Foroyaa Newspaper Burning issue
Issue No. 78/ 2005, 6-9 September, 2005
Editorial
THE OBSERVER – SIDIA AND THE SPEAKER
A PENCHANT FOR PETTINESS
A newspaper, even if it supports a particular political party should not misrepresent the facts.
The Observer reporter has displayed ignorance of the law and insensitivity to the positions expressed. The issue of law, religion and principle are involved. The constitution states that The Gambia is a secular state. Even though the constitutionality of the amendment to section 1 has been challenged, the fact remains that section 100 of the constitution states that "The National Assembly shall not pass a Bill to establish any religion as a state religion."
Hence there is no state religion. Furthermore, section 4 of the constitution says that "The constitution is the supreme law of The Gambia and any other law found to be inconsistent with any provision of this constitution shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void."
The fact that the constitution is the supreme law of the state and not the Quran or Bible Sidia maintained that it is a mockery of the Holy Books to swear on them to defend a secular constitution. He requested to make an affirmation. The Speaker explained that he was not aware that any law existed which permitted an affirmation to be made. He suggested that Sidia could wait until the following day for him to seek legal advice. Sidia did not find it prudent to leave his seat just to allow the Speaker to find out what is obvious to anyone who knows the law governing affirmations. He therefore decided to hold the Quran knowing that his point has been made clear. It is strange that the Observer has neither mentioned the principles involved nor the facts on the ground with accuracy.
Disenfranchisement of Voters in Upper Saloum
Even though the 1997 constitution makes it mandatory for every Gambian who has attained the age of eighteen years and of sound mind, to have the right to vote for the purpose of elections of a president and members of the National Assembly, the practice in the Upper Saloum bye-election seems to be very much to the contrary. Voters could be heard two days before elections, complaining that their voters’ cards which were collected from them were yet to be returned to them. This reporter spoke to one Ebou Jobe of Njau village, who confirmed that he (Ebou Jobe) collected people’s voter cards but would return them later. On Election Day one Samba Ceesay intimated to this reporter that he could not vote because his voter’s card and that of his son were both given to one Hamadi Sowe, who gave them D100 to buy kola nuts. In Panchang, a group of women surrounded the Chief demanding for their voters’ cards on election day. According to them, the Chief told them that the voters’ cards were
mixed up and sent to the wrong villages, but that the Chief promised to return their cards before the close of polls. Many voters lodged their complaints with this reporter, claiming that their voters’ cards were with one Amulai Janne – a leading APRC campaigner – and the Chief.
This reporter approached the Returning Officer of the Janjangbureh Administrative Area, Mr. Mustapha Carayol. The Returning Officer told this reporter that he went personally to meet the Chief and Amulai Janneh and they told him that they have returned the cards to their rightful owners. He pointed out the political parties must add this in their political awareness campaign so that the people would realize that their voters’ cards once issued to them by the IEC, should not be given to anybody. Mr. Carayol pointed out that during nomination, one needs not surrender his/her voter’s card to anyone. "All you need to do, is to give your name, address, voters cards number and your signature or thumb print", He assured this reporter that he would go back to the Chief and Amulai Janneh for the second time. Many people approached this reporter at the close of polling, claiming that they could not vote because their cards were not returned to them.
NEW NAMS SWORN IN
The sitting of Monday 3rd October 2005, witnessed the swearing in ceremony of the Hon. Members for Jarra West Hon. Kemeseng Jammeh, Hon. Sainey Mbye member for upper Saloum and Hon. Halifa Sallah member for Serrekunda central. Hon Sidia Jatta the member for Wuli West was yet to return from his constituency. He was sworn in on Tuesday, 4th October. The Hon. Members swore allegiance to the Republic of The Gambia and to execute the functions of National Assembly members without fear or favour, according to the constitution and other laws of the country.
The next item on the agenda for the day was the ratification of a loan agreement between the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and the Republic of The Gambia for the expansion of Participatory Health Facilities Project, amounting to 7 million Islamic Dinar (ID7.0 million) equivalent to about D288.78 million. Before the motion was read by the clerk, Hon. Abdoulie K. Jawla member for Sandu moved that the motion be deferred until the next day because, according to him, NAMs were served with the loan agreement that afternoon and they needed time to go over it. The proposal was seconded by Hon. Edrisa S. Sallah member Sami. Hon. Halifa Sallah indicated that they could deal with the loan if is not controversial. This was rejected by APRC NAMs.
NADD ON THE BY-ELECTIONS
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
The Coordinator of the National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD) and National Assembly Member for Serrekunda Central, Hon. Halifa Sallah, has informed journalists on Monday at a conference that if the present results of the elections are to go by NADD will take over the government in the 2006 presidential election.
"We can see from the angle of the presidential election, which we envisage in 2006 that NADD is well framed to take charge of the destiny of this country if the results of the elections are to go by. We have participated in ten by-elections since we started to build up the base for a coalition or alliance. Tabulating the popular vote in those by-elections, NADD has 26, 821 while the APRC has 22, 415. We believe that this is a good indication of what can happen in 2006," Hon. Sallah predicted.
