OPINION
KING JAMMEH STRIKE AGAIN: HAMAT, HALIFA & O.J ARRESTED
By Bakebba Camara
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November 19, 2005
My fellow citizens and democrats, there has never been a better time to
talk about politics in the Gambia than the current climate of mayhem in
the run up to the general election. As you are all aware, the opposition
coalition NADD is making rapid progress to free our country from
tyrannical rule and the state of fear our citizens are subjected to for
the last decade. So far all the by-elections held in the last five years
or so, indicated a shift in popular support from the incumbent APRC of
JAMMEH Yaya to the advantage of the coalition NADD party. No one will
dispute that if this trend would have to continue until next general
election in September/October 2006, there is every opportunity that APRC
government will lose with a clear and undisputed margin. For many,
however, witnessing the fall of King Yaya JAMMEH through democratic
process would be something unprecedented because it isn't actually an
election they think that will remove JAMMEH from power.
Nevertheless King JAMMEH will do everything at his disposal in order to
consolidate his power, even if that would cost lives. This is evident in
the recent arrests of key opposition figures like HALIFA SALLAH, O.J.
JALLOW and HAMAT BAH. The strategy for King JAMMEH is to limit the
influence of the main opposition party before the general election in less
than a year. By arresting these people, JAMMEH is sending a message that
he is not going to leave office peacefully and that he will cling onto
power whether or not people voted for him to stay. One thing dictators
have in common is that their survival is more important than the welfare
of their people. Yaya is no exception to this dictatorial philosophy and
throughout the last eleven years since he came to power; he has worked
extremely hard to deny Gambian people the right to exercise freedom of
speech, association, and most importantly he has ruined the economy of the
Gambia- the livelihoods of our people. JAMMEH nonetheless, is in blatant
denial of the fact that the government he represented is full of thugs,
bandits and professional thieves.
JAMMEH is using Gambia as his own business entity where he can hire and
fire at any time he wishes without regard for rule of law. He is a leader
who does not care whether his citizens are sick and hungry. Here is a
leader who cares more about his personality and survival than seeing his
citizens expressing different views as of how he rules them. King JAMMEH
is said to be forty years old, but he still thinks like a toddler and acts
like a man from different planet. JAMMEH is not in tune with reality and
never believes in "Peoples' Power"; the democratic values and the right of
individual. I can only summarise JAMMEH's eleven years in power into two
words: (Failure and Paranoia). Please Mr King JAMMEH, take it easy and
check history books and find out where your fellow dictators end up? You
are assuming that you are untouchable today and therefore will continue to
harass, intimidate and torture your opponents regardless of the suffering
and pain their families are going through while under your detention.
Finally, King JAMMEH, do not take Gambians for granted. We are very
concerned the way you are behaving and your actions are detrimental to the
peaceful existence of the Gambia. I would hope that you come to your
senses and free these people before things get out of hand. The ball is in
your court!!
Bakebba CAMARA
Gambian in London UK
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