EDITORIAL


  The United Security Council,  has issued its latest update on individuals  and companies indicted for fuelling the Liberians and Sierra Leoneans decade long war. Our President's plane, the new millennium and its managing Director  Baba K Jobe had been indicted once again.  The indictment went on to states that Baba K Jobe"Former Director of the Gambia New Millennium Air company. Former member of Parliament of the Gambia. [S/2001/1015, para. 287]. Arms trafficker in contravention of UNSC resolution 1343. Supported former President Taylor’s regime in effort to destabilize Sierra Leone and gain illicit access to diamonds. In prison in the Gambia."

  Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh,  had time and time bragged that he owns the said plane. If the UN can indict Baba Jobe, why not Jammeh?  Jammeh was privy of the activities of the said plane and was registered on his name. This is no secret. Even if President Jammeh,  was not directly involved in the said illegal gun running and diamond sale activities, one will not hesitate to conclude that he was indirectly involved.  The indicted Gambian public figure Baba K Jobe, was Jammeh's  "pet boy" and was most of the time acting on Jammeh's  orders.  It was Jammeh,  who appointed Jobe,  as the managing Director of the said aircraft and we cannot be convinced that Jammeh was not privy of the activities of his plane. Unless he Jammeh,  tells us his side of his story.  Listening to him  alone is not enough. He need  to clear himself before the UN war crime court in Sierra Leone.

  It is time for the UN to investigate the issue of conspiracy in this damaging state of affairs against our dear country.  We are not suggesting that Jammeh conspired with "bourr Jobe", but in the interest of justice and fair play the owner of the new millennium airline Yahya Jammeh should be probed. His role on the said plane and possible knowledge about the said gun running scandal should be a subject of UN enquiry.

  It is a well known fact that the disgraced Liberian President  Charles Taylor was Jammeh's personal friend and brother. During his days as a President, Banjul was his "second home" as he  was frequently hosted by The Gambian leader. Taylor's testimony before the said UN court,  will be interesting-in that there are  lot of  issues he needs  to expose to the world. We want to know leaders who aided and abetted him to bring untold sufferings and nightmares  to the  innocent  and poverty stricken Liberians and Sierra Leoneans.

  It is time for the UN to start urging states to hand over indicted individuals to the UN court in Sierra Leone We want to hear from Baba Jobe and other individuals indicted by the world body for fuelling crisis on the African Sub-Region. We do know that The Gambian leader will not be happy to see his friend and brother Jobe, being extradited to Sierra Leone. His fear is that Jobe might likely spill the beans.


  Prior to his imprisonment, Jobe  was being aided and abetted by the Jammeh government. It was the same government, who dispatched a  protest letter to the UN Security Council, exonerating Jobe from any involvement of such arm  trafficking and diamond sale.  The said letter was authored by the resigned  Foreign affairs  Minister Dr.Momodou Lamin Sedat Jobe.  The Jammeh government went as far as trying to recruit a foreign lawyer to fight Jobe's case in the UN.  Now the  questions  that comes to mind is  that: Why the sudden U turn,  on the side of Jammeh and his government? Why retracting from your original stance that Baba Jobe was not implicated on the said UN findings?  What was  your motive?

  Upon knowing that the UN means business, Jammeh decided to disown Baba Jobe in the open. This was the time, he pressed economic crime charges against Jobe and suspended him from the National Assembly. Shortly after his conviction, Jobe was dismissed and expelled from the Ruling APRC government. An order from the UN Security Council,  for Jobe's assets and bank account(s) to be frozen was enforced by the Jammeh government, despite their repeated lies and denials that Jobe was not guilty of  wrong doings.

  The sudden grounding of Jammeh's plane and the purchase of  new aircraft to replace the new memillenniumbsp;speak volumes.  It  suggested that Jammeh was bent on avoiding running into the hands of the Interpol,  who we are made to understand  are  likely to impound the said indicted plane. Jammeh is playing smart, while the world is curiously watching him. Changing planes here and there will not solve the problem. After all,  the new millennium is in good shape. Or is Jammeh telling us that the new millennium  was among the assets frozen in The Gambia  by the UN Security Council?  We need answers.

  It is a shame that our country is linked to such inhumane activities.  The UN should be weary of President Jammeh, who is blowing cool and hot at the same time. He Jammeh should be investigated. Sierra leoneans and Liberians deserve better. The UN update, reminds us about the chopping of hands and maiming of women and children in the said Mano river states.  The people of war ravaged Liberia and Sierra Leone were exposed to all kinds of brutalities by trigger happy rebels and the disgraced Taylor administration.

  The world should help the UN to  bring whosoever was  involved in this crime against humanity-be it directly or indirectly.  Africa's power house Nigeria, should respond to the global demand for Taylor to  be handed to the UN special court in Sierra Leone.  Failure of which,  Nigeria stands to be accused of aiding and abetting a  war criminal. It is time to surrender Taylor,  in the interest of justice and fair play.

  On a  final note, we are asking the UN Security Council, to investigate President Jammeh's possible role in the new mimillennium'snbsp; alleged gun running and diamond sale scandal. It takes two to tango and Gambians want their President to  shed lights on this scandalous state of affairs. Our country deserves better.  We rest our case.


  The author is the former Secretary General of The Gambia press Union and also a former Voice of America radio Banjul Correspondent. Mr. M'Bai who now resides in the US State of North Carolina Raleigh was a leading political and crime reporter with the Point and Daily Observer newspapers respectively. He can be reached by email at the following addresses: [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask]














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