He continued to say that NADD is to serve as an alternative government for the people, in order to rectify the previous mistakes of the opposition parties and bring about decent politics so that the people can make their undiluted choice.
Sallah blamed the APRC government for numerous electoral malpractices which have an effect on the outcome of the polls in Jarra West and Upper Saloum, which he said will be challenged in the courts.
"From the preliminary information we have received, no less than 400 people who were on their way to Jarra to cast their votes could not reach there because of police obstruction on the way," he revealed.
"We raised this issue with the IEC and we are going to prepare a report. It is also indicated to us that while they were commemorating their victory, firearms were utilised," Sallah said.
Hon. Sallah admitted that amidst the heavy presence of armed security officers, there were apparent indications that the security officers were not protecting both parties.
"In Upper Saloum, reports have been made of people who were detained for over 72 hours even though their cases started weeks before and court action had been taken well before that time. The court cases were prolonged. They were not granted bail until two days to the election. Their bails were revoked and they were released only after the election," Sallah complained.
AT THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
NAMS RATIFY D111.38 LOAN
By Amie Sanneh
National Assembly Members on Friday ratified a loan agreement between the International Development Association (IDA) and the Republic of the Gambia amounting to D111.38 million. In tabling the loan agreement before the members, SoS Alieu Ngum indicated that the loan is to upgrade the Bakoteh dumpsite, Kayupa road in Serrekunda, Brikama car-park in Banjul, extension of water supply network in Kombo North, extension of Water supply in Brikama, Gambisara phase II and construction of sheds for small scale enterprises in Basse. There was no controversial debate in the National Assembly as NAMs unanimously supported the loan agreement. Supporting the loan, Fatoumatta Jahumpa Ceesay pointed out the negative effect of the Bakoteh dumpsite to the SOS children’s village. The member for Serrekunda East Fabakary Tombong Jatta criticized the poor quality of road construction in the Kanifing Municipality and called for quality roads to be constructed. Others who contributed emphasized the need
for the provision of portable water. The sitting started shortly before 6:00 pm and ended at a few minutes to 7:00 pm.
KEMESENG JAMMEH
CAUTIONS THE POLICE
The elected National Assembly member for Jarra West, Kemeseng Jammeh, has urged the police to desist from supporting a political party at the detriment of the other. Kemeseng made this remark in the wake of the recent by-elections which saw officials of the Police Intervention Unit (PIU – paramilitary) treating his supporters with contempt.
Mr. Jammeh said the Police Intervention Unit who were deployed in Jarra West attacked his supporters who were exulting over his victory in the recent by-elections. Stunned by the behaviour of the police, Kemeseng Jammeh said the intimidation that was meted out to the sympathisers of the National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD) in the recent by-elections, has never been experienced by the folks of this country.
"Since at the beginning of the campaign, the PIU were in Jarra, but they were all along moving and securing only the APRC party and forgetting NADD. After our victory on Thursday, our jubilant supporters were confronted by the armed PIU officers. The Divisional Administrative Commissioner and the Police Commander, OC Colley were leading the ‘Paras’ and instructing them to fire at the people," Mr. Jammeh revealed.
"We still have the bullets with us for evidence. We want the whole world to know this. They only went to Jarra to cause trouble, but they were not protecting the people," he added.
Mr. Jammeh further revealed that a day before the polling day, NADD supporters who were travelling to Jarra West were forced to disembark from their vehicles at Bulock, Sibanor and Kalagi.
According to him, the police said that they impounded the vehicles because the windscreen at the back of one of the vehicles was replaced with plastic.
However, he noted that they contacted the Secretary of State for the Interior, Babucarr Jatta and the police headquarters who promised them that the vehicles would be set free, but that never happened.
"We then sent other vehicles from Kombo, which also failed to pass. Two vehicles were later sent from Jattaba to collect the stranded passengers which failed too," Kemeseng said.
When they (NADD sympathisers) finally resorted to walk to Jarra, the soldiers at Kalagi barred them from passing. "This clearly showed that the vehicles were not impounded because the windscreen was broken, but the police intentionally denied them passage," he concluded.
STATISTICS FOR THE
WULI WEST BY-ELECTIONS
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
Below we bring you a table of Wuli West by-election result as shown by the Independent Electoral Commission’s Divisional Administrative Office in Basse.
Polling Station No. of No. of No. of Sidia S. Jatta Jankoh Jawneh
Tokens Tokens Tokens
Received Unused Used
1. Gunjur Kuta 750 280 470 73 396
2. Barrow Kunda 750 265 485 345 140
3. Chamoi Kunda 600 168 452 208 224
4. Limbambulu 450 162 288 199 89
5. Kulibantang 680 286 294 203 191
6. Jah Kunda 1000 405 595 367 228
7. Fadia Kunda 550 233 317 191 118
8. Sare Ngai 660 242 418 133 285
9. Touba Wuli 620 234 386 235 151
10. Taibatou 670 222 448 231 217
11. Sutukonding 1000 393 646 535 112
12. Madina Koto 580 197 383 212 171
13. Banni Israel 460 199 261 146 115
14. Pirai Mamadi 350 123 227 191 36
15. Kerewan 499 161 339 153 185
Total 9, 620 3, 530 6, 090 3, 430 2, 659
BRIEF BLACKOUT DURING COUNTING
By Fatou Janneh
Drama ensued at the Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC’s) regional office in Kanifing Estate on Thursday while counting was in progress.
