Joe & Folks,
We must remind ourselves and others that one of the A(F)PRC's major
conspiracies presently being enacted against the sovereign people of The
Gambia, is The Disruption of the Separation of Powers. This involves
spreading the filthy tentacles of the regime to all sectors of the state.
The IEC is not being exempted from this criminal exercise.
One of the good things about openness in the public life of any nation is
that through their own pronouncements, it becomes easier for the general
public to evaluate state operatives in the light of their mandates. The IEC
has made a deliberate attempt to debunk Mr Sallah's claims, and in so doing,
they have revealed the erroneous thinking that the current leadership of the
institution adheres to.
Firstly, lets look at The Rights Issue. In their Press Release, IEC make
mention of this very important issue but in the sequence of their arguement,
they hypocritically watered down its importance by maintaining that infact
all legally qualified Gambians may not neccessarily vote. The problem with
their argument in this instant is that they give equal weight to our right
to have the vote and our right to opt not to vote in an election. Their
mandate is to ensure that we have the vote, but when it comes to the second
right just mentioned, that is not their business!
Secondly, it should be noted that Equity in its historical legal meaning
represents a desire for fairness. If my reading of The IEC's Press Release
is right, It argues that it would be unfair to expend five times more in the
registration and voteing exercise of a Gambian in the diaspora, than his/her
counterpart in The Gambia. The IEC is dead wrong here! Fairness does not
necessarily come from expending the exact amount of dalasi on the
registration and voteing exercise of every legally qualified Gambian. This
arguement should also be seen as hypocritical on the part of The IEC untill
they are abled to prove to us that The Unit Cost Per Person for Registration
and Voteing is the same throughout The Gambia.
It is a shame that they even venture as far as mentioning the unfortunate
immigration status of some Gambians in the diaspora. This is not unique of
some Gambians only. Other nationals are faced with the same predicament, but
that does not stop their national electoral authorities from giving them the
vote and ensuring that they take part in elections just like their
compatriots back home. The IEC, by the content of its Press Release in this
regard, seems bent on discrediting the Gambians in the diaspora's claim to
the vote, but due to the lack of credible reasons at their disposal, they,
like The A(F)PRC regime, are hypocritically trying to drive a wedge beween
Gambians at home and those abroad.
Indeed the IEC may not be willing to give the vote to Gambians in the
diaspora, but they do so to the nationals of neighbouring countries. One
must be mad to think this can be done without some Gambians knowing! Thus it
can be safely concluded that even the quotation of the Principles of Rights
and Equity in their Press Release, is merely an attempt at escapism. The IEC
as it is presently constituted, is a useless tool for the administration of
free and fair elections in The Gambia. It would be naive for anyone not to
accept that The Electoral Process in The Gambia is already rigged, and that
the arguement for A Revolutionary Armed Struggle, is rapidly gaining
grounds.
THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES!
Omar Joof.


>From: Joe Sambou <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: IEC denies manipulation claims
>Date: Fri, 26 Aug 2005 21:50:06 +0000
>
>God fearing by the new fix by Yaya at the IEC or not, the fab three better
>take hid of the political climate in the country.  Yes, indeed Gambia is a
>very small country and it is not the property of Yaya nor the IEC.  Thus,
>there will be zero tolerance to any manipulation or gimmicks by the IEC or
>Yaya.  If the IEC should follow Yaya and start a chaos, let them also
>realize that the chaos they create may also consume them.  This is not a
>threat, but to remind them that the political climate in the country is
>such
>that Gambians are tired of being subjugated and are ready for anything that
>the IEC or Yaya cooks for them.  The Gambian people are the masters of
>their
>destiny, not the IEC or Yaya.
>
>"In the release, IEC also declared, among other things, that it is not
>feasible for Gambians in the Diaspora to vote."
