Members
of Majmou’atu Rawdatil Majaalis have countered the recent press release issued
by Gambia Supreme Islamic Council (GSIC), arguing that the Majaalis leaders
some of whom are now late, formed GSIC in 1992.
The
Supreme Islamic Council claimed in their press release issued last October that
the unilateral decision from Rawdatul Majaalis was a violation to the Council’s
constitution and should not be encouraged.
“Rawdatul
Majalis is not a registered organization to the GSIC and clearly cannot claim
to contest for any position in the affairs of Council,” they said in the
release.
But
in response to the claim, spokesperson of Rawdatul Majalis, Alhaji Abubacarr
Jabbi said
The
Gambia is a country of law and the Majaalists have great respect for the
law. He said the government has to
decide either to take the matter to court or provide a solution to it, saying
GSIC is not respecting the law and the Islamic Ummah.
Mr
Jabbie said to clear the issue, they have submitted several proposals to GSIC
to remind them that the term of office of the executive ended some months ago
and they are now demanding for electoral reforms, congress and a conduct of
election based on transparency and fair play, but they refused.
He explained that per their letters to GSIC,
they also reminded them that there are 1873 villages in the country, and each
village has Imam Ratib who is qualified to be part of the electoral process and
vote for the leadership of their choice to lead the Gambia Supreme Islamic
Council, yet they still refused to reply to them.
Mr
Jabbi said as an association that respects law and order of the land, they
decided to write to President Adama Barrow’s religious affairs adviser, Dembo
Bojang (Dembo by force) and to all relevant authorities, including Minister of
Religion Affairs, SIS, Ministry of Justice and National Assembly, on the issue.
He
said to their dismay, GSIC replied and wrote in their letter that “who were
they” and that had made them to wonder who they were, too.
Collectively,
the Rawdatul Majliss defended the appointment of their selected leader, Alhaji
Sheriff Muhammad Sanusi Nano Hydara, who is to serve as the President of the
Gambia Supreme Islamic Council.
The
PRO explained that on October 12, at the organized Majmou’atu Rawdatil Majaalis
special prayer held at Semega Janneh Hall, Alhaji Sheriff Muhammad Sanusi Nano
Hydara was selected by heads of Majaalist houses across the country to be their
new Supreme Islamic Council President.
“There,
we were tasked to tour the country and present him to the Islamic Ummah,” he
said, saying that was because Mamadou Lamin Touray, who is by now, the former
president of Gambia Supreme Islamic Council, had served for ten years and his
term in office ended some months back.
Mr
Jabbi slammed the GSIC for claiming to be a non-governmental organization in
their press release but could not fight for the release of any of the Muslim
members when they were arrested. “Imams in the likes of Bakawsu Fofana, Baba
Leigh, Ousman Sawaneh, Sheriff Muhideen Hydara of Darsilameh Sangajor in Foni,
Alhaji Karamo Touray from Brikama, and other Imams were arrested in this
country and GSIC did nothing to help them.”
He
said it is the Supreme Islamic Council’s responsibility to know the reasons for
their arrest and make efforts for their release but they did not do that.
