(Thursday 24th October 2019 Issue)
Officials
of Beakanyang, led by its board member Gabriel Bangura, alongside
representatives from Youth for Human Rights International, yesterday paid a
courtesy call on the Vice President Dr Isatou Touray at her office at
Statehouse in Banjul.
Speaking
to reporters shortly after their dicussion, Nfamara Jawneh, Executive Director
of Beakanyang said they were at the presidency to extend an invitation to the
vice president to attend their forthcoming Unity Festival in URR, slated for
November 22-23 and to discuss human rights situation in the country.
According
to Jawneh, the aim of the Unity Festival is bring together the people of the
region from all the seven districts irrespective of political and ethnic
differences to promote peace, unity and social cohesion amongst themselves.
He
disclosed that they have observed that since the change of government in 2016,
communal conflicts have surged in the region. “We have realized that conflicts
related to politics, caste system, animal encroachment into farmlands have all
increased in the region over the years. We cannot continue to live in such
unfortunate situation as a region,” he said.
He
said that was why they have also launched a weekly radio program at Radio Basse
called ‘Peace Hour’ to promote political tolerance and pluralism in the region
and would also be embarking on community Bantas in coming weeks.
He
said that they were happy to complement government’s efforts in promoting peace
and human rights in the country.
Jawneh,
who also doubles as Youth for Human Rights International Representative in The
Gambia used the opportunity to call on all Gambians to put aside their
differences and give peace a chance to prevail.
Rayan
Conner of Youth for Human Rights International appealed for more government
support for CSOs like Beakanyang.
For
her part, the vice president H.E Dr. Isatou Touray welcomed the team to the
Presidency and thanked them for the visit. According to her, respect for human
rights is fundamental for the development and peace in any country.
VP
Touray stated that cognizant of the difficult past with regards human rights
violations, the new dispensation under the leadership of President Adama Barrow
is fully committed to protecting and promoting human rights. The various
reforms going on in the country such as TRRC, CRC, NHRC, Security Sector reform
etc. she added are a clear manifestation of that.
She
reaffirmed government’s commitment in creating an enabling environment for
civil society organizations like Beakanyang to complement her development
endeavors. She commended the rights organization for working with schools and
providing them with human rights educational materials which she said would
help in building human rights culture in the country.
Meanwhile,
the vice president has graciously accepted the group’s invitation to grace
their next month’s Unity Festival in URR.