Following the successful completion of their peace keeping mission training, carried out by the Swedish police, 14 police officers last Thursday went to Sudan for the UN peace-keeping mission. A ceremony was held at police headquarters in Banjul to see them off. The officers manifested and demonstrated their readiness to serve and support in peace-keeping operations either in conflict or post-conflict situations or in re-construction work as witnessed in many areas around the world.

 In his keynote Address the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Alhagie Momodou Gaye, said that The Gambia Police force has always working closely in partnership with both AU and the UN to ensure the continuous existence of peace in conflict areas. “Therefore I am quite confident that this contingent will manifest this and make us very proud by flying our national colours at higher heights,” he said.

Mr. Gaye pointed out that peace-keeping missions are not for financial gain but to sacrifice for your fellow human beings who are the victims of conflict in their various areas in the World. The operation is costly to both the Government and the officers involved. “Since my office has organised pre-deployment training sessions for the stand-by force to keep them abreast with the challenges they are expected to encounter,” he stated.

Deputy IGP therefore thanked all those people who contributed immensely either directly or indirectly to make the pre-deployment training of this contingent successful.

For his part, the Police adviser F.R.I. Jammeh urged the officers to maintain their hard work and avoid things that are against the rules and regulations of the UN peace-keeping mission in Darfur. He said the important thing in peace keeping missions is to perform your duty in the way of expected of you. He said the officers were well prepared and no doubt that they rise the flag of The Gambia Police Force higher and higher, “ The Gambia is well recognised in peace keeping missions in world and we advise them to stay away from drug trafficking as well sexual harassment during their tour of duty.

He said the contingent is comprised of young officers who have the talents to represent The Gambia anywhere. He advised them to plan for small amount being paid to them, to make good use of it and let them also remember that they have the family back home.

The farewell ceremony was graced by Edward Sambou, Commissioner of finance, Inspector Sulayman Secka, Public Relations Officer of The Gambia Police Force and Superintendent Ebrima Bah, Personal Assistant to Inspector General of Police.    

Following the announcement of the completion of the translation of the Holy Quran into three main languages in The Gambia by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, the Supreme Islamic Council (SIC) has declared its disregard of the subject of the announcement, dissuading the general public from acquiring the purported translation without the approval of the council.

In a press release signed by the President of the Supreme Islamic Council, Alhagie Banding Drammeh, the council claimed that the announcement of the publication is without the notice of the council.

“We are therefore urging the general public not to possess it or buy them, until the approval of the council,” the release added.

According to the release presidential directives have earlier been issued to the effect that there should be no publication or radio programmes in Islamic matters without the approval of the council. The SIC therefore appealed for the co-operation of the general public in what it regards as this crucial moment.

It would be recalled that the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at last week issued a press release informing the general public of its completion of the translation of the Holy Quran into three of the main languages spoken in The Gambia- Mandinka, Wollof and Fula.