verse 14 (if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land).
The Catholic Bishop of Banjul Robert Ellison in his words of Exhortation said a year ago the Gambia was declared an Islamic Republic and for some months now it is said that The Gambia will be ruled by the sharia law. This according to the Catholic Bishop should not stop the Christians to worship their God. He said the youths should hold on to their faith and they should not be deceived by anybody for the bible says “he that is in us is more than he that is in the world.”
In her Exhortation and prayers of intercession the Presiding Bishop Hannah C. Faal Heim said election is near and everybody with a voter’s card should go and vote and it should be done in a decent manner. She said President Jammeh is the president of the people of The Gambia as at now and he should be given the respect he deserves as a president and he should also be the president of every Gambian irrespective of religion. He should not be the president of the Muslims alone.
Bishop Faal Heim said the president should look after everybody in The Gambia; Christians, Muslims and the non-believers. “We should not be afraid to live in this country as far as we are all citizens of this our motherland. For peace to reign in this country, the president should love all of us as we are all Gambians. As God is the one who plants us all in this land, therefore we are all equal to live in harmony with one another; therefore I pray to God that he soweth his wisdom and blessings upon all of us,” she noted.
The event then followed a praise and worship moment where the Christians in attendance took the opportunity to pray to their God.
The secretary general of the Gambia Christians Council Bro. Julius T. Freeman in his vote of thanks acknowledged the presence of everybody both Christians and non-Christians and also those that play a vital role towards the programme, both in cash and in kind.
This National Day of Prayer comes in the backdrop of a verbal declaration by the president, contrary to law, that The Gambia is henceforth an Islamic State. It also arises in the midst of failed attempts by Christian leaders to seek clarification from the president himself on his declaration.
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THE CHRISTIAN LEADERS HAVE SPOKEN
