Well BambaLaye, Sir Dawda is singing a very different tune nowadays than he
did back in 1994. It is hard to know what to make of his total aboutface
other than that he wants to make sure that his long cherished dream of
enjoying a state funeral when he dies will be realized by hook or by crook.
Talk about human bites and the rule of gnaw!!
Thanks for sharing.
Baba
>From: "BambaLaye (Abdoulie Jallow)" <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: [En Retro]Fw: Deposed president calls for help
>Date: Thu, 31 May 2007 15:07:45 -0500
>
>RICHARD DOWDEN. The Independent. London (UK): Sep 26, 1994.
>
>Gambia's Sir Dawda Jawara breaks his silence to describe to Richard
>Dowden, Africa Editor, the military coup which overthrew a model
>multi-party democracy with a unique human rights record
>
>SIR DAWDA JAWARA, who led Gambia for more than 30 years until his
>overthrow in a coup three months, broke his silence yesterday and called
>on the international community to drive out the military junta. "We have
>an even stronger case than Haiti," he said. "I will feel very let down if
>military rule is allowed to take root."
>
>Gambia is a test case for Britain and America. For years they have held up
>Sir Dawda's rule as a model multi-party democracy that respected human
>rights. He was overthrown by a group of junior officers complaining about
>pay and conditions. If the West fails to restore constitutional government
>in this tiny West African state, the coup could be seen to have made a
>mockery of the Western policy of promoting democracy in Africa.
>
>Washington has cut off aid, but Britain and the European Union have yet to
>announce measures. "We have made it clear that the relationship cannot
>continue and we are reviewing what we might do," said a Foreign Office
>spokesman yesterday. Although he came to Britain as a personal guest of
>the Prime Minister three years ago, no minister has found time to see Sir
>Dawda since he arrived here on 27 August.
>
>Sir Dawda told the Independent yesterday that he was demanding the
>restoration of constitutional rule. "I call on all countries and
>organisations to co-operate in immediately restoring constitutional rule
>in Gambia, and returning the soldiers to barracks," he said, but added
>that he is not demanding that he return as head of state. At 70 years old,
>he is reluctant to serve another term as president, but has offered to
>return as head of an interim government to oversee presidential elections.
>
>"I think I have done enough for my country," he said. "I would only
>participate if it is in the national interest." A quiet, cautious man, who
>now lives in his modest house in Haywards Heath, Sir Dawda said: "I have
>been silent since the second day of the coup because of a desire not to
>add to the confusion." He has been trying to use his status as national
>leader to persuade the military junta to depart; several former ministers
>and officials have been detained, and there has been a crackdown on
>Gambians who wear long hair and hang around Western tourists. The new
>government has accused them of being drug peddlers, pimps or male
>prostitutes.
>
>Sir Dawda said he had not called on the Gambian people to rise up against
>the new regime "because the junta might increase its reign of terror". He
>has offered the junta an amnesty if they step down quickly.
>
>"I am very concerned about abuses of human rights, arbitrary arrests and
>detentions," said Sir Dawda. "All Gambians must now reflect on the
>predicament of our country. We have come to expect freedom, democracy and
>the rule of law. A military dictatorship cannot be acceptable in our
>country."
>
>Prime Minister of Gambia when John F Kennedy was president of the United
>States and Harold MacMillan prime minister in Britain, Sir Dawda became
>president in 1970. For several years he was the doyen of the Commonwealth
>heads of government and a personal friend of the Queen. Gambia, half the
>size of Wales with a population of less than 1 million, has had close
>links to Britain for centuries and is a popular tourist destination.
>Britain maintained an army training team in Gambia until recently. Sir
>Dawda said if the team had still been there, the coup may not have taken
>place; the Gambian army is less than 1,000 strong. The country's human
>rights record, unique in Africa, persuaded the Organization of African
>Unity to set up its human rights office in the capital, Banjul.
>
>Gambia is poor, but has low inflation, stable currency and strong
>reserves. It was about to receive several million dollars in aid from the
>World Bank and other organisations to expand its port and warehousing
>facilities in a scheme known as the Gateway Project, which would have made
>it an entry point for imports into the region. Ironically this project may
>have played a part in the President's downfall.
>
>Sir Dawda told the Independent that he had been warned of a coup only
>moments before he was told to flee. He was urged to go on board a US Navy
>frigate, La Moore County, which was in port at the time; it was taking
>part in joint exercises with the Gambian Defence forces. "The presence of
>the US frigate facilitated the coup, because there was transport laid on
>at the barracks, and the armoury was opened to provide weapons for the
>exercise," said Sir Dawda. Asked if the Americans could have had a hand in
>the coup, he said: "Not as far as I know. I cannot see a motive for them."
>
>The frigate captain and the US ambassador told the President that the 70
>marines on board could make a stand and stop the coup, but permission to
>do so was not given by Washington. From the frigate Sir Dawda was able to
>contact the coup-makers, who urged him to return as a private citizen. He
>refused saying he could only return as head of state with his government,
>but said he was willing to hold talks with them. Sir Dawda was then told
>that a member of the frigate crew had fallen sick and had to be put ashore
>at Dakar, the Senegalese capital. Sir Dawda was also put ashore there and
>found himself taken to a house without a telephone. He was unable to leave
>or speak to anyone other than his family for several weeks. "I was
>trapped," he said.
>
>Relations between Sir Dawda and Senegal have been cool since he pulled out
>of the Senegambia union, which was agreed in 1982 and supposed to merge
>the two countries in a confederacy. Some Gambians suspect that Senegal was
>worried by the Gateway Project since both its government and its
>businessmen stood to lose revenue to cheap imports from Gambia. Sir Dawda
>would not comment on Senegalese involvement. "Dakar can be very
>influential in Gambia" he said.
>
>(Photograph omitted)
>
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