Gambia: 15 June | By Yero S. Bah
The Peoples’ Progressive Party (PPP) Secretary General and party leader Papa Njie has said that, his party will never allow or promote homosexuality if they are in government saying it is funny that westerners won’t even listen to you whenever you discuss polygamy in their countries but would want to impose homosexuality in countries like The Gambia.
The PPP leader made these remarks over the weekend at his residence at Brufut Heights in an exclusive interview with GunjurOnline. Mr. Njie noted that, the issue of polygamy is a topic you can’t discuss in the West since nobody listens or takes you seriously whilst acknowledging that every man has the right to marry up to four wives but in the West it is a non starter. “It is very funny, if you are in the West and you talk about polygamy they will even think you are crazy but it is a human rights issue.” he pointed out.
Mr Njie explained that, to him even talking about this thing (homosexuality) is not important because “we are giving it importance” by discussing it. “This thing I don’t even want to mention.” he added. The PPP Secretary General continued saying, he understands that it is part of the mandate of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to advise government on human rights issues but it contradicts the 1997 constitution of the Gambia which says that marriage is between “a man and a woman. The PPP head emphasised that; homosexuality is not in Gambian traditions or any of the religious teachings “so to me is not an issue for us.
“We have to change our relationship with the European Union saying even in England, the Queen doesn’t recognise LGBT rights but yet still the European Union is pumping money in England. “The moment we talk about it we are giving it prominence.” Mr. Njie believes that, Gambians need to go back to the drawing board to redesign their productive sectors to develop the country but also reduce the dependency syndrome on Western powers.
He said that, the European Union would not condition The Gambia that it must adhere to the values of homosexuality before it can get support from the bloc. “They will not put such conditions against us, they will not.”
However, he said that the European Union Ambassador also has that responsibility to advise The Gambian government to include such values but opined that it is also the duty of the President, his ministers and the Gambian masses together with the entire government system to implement it or not. “Implementation is at the discretion of the Gambia government and her people.” he explained.
The former KMC mayoral candidate believes that, as a nation, people will decide what needs to be done about it saying both a PPP government and he Gambian laws don’t recognise homosexuality. He noted that, people who belong to that category must practice it behind closed doors but if they bring it out and it is deemed offensive to people, then the law will take its course under a PPP government. “You will be prosecuted if you bring it out in the public domain.” the leader of the decades old party added.
In recent weeks, the debate over the issue of homosexuality and the rights of LGBT in The Gambia has surged, attracting all sorts of condemnation from Gambian society following attempts by the EU representative in The Gambia to promote LGBT rights in the country.