Dear editor,
The Gambia is a land of pristine beauty neatly carved into two for zigzaggingriver pouring crystal clear water from the Atlantic Ocean. A nation and region of people and places and cultures under Almighty God, pivotal to world events as humanity tethers towards the unknown.
The article was occasioned in response to press reports about the European Union (EU) scheme to manufacture homosexuality in The Gambia. A country where a closer look unearths centuries old kingships and legacies under the banner of Islamic governorship.
But has the triumphs of fearless warriors as Foday Sillah, Maba Jahou, Sundiata Keita ever reached you? How about extraordinary stories in Cheikh Oumar Futi Tall, Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba, Cheikh Ibrahima Baye Niasse, Sheikh Seedy Lamin, and many such blessings? And what of the rise of Islamic scholarship in later years as, Oustas Omar Bun Jeng, Oustas Barra Kanteh, among countless witness’ colossal'[sic].
The LGBT thing is “heresy”, unnatural to be exact! Condemned for an accelerant that ire the wrath of Almighty God. It breeds nothing good, except for destruction – thus, a duty of all of us to educate and protect our children and young people against deviant understandings.
It has to be emphasised that Islam has laws and set limits, intertwined into our every day life. Even before the advent of constitutional democracies, Muslim societies throughout Arabia and Africa erred on righteousness, as civility define social relations.
In Surah “Hud”of the Glorious Quran, Almighty God relates the story of the people of Prophet Lut (Lot) who transgressed far beyond for the very abomination. Punishment came down for their destruction.
The Holy Bible’s position on the subject as far as Christianity is concerned is that “homosexuality is forbidden by God!”(Leviticus). It is a sin in all the Semitic books – so why would mortal man ever think resourceful enough to change the Word of Almighty God for his barbaric delinquencies?!
The issue of human rights often comes up, but human rights by design is subjective. It is a social construct filled with desires and wish list tick-boxes. See how the West is filled with single women desiring for men. Surely, the solution is for man to marry more than one wife as eloquently laid down. But Muslims aren’t going around looking to impose will – double standards is the height of hypocrisy.
Narratives on human rights has been weaponised nowadays. For by choosing to impose such an flawed seed as LGBT issue upon a high cultured people and region as [Sene] Gambia, the EU has overstepped acceptable bounds on protocol. Any such directives tied to EU foreign policy and that of the United States does NOT make it any right, nor might. People need recognize Sub-Saharan Africa is quite unique, a special case as that: Had the ambassador better advised, or cared to tread care on the country’s historical mat, he might have acted wise.
Making enemies of friendly states only loses you ground to China across Africa. A sensible advice is take note of an sovereign people chart in gown course without outside interference. Contrarian to which you stand to encroach – and oppress –and violate – country specific laws. The statute the Ambassador was quoted as saying is lame, weakened on account of non-interference in each other’s domestic affairs [Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations].
The Gambia government shall not allow nor legislate that which goes contrary to Devine Scriptures, Quran and Bible respectively.
After all, democracy only came to administer colonial borders, and with it, invent the corruption problem.
The usual channels of cooperation will need to address the unease; EU has to recognise The Gambia is a population highly devoted to one True God – Whose command in the Glorious Scriptures transcends all other laws and pronouncements. For, whenever etiquettes on social conduct come into conflict with external accords,[Sene]Gambia values always take precedence!!!
It is an insult on the conscience of Gambians told to debate that we already knew to be deeply immoral; a deviant corrupted seed to Muslims and Christians alike. I call on the administration to protect a solid moral base in society given trends in the world. While this does NOT necessarily mean religious intrusion into politics, it sure damn well means stepping in to regulate against harm imposing cultures seen to pose threat to the country’s religious-cultural dynamic.
The Tourism ministry need speed up efforts to attract family-type visitors as with the Jawara era. For it is vital to address the scourge of loose ‘items’ frequenting the shores of ‘Kololi’ for a bit of this and that: Learn from Egypt, enforce stringent laws to arrest and prosecute paedophiles feigning on helpless children. Government and the police are held responsible for failing to prosecute child abusers; impose mandatory sex-offenders register – be it diplomat, tourist, or resident!
The EU need recognise that raising the issue garners anger, offensive to the population. To drape the country’s flag in homosexual colours was provocative for which it knew. Ambassador Lajos ought summoned to the Foreign ministry in Banjul to explain. And with this publication, I hereby put government on notice for a population dead set against it, with that, amplify the voices of millions of peoples of the region.
Gibril Saine
London
