Mr jallow,
FIRSTLY, allow me to point out to you that the constitution is a legal
instrument rather than a political one as you have alluded to. Its supremacy
over other laws is sufficienty indicated by the fact that it does not
require the president's consence in order to become law. Furthermore, the
fact that the constitution emanates directly from the people,and its
supremacy over other laws, suffice it to say that the will of the people
holds paramountcy over the will of the president. And it is the 1997
constitution of the Republic of the Gambia that stipulates in very clear
terms that there shall not be discrimination against anybody based on ethnic
origin, religion, sex or age, among other things. The president as the chief
Executive of the country, is bound by the Oath to the office of president to
defend the constitution, in both letter and spirit.
As a result of the above, it is the business of the president of the
Republic of the Gambia to ensure that the right atmosphere prevails in the
Gambia so that both Christians and Muslims can practise their religions
without any hindrance. If the president fails in the execution of this
important duty, the leadership and entire membership of the affected
religious group(s), have the right to criticize him.Religious bodies as
civil society organizations, directly represent the interests of their
followers, which makes them competent to criticize the performances of
public servants. In this context, I see nothing wrong in Imam Fatty's
criticizm of President Jammeh.
You have given a list of Imam Fatty's critical statements and asked that we
comment on whether he acted responsibly in uttering them. To my mind, he was
speaking from the premises of a particular religion, in which he has the
reputation of being an expert. Although I am a practising Muslim, I do not
consider myself competent enough to meaningfully critique his arguements.
This comes from the fact that the tools I feel I am competent to use to
dissect his arguments, are fundamentally foreign to the basis of his
thinking. What is relevant here is that the constitution guarantees his
freedom to express those very views just like any other person.
SECONDLY, I find your reflections on authority interesting and thought
provoking. But let me quickly add "interesting" because you indicate the
same mindset that we came across during heated discussions with the vice
chairman and spokesperson of the AFPRC in November 1994. Just as they tried
to do on that occasion, you are, to my mind, trying to justify the brutal
dictatorial tendencies of the Jammeh regime. Individual rights are
guaranteed by constitutions to protect persons against persecution by
unbriddle authority. Your arguement does not in anyway provide sufficient
justification for any extra judicial actions that President Jammeh and his
cohorts may be thinking of taking against Imam Abdoulie Fatty.
THIRDLY, in my initial reaction to your first posting on this issue, I
requested that you kindly tell us what you know about Imam Abdoulie Fatty to
warrant your equating him with the dreaded Osama Bin Ladin. You have
disregarded that quetion just like others I posed to you on this discussion
board. Knowing both Fatty and Jammeh would help a lot in understanding their
mindsets which would give a clue to the possible sources of their current
altercation.   From my personal observations of Fatty dating from his days
at Talinding Islamic Institute as a student, I have no doubt that he is a
devout muslim. There may have been some other reasons, but I am also
convinced that it was his desire to promote Islam that brought him into such
a relatioship with Jammeh. I am also convinced that jammeh was solely
motivated in the relationship, by his desire to use Islam to acquire
political dividens. The two were therefore set on a collition course from
the word go.
Finally, I disagree with your assertion that Fatty's assertions and the
activities of the opposition are in anyway potential causes of civil strife
in the Gambia. Instead, its the Jammeh regimes blatant disregard for civil
liberties and the rule of law, that has the potential to precipitate civil
strife in the Gambia.
Omar Joof.



>From: Ebou Jallow <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Prez. Jammeh vs Imam Fatty
>Date: Sat, 9 Aug 2003 22:20:29 -0400
>
>Sister Jabou and Mr. Joof,
>
>Truth can be apprehended in from a manifold of perspectives and their
>is no single absolute authority to articulate its propositions.  The
>acceptance of any truth in any  civil society like the Gambia depends
>to a large degree to the established fabric of the Gambian political
>constitution ...and NOT on any religious dogma nor any other political
>perspectives such as those from a socialist party like PDOIS.  The
>Gambia government has no business in promoting moral values and that is
>what Pres. Jammeh has been trying to articulate.
>
>I have observed that both of you based your arguments on individual
>freedoms and rights to be “critical” etc etc. in a sense both of you
>somewhat made the case for freedom and rights as an absolute.  I will
>defer somehow.  Freedom is fully realized when we are held responsible
>for our actions, and that includes respect for each other as moral
>actions.  Now tell has Imam Fatty acted responsibly with these
>following comments:
>
>1.    "Allah will judge between you and the students who wear the
>veil and they will be victorious while you will be cursed in hell".
>2.     The only true religion recognized in the sight of Allah is
>Islam. All prophets of Allah preached no religion other than Islam. Mr.
>President, you have made the Kafirs (disbelievers) triumph over the
>Muslims. You have made Muslims the laughing stock of the disbelievers.
>3.    Mr. President, you have made the Kafirs (disbelievers) joyous
>and the Muslims to mourn. You have made Christianity superior over
>Islam. And you have made Muslims cry and Christians laugh."
>
>
>I guess not.  Imam Fatty has mistaken his individual impulse and
>desires for his individual rights and freedom of expression and thus
>trangresses the boundaries of the church according to the traditions of
>liberal democracy.  He tries to collectivize public reason in order to
>undermine Jammeh’s authority and the very coherence of secular
>tradition.  The authority of the state as symbolized by the presidency
>holds a civil society together and NOT the abstract claims of
>individual human rights.  That authority and the obedience to liberal
>democratic traditions are the root of political order.  The prime
>virtue of all good citizens including Imam Fatty is the right to
>obedience of these principles of a secular constitutional state.
>Otherwise a society “crumbles to dust and power of individuality” as
>Edmund Burke once stated.  The “human rights/freedoms” peddled by most
>Gambian opposition groups and closet subversives are nothing but
>childish license to disobedience of authority and a precursor to most
>African civil wars. Imam Fatty is fooling nobody but himself, and Pres.
>Jammeh shall take note.
>
>Ebou
>
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