>
>Sir, do you realize that this "mbahaal" is getting real stale.  This is the
>same dish that was served by Gabe Roberts, five years ago.  Now, you have
>not even warm your seat and you want to start serving us.  At this rate,
>the
>world can end and we shall never vote, because Yaya will always find some
>willing conduit to spread the filth.  Now, you see why we are going to
>watch
>you'll very closely?
>
>" While it is the right of every Gambian of eighteen years and above to
>vote
>in national elections, no Gambian is “required” by law to vote."
>
>Can someone tell me the logic of the above statement?  Who is asking the
>IEC
>permission to vote?  We are demanding our right (not privilege) to vote.
>Is
>this an attempt to dumb us down or what?  "You have the right to vote, but
>you really don't have to vote and the constitution will not force you".
>Look, Gambians in the diaspora demand their right to vote and that is it.
>Leave it to them to decide to exercise that right.  And you wonder why
>Gambians believe the current trio are selected to perform for Yaya.
>
>Honest governments and IECs around the world make it possible for their
>citizens to vote, so this is no new science the IEC will invent.  The fact
>of the matter is both Yaya and the IEC know that 90% or more of Gambians in
>the diaspora will VOTE against Yaya any day any place, thus this feet
>dragging and baseless arguments.  That is why the ignorance of Yaya came
>out
>to pratt about Gambians in the diaspora giving up their rights to
>citizenship by being away.  Is that not contradictory to the IEC's
>agreement
>that Gambians over 18 years old (without certain criminal violations) are
>eligible to vote where ever they may be.
>
>To also suggest that the we cannot vote because of lack of resources is in
>itself not factual.  Are we crazy to rely on a corrupt government like ours
>to provide resources to vote them out?  No.  If the farmers crops are not
>bought for years under Yaya because of mediocrity and corruption, who in
>their right mind would think that a brute like Yaya will provide funds to
>the IEC for us to vote?  NADD should press the EU and other organizations
>that sponsor voting exercises to provide the necessary funds.  We shall see
>what the next gimmick will be when that happens.
>
>"It might, in fact (sic) not be helpful to identify Gambian whose legal
>status in the foreign countries are doubtful."
>
>Since when has the IEC been concerned about the welfare of Gambians in the
>diaspora?  What's next in their scheme to deceive, that we can't vote due
>to
>911, or the Iraq war?
>
>"The constitution of The Gambia, 1997, provides that the members of the IEC
>are appointed by the President of the Republic.  One appointed and
>sworn(sic), the members have nothing to be intimidated about in the
>execution of their functions."
>
>Oh really!  Where is Bishop Johnson, or your predecessor, Gabe Roberts?
>All
>fired, and illegally.  You cannot possibly tell us you believe the above
>after 50 years of public service, and in the face of the illegal firing of
>your predecessor and Bishop Johnson of all people?
>
>Gambians are watching and I hope the IEC will not be mistaken to
>underestimate the winds of change in the country.  If you cannot be
>impartial, the honorable thing to do is to resign.  However, if you yield
>to
>the pressures of Yaya, the people are rock solid to apply triple force
>against your path, and I have my last buck on the people.
>
>Chi Jaama
>
>Joe
>
>
>IEC denies manipulation claims
>Written by DO
>Wednesday, 24 August 2005
>The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has denied suggestions carried
>in
>the Foroyaa newspaper that the date for the September 29 by-elections was
>first announced by the APRC before the Commission did.
>This denial is contained in an incisive press release issued by the IEC in
>reaction to an editorial carried in the18-21 August 2005 edition of the
>Foroyaa  newspaper.
>
>
>According to the press release, “It is obvious that what the author wants
>the IEC to say is that at the risk of being removed from office, the
>Chairman of the IEC should say that he disagreed with the President’s view
>and that if IEC failed to do that it would be that the Chairman was timid.”
>
>
>The release then described the Foroyya editorial as “an attempt to
>discredit
>the IEC for some reason.”
>
>
>In the release, IEC also declared, among other things, that it is not
>feasible for Gambians in the Diaspora to vote.
