{"id":3865,"date":"2019-12-17T15:57:20","date_gmt":"2019-12-17T15:57:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.com\/gambia\/?p=3865"},"modified":"2019-12-17T15:57:20","modified_gmt":"2019-12-17T15:57:20","slug":"islamic-council-delegation-advocates-for-non-inclusion-of-secularism-in-new-constitution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/islamic-council-delegation-advocates-for-non-inclusion-of-secularism-in-new-constitution","title":{"rendered":"Islamic Council Delegation Advocates for Non-inclusion of Secularism in New Constitution"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Gambia\u2019s Supreme Islamic Council (SIC) has sent a delegation to engage the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC), on their contribution on the non-inclusion of \u2018Secularism\u2019 in the new draft Constitution.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

This delegation which comprised Muslim Clerics such as Ebrihim Assan Cham, met with CRC Officials in Bwiam in the Foni Kansala District on Thursday December 12th 2019, during their meeting. The delegation who said they were sent by the SIC, wanted to make sure that \u2018Secularism\u2019 is not captured in the new Constitution.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe heard that Christians are campaignng for the CRC to capture the word \u2018Secular\u2019 in the preamble of the new Constitution which is against Islam,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n

In the Central River Region of The Gambia, delegates from the Supreme Islamic Council joined the meetings to discourage the inclusion of \u2018Secularism\u2019 in the new draft Constitution.<\/p>\n

Ebrahim Hassan Cham a native of Sinchu Alagie who was part of the SIC delegation said they were sent by the Council to engage the the SIC regarding \u2018Secularism\u2019.<\/p>\n

Chalm said they learnt that Christians were advocating for the inclusi\u00f3n of the word \u2018Secular\u2019 in the Preamble of the new Constitution which according to him, will affect Islam. Cham said they even had a Member of the National Assembly saying Mosques in public places should be demolished and Sharia Courts should not operate in the country.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll the religions in this country cannot be treated equally because Muslims form the majority. We are 97% of the population of the country and we cannot be compared to believers of other faiths,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Cham said Muslims in the country have the right to advocate for the non inclusi\u00f3n of secularism and their voices need to be heard.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf secularism is captured in the new Constitution, we will write a petition to the CRC and if they do not consider the petition, we will campaign for Muslims not to vote during the referendum,\u201d he said; that even in the 1997 Constitution \u2018Secularism\u2019 was not captured; that Christians who are advocating for the inclusion of \u2018Secularism\u2019 will not know their fate with the incusion of \u2018Secularism\u2019 in the Constitution.<\/p>\n

Imam Alhaiba Hydara of Yundum on his part said their mission was to enlighten Muslims about the new new Constitution and to tell them not to accept some of the provisions in the new draft Constitution.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat other believers advocate for is not in line with the practice of Islam. Muslims are the majority in the country and that should be put in to consideration,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Hydera said they will continue to follow the CRC in all the rest of their meetings to make sure that \u2018Secularism\u2019 is not captured in the new draft Constitution.<\/p>\n

The issue of \u2018Secularism\u2019 has been fundamental and the CRC is confronted with the issue during the second phase of their public consultations regarding the new draft Constitution.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Gambia\u2019s Supreme Islamic Council (SIC) has sent a delegation to engage the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC), on their contribution on the non-inclusion of \u2018Secularism\u2019 in the new draft Constitution. This delegation which comprised Muslim Clerics such as Ebrihim Assan Cham, met with CRC Officials in Bwiam in the Foni Kansala District on Thursday December 12th […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":3866,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3],"tags":[1633,1065,2149],"class_list":["post-3865","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-community","tag-constitutional-review-commission-crc","tag-gambia-news-everyday","tag-gambias-supreme-islamic-council-sic"],"yoast_head":"\nIslamic Council Delegation Advocates for Non-inclusion of Secularism in New Constitution - Gambia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/islamic-council-delegation-advocates-for-non-inclusion-of-secularism-in-new-constitution\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Islamic Council Delegation Advocates for Non-inclusion of Secularism in New Constitution\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Gambia\u2019s Supreme Islamic Council (SIC) has sent a delegation to engage the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC), on their contribution on the non-inclusion of \u2018Secularism\u2019 in the new draft Constitution. 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