By Dawda Baldeh

Jadu’s Karate Academy in Lamin Village has recently held a karate grading exam for 48 students who are promoted to various ranks at a ceremony graced by Karate masters, parents, students, and spectators.

The exam focuses on grading students from white belt to yellow, from yellow belt to orange, from orange to green belt, from green to blue, and from blue to brown.

Speaking at the grading ceremony, Omar H. O Saidykhan, the President of The Gambia Karate Association expressed excitement for witnessing the exam which he described as a success involving the participation of a school.

“I’m proud to see students participating in Karate because it will help to inculcate discipline in them.

“I was impressed with their performance and seeing them pass the exam is commendable,” he said.

Mr. Saidykhan further commended Jadu’s school for their affiliation with the Karate Association in the country.

According to him, Karate will help the participating students to be a better person in the future.

He also used the occasion to motivate the karate students citing the Gambia’s median participation in the recently concluded West African Karate competition in Guinea Conakry where they came out second.

“This is the first time the Gambia participated in a West African Karate competition and the outcome was impressive,” he said.

The Karate Association President further urged the students to always be respectful and disciplined to achieve their goals.

He described Katate as a sporting discipline that goes beyond fighting.

“I want other schools to include Karate in their curriculums to help the sport grow,” he said.

“Sport will keep the children busy and they will abstain from other illicit activities such as drug abuse and theft.”

Muhammed Touray, Secretary General of Jadu’s Karate Academy, described karate as an important sport that has the potential to change the narrative and engage young people in productive sport.

“The exam was very successful and all the students have passed it after an intensive process,” Touray said.

He challenged the students to continue the hard work and prepare for the other levels ahead.

Master Mamadou Jallow, trainer at Jadu’s Karate Academy spoke on the importance of learning karate in the context of sport and discipline.

“I have been training the kids for the past years and we have made significant progress.

“Karate is not only about fighting it’s a sport that inculcates discipline in anyone who learns it.

“If you learned Karate you will be a very peaceful person and you don’t fight easily,” he explained.

Master Jallow emphasized the importance of this sport saying it helped people to develop rapid thinking and analysis.

“Karate is all about calculation, you will think and act fast if you learned it,” he added.

He commended Jadu’s for offering him the opportunity to serve as the school karate academy trainer.

“I can tell you since I started training with the kids most of them took first in their exams.

“Karate will improve someone’s thinking and it’s very good,” Jallow included.

By Mama A. Touray

In an exclusive interview with The Fatu Network, Imam and Commissioner at the Human Rights Commission, Baba Leigh, said female genital mutilation should not be considered a yardstick of Islam.

He said that female genital mutilation is not a measure of Islamic faith because conversion to Islam does not require a woman to be circumcised, nor is it a consideration for men.

Imam Leigh also addressed pro-FGM activists who claimed that parliamentarians upholding the ban on female genital mutilation were voting against Prophet Muhammad’s sunnah. He stated that dialogue would be impossible if their stance on the issue was inflexible.

“If they were Muhammed then one would listen to them, but they are not Muhammed and have never seen Muhammed and are not following Muhammed properly.

“We have thousands of Sunnah, but no one can follow all of them. You can follow what you can follow and the rest you have intention and love of it,” he said.

Regarding the classification of FGM as a cultural practice, the Imam stated: “Even if we label FGM as cultural, it is clear that it is not a universal culture since the Wolof tribe does not practice it, despite being Muslim, and those who practice it are not more devout than them.”

He stated that research indicates the Jahanka and Mandinka tribes are the primary practitioners of FGM. Other tribes may or may not practice it, but all maintain their Muslim faith.

As a co-founder of GamCoTrap, Imam notes they refer victims of female genital mutilation to psychiatrists and psychologists, acknowledging the scarcity yet vital role of these professionals, akin to doctors.

He also said providing support through counselling is very much in line with Islamic principles and is integral to his profession.

“They will fail, but I will not because I am born a winner,” he said.

By Mama A. Touray

Following the lawmakers’ decision to uphold the ban on female genital mutilation, Gambian imam and commissioner at the National Human Rights Commission, Baba Leigh, said in an exclusive interview with The Fatu Network that he is not interested in debating but is open to dialoguing with pro-FGM activists to seek a mutual understanding on the issue.

The imam made these remarks when asked whether he and his team were open to dialogue. He stated: “We are yarning for a dialogue, but I am against debate. I am in for dialogue on any subject but why I am not in for debate is because debate is not Islamic because there will be a winner and a loser, and I don’t want to cause anybody to lose.”

