Monday, September 24, 2001 THE POINT NEWSPAPER
Coalition Alerts Security Forces
The Coalition flag bearer, Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, has called on the
security forces to be on the alert as "Camp 100" is ready to begin its
operation on Wednesday on the eve of the elections.
The UDP leader, Ousainou Darboe, speaking at a mass political rally at
Latrikunda, immediately after his nomination as the Presidential candidate
of the UDP- led Coalition last Tuesday, called on the Gambian Security
forces to be on alert as "Camp 100's" proposed operation is supposed to
start on October 17 at 4pm. Darboe said that he has got all the facts and
that the target of "camp 100" is to eliminate him (Darboe), Lamin Waa
Juwara, UDP National Secretary and Dembo 'By force' Bojang, MP for Bakau
constituency.
He further added that if the group fails in its endeavours, its assignment
is to tamper with ballot boxes in order to bring confusion in the counting
process.
Darboe stressed that the UDP leadership is ready to provide security for him
and others. "We cannot see someone trying to kill us and fold our hands," he
said. He told his militants that The Gambia is a blessed country and as
such, God will not help anyone who wants to bring chaos in the smiling coast
of West Africa.
Darboe said that the project of "camp 100" has failed, adding- " my message
to "camp 100" is that I have more than 200 men providing security for me.
Juwara and Byforce have similar security," he explained. Darboe stressed
that these men are ready not to cause any trouble " but to ensure our
security.
" The UDP leader also took issue with IEC, calling on it to pressurise the
officials of the national radio and TV for a fair coverage of the
Presidential election campaign. Equally, Mr. Darboe urged GRTS staff to
perform their duty with professionalism and know that they are Gambians, and
that changes could come at anytime. He therefore advised them not to be
swayed by the APRC as propaganda tools.
Lawyer Darboe made a staggering revelation, reading a fax to the meeting
claiming that the ruling APRC is involved in shabby games. He said an
American national, so called "Ambassador at large" has been in constant
touch with the APRC in a bid to provide sponsorship for their election
campaign which, he said, was against the provision of the IEC.
According to the said fax, the "Ambassador at large" has written letters to
Baba Jobe, Mansang Jagne and Buba Baldeh so that they could urge the
accredited ambassador in Washington, John P.Bojang, to recognise the
Ambassador at large who is staying in New York. "
Money is not our problem because already too tractors are ready for shipment
to the Gambia," the fax read. Darboe wondered whether the Gambia has three
Ambassadors in America, " One in New York, one in New Jersey and John Bojang
in Washington." He said Mr. Bojang refused to recognise the so called
'Ambassador at large' since he didn't get the green light from Banjul.
He accused those people of engaging in money laundering. The UDP leader
added that innocent and armless students, in the exercise of their
democratic right, were killed in cold blood and he cautioned the murderers
who went scotfree through the President's indemnity act.
"All these and many more are clear and genuine reasons why Gambians should
not vote for Jammeh, but for change," he said. The Coalition flag bearer
promised Gambians that when he is voted in, he would first review the
constitution of the Gambia and improve the Agricultural sector to become
more diversified in form.
He said that a UDP- led coalition government will never spend D15 million to
build empty houses, adding, "We'll re-establish the farmers' co-operatives
and all hotels will purchase the country food stock before going for outside
products." He explained that his government would assure quality medicines
in all state- operated hospitals and health facilities. He further promised
that his government would empower women and that road networks would be to
the standard of urban infrastructure.
Speaking earlier, former agriculture minister of the first republic, OJ
Jallow, maintained that the political game is over as, he added, come
October 18, Gambians would know who is who. OJ said that dispite the tribal
trumpet blown by Yayha Jammeh, the Coalition will win with landslide victory
"as Gambians will never listen to that trumpet, but the common objective is
for change
." OJ finally said that Tuesday's nomination was a clear evidence that
Jammeh's days in power are numbered. Beginning his speech with the slogan
"Jammeh Gipo-Jammeh Gii," the National Secretary of the UDP, Lamin Waa
Juwara alias(Mbarodi) said that victory is certain in the October polls,
calling on Sheriff Mustapha Dibba, NCP leader, to join the opposition
bandwagon before it's too late, saying, "because his place is next to Darboe
and whenever he comes, we the young would get up for him," he asserted.
Lamin Waa Juwara called on foreigners to stay away from Gambia's domestic
politics, adding that there would be no room for such enemies of the
country's progress. He said that Gambians have finally taken back their
mother land which, he described as a clear manifestation of what is
currently happening in the provinces. Mbarodi urged Gambians to tune to the
national radio on the October 18 as "President Darboe will then nominate his
cabinet."
Darboe Urges Joof To Resign
At a mass political rally at Latrikunda Sabije on Thursday, the presidential
aspirant for the coalition, Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, urged the Secretary of
State for Justice, Joseph Henry Joof, to resign for having given wrong legal
advice to the IEC that he (Darboe) was not qualified to stand for elections.
