By Omar Bah
The Minister of Agriculture, Omar Amadou Jallow has called on Imam Abdoulie Fatty to apologise to Gambians for not doing enough to stop Yahya Jammeh from committing heinous crimes against Gambians, instead of complaining about Ahmadis owning a television.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday at his office, OJ said if Imam Fatty had coordinated, supported and helped Yahya Jammeh over 17 years to perpetuate the terrible things that were happening in the country, he must apologise to Gambians rather than griping about a particular sect getting licence to operate a television.
“Coming from the situation in which we found ourselves in the last 22-years and knowing the Islamic fundamentalist problems that some of our neighbours are experiencing, I think this was a wrong time for a person like Imam Fatty to make such remarks,” he stated.
He added: “If our neighbours Senegal have televisions owned by different Islamic sects why can’t Gambia allow the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at who are Muslims like us, because I have prayed in their Mosque in Salikenni? I want to make it very clear to all our religious leaders that Gambia is for all and all are equal.”
He continued: “Imam Fatty was around when Yahya Jammeh arrested Imam Karamo Touray of Brikama, Imam Baba Leigh, Imam Ba Kawsu Fofana, Imam Ismaila Manjang and killed people extra judicially but he never condemned that. Let him not please abuse the new found freedom that we had fought for so dearly.
“I think this is a wrong time for us to hear such statements from Imam Fatty when we are trying to build The Gambia. I am using this occasion to call on the Supreme Islamic Council to condemn Imam Fatty’s statements because he was not speaking on behalf of the Muslims.”
The Ahmadis, OJ added, have established schools and hospitals, but they have never put any conditions in those facilities. “We should encourage the Ahmadis to continue doing what they are doing…Who are we to judge? The Gambia has been known for peace and this peace was anchored by religious tolerance and other forms of social and cultural versions,” he concluded.
