The Battle for Our Country-COMMENTARY
  BY MATHEW K JALLOW, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
  The Battle for Our Country 
  The Judiciary 
  I have said that our country is at a cross-roads, and I cannot emphasize that enough. Today, we are experiencing a terrible chapter in our history as this regime kills, maims, brutalizes and continue to deny our people their basic human rights. This is a challenge we have to face, and a challenge in which we must prevail in our quest to restore and regain civil society. The past twelve years testify to the deaths and disappearances of countless number of Gambians, and in addition, there are the deaths of non-Gambians, specifically Ghanaians, which happened under mysterious circumstances. 
  
  GAMBIAN JUDGES-JUSTICE HARD
  TO COME BY THESE DAYS IN BANJUL, 
  AS SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST IS THE 
  ORDER OF THE DAY!!!!
  The arbitrary arrests and detentions continue to plague our society, and no one is immune from the barbarity that knows no boundary. Yahya Jammeh is like wild dog on the loose, terrorizing our people with impunity and indifference. It seems like no one can reign him in, because he is above the law, and enforcers of our laws answer to him. At every turn, Jammeh has shamed and embarrassed our country, and his arrogance only exposes his ignorance and lack of intellectual depth. As Jammeh is doing what every stupid and idiotic dictator before him has done, he has our work cut out for us. The task before us is deny him the opportunity to continue to play with our lives, and the lives of our friends, family and neighbors. In short, we must get rid of Jammeh; NOW. 
  But, first things first. The Judiciary has remained complacent and indifferent to all the tragedy going on in our country over the past twelve years. I understand it is human nature for members of our judiciary to be timid and fearful, but as the last refuge for our citizens escaping the over-reaching and heavy hand of our government, our judiciary has the duty to stand up to this regime. 
  If they cannot bring themselves to stand up for the people of our country against the excesses our government, then that spells the total break-down of law and order. It means there is no place for anyone to take shelter. It is time that members of our judiciary have some guts to do what is right for our country. It is their duty to enforce our laws. They must reject the way and manner in which Yahya Jammeh is injecting himself in the functioning of the judiciary. The judiciary must remain totally and completely independent. As a result, the judiciary has an obligation without any further delay to release any detainee and prisoner who has not been tried in a court of law. The continued detention of any individual beyond what our laws stipulate is against our laws. We have laws on our books that dictate the manner of detaining any person, and we have no reason, whatsoever, to look the other way when our government is itself is violating these laws. 
  Besides, the judiciary should immediately oblige the government to produce each and every detainee and make them accessible to their family members, international organizations like the Red Cross and Amnesty International, and the media. The government must also physically produce the vehicle involved in the "supposed accident" involving Daba Marena and four other individuals said to have escaped. The court will also want to examine the escorting witness to this accident, and the exact spot where the accident took place must be visited and forensic collected from the location. 
  I personally know at least two members of our judiciary to be decent people; Chief Justice Abdou-Karim Savage and Gibou Janneh, and I know for sure that they are hurting inside from all abuse of power being exercised by this regime. Far too many wives have lost their husbands, too children have lost their fathers, too many mothers and fathers have lost their sons, too many relatives have lost loved ones, and too many people have lost friends and neighbors. Enough of Jammeh's cruelty and mean spiritedness. Jammeh Must Go; NOW. 
  Next Week: The Battle for Our Country. 
  The Armed and Security Forces. 
   
    
Posted on Tuesday, April 25, 2006 (Archive on Friday, April 28, 2006)
Posted by PANDERRYMBAI  Contributed by PANDERRYMBAI
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