Before the nomination, he told thousands of militants that a lot of
fallacies were advanced which make it embarrassing for SECY Joof, who has
been bestowed the trust to advise government on legal matters. One such
instance, he said, was misleading the whole Gambia unashamedly. "Let him
resign for giving a four- page wrong legal advice to the IEC which was full
of nonsense, wrong quotation and poor grammar. But he was proved wrong by
Antouman Gaye and Mariama Denton. Let Joseph know that it takes more than a
wig and gown to be a lawyer. In fact, he is not fit to be a senior state
counsel let alone Minister for Justice," he said.
Responding to Fatoumatta Jahumpa's accusations levelled against him, Darboe
said he would make consultations with his lawyers whether to sue her or not.
"She has accused me of tax evasion which is not true. Tax avoidance is
legitimate and legal but tax evasion is illegal. In politics you can
demoralise your opponents' character but not to accuse him of criminal acts.
She must have done it out of frustration because she has seen that the seat
stolen by her master is about to be lost
." Darboe said he would continue with the legal issue provided Fatoumatta
fails to make a public declaration that she had lied to the public. Mr.
Darboe called on supporters to be serious with the presidential election
since it is like a referendum in that the progress of the Gambia will be
determined. "Vote for the coalition if you are concerned about the future of
this country. But if you vote for Jammeh he will continue to bring hardship
to the Gambia," he said. He said the coalition government will adopt a
policy of "Justice without revenge
" In his turn, former Serrekunda East MP, Omar Jallow took issue with
Yankuba Touray, asking him to prove to people where his (OJ's) 50 compounds
are situated. "Whatever I said is based on facts but I don't make blanket
accusations. A lot of killings took place on November 11, 1994 in Fajara
Barracks when I was the only civilian in detention. Newspaper reports
revealed that Ousman Koro Ceesay (a former finance minister) was killed in
Yankuba's compound. If all these atrocities were committed under Jammeh then
all of them are responsibile." OJ said "we will never accept an alien to
come and destroy the sovereignty of The Gambia."
Good Morning, Mr.President Ensure A Level Playing Field
In the aftermath of the 1996 election (and in fact prior to it) the
Commonwealth and other world bodies decried your administration's failure to
ensure a political level playing field for the full expression of the will
of the Gambian populace.
The truth is that sanctions of the past would never be the same with the
trend of things in the Western world today following the attacks on America.
The new culture that is taking shape in the West provides for two worlds;
one that respects certain civilized norms of existence on the earth and
another pariah world open to punitive measures be they arbitrary or not as
we might see in the coming days.
Afghans would have to suffer for the deeds of few people; people that
imposed themselves on the poor population that would pay for deeds they were
not party to and for which they were not consulted.
The British and their allies are today hammering on the need for greater
democratic values and the US are talking about a new civilized world.
The choice is Gambia's and we must chose.
Lets come back to our last sanctions. The main charges then against your
administration were the banning of the PPP, NCP and GPP, the involvement of
the security forces in the electoral process and the monopolization of the
public media by your party, the APRC.
Mr. President, this time round, you have lifted one of these charges with
the repeal of Decree 89 paving the way for the full participation of the
former banned politicians in the political process.
Now the other two issues must be addressed by yourself so as not to taint
any victory that might come your way should the people so decide.
This brings us to the seemingly over-zealousness of some of your officials
who openly support you and by extension your party when the institutions
they serve require them to uphold restraint and impartiality.
Where on earth can one see Directors of National Intelligence Agencies
campaigning openly. You can only see it in The Gambia with Kebba Ceesay and
Abdoulie Kujabi addressing rallies, campaigning for you.
Now, the other day, Tombong's TV showed five (5) APRC rallies in the same
evening without giving a single second to the opposition to show Gambians
that you do not fear them. How then can the independent press be blamed for
giving adequate if not full space to the opposition which is shunned by its
own tax payers public media?
One also wonders why the police should escort in such a 'protocolaire'
manner a motorcade of your party's brand new vehicles? It beats our
imagination as to who gave out the order to the police as parties are not
empowered to instruct the police. Or was it another display of
over-zealousness?
This is a country that we want to see become modern and respected and these
kinds of attitudes and compromissions are to say the least worthy of some
other age.
As these were the very issues that led to our shunning by the international
community, are Ceesay, Abdoulie, Tombong, Njie really helping us or driving
us back to square one for the reaping of other sanctions from the
international community?
Now, if they support you (which we believe they do as demonstrated) let them
do like their colleagues in other countries who uphold the republican role
of their institutions and relegate their personal sympathetic disposition
for close doors meetings.
We were not around but a veteran journalist told us that you and your party
had a good show on nomination day. The man talked about your supporters
match stretched over a two-kilometer trail behind your vehicle from the
Kanifing Municipality into Banjul. His view is that with such a support,
there is no need for any foul play on the part of the ruling party as
chances seem even between you and your opponents. So, why allow your
officials heading national institutions and their men and women to lend you
that hand you seemingly don't need to make a good and credible run? Mr.
President, we are tired of sanctions. Good Day
_________________________________________________________________
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