Sister Jabou,
Points well noted. you will hear from me by next week.I am really tired and
resting.
My regards to your humble family.
Love ,Sis FJC.
Jabou Joh wrote:
> G-L,
>
> Thank you F. Jahumpa for the messages of reconcilliation and the extension of
> an olive branch by Jammeh both to the opposition parties and to G-L. The
> questions to be asked now are these:
>
> Does Jammeh really mean this in the real sense of the word, or is this just
> another propaganda ploy to woo the international community because the
> coffers of our national treasury are empty, having been senselessly
> squandered by this administration, and they now need to convince the
> international community that they have turned a new leaf in order to entice
> donors and investors?
>
> Make no mistake that the pressures from the international community had a
> hand in ensuring that some of the allowances towards a fair an impartial
> election were implemented, and G-L did their part also, no question.
>
> Concerning G-L, is this olive branch a way to disarm us?
> Rest assured that G-L is an effective instrument in letting both Gambians and
> the rest of the World know about the goings on in our country, and most of
> them in the past five years have catalogued the innumerable human rights
> abuses that have transpired and which will not inspire any freedom loving
> people in other countries to view the present administration as the guardians
> of even the most basic of human rights for the people, even if the Gambian
> people themselves are easily fooled.
>
> In other words, G-L is not a medium that can be controlled despite the many
> appearances of a number of agents of the Jammeh government, and for a
> government that has left no leaf unturned in their attempts to silence the
> press and put fear in the people, this is indeed a big dillemma.
>
> However, it appears that the intentions of those of us who came forward to
> fight for the freedom from oppression for our people have now been made the
> pariahs, at least by some Gambians.
> A few days ago, i read a posting by a young man who alleged that
>
> "it was G-L who sent petitions and did all of the things we did without the
> consent of the people, and that we were not representing the Gambian people".
>
> That statement has been reverberating in my head since i read it, and it
> leaves me with a sadness that is unmeasurable.
>
> While G-L is definitely not wholly representative of the Gambian people, I at
> least was confident that each and everyone of us is capable of discerning
> right from wrong, justice from injustice, freedom of speech and fear induced
> by threats from the ability to question and put our leaders to task without
> reprecussions of any kind. The very reason that inspired some of us who were
> formerly non-political to get up and add our voices to those voices calling
> for justice and freedom for our people and country with no ulterior motive
> intended.
>
> I am equally convinced that the Jammeh Government also knows the difference
> between right and wrong, justice and injustice as these traits are inherent
> in every human being as the holy Qur'an has told us.
>
> It is just that they fear being deposed by the very means by which they came
> to power, and their fear of this at every turn is what has motivated them in
> the past as now,to issue decrees that usurp the rights of the people, jail
> people without charging them or according them due process of the law, parade
> aound with big guns to instill fear in the people and put a check on
> journalists to make sure that they have full control of everything and
> everyone, and indeed it seems to have worked.
>
> I thought all of us could also discern what motivated some of us to speak
> out against injustices we all know about, and which we as a people have never
> been subjected to, especially the youth, and the enlightened amongst us, but
> i think i was wrong.
>
> Despite all of the things that have transpired under the Jammeh government
> in the past few years, and despite the fact that most Gambians are poorer
> than ever, with the majotity of them having no hope of any improvement in
> their condition regardless of who they voted for, the people have voted this
> goverment back into power.
>
> A few days ago, Ginny Quick wrote to ask the question of why Gambians
> re-elected Jammeh if all of the things we said on the L were true.
>
> The answer to this question is something to explore, and frankly, the answers
> are not comforting either in our ability as a people to understand the
> democratic process and what it can do so us as a whole and not just as a tool
> for individual interest, as well as our tendency to not wish each other well,
> and to expend all of our energies villifying those who fight to improve our
> lot and doing everything we can to bring them down, seeing them only as
> people who are after something for themselves, and therefore to be stopped at
> all cost, even if it means that our condition as an exploited people never
> changes. This is truely amazing, and something that is beyond human
> comprehension to say the least.
>
> I think that it is abundantly clear, that the allegations levelled at the
> APRC givernment are not figments of our imagination. On the contrary, the
> evidence is there for all Gambians as well as the rest of the World to see.
>
> 1. We did not invent the shooting of the school children in broad daylignt,
> and the ensuing investigation/commission of enquiry and the setting aside of
> their findings with no closure and no justice for those who lost loved
> ones.There are just no excuses good enough to justify the shootings.
>
> 2. We did not invent the condition of those young men who were left
> paraplegics, still vegetating in hospitals where they are not getting the
> proper treatment for the injuries they suffered on April 11th, 2000 as
> victims of the shootings. How does a heart become so callous that one can
> observe such a thing and not feel plain human compassion for these young
> people, even if they were total strangers?
>
> 3.We did not invent the torching of Radio 1FM or the dismantling of Citizens
> FM, and tying them up in the courts for years while their equipment gathered
> rust with excuses such as the lack of permits and such, when the real reasons
> were that these journalists dared to provide a meduim where the people can
> freely express themselves. Likewise, we did not invent the deportation of
> Journalists and the estrangement of some just fordaring to write the truth.
>
> 4. We did not invent the fact that Koro Ceesay and others were murdered in
> cold blood, and this government has not conducted any investigation into
> their deaths, or even allowed his family to see the autopsy report. How does
> one present oneself as a government who is representative of justice when
> such things can ensue? Perhaps the Gambians see no problem with such actions,
> but we sincerely hope that the rest of the World does, otherwise there is no
> hope for humanity.
