Muslims Offended By Jammeh Hamat Bah Claims, Demands President's Apology

http://allafrica.com/stories/200308010469.html

The Independent (Banjul)
NEWS
August 1, 2003
Posted to the web August 1, 2003

By Sana B. Camara
Banjul

Honourable Hamat Bah has sent a stark message to President Jammeh, warning
him to revisit his policy over religion, which has been overshadowed by the
veil palaver.

Honourable Bah who could not hide his displeasure over what he called
Jammeh's disastrous handling of the veil debate, warned that Muslims and
Christians have been exasperated following his controversial speech.

Over Jammeh's castigation of his party Honourable Bah told The Independent
that he would not be drawn to the politics of character-assassination
since "I am a president in waiting who have to comport himself. My
behaviour matters a lot to many Gambians and I am not going to debase
myself by responding to Jammeh in the same breath".

Bah believes that Jammeh has more pressing problems to address than
describing the opposition in "idle gimmicks" that do more to expose his
vain pride and his amateurish disposition as a politician. He said the
thorny debate about the veil is a sensitive issue that should preoccupy the
president instead of making infantile remarks about parties and
personalities that have done much to give a democratic semblance to his
regime. He advised President Jammeh to apologise over his comments and re-
visit his policy on the veil, warning that any mistake in its handling "can
destroy the unity of this country and undo many years of achievement for
religious tolerance".

"Standing on political platforms ridiculing and castigating religious
leaders including Imams and school children who were wearing the veil while
they were marching before him under the sun and rain was undone".

He accused Jammeh of trying to please the United States by castigating
Muslims and banning the veil in schools.

On US-Gambia relations, Honourable Bah said it was unfortunate that Jammeh
cannot understand the politics of America, as he commits his worst mistake
by accepting "the fallacy that the US considers The Gambia as an important
ally. 'For Jammeh to believe that he is appeasing the US by abandoning his
best friends when the US has no permanent interests here is suicidal.
Jammeh is saying everything and doing everything just to attract some
recognition and support from the US. But he is making a big mistake" he
retorted.

On the country's democratic situation, Honourable Bah noted that the three
arms of government as provided for by the constitution were in shambles,
pointing out Jammeh's alleged interference in the Judiciary that has
rendered the Supreme Court dysfunctional. He said the government is on a
campaign to kill the opposition and the state media, the latter of which is
operating under extreme pressure from the government to practise self-
censorship. He said the APRC also uses its robust majority in the National
Assembly to pass bogus legislations that are of little benefit to our
democratic tradition.

"But we can't have a vibrant democracy without a vibrant press. The media
commission act is a clear manifestation of Jammeh's inability to appreciate
true democracy in this country," he critically observed.

The Saloum MP called on the Gambian leader "to do his homework and assure
Gambians of a brighter future instead of castigating them and blaming
everybody for the country's economic woes which is making people desperate
by the day".

"Jammeh had promised Gambians sufficient electricity but never delivered
it. He promised to improve their standards of living, which is still an
elusive dream. He promised the fruits of development projects every six
months that never came. The dalasi has experienced the worst depreciation,
over 200 percent in the sub-region. Our debt was at D3 billion in 1994,
today, it is at D80 billion, and where has its benefit appeared on the
lives of Gambians. Where is the benefit from the $35 Million loan from
Taiwan that poor Gambians are today paying for" he inquired.




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