Gambians will head to the polls to elect a new president on December 4th 2021. Hopes are high among various camps. The political climate in the country is already tense.
As the main electoral cycle looms, there is a growing need to remind citizens to always nurture peace. People must understand that peace begins in our homes, schools, workplaces and communities. If people who live and work together can’t resolve their differences peacefully, there is little hope for the rest of the world.
Albert Einstein, a renowned German-born theoretical physicist, once famously stated that, “peace is not merely the absence of war, but the presence of justice, of law, of order—in short, of government.” But a government cannot promote law, order and justice for all unless it is built upon a strong moral and legal foundation. In the end, the individual human heart is where war and peace both begin.
The governor of Lower River Region (LRR), Rohey John Manjang recently challenged Gambians that under no circumstance the peace of the country be substituted with any political interest.
The LRR governor was speaking last Thursday during a-day’s regional dialogue organised and supported by Geneva for Security Sector Governance (DCAF) and WANEP Gambia.
People must understand that there cannot be any meaningful development in the absence of peace and security. Therefore, it is incumbent on all to nurture and cherish peace wherever it is found.
Many believe that the culture of peace begins with each one of us – unless we are ready to integrate peace and non-violence as part of our daily existence. We cannot expect our communities, our nations, our planet to be peaceful. We should be prepared and confident in resolving the challenges of our lives in a non-aggressive manner.
This forum on strengthening community awareness on peace building and the role of the security could not have come at a better time, when the country is fast approaching its general elections.
We therefore commend the organizers of the event, DCAF and WANEP Gambia for their foresight in bringing various communities to discuss challenges ahead of the election. This would enable them carve out the way forward for a better Gambia.
To the communities, make the best use of the knowledge shared at the forum and contribute towards advocating for peace in your various communities.
Certainly, we can make this upcoming election as the most peaceful ever if we want. Gambians are generally peace loving people. So let’s put that into practice as demonstrated during the 2016 impasse.
"Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures."
John F. Kennedy