>
> 5. We did not invent the fact that farmers, the poorest in our midst, have
> toiled dilligently planting and harvesting crops whose sale provides the only
> means of sustenance for their families, but which have gone unsold for the
> past couple of years, leaving them destitute and starving practically.
>
> 6. We did not invent the fact that Jammeh has become a multi millionaire
> practically overnight when he did not have any money when he came to power
> just a few years ago, and this in a country where the average family
> struggles even to put food on the table on a day to day basis. The treasury
> is empty and yet, those at the helm of power are living like kings while the
> general populace is barely making ends meet.
> The treasury has become the personal bank account of this government and it
> is now empty.
>
> 7. We did not invent all of the documented speeches by this president in
> which he has repeatedly threatened the well being of Gambians and
> admonishing them like children, and threatening them with death. The last of
> these speeches were delivered on the eve of these past elections where he was
> openly threatening people just because they openly displayed their support of
> an opposition party.
>
> 8. Likewise, we did not invent all of the annual reports on human rights
> from such agencies like the United State department of State, and Amnesty
> International which have chronicled some of these very points mentioned above
> over the past five years.
>
> No, we did not invent any of these things. They all transpired in the
> presence of Gambians, and yet, this government has won the elections.
>
> Perhaps this is a lesson for those of us who thought we could actually
> understand the Gambian mind, and that infact, all of us are in search of
> justice, peace and prosperity, accountability in our leaders and transparency
> from those who we charge with taking care of our national affairs. Perhaps
> the World has gone upside down, and right is wrong and wrong has become
> right, and it is us the dreamers in search of justice and with goodwill in
> our hearts for our fellow man that are mad afterall.
>
> Perhaps it is impossible that we African will ever come to a place where we
> act in the collective interest of our people , realizing that when we do
> that, we are making strides that will benefit all of us in the long run as
> opposed to just in the interest of our own for the short term, and as a
> temporary fix.
>
> It is apparent that we are indeed very well suited for manuipulation and
> those who study and know the art well are the ones who controll our every
> move, and we will continue to be at their mercy even when it does not make
> any sense whatsoever, and it appears that those with hard hearts and a
> tendency to sacrifice their compatriots for their own gain are steadily on
> the increase, even though this same tendency is a death sentence for them as
> well as the entire society in the long run.
> However, material gain and the false sense of being at the top is enough
> justification for this shortsightedness.
>
> Perhaps those who have long given up on this dream of true freedom for us are
> leaps and bounds ahead of us hopeless dreamers.
>
> The Jammeh government's offering of an olive branch and outreach to the
> opposition parties as well as all Gambians will be taken seriously if they
> start with the following.
>
> 1. Release Momodou Dumo Saho so he can go home to his loved ones or charge
> him with an offense and accord him a speedy trial as allowed under the laws
> of our constitution. This is what a law abiding giovernment does. Anything
> else may be bought by Gambians, but not the international community.
>
> 2. Conduct an investigation into the deaths of Koro Ceesaay and others whose
> deaths have gone uninvestigated, and no explanation has been given to the
> people.
>
> 3. Revisit the incident of April 11th, 2000, and bring to trail those
> responsible for this atrocity.
>
> 4. Do away with the represssion of journalists ability to report all the news
> and give voice to the people to air their views without fear of prosecution
> in one form or other.
>
> 5. Stop the rampant firing of civil servants and coercing them to join the
> ruling party.
>
> 6. Extend development to all areas of The Gambia, and not give priority only
> to those areas where the ruling party has a support base. Jammeh himself made
> it clear he will continue to engage in this sort of unfairness by statements
> made during his campaign. I believe he issued a direct threat to the people
> of Brikama just because of their party allegiances
>
> 7. Use our hard earned tax money to provide the basic services needed by all
> Gambians without treating it as a gift from Jammeh to be disbursed according
> to his whims and party affiliations. Witness the debacle of these generators
> that were long overdue, but which were used as election time pawns to
> convince the people that this government is the one who has their interest at
> heart. Only In Africa can one get away with such a thing. The constructiuon
> of hospitals and other structures when there is hardly any medication in the
> llaready existing ones is another senseless gesture intended to fool those
> easily fooled into thinkingthat new structures spell progress.
>
> 8. Return the procurement of goods and services to the different government
> departments instead of bringing the purchasing of all of these services under
> the control of the president and his circle and being treated as a business
> enterprise to enrich themselves.
>
> 9. Let the president stop using the treasury as his personal fund, and return
> it's control to those charged with it's care to ensure accountability and
> misuse of the people's meager reasources.
>
> 10. Let Jammeh stop threatening the people with heavy weaponry and "burying
> them 6 feet deep" in every speech, and let him stop running the country like
> a police state so that Gambians can feel confident to come home and engage
> in ventures that will create jobs and opportunities for the people, as well
> offer their expertise for the betterment of our country.
>
> 11.Put term limits into place so that Jammeh will not embark on a 30 year
> reign like we had with the PPP government of Jawara and which he said he came
> into power to rectify.
>
> If the APRC govenment does all of this sincerely and without restrictions and
> conditions, and until it becomes abundantly clear to the people without
> question that this is being done, then we, along with the rest of the World
> that is watching, will believe that they have indeed turned a new leaf.
>
> Without addressing the unresolved issues mentioned above that are facing
> this government, especially in the areas of the unresolved human rights and
> deaths issues, as well as the continued jailing of people like Dumo Saho,
> this government will not be believed by those who are not easily fooled,
> namely the international community whose imput and partnership Jammeh has
> learned that he cannot do without, albeit the hard way.
>
> Words are easy, but it is the verifiable actions and nothing less that will
> vindicate this government, and we will just wait ti see.
>
> Jabou Joh.
>
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