Gassama:
I think you are oversimplifying the matter by using a certain group of
politicians who according to you, politick without inciting or being negative
to buttress your general thrust. What you have done here is express your
disdain for the UDP's method of campaigning and politics without really
saying so or giving examples. You might be better served to reinforce your
theme with examples.
If I may probe deeper into your line of thought by using your last
correspondence relating to this topic as reference, we can imply that you
really blame the UDP and supporters for being harassed and in many instances,
tortured by the govt. forces, NIA etc. But have you for one minute, also
given thought to the fact that in many instances, the powers that be violated
the UDP's constitutional right to gather and politick? Did the victims
deserve the treatment meted out to them in these instances? Reports from the
human right's watchdogs (who BTW have a representative in The Gambia),
clearly state the security forces were in the wrong most of the time when UDP
supporters and party leadership were harassed. We have also all read and
even seen videotaped dispositions by the victims on how these men were
stripped of their clothes and mercilessly tortured. In recent weeks, I have
sent some of these documented cases from Amnesty International, where the
reason for their mistreatment is also explained, to the list. In most of
these documented instances, the only reason these men were treatment was
because of their affiliation with the UDP. How do you reconcile your stance
vis the AI reports of the treatment meted out to the UDP?
It is also important to note that other politicians have also been abused by
the regime, albeit to a smaller scale. But a case can be made that the only
reason these parties did not suffer as much as the UDP, is simply because the
size of the parties and thus their smaller support base. In essence, the UDP
is more of a political threat and thus a reason the many instances when
their human rights were violated. In response to your statement about them
responding to a knife at their throats with death threats, why does any
political party have to deal with a "knife at their throats" while exercising
its constitutional right to oppose the sitting regime? Is this what you
would call an even remotely decent democratic process? What implications
does this environment have for political advancement or change in The Gambia?
The main reason I think you are oversimplifying is because there are many
other documented cases of horrible violations which have noting to do with
the UDP. Brave members of the press have also had their human rights greatly
violated by the regime. Even members of the foreign press have been
arrested, detained and in some instances deported back to their countries of
origin. The endless violations against members of the press were also
included in the AI report I forwarded here. The violations were extensive yet
you still claim to not recognize the problem. Why? In fact, not only has
the president threatened the press with his "6ft deep" warning, but there are
decrees in place which are aimed at muzzling freedom of the press.
What about the many hundreds of school children who were either beaten,
detained and tortured or killed during the ill-fated April 10th and 11th
protests. IMO, this stands as probably the greatest atrocity committed
against the people of The Gambia since independence? It took the current
regime only 5 years to achieve this dubious distinction of killing and
torturing more Gambians in one place than any other regime?
One must also take into account both the extrajudicial killings as well as
the detention without trial of purported plotters or opponents of the regime.
Just to mention a few cases, Dumo and others have been in jail for what
seems like an eternity without a solid case against them. In the same vein,
human rights watchdog groups have deplored the state of Mile 2 prison where
most of the political prisoners are being kept. Furthermore, both the
massacre at depot, when a group of young soldiers were slaughtered, has been
explained here by former top officers in the army. Both Ebou Jallow and Ebou
Colley have told us about the deaths of many including, Lt. Saye and Korro
Ceesay. These are extremely disturbing allegations.
The list of human rights abuses is very long, disturbing and in some
instances, very tragic. I cannot even do justice to the suffering Gambians
have experienced at the hands of this regime, but I think any decent Gambian
should at the least accept that wrings have been perpetrated by this regime.
No one deserves to be tortured, killed unduly or illegally arrested. I would
suggest that you and your fellow sycophants come clean in accepting the dirty
record of the sitting regime as it pertains to human rights..
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