The secretary general of the People’s Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS), Halifah Sallah, has said that there is nothing preventing the Government of The Gambia from getting in touch with the Government of Senegal to indicate that it wants to send a mediation group to assist in proffering solutions to their political problem.
The Gambian statesman made the remark as he responded to a question during a recent presser at the PDOIS bureau in Churchill’s Town.
“Conflicts need very mature treatment because when there are conflicts, the problems widen through a wider space. We have gone through an impasse, and you can see how the impasse was handled. I don’t think you have heard us calling on opposition parties in any part of the world to come to our aid,” the former lawmaker and veteran politician said.
“Well, we had to look at the problem from two angles: our internal situation and the issue of international politics, which deals with these things. So it is important for us to help all those people who are engaged in political work on the continent and elsewhere to be able to take charge of situations, guide situations so that the logical conclusion will be to end conflicts and allow people to take charge of their electoral process,” he stated.
What anybody in the opposition will be willing to do is to mediate, he said, however clarifying that mediation doesn’t just mean to get up and go in the name of it.
“First, you must be accepted by those who have the conflict; they must be ready to listen to you, and then you begin to work on what the differences are and how to narrow it to the point of ultimately guiding them to accept to live in peace,” he said sagely.
“I believe,” he said further, “that there are competent people who are most willing to do that. But I believe, fundamentally, that government is responsible for what happen in The Gambia today and is capable of engaging in international relations.
“Nothing prevents the Government from getting in touch with the Government of Senegal to indicate that it wants to send a group from The Gambia to really help to look into their problem and see how we can assist. I am sure if any member of PDOIS, or any other party I believe, is asked to be part of such a delegation, people will be proud to go to mediate.”
He rationalized, saying: “So I hope that offer will be there in the public space, and that is the way to go. But denouncing and talking at the end of the day, in facts, clouds the atmosphere in another country. We would not have wanted that to happen anyway.”
