By Amadou Jadama
Members of Youth Movement for Employment and Violence free Aftica, Yomeva, Saturday sensitised the people of Sifoe on the importance of peace.
Speaking at the event, the Village Development Community chairman, Ebrima Jallow, expressed gratitude to Yomeva for choosing his village to conduct such an “important sensitisation” for his people.
He said Yomeva “impresses” him since its aim is to promote peace and stability in the country.
Alagie Mboob, acting president of the Association, spoke on the significance of dialogue, saying it promotes “peaceful co-existence”.
He said it was dialogue during the impasse in 2016 that prevented the country from plunging into war.
“It was through dialogue that the country did not perish,” he said. “When there is no peace there cannot be any development, and without development there cannot be any progress.”
“Promoting peace and violence-free society is everybody’s business. Our association will not relent in reaching out to communities to sensitise them about the importance of peace and ensuring that people live in peace.”
According to him, “lack of jobs and money, selfishness, tribalism and nepotism are some of the issues that trigger violence in our society.”
He urged the youth to continue the “preaching of peace in our neighbourhoods, society and the country, and desist from any form of violence.”
Yankuba Manneh, a member of the association, also talked on peace, and said: “When there is no peace, people cannot even worship their creator Allah Almighty.”
Manneh points at “lack of dialogue and understanding” as contributing factors that “cause” violence in communities.
“Dialogue and understanding is the only way that can bring peace in our communities,” he emphasised.
One Kekuta Cham, used the opportunity to call on government to “create job opportunities for the youth”.
He also advised fellow youth “to change their attitudes by venturing into something meaningful and desist from any form of illegal activity.”
