An institute named after two Gambians who gained global recognition as leading lights of Islam and Christianity, has issued a statement calling for the maintenance of religious tolerance in the country.
The Nyang-Sanneh Institute statement read: “The Gambia is at the brink of a clash of faiths, a looming threat to an already fragile national security landscape; yet so expediently shoved under the proverbial rug. Gambians seem to be playing with fire when we continue to ignore, silence and marginalise the voices of those that we share different religious persuasions. Our democracy, as in the past, is built around negative-peace, at the expense of minoritised groups, in particular. People of conscience, as they have in the past, must therefore speak out and stand against this injustice.
“The Nyang-Sanneh Institute, in furtherance of the legacies of Professors Sulayman Nyang and Lamin Sanneh, who while alive promoted positive-peace and justice through inter-faith dialogue, calls for a national dialogue on peace. The Institute therefore calls on all faith-based groups and communities and citizens and other residents of The Gambia, to respect the rights of their fellow citizens and educational institutions to lawfully exercise their rights; consistent with their faith and respect for differences in belief and practice. Arriving at a just and peaceful outcome, outside the legal system could further engender mutual trust and support between and within these faith-based groups and communities.”
