Baboucarr Camara, Commonwealth Youth Caucus  (CYC) representative for Gambia at the Commonwealth Youth Programme Regional Centre for Africa, on behalf of his organisation has conveyed sincere condolence to the family of the late Ms Benezir Bhutto, opposition leader of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

Ms Bhutto was assassinated on December 27, 2007, in Rawalpindi, shortly after addressing supporters of her PPP at a mass political rally, ahead of the forth coming Presidential elections.

Below is the full text of the condolence message:

It is with great sorrow that we the Gambian youths join our sister countries, brothers and sisters in development work, leaders of the Asia Region and the entire Commonwealth Community to mourn the untimely death of a great leader, a mother and a fountain of Democratic Excellence.

I would like on behalf of the Gambian youths to convey our sincere condolence to the family of the late Ms Benezir Bhutto. The world has lost, to the terrible hand of terror, a very great leader, who was not only a leader to the people of Pakistan but a benevolent example of clear charisma and courage Unbiased, educative to the strong role of youth leadership.

The rude, heinous and cowardly act of terror has robbed this world of a woman activist, a great advocate of democracy, a human rights leader, who has not only served as a good example, as a prime minister of Pakistan, but, even during her time outside office, and during her return to enforce democracy in Pakistan and the entire sub Asian Region.

Outrageous violence act such as her narrow escape in an appaling attack on her convoy which claimed 150 innocent lives during the very day of her return to Pakistan, barely two months ago and this one which claimed her live can serve no useful purpose in any society, especially in one that is seeking to rebuild democracy and reconcile deep divisions. Such an act can only strengthen the hands of those who seek to repudiate the path of democracy and dialogue.

It is at this point that i would like to join the entire world to condemn the gross acts of terrorism in the stringent and strongest terms possible, and urge the youths of this universe, the entire Commonwealth Community, and the Asia Sub region to rise up against terrorism.

For the youths of the Asia sub region, the commonwealth community and the entire world, we should not loose hope for great leaders come to serve as examples and always leave a trace of excellence, and, the late Ms Benezir Bhutto was such a great leader who we should emulate in the democratic struggle ahead in order to keep her spirit with us and not take up to violence for her death.

I would like to call upon and encourage the youths, the world leaders, people of pakistan not to resort to violence, but, take her death as a challenge to the growth, nurturing and maintenance of democratic excellence and the fight to reduce or wipe out the rampant acts of terrorism in the Asian Sub Region, Pakistan and the world, that together we can and shall fight to create a peaceful Universe.