>
>
>Below, we reproduce the full text of the press release:
>
>
>At the risk of disappointing those Gambians who are familiar with the style
>of management of the IEC’s Chairman, the IEC cannot but respond to the
>editorial of the Foroyaa Newspaper issue of 18-21st August 2005.
>
>
>The whole issue concerning the participation of Gambians overseas,
>including
>the chairman’s own children, should be considered under two universal
>principles: the rights principle and the equity principle - both within the
>context of the limited nature of the necessary and available resources at
>the disposal of the IEC.  While it is the right of every Gambian of
>eighteen
>years and above to vote in national elections, no Gambian is “required” by
>law to vote. The second principle has to do with the utilisation of the
>available resources per head of the registered voters. Will it be equitable
>to deploy over five times the resources deployed for enabling a Gambian
>voter overseas over and above a Gambian voter in The Gambia knowing fully
>well that neither is required to vote?
>
>
>Can it be assumed that all Gambians living abroad are provided equal
>opportunities to exercise their fundamental rights to vote knowing fully
>well the legality concerning the residents(sic)of many Gambians currently
>living abroad?
>
>
>If it were that the laws of The Gambia requires(sic) every eligible Gambian
>to vote, the Gambia government would have been compelled to provide the
>necessary resources to enable IEC to ensure that all eligible Gambians are
>made to vote.
>
>
>It might, in fact (sic) not be helpful to identify Gambian whose legal
>status in the foreign countries are doubtful.
>
>
>The constitution of The Gambia, 1997, provides that the members of the IEC
>are appointed by the President of the Republic.  One appointed and
>sworn(sic), the members have nothing to be intimidated about in the
>execution of their functions.
>
>
>It is obvious that what the author wants the IEC to say is that at the risk
>of being removed from office, the Chairman of the IEC should say that he
>disagreed with the President’s view and that if IEC failed to do that it
>would be that the chairman was timid.  After 50 years of public service it
>is believed, it would be realised that the last thing, that should be done
>was not to associate, by implication, the Chairman with fear.  For what it
>may be worth to him/her(sic) that the Chairman’s daily prayers include that
>Allah may remove the humiliating human chains of ‘fear and greed’ from him.
>
>
>The date for the by-elections in the four constituencies with vacant seats
>at the National Assembly was fixed by the IEC and not dictated to by the
>ruling party.  To say that the APRC announced the date before the IEC is
>considered to be an attempt to discredit the IEC for some reason.  The
>Gambia is a small country and the grapevine spreads at a vertiginous speed
>much faster than the creators of the information.
>
>
>The IEC does not want to cause and indeed to be drawn into polemics
>relating
>to the transfers and replacements of voting cards since it does not have
>the
>time for that.  As indicated in our correspondence to NADD Central
>Committee, the IEC is required to fix a limitation - 29th August 2005 -
>after which date no transfers and replacements are entertained.  To be
>specific, the IEC has made a total of 10 transfers and 20 replacements of
>voting cards in the Upper Saloum Constituency.  The political allegiance of
>holders of transferred and replaced voting cards is not the prerogative of
>the IEC (sic) but this  is simply done in the spirit of the fundamental
>rights of voters to move their cards to their areas of residence.  It is
>therefore incorrect to assume or nurture the impression that the IEC is
>acting in such a way as to create a more favourable environment for a
>certain political party in order for it to win elections.
>
>
>In the wake of clarifications made to the Chairman, it has come to the
>knowledge of the IEC that the process of Transfers and Replacements has
>been
>stopped in Upper Saloum unbeknowing to the Chairman following the NRP claim
>of a mass transfer process. The investigation carried out from (sic) the
>IEC
>Regional Office in Janjanbureh revealed that a total number of transfers
>and
>replacements indicated above were indeed made. The IEC hopes that the new
>schedule will enable genuine transfer seekers who are affected by the brief
>halting of the process to be able to do so before the 29th August 2005.
>Last Updated ( Thursday, 25 August 2005 )
>
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