They Got It All Wrong!


The Point (Banjul)

EDITORIAL
January 10, 2001

Banjul

Reports that the President did not give clearance for the laying-in-state of the
two UDP members of Parliament, who lost their lives in the traffic accident that
took place last Saturday, is disturbing.

We had thought Jammeh marvels at what binds Gambians, be they Muslim or
Christian, as implied when he received Muslim elders on Koriteh Day.

It baffles observers that someone who praised Gambians for holding on to their
bonds of brotherhood despite all odds, would not allow members of Parliament to
pay tribute to their departed colleagues.

For, in reality, that was the form the function was to take.

We can easily visualise the scene: Speaker Wadda paving the way with a speech,
as the man who presides over the deliberations of the National Assembly. Next,
Tamsir Jallow in the name of his colleagues of the majority side, then Kemesseng
Jammeh from the UDP side, Hamat Bah for NRP and Sidia Jatta for PDOIS. And then,
the crowd moves on with the funeral arrangements.

Very simple indeed! Maybe the government did not understand it that way. Did
they think the laying of the bodies would empower their opponents in any way? If
they did, then they made a serious mistake, for the matter is usually a solemn,
but simple ceremony. In view of their tragic deaths, the two deceased gentlemen
were people who deserved the ceremony from their fellow parliamentrians and from
all the corners of the country, irrespective of political, religious or any
other considerations.

What was more baffling were the two successive messages from the President's
Office that came after the refusal: the first extended condolences to the
bereaved families; the second announced a three-day national mourning, beginning
Monday.

Where is the coherence here? Within 24 hours, two messages from the President's
Office dealt with the issue in a conciliatory manner.

It would seem that the early reluctance to grant clearance for the
laying-in-state was overcome at one point or the othder and attempts made to
correct things, but it was too late.

Let us not allow the demise of certain values that are dear to our heart; no
politics, no partisanship should be allowed to destroy the very fabric of our
society.

Now to the members of the families that decided to refuse the money given them.
We understand that they see the move as depicting double standards on the part
of government which refused to honour the deceased, honour the departed
something which has been a common future in the Gambian psyche.

As Gambian taxpayers money, we hope the UDP, as a party, did not interfere in
the matter. The money, which belongs to the Gambian people, was not given to the
UDP, we believe, but to the bereaved Gambian families who have every right to it
in the prevailing circumstances.

These families are receiving dozens of guests daily from all over the country,
and the money could have been used to feed our poor farmers who sacrifice a lot
to come down to the Kombos to express their condolences.

Whatever the case, the families have the last word - if they were convinced not
to touch the money, and they accepted the reasons advanced, it was their right.

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