The imam believes that debate is a pursuit of pride, which he does not seek; instead, he advocates for dialogue, as recommended by Islam.

Leigh said there is an entire chapter in the Quran that talks about dialogue. According to him, dialogue is endorsed by the prophet as a divine directive, and it was the method employed by all prophets. He emphasized his complete dedication to dialogue and expressed regret over the lack of acceptance from the pro-FGM group.

“Some are very welcoming, and they open their doors and we have been having a dialogue with them and some of them have joined us for the campaign or are now quiet about the issue,” he said.

By Hadram Hydara

BREAKING: The Gambian government has announced a ban on the cross-border sale of subsidised fertiliser and has directed authorities to arrest anyone found in violation of this ban.

The Office of the President announced in a press statement: “Contrary to instructions governing the usage of Government’s heavily-subsidized fertilizer for the exclusive benefit of Gambian farmers, it has come to Government’s attention that the fertilizer is being sold across the border.

“To curb this malpractice, The Gambia Government immediately instructs all Local Government Authorities, The Gambia Police Force and sister security agencies to arrest culprits and confiscate fertilizer en route to destinations beyond our borders.”

In the same official release, the government also called for the public’s full cooperation in reporting any attempts at fertilizer smuggling across the country.

By Alieu Jallow

The National Assembly Member for Kiang West, Lamin Ceesay, has expressed his disappointment with his fellow parliamentarians for their decision to maintain the ban on FGM/C.

He pointed out that two of his colleagues, who were initially among the first to submit amendments, voted against the Bill, a move that he found surprising.

“All of them debated against the ban of FGM/C and called for an amendment which we have done but what happened today is a big disappointment because if someone wants to worship a building and say this is my faith, this is my religion, this what I want to worship you allow him or her to do that.

“You don’t challenge belief [and] you don’t challenge religion but to tell you I am quite disappointed, and I am quite saddened that the issue happened this way.

“But this is not the end of the journey. We are in parliament for two or three years. We will propose another amendment to see that our people are free.”

The Kiang West National Assembly Member claimed that several parliamentarians cast their votes based on personal interests, influenced by government donor support and potential travel opportunities to countries opposed to FGM/C.

He said that a single group is addressing a single issue but with varying goals, which seems illogical. He added that what occurs is a demonstration of democracy, allowing individuals to voice their opinions in parliament, whether they represent their constituency or not.

Ceesay further said: “It appears that personality drives everything; otherwise, we could simply refer to the YouTube records to review the contributions of all members who participated in the adjournment debate, including the speaker who suggested that all parliament members are opposed to the ban.”

He pointed out the peculiar actions of some Gambians, highlighting Gibbie Mballow, the National Assembly Member for Lower Fulladu, who, during a session, stood up to express his regret for permitting his daughters to undergo the practice.

Ceesay argued that he should be arrested, just like the women who were prosecuted, but the government and civil society organizations ignored the issue.

“Even with that statement, they celebrate him, and he said this on the floor of Parliament. I think that statement was more damaging than supportive, but they are very comfortable with that.”

The outspoken NAM could not conceal his frustration with the democratic steps Parliament has taken to ban the practice that has been in place for centuries. He emphasized their unwavering commitment to ensuring the repeal of the ban.

By Dawda Baldeh

Musa Ousainou Yali Batchilly, the leader of the opposition Gambia Action Party (GAP), has urged the government to tackle the issue of rental costs in the country, stressing that the situation for tenants in The Gambia has become intolerably severe.

The opposition leader claimed that unscrupulous agents and landlords have turned the rental market into a battlefield, with tenants being the perpetual casualties.

“These landlords, often in collusion with agents, are demanding rental fees in dollars, sidelining our national currency, the dalasi.

“This practice not only undermines our economy but also places an intolerable financial burden on the average Gambian, who earns in dalasis but is forced to pay exorbitant rents in foreign currency,” he said.

Speaking further, Batchilly described the situation as disheartening.

He accused the National Assembly of failing to regulate rent issues in this country.

“One would expect our elected representatives to champion the cause of the common man, but their inaction speaks volumes.

“The silence from the legislative body has allowed this exploitation to thrive, unchecked and unabated,” he added.

Batchilly believed that the judiciary and the executive branch have the power to end this menace.

According to him, the judiciary could have cooperated to enact and enforce laws that protect tenants from exploitation.

“Yet, we see no significant efforts in this direction.

