Sister Jabou Joh wrote.

"....One of the main issues we have with the APRC regime is that they are not operating within the law, and a society where people threaten to take the law into their own hands becomes a promise of another dictatorship".

I really really hope that this statement is seriously considered by all those who wish to replace the Jammeh regime with something better....because the methods that are used to oust the status quo is what largely determines what it is going to be replaced with. 

There is little doubt that Mr.Ebou Jallow and his recent political history is a difficult subject for us. It is doubtful if modern Gambian political history has produced an equally controversial dramatis persona. (One can discern parallels with the political biographies of Sheriff Ceesay's fall from grace with former President Jawara and Sheriff Dibba's political trajectory that climaxed with his merciless humiliation by President Jammeh after the latter's naming him Speaker of the House). But none of these are comparable to the turbulent and dramatic life of Ebou Jallow since July 1994. How do you relate with a man both as private person and as an individual who served the APRC, turned around against that regime accusing some of its office holders of brutal murders, but makes an about turn once again in an attempt to mend fences with the same regime; and participates in discourse on Gambia in forums where the most vocal are various kinds of opponents to said regime? 

Those who entertain and engage in debates with Mr. Jallow are sometimes slighted for their meaningless patronising of a despicable criminal. These have already consigned him into an asylum of lickspittles whose behinds should be spanked when a different order obtains in Gambia. Others have responded to Mr. Jallow's intellectual challenges and tried discoursing with him. 

In such a milieu replete with contradictions, everyone manages a grievance. What is certain is that the idea of Gambia as a smiling coast of brotherhooding blood lines is a convenient myth. It is not neccessary to entertain or even perpetuate such fairy tales in our zeal to construct a patriotism based on biology. What we must however struggle for is a Gambia where those sent to prison are confined as a result of due process of law. Everything else is mere angry opinion.

 Many many thanks Sister Jabou Joh for helping us clearly see through the current frenzy and raising questions that are relevant to the entire superstructure. 

Momodou S Sidibeh



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jabou Joh" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, October 09, 2003 4:22 PM
Subject: On the issue of Ebou Jallow's late mom


> In a message dated 10/7/03 5:05:45 PM Central Daylight Time,
> [log in to unmask] writes:
> 
> 
> > Don't tell me you do not
> > want to visit your mothers grave (rest in peace)?
> 
> At the risk of being labelled with all sorts of labels, this needs to be said
> and I am going to say it because we have to be able to step back and view
> situations with a clear head and address the issues that need to be addressed
> just because that is the right thing to do; and because we cannot afford to loose
> sight of the real issues in any discussion or we will not get anywhere.
> 
> People, I would like to appeal to all of you who have made mention of the
> above topic to please not include this topic in the discussions anymore. I should
> think that a topic like this has no place in our discussions regarding the
> situation at home. Every time I hear this mentioned, my heart bleeds, why?
> because I would like to believe that we are a people driven by decency and the
> conviction to institute a system of government that ensures the protection of
> rights, and that is why we are out here registering our protest. Therefore, there
> is no place in such an endeavour to taunt people regarding the death of a
> loved one, otherwise, we are no better than the brutal regime that is making life
> miserable for our people.
> 
> All of us have lost loved ones who have absolutely nothing to do with this
> regime or the crimes perpetrated by their  offspring or relatives. They deserve
> to be accorded the respect due to them even  in death regardless of what their
> relatives may be accused of.
> If we cannot separate the issue of an individual's guilt or innocence and the
> protection of rights under a just system, then we have missed the point
> entirely.
> 
> The constitution of the Unied States surpasses any other in the protection of
> the human rights of the individual and those who fight to protect it, be they
> individuals, lawyers or judges are the reason it stays intact for the benefit
> of all. Under this system, the issue between the persons' guilt or innocence
> and his rights under the system are never compromised no matter what they are
> accused of or even sharged with, and that is why it can continue to be a
> viable system. The guardians of the system know that they cannot afford to loose
> sight of the fact that if a person's guilt or innocence becomes personalized by
> the guardians of the system, then that can compromises not only  the accused
> person's rights but that of the entire citizenry under teh same system.
> It is fine line to walk, but walk it we must so that we do not ourselves turn
> into the dictators we are supposedly fighting. We cannot afford to be
> selective in the administration of justice and the protection of the human rights of
> the individual at any point in time, no matter how angry we are at that
> person.
> 
> We have to remember that as citizens who stand up for justice and who purport
> to speak on behalf of the people, we have to be clear headed enough so that
> our fight does not become personal, but rather an attempt to insitute a just
> system. A just system ensures the rights of all people, and it is the laws we
> institute in such a system, and not individuals that determines the appropriate
> punishment for all crimes against the state or any member of the society, and
> a court of law is the venue for such decisions. Therefore, even the utterance
> of words that imply the violation of the rights of the individual is
> irresponsible and dangerous.
> One of the main issues we have with the APRC regime is that they are not
> operating within the law, and a society where people threaten to take the law into
> their own hands becomes a promise of another dictatorship.
> 
> In the U.S, even the most despicable criminals are accorded their day in
> court, and all the rights guaranteed to them under the constitution. If they
> cannot afford a lawyer, one is appointed for them and paid for by the state. The
> courts then decide the guilt and innocence of that person and the appropriate
> punishment is handed down. Even if someone kills your family member, you cannot
> shoot him or even threaten ot do so in public. This is so that individuals do
> not take the law into their one hands and thereby compromise the protection it
> accords to all.
> 
> This system of laws that protect our rights is what  is being compromised by
> the APRC regime, and this is what we are fighting against. In our fight  to
> istitute a fair and just system, we must never forget that at no point in time
> can we threaten to abbrogate the rights of even someone who is alleged to have
> committed crimes against us. We simply cannot afford such short sightedness.
> 
> If we start sounding like the APRC regime who think they are a law unto
> themselves, this is a frightening prospect because then one is likely to believe
> that given the opportunity to hold positions of power, such persons will see
> themselves as a law unto themselves, and this is the direct opposite of  what I
> assume we are working to accomplish.
> 
> Let us take the issue of Ebou Jallow not being able to go home and disect
> that point. Why is he not able to go home? Supposedly because the APRC regime
> will arrest or kill him, or do any number of things to him. Why? perhaps because
> he allegedly took three million dollars, but the money was alleged to be put
> into an illegal account for the regime. If all of that should prove true, then
> is it not a case of one of them trying to outsmart the other in an attempt to
> defraud the Gambian people? If we taunt one of them for not being able to go
> home, are we not cheering the others in their attempt to silence someone who
> may be guilty of the same crime as those hunting for him are?
> 
> Let us also take the issue of people not being able to go home. I put it to
> you that there are many others whom the APRC regime would like to lay their
> hands on, and their only crime is that they have consistently spoken out against
> the injustices metted out to our people by this regime. If any outspoken
> person goes home, they will probably meet the same fate Ebou Jallow would at the
> hands of the regime.
> If we have a country where any citizen fears going home, that is a problem
> for all of us.
> 
> Therefore people, these are points that should make it abundantly clear to
> all of us that we cannot afford to be selective when it comes to the protection
> of the rights of any Gambian, be they alleged criminals or otherwise.
> Again, I repeat that what we need to focus on is the establishment of a
> constitution that protects the rights of all so that our own will never be
> compromised, and to have people in positions of leadership who will not loose sight of
> the important issue of never personalizing any issues such that we jeopadize
> that very system.
> 
> Jabou Joh
> 
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