The Gambia Action Party (GAP) has called for the immediate arrest of an unidentified woman who recorded and released an audio in Wolof hurling insults at the Sarahule tribe. In the audio, the woman was heard describing the Sarahules as dogs.
In a statement shared with The Standard yesterday, GAP leader Musa Batchilly himself a Sarahule, argued: “This is a call on all peaceful Gambians especially the leaders of political parties to condemn the recent attack on the Sarahule tribe.
“To err may be human and to forgive divine, but to persistently err by indulging in tribal bigotry directed towards one single tribe must be questioned. Fellow Gambians, this is the third time such a thing is happening and the government is naively watching from the sidelines. Our collective conscience and beliefs as human beings must be in consonance with societal values and ethics.
“I urge the Gambia Police Force and the IGP to act swiftly and diligently ensure that the person is subjected to the full force of the law. I am also calling on the Attorney General to introduce a bill in parliament to curb derogatory remarks meted out to individuals and tribes.
“We must be careful of our utterances more so against tribes because nations before us engaged in tribal wars that started like what is happening in The Gambia. We still have a nation to build. Let us give peace a chance, but this must be spearheaded by the government and all leaders in various sectors.
“I’m calling on my tribesmen and women to remain calm and maintain our peaceful coexistence while authorities investigate the matter. I’m urging the president and heads of security services as well to work together to end tribal bigotry in The Gambia,” Batchilly said.
