Browsing Category
Opinion and Essay
Secularism debate heightens tension
By former information minister Demba A. Jawo
The trend that the raging debate on secularism is taking seems to have plunged this country into quite an unnecessary heightened tension between the secularists and the religious extremists.…
Misconceptions and misinformation about secularity part 2
I have never doubted the continued existence and the future of the Gambia until the issue of ‘secularity of the state’ emerged following the release of the draft constitution for public review. I have come to see the rise of extremism on…
‘Non-inclusion of ‘secularism’ in draft constitution is in order’
It has been numerous times explained that the non-inclusion of ‘secularism’ in the draft constitution is in order. Secularism has neither been a remote part of any past Gambian constitution, nor a distinct feature of any current Gambian…
Government that lies and threatens citizens endangers human rights
The Jotna Movement staged their protest on December 16 in peace and calm and in total obedience to the requirements of the police permit. Not a single report of violence or hate speech was reported. Yet before the protest, The Gambia…
Development implications of a bloated security sector
By Dr. Ousman Gajigo
The World Bank recently carried out a public expenditure review of the security sector in The Gambia, of which the draft report it out. Its broad findings shouldn't be news to most people following developments in…
Three years ‘jotna’ must reject the IGP’s permit and demand re-negotiation
The right to protest is not a charity from the Gambia Government to the people of the Gambia. It is the fundamental right of the citizen guaranteed in the Constitution. The Constitution makes it clearly that this right cannot be denied…
GDC must reject IGP’s letter: IGP is not the king of the Gambia
Once again, the past is visited upon us as the IGP decided to deny a legally registered political party, the Gambia Democratic Congress from holding a political rally without any basis in law. At the same time the IGP has also decided to…
International Human Rights Day: Where do the Gambia youth stand?
The Theme for this year’s International Human Rights Day is: Youth Standing Up for Human Rights. In its statement the United Nations provided a justification of this year’s theme as thus, “Under our universal call to action "Stand Up for …
Gambians can address widening inequalities in transformative capabilities
Gambia makes progress in human development
By Aissata De
This week, Gambians joined the rest of the World in launching the Global Human Development Report examining inequalities in human development in the 21st century. The Human…
On the Draft Constitution, the glass is half full, half empty for media
Issues in summary:
On media and freedom of expression rights, the zero draft records many firsts in the constitutional building process in the country
A number of limitations, however, are not justifiable in a democratic state and…