By Adama Makasuba
Abubacarr Tambedou, Minister of Justice and Attorney General has dispelled misconception surrounding the security reform sector and assured that the process will be done in fairness and professionalism.
Baa Tambedou, who as the chairman of the security sector reform steering committee said “no one will be targeted on account of their ethnicity, tribe, religion or region” at the launch of the national security policy at Kairaba beach hotel.
The launch of the new policy brought together top government officials including Gambian president, officials from United Nations and European Union, aims to maintain safeguard and defend national core values which will ensure the safety, security and prosperity of the Gambia.
He added “allow me to dispel some misconception about the security sector reform processes-this exercise is not all about reducing the size or number of our security personals, this is perhaps at the bottom of our priority list and when it occurs we want to assure everyone that it will be done with the requisite care, fairness and professionalism.”
He described the launch is an opportunity to reflect on the past and for teaching out lesson for the future, adding “1st of December 2016 created a unique window of opportunity that must be seen transformed outcome into a modern democratic state.”
However, he said despite there have been failures in the past when some of elements of the Gambia Armed Forces didn’t live up expectation but that “Gambia armed forces are our armed forces they are the people’s armed forces. They are not enemies of the people.”
He praised the members of the Gambia armed forces as hard workings whom are dedicated to the peace of the country.
He called for building a civil-military relationship in the modern democracy of the country, saying “we want Gambia armed forces for all and not for some.”
Meanwhile, the new security policy framework includes the security reform sector strategy, national defense strategy, national police and law enforcement strategy.