“This lack of action leaves tenants vulnerable to the whims of landlords who often bully and intimidate them, increasing rents almost yearly, if not monthly,” he said.

The GAP leader said that the government’s inaction has compelled tenants to live in perpetual fear of abrupt rent increases or eviction should they choose to challenge these unjust practices.

“Families are being pushed to the brink as they struggle to make ends meet, all while landlords continue to amass wealth through exploitative means.

“The government must act now and regulate rent issues in this country,” he said.

He emphasized the necessity for transparent guidelines regarding the setting and increasing of rents, along with penalties for those who disregard these rules.

Bachilly highlighted that tenants should not suffer from landlords’ arbitrary decisions that place profit above people’s welfare.

“It is high time that the government steps in to protect its citizens from this rampant exploitation.

“We need immediate and decisive action to bring fairness and stability to the rental market,” he said.

By Mama A. Touray

During a dialogue at the National Assembly on Monday, Concerned Citizens urged the National Assembly to engage with the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to withdraw the Judicial Officers’ Remuneration and Other Entitlements Bill, as well as the National Assembly Members’ Salaries and Pensions Bill.

One of the executive members of the Green, Lamin Manneh, told the media shortly after their dialogue: “Our position is for them to have a discussion with the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, as they did with us today. He is a citizen and fully aware of the current situation in the country, including the protest against the bills. We want to inform him of our position, which is to request the withdrawal of the Judicial Officers Remuneration and Other Entitlement Bill.”

He added, “We also told them that they should withdraw the National Assembly members’ salaries and pension bill. We thought that if we came here, they would give us their position, but it seems they still want us to understand or justify the bill, which we believe is not our motive at this time.”

Lamin said parliamentarians presented their stance to support the bill, while others defended their position to reject it.

“What they said is that those bills are not placed in the National Assembly as of now, most especially the Judicial Officer’s Remuneration and Other Entitlement Bill and that the said bill is not placed by them but comes from the Attorney General and Minister of Justice and that it cannot be withdrawn by them,” he said.

Manneh stressed that parliamentarians must remember they represent the people, and if the people express opposition to certain bills, they must heed their voices.

“In our position paper that we have shared, it was clearly stipulated that if they do not adhere to our demands, we shall continue to protest. If we are denied a permit, we will continue to use the media to protest against them because these are individuals who come from various constituency.

“We shall tell the members of their constituents that they are not fit for purpose because there is a bill that has segregated our population, and they believe that segregation shall continue which we think should not.”

By Mama A. Touray

After the July 8th protest led by Concerned Citizens against proposed bills, a seven-member delegation met with the National Assembly Members and informed the media that no agreements were reached.

The National Assembly, through the clerk, in a letter dated 11 July 2024, informed the Concerned Citizens that after due consideration of their petition by leaders from all sides of the Assembly, they are invited for a dialogue and discussion on the subject matter.

Lamin Manneh, a member of the executive body of Concerned Citizens, told the media shortly after the dialogue that as a people’s power movement, they believe in the support of the people behind them.

He stated that they have no concessions with the members of the National Assembly. Their purpose was to understand the concerns of the National Assembly regarding their petition, and that was the focus of their discussion.

Manneh continued that the National Assembly, led by Deputy Speaker Seedy Njie, the majority leader, and other political party representatives, shared their concerns.

“We also shared our position, which is that we want the withdrawal of the National Assembly members’ salaries and pensions bill, as well as the judiciary officers’ remuneration and other entitlements bill.”

He said during the meeting, the members expressed concerns not about increasing their salaries, but about their gratuity, specifically in the event of an individual’s death while in their position. He stated that as a group, they have read, understood, and are aware of the contents of the proposed bills.

After the meeting, he informed the press that no future meetings with the members had been scheduled and that the current meeting concluded without a resolution.

“We promised ourselves that we are not going to have any resolution passed with their members that will come from the national assembly,” he said.

When asked about their next step, Manneh said: “Anything that we are doing will be determined by the public that is behind us. We have our WhatsApp platform as well as social media handles and it’s good to have media here so that you will help us share what we have discussed, and we will monitor your comment sections because it is through the people we will make our next demand.”

Regarding transparency, he mentioned that the primary reason for sharing their dialogue invitation with the media is to maintain transparency throughout the protest.

“It was not to their notice that we invited the media, but we deemed it fit that the media should know that we are invited to dialogue with the National Assembly.

“We are transparent and committed to leading this protest at any time possible and we believe the citizens are with us and we want to encourage them that we are still resolute on our ground. Let them trust and have high hopes in our discussions,” he said.