The Daily Observer (Banjul)
Daily Observer
20 October 2009
The president, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya AJJ Jammeh, has appealed to all parties in conflict in the Senegalese Southern region of Casamance to immediately cease all hostilities without pre-condition and embark on a peaceful negotiation.
The Gambian leaders appeal was contained in a press release from the Office of the President. He observed that the conflict in Casamance has almost killed agriculture and further continuation of the violence could only worsen the already bad situation in the region. He then urged both the Senegalese and the MFDC to observe with immediate effect an unconditional and immediate ceasefire and to go the negotiating table.
Below we reproduce the full text of the president's message: His Excellency the President of the Republic, Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya AJJ Jammeh is hereby appealing to all parties in the conflict in Casamance to immediately cease all hostilities without pre-condition and embark on peaceful negotiations. At a time when the whole world is working towards food security, the violent conflict in Casamance has done nothing but entrench endemic poverty and acute food shortage. The recent escalation of violence at a time when farmers are about to harvest their crops could only mean one thing - that the crops will be abandoned and not harvested and thereby adding to food insecurity and more suffering.
We all know that the conflict in Casamance has almost killed agriculture and further continuation of the violence could only worsen the already bad situation in the Casamance. In order to alleviate the suffering of the people of Casamance, His Excellency the President of the Republic hereby urges both the Senegalese and the MFDC to observe with immediate effect an unconditional and immediate ceasefire and go to the negotiating table. Both parties to the conflict should know that the solution to the problem of Casamance is not a military one. The Gambia, as a peace loving country, cannot be indifferent to the escalating violence in Casamance. A ceasefire should take effect as from yesterday, Monday 19th October 2009.
All parties to the conflict are hereby requested to heed the appeal and observe an immediate and indefinite ceasefire so that all displaced persons can return and resettle and regain their normal daily lives. His Excellency the President would like to thank in advance all parties to the conflict for heeding his call for peace. This appeal is purely based on his love for peace and firm belief that there cannot be any development anywhere in the world without peace and stability.
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