BY PA NDERRY M'BAI


Gambia's dictator  Yahya Jammeh will not hesitate to grant safe heaven to
his fellow tyrant deposed president Maaouya Ould Taya.  Jammeh will do
whatever it takes to comfort his mentor and uncle Taya from his current
predicament.

JAMMEH AND HIS UNCLE
DEPOSED TAYA
Now the questions many Gambians are asking are:  Is The Gambia the right
place for Taya to seek asylum? On what bases is Jammeh welcoming Taya?  Is
Jammeh planning to restore Taya back to power?  Such questions are indeed
very relevant, considering the type of president we have today in The
Gambia.

Harbouring tyrants like Taya will taint the good image of The Gambia and her
people.  We are living witnesses to the human rights atrocities attributed
to Taya's government.   This includes  slavery, discrimination and nepotism.

While the government of The Gambia is mute about Taya's sudden visit, some
observers are making informed opinions about the issue.   They argued that
harbouring such a tyrant means aiding and abetting a dictator who had
perpetrated all kinds of suffering and terror against  his citizens.

The observers also contended that Taya should be handed back to face
prosecution in the interest of justice and  fair play in Mauritania.   That
the the"gross human rights abuses attributed to Taya cannot go unpunished."
  That the disgraced head of state is anti freedom and should not be given
sanctuary by any nation claiming to be democratic.

Knowing the type of leader Jammeh is he will not heed to public concerns
about the current state of affairs. History is indeed unfolding in the
African continent.  That dictators are now bailing each other out in the
time of difficulties.

Gambians and friends of The Gambia, are now convinced that Yahya Jammeh is a
  tyrant.  His close relationship with Taya is not ordinary.  It's based on
solid foundation and he Jammeh believes that  it's  incumbent upon him to
sympathise with his brother.

Yahya Jammeh should start reading the writings on the wall now.  That there
is nothing permanent on this universe.  Taya's case should serve as a lesson
to dictators like Jammeh.

In as much as we are opposed to military interventions, we want to inform
Jammeh that he had long abused his welcome.  Gambians and friends of The
Gambia, never anticipated that he will spent such a long period of time in
Gambia's presidency.  It's time for him to leave now to avoid being regarded
as another "Africa's power hunger president"

It appears that Taya is still interested in returning to the presidency in
Mauritania.  A recent  report monitored on the BBC radio suggested that Taya
is still determined to regain the office of the presidency.  Taya's  message
was purely designed to destabilise the current military junta.

Whether Jammeh is aware of it or not the current junta will not trust him,
in view of his close ties with the ousted president Taya.  From now on the
junta,  will be cautious about the way it relates with the Republic of The
Gambia and  Yahya Jammeh.

It's up to Yahya Jammeh to prove to the world that he has no intention to
return Taya back or to allow him to use the Gambia as a subversive training
ground.  We expect Jammeh to learn from the Casamance and the Guinea Bissau
crisis.

Our own president was accused by deposed president Kumba Yalla of harbouring
Guinean dissidents in a bid to over throw his government.  Despite the
government's denial of such alleged subversive activities, this does not
stopped Kumba Yalla from vowing to crush The Gambia if Jammeh attempts to
behave otherwise.

Thanks to the United Nations, the Guinea Bissau/Gambia looming crisis was
laid to rest.  Both leaders were advised to keep the peace and stop trading
such charges against each other.

Gambia was also asked to stay away from the Casamance crisis, following
reports that Jammeh had granted save heaven to MFDC rebel spokesman
Alexandra Gibba,  who was resident  in Banjul for over three years.

During his stay in the country, Gibba was hosted at a five star hotel called
the Atlantic Hotel.  He was always seen at the Department of state of
Foreign Affairs.  He spoke openly about his rebel movement and vows not heed
to Wada's peace plans for war ravaged province Casamance.

The Gambia is our country and we should not allow other sovereign nations to
perceive us as an enemy.  The government of the day should be frank and
clear in the way it deals with other sister countries.

In as much as Yahya Jammeh is on the same line with Taya, he should not
ignore the interest of The Gambia.  He is putting our country in a funny
position.  We don't want our nationals to be perceived as a  threat to any
foreign government.  Mr.President, please preserve the image of The Gambia
and ask your brother to find another place for safe heaven.  He is in a
wrong country, at a  wrong time.

True,  fleeing refugees, should be granted safe heaven by governments around
the world.  But Taya is not one of those to be given such accords.  As long
as he continues  to live in The Gambia, people will continue to speculate.


Now the choice is yours Jammeh.  If  you want our country to be seen  as a
supporter of  a  former military cum civilian dictator,  go ahead and host
Taya.  Remember, Mr.president The Gambia does not belong to you. It belongs
to the people.  You have no rights whatsoever, to welcome such a tyrant  in
our country.

_________________________________________________________________
Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today it's FREE!
http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/

いいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいい
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html

To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l
To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
[log in to unmask]
いいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいい