By Mama A. Touray
Alagie Modi Trawally, on behalf of the so-called ‘slave class’ in Garawol community has sued the Governor of the Upper River Region, Chief Bacho Ceesay of Kantora and Alkalo Tachine Ceesay for an alleged human rights violations, as regards to their several declarations which had violated some people’s rights.
Mr Trawally is the President of One Family Group of Garawol who is labeled, called and referred to as “The Slaves”.
According to his demands, Trawally wants an order prohibiting the Governor, Chief and Alkalo (Respondent) from interfering in any way with their fundamental rights to freely practice their religion by constructing a mosque and Arabic Islamic School without any interference in anyway whatsoever.
He wants the high court to make an order that any interference with the fundamental rights of the applicants (the so-called slave class) to freely practice their religion amounts to a violation of their constitutional rights to freely practice their religion.
Also, wants an order that any naming, labeling and calling them as “Slaves” is a gross violation of their fundamental rights to equality before the law. He as well wants the court to make an order that any further calling and naming them as “Slaves” is unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional and such culture, tradition or practice to be declared unlawful and unconstitutional.
Mr Trawally stated that in his statement that they are the minority group and they have been facing discrimination “in all fronts and manners” at social activities such as funerals, weddings, naming ceremonies and even denied them their constitutional rights to freely practice their religion.
He mentioned that they are being denied access to pray in the village central mosque, prior to that, according to Trawally they used to ask them to stand at the back rows until they began demanding equality in the mosque. Subsequently, Trawally said they began conducting their own congregational prayers at a compound after they were denied access to the central mosque in the community.
He alleged that the Alkalo in 2014 told them to leave the village if they do not want to be called and regarded as “Slaves” because their forefathers and their fathers were all regarded as “Slaves”. He said they have a land they want to build a mosque and an Arabic Islamic School, but the villagers, Alkalo, Chief and the Governor have been interfering stopping them from going ahead with the construction. Trawally accused the Governor of using his office to restraint them from building their own mosque.
The case was called on Monday, 31st May 2021 but could not proceed. Lawyer Kimbeng Tah for the Attorney General informed the court that there is an ongoing process to resolve the matter at the Alternative Dispute Resolution Secretariat (ADRS).
He sought for a week adjournment to see how the process goes. This was not objected by Lawyer Lamin K. Mboge who appeared for the So-Called “Slave Class” and Lawyer Saikou Fatty who appeared for the Chief and Alkalo.
The presiding judge, Justice Aminata Saho-Ceesay adjourned the case to Tuesday, 15th June 2021 at 10 am for hearing.