A COUP PLOT AGAIN?
Who Then Are Jammeh's Friends
The latter part of June witnessed what then appeared as the disappearance
and now the arrest of the following: Deputy Commander of the State Guards,
Lieutenant Omar Darboe; Former Aide de Campe of the President, Lieutenant
Lalo Jaiteh; Senior Transmission and Distribution Manager at GAMTEL, Mr
Ebrima Yarbo; Modou Dumo Sarho of Boka Loho Society; Ebrima Barrow and Modou
Marena.
Rumours were rife regarding the reasons. Now they have appeared before
Magistrate Haddy Roche accused of treason. Apparently, the objective of
taking them before the Magistrate was to address the numerous calls for the
State to abide by the existing laws in order to deal with any allegations of
infringement or violation of any law.
According to a press release issued by the Inspector General of Police, the
following people, Ebrima Barrow, Modou Ousman Saho, Momodou Marena, Ebrima
Yarbo, Lieutenant Lalo Jaiteh and Lieutenant Omar A. Darboe, who are under
custody and three others, Retired Captain Alhajie Kanteh, Saul Ndow and
Corporal Sulayman Sano, who are at large are suspected of harbouring the aim
to overthrow the government of The Gambia. This is the first time it is
being clear what was going on since the disappearance started at the latter
part of June.
It is difficult to make comments until the trial starts. However, it is most
amazing that the former Spokesperson of the AFPRC when they first took over
and later fell out with them only to be appointed Commissioner twice, would
now be a fugitive because of the allegation of being a coup plotter.
When one looks at the history of the AFPRC, one sees that out of the
original four members only two are left. Sadibou Hydara and Sana Sabally
were accused of threatening President Jammeh's life and were later
incarcerated. Sadibou is dead and Sana is still serving a prison sentence.
As for those co-opted, the two Spokespersons all fell out with the regime.
Alhajie Kanteh has now become a fugitive. Ebou Jallow even wrote a
memorandum to Gambia-L (an internet forum of Gambians and friends of The
Gambia) claiming to have led mercenaries from South Africa some years ago in
order to infiltrate The Gambia. The relevant portion reads:
".....Well Sir Dawda can bear me witness. Some few years when I failed in an
attempt to infiltrate The Gambia with some South African mercenaries, I
called that Nigerian to help me find some other means to help solve the
situation in The Gambia. I explained to him the situation, and told him
about Jawara. This Nigerian gentleman left his family on a vocation in
Monaco and flew to his house in France, called Jawara and sent his private
jet to pick him up in London and to meet in France. If you have any doubt
..... find out from Sir Dawda Jawara, His Excellency, the President of the
First Republic."
This dispatch posted on 11 July 2000 to the Gambia-L is now a subject of
rumour in The Gambia. Some think that this is a recent development and that
it is linked to the present rumours of a coup. Ebou Jallow said that he led
some South African mercenaries few years ago in a failed attempt to
infiltrate The Gambia. This has nothing to do with the present allegations.
What is, however, clear is that the number of people President Jammeh can
trust are becoming smaller and smaller. Readers would recall that in January
2000, Lieutenant Almamo Manneh and Lieutenant Landing Sanneh, who were in
charge of President Jammeh's security at the State House, were accused of a
coup plot. This gave rise to the death of Almamo Manneh and Corporal Momodou
Dumbuya.
Now, some of the people being accused had some affiliation with MOJA (G),
July 22nd, AFPRC during the coup or have been the bodyguard of the
President.
It is, therefore, not surprising that the following press release was
issued: "It is hereby announced that His Excellency the President, Colonel
(Rtd.) Alhajie Dr Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh, acting in accordance with Section 72
of the Constitution has reassigned responsibility for Fisheries and Natural
Resources to the office of the Secretary of State for Presidential Affairs
with effect from 10th July 2000."
Apparently, Secretary of State Singhateh is the only person left in the
original team of four who pioneered the coup d'etat of 1994.
THE LESSONS
Gambia is a country in transition. Those who were overthrown yesterday or
have fallen out with the regime are interested in having a favourable
condition to be restored. Those in control of power today or are
beneficiaries of the takeover of 1994 have interest in maintaining the
status quo. Gambians are being given the option to choose between the past
and the present. What the country needs is a future free from economic,
social and political exclusion. This is, however, more difficult to create
since it requires Gambian citizens who will no longer allow any particular
citizen to utilise them as tools to acquire or maintain power. Once such
Gambian citizens come into being, power will be controlled by the people
instead of having few elements contesting for it by using the people as
pawns or consigning them to the ranks of spectators.
In our view, coup d'etats are political gambling matches. It appears so easy
to orchestrate but it is also so difficult to bring about. History has shown
of many coups and counter-coups costing many lives and leading to many
unstable changes. In short, the more some feel that coups are easy to
orchestrate, the more attempts are made to change governments by coups. This
is why coup making became a career in Nigeria.
The real solution lies with the empowerment of the people. When people are
fully conscious of their power and organised, they cannot have a leadership
that functions against their will. There are no short-cuts to the
empowerment of the people. They must be enlightened and organised to control
power.
In the face of so many rumours of coups, the government may deem it wise to
carry out some reforms. For example, the long talked about two terms limit
could be added in the Constitution. President Jammeh may also declare that
he will serve only for one term; that Gambians should now decide who should
lead them. These are all means through which the struggle for power from
above at the back of the people may be diminished.
Fundamentally, the Gambian people should come to terms with the fact that it
is their duty to charge of their own destiny. No one can save them. They are
their own saviours. They have the power to decide how to manage their own
society. What is left is the will to exercise such a power with maturity.
Every rumour of a coup or invasion of some sort should inspire the people to
see the need to take charge of their country and save it from gloom and
doom.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
