| DR OMAR K.TOURAY LAID TO REST “I Trust Omar More Than I trust Myself.” Halifa Sallah Dr Omar Kumbamang Touray a member of Central Committee of the People’s Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS) was laid to rest on the afternoon of Tuesday 19th July 2011 at his home village in Karantaba, Sami District, Central River Region of the Gambia. Dr Touray passed away in the United States of America and his remains were received at the Airport on the same day by family members, colleagues, friends and well wishers at 04.07 hours on the same day. Speaking at the burial, Halifa Sallah, the Secretary General of PDOIS, told the gathering that funerals are schools for the development of the intellect, character and values of the human being. He added that speeches are not just meant to keep alive the good things that a person has done on this earth but also to provide valuable lessons to the living. Halifa indicated that Dr Omar Touray did not only preach truth but lived it and defended it with all his might, heart and mind. He said Dr Touray treasured truth and justice more than anything on the face of the earth. He said that few people knew why Omar left the Gambia to stay abroad when he had even an international appointment and was earlier stationed at the ITC in the Gambia. Halifa said that he trusted Dr Omar Touray more than he trusts himself. He said that Omar was unique in every respect. He emphasized that there can be no greater trust than to bequeath to a person the responsibility to fulfill a mission should others become martyred before they could achieve their aim. He said Dr Omar Touray was bestowed with such a historic responsibility because of the overwhelming trust that he will never breach his political contract with his colleagues or betray his mission. He expressed grief that destiny has again thrust us into a sea of ironies by taking away an ambassador of truth before the mission is complete. He intimated that we have no other choice but to battle the waves and move towards our goals with a heavy heart, with renewed vision and the sense of mission that Omar was imbued with, when he left the Gambia just after the signs became evident that we would have to defend the integrity of our party and preserve its mission, regardless of the peril or the cost, when the coup makers became increasingly intolerant. He said Omar stayed in Sweden, Russia and the USA not in pursuit of greener pastures but as a result of the strategic objective to preserve the PDOIS leadership against liquidation should exceptional circumstances demand their martyrdom during the Coup period. He said Omar was being groomed for the highest office of the land and has all the qualities of a Principled, enlightened, experienced, humble, tolerant, exposed and democratic president that Gambia and Africa is yearning for, as he has no iota of sectionalism or nepotism in him, is truthful and does not look at any one’s eyes when it comes to speaking and defending the truth. He said that Omar’s greatest asset was the impossibility of distinguishing him from the common people because of his humility and simplicity. His heart beats in unison with the heart beat of the wretch of the earth. He loved the common people and worked day and night to enable them to raise their shoulders high and live dignified existence on the face of the earth. In this respect, the common people, PDOIS, Gambia Africa and Humanity have lost an asset. Halifa told the gathering that the untimely death of Dr.Omar Touray is a great loss not only to PDOIS but Gambia, Africa and Humanity at large for Omar was an asset. He said Omar left us at a time when he was winding up his stay abroad to come home to take part in the building up a new leadership for the party and the country. He added that he could not say that the loss is irreparable but that he could safely conclude that a person like Omar is a rear asset and would not be easy to come by in this day of hunger for power and greed. He said Omar despite his profound intellectual prowess and maturity walked on this earth, almost unnoticed and departed as if he held no prospective status or authority to decide the future of Nations and peoples. Halifa concluded that the goodness of Omar is first known by those who perpetrate wrong to him. Sallah said Omar has no heart for revenge and has no personal enemies. According to Sallah, Omar lived for justice and died while still yearning for it to prevail on the face of the earth. Halifa said that Omar has departed in words but is still talking to each of us with a voice of silence, urging us to become for ever committed to the cause of the common people and ensure that honesty, truth and justice prevails on the face of the earth. He added, “In this way, the common people would be lifted from the ranks of the wretched of the earth and be elevated to the ranks of being sovereign rulers of the world. This will instill a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood among people and spread good will among them”. |
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