I will never join the APRC, declares Omar Jallow
The Independent <http://www.qanet.gm/Independent/independent.html> (Banjul)
June 5, 2000
By Alhagie Mbye
Banjul - Serrekunda East politician and former Agriculture Minister in the
ousted PPP government, Omar Jallow (OJ) has told The Independent that it would
be 'an insult' to his integrity to join the APRC.
OJ was reacting to reports that the APRC had prepared a 'wish-list' of potential
candidates to be recruited into the party, with OJ leading the list along with
other prominent ex-PPP officials.
Laughing loudly, OJ said that he strongly believed in democracy, the rule of law
and human rights and therefore could not see himself supporting the APRC, which,
he said, was 'the very instrument that forcibly removed the confidence and trust
bestowed in them by the Gambian people.'
He said it was 'totally impossible' for him to be a part or member of the APRC
'that is not only an extension of a military junta, but also overthrew a
democratically elected government' in which he was a cabinet minister.
The reports also claimed that the government planned to repeal Decree 89 by July
this year. Decree 89 bans politicians from the pre- coup era from participating
in political activities in The Gambia.
'Joining the APRC will not only be an insult to my integrity but to all
politicians banned under Decree 89, the entire judicial system of the country
and the Gambian population,' OJ said.
OJ said he had not been contacted by anyone regarding joining the APRC. He said
he saw the APRC as 'a passing cloud' that was not built on a feasible, cohesive
and strong foundation or with the wishes and aspirations of the Gambian people'.
He claimed the party had no objectives other than to secure Jammeh as president.
He said Decree 89 was 'passed by the AFPRC/APRC government in order to create an
unjust and uneven political planing field.'
OJ had challenged the decree in the High Court, which earlier this year decided
to strike out the case on the ground that they lacked the jurisdiction to hear
the case. OJ told The Independent he had since instructed his lawyer to file an
appeal in the Gambian Court of Appeal and would go, if possible, to the 'highest
court of the international arena.'
He said the PPP had been 'the people's party,' broad based and nationally
orientated. He said the PPP 'had led the country for over 30 years with a system
that respected democracy, the rule of law and the rights of all Gambians.'
He said if the ban is lifted rather than make any personal decision, he would
first contact former President Sir Dawda Jawara, whom he still regarded as his
leader. He said the other members of the PPP also had to be consulted in order
to decide an option 'that will be of benefit to all Gambians.'
He said he would not rule out consultations with the existing political parties
as 'a lot of tyrannical regimes in Africa survive due to the inability of the
opposition parties to have a common platform.'
He said it was incumbent on Gambia's opposition parties to come together and
remove a 'tyrannical regime.'
Speaking on the April student demonstrations he said 'the action of our security
faces against the students was barbaric, terrible and inhuman', adding that it
was 'the darkest day in the history of The Gambia.'
'It is plain that we have not moved out of the militarised system of politics
since 1994,' he said.
Copyright (c) 2000 The Independent. Distributed via Africa News Online
(www.africanews.org). For information about the content or for permission to
redistribute, publish or use for broadcast, contact the publisher.
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