Peace
is of paramount importance to any country’s prosperity and that whatever one
wants to achieve, can only be achieved if peace prevails. Therefore, it is time
to take advantage of the prevailing peace between the two nations to boost and
advance the livelihoods of respective citizens.
It
is being reported in yesterday’s edition of The Point that one Sulayman
Trawally, a native of Garawol Kuta village of the Kantora District, URR, was
reportedly shot in the hand by the Senegalese gendarmerie. The incident
happened in the night on Saturday 8 March. The news is not only disturbing but
worrying looking at the relations between the two countries.
The
Gambia and Senegal are two countries of the same people and we should not allow
trivial issues to separate us. Every Gambian has a family who is from or lives
in the other side of the border and vice versa, therefore, hurting one person
would tantamount to hurting ourselves. And we do not expect any rational
thinking being should hurt oneself.
The
incident in the first place is a gross violation of human rights more so, on
the Gambian soil, where the incident took place. What is more annoying is the fact that
invading a sovereign territory without the knowledge of concerned authorities
tantamount to gross violations of the international treaties and human rights.
Suffice
it to state that the relationship between the two nations took a plunge and
reached its lowest ebb during the 22 brutal dictatorship of former President
Yahya Jammeh. This is manifested by his frequent trading of insults directed at
the highest levels of Senegalese leadership, who Jammeh always accused of
harbouring Gambian dissidents plotting to unseat him.
Now
that we are in a democratic dispensation, certainly relations between the two
nations should improve for the better with particular emphasis on observing
great respect for each other’s citizens.
Now
that the 2020 Presidential Council meeting between The Gambia and Senegal is
just here, we are of the view that Barrow would raise the issue during the said
meeting.
We
also believe that the two leaders would talk on a range of issues geared toward
maintaining peace and harmony between the people of the two countries.
Our
Senegalese security forces should have in mind that our unique cultures,
languages and inter-marriages among others speak volume of the fact that the
people of these two countries are one. We should be proud of our relations, but
should be based on mutual trust and respect for each other’s rights.
“Every
breath we take, every step we make, can be filled with peace, joy and
serenity.”
Thich
Nhat Hanh