Electricity went off at exactly 8.59pm when the NADD candidates ballot box was being counted.
The power failure provoked the raising of concern by observers and polling agents.
People who witnessed the counting had to switch on their mobile pones to minimise the invisibility in the hall.
"Stay where you are! Stay and don’t move form your place!" was the warning form he high table where Mr. Samba, IEC staff, Mr Sulayman Mboob and other IEC officers were seated.
Some IEC officers shielded the ballot boxes like incubators while others rushed to get candles to enhance the brightness of the lighting system, since the generator’s voltage was low. The blackout lasted for 78 seconds.
The counting process continued in a peaceful atmosphere up to the end.
GAMBIA PORTS AUTHORITY, UNCLE SAM SECURITY, TAKE NOTE!!
THOSE WHO TAKE CARE OF OUR SICK AND SUFFERING DESERVE RESPECT AND ENCOURAGEMENT AND NOT THE CONTRARY
I was amazed by the total disregard shown to, and the humiliation meted out on the team of Sheikh Abdoulie Jah Charitable Foundation (SAJCF) by some security personnel and staff of the Gambia Ports Authority at the Barra and Banjul Ferry Terminals. It is becoming common experience that the team has to go through each time it has to cross the river to reach patients on the other side. The danger is that some members of the team have started to develop permanent fear regarding ferry crossing. There is almost complete certainty in the minds of every one of us that we will not be able to reach our destination early so that the clinics can start on time and on our return, to reach our homes early in order to have a good rest.
For the information of the reader, SAJCF is a charitable foundation which was established some time last year by the Jah family of Fass Saho in the Lower River Division. The foundation is geared towards making health services accessible to people, free of charge in locations where there is no health facility through mobile clinics. It has sent out about eight medical caravans to various locations in the country since its inception. A caravan comprises of three vehicles including an ambulance and a team of medical professionals which includes doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians, record clerks, caterers and drivers. All these people volunteered to assist the foundation in rendering these very important services to our people who badly need them. After returning from the trips on Sunday afternoon, some of them go back to work at night that very day and some the following morning. Therefore, they need to arrive at their homes early and have a good rest before returning to work.
In each of these trips, over four hundred patients are seen and treated, and some of them are referred to the major health centres or hospitals. Those referred are sometimes evacuated by the SAJCF ambulance and those that are on emergencies are sometimes given fares to find their way to the referral stations. Health education on various health problems such as HIV and AIDS, Diarrhoea, Malaria, Scabies, etc, are conducted on the first day of each trip before starting the clinic and before closing on the second day. All these services are being rendered by the foundation without making any attempt to attract publicity simply because the intention of those behind it is only to seek the pleasure of God and nothing else. Therefore, it is also expected that every sincere person from every sector of our society will do everything in their power to encourage the people involved in such an enterprise and not disrespect them.
What I saw at the Barra Ferry Terminal when we were returning from our trip on Sunday the 4th September 2005, which was the last of such incidents I have witnessed, was very discouraging and disappointing indeed. It could make one think twice about participating or engaging in such initiatives in this society. We arrived at the Barra Ferry Terminal at around 1.00 pm with the hope of crossing with the 2.00 o’clock ferry. On arrival at the terminal we met one J. T. Kujabie dressed in a T. shirt and cap with the inscriptions about the tenth anniversary celebration of the July 22nd takeover. He was approached by the team leader and shown a letter from the GPA which was in response to the request made to them to accord the caravan priority in crossing, so as to facilitate the work of the foundation. The letter indicated that only the ambulance within the caravan is accorded free crossing but the other two vehicles have to be paid for, which was done. The Mr. Kujabie, who posed himself as
a loyalist of the regime in his dressing and said to be the Communications Officer of the GPA, categorically refused the caravan entry into the ferry and gave orders to the security officers for it to be parked outside, despite all the explanations made to him, while allowing four other vehicles that came very late without giving any reason for doing so. The last two of the four vehicles have the following registration numbers: DK 6862 AA and BJL 9065 C. The caravan had to miss the 2.00 o’clock and waited for the next one which did not come until an hour later. When the team leader and some other members of the team approached the man to give reasons for his actions, Mr. Kujabie responded in an awful manner that fit someone handling a position like his
One wonders the impression that is given when people dressed in a manner that identifies them with the regime, behave in such a manner towards others in public. What message is sent by their actions to the people about the regime? Mr. J. T. Kujabie should realize that his actions only served to give a bad image of the regime he is pretending to be loyal to, especially at a time when it is being rumoured that unequal treatment is being meted out to individuals because of bribes received from them. It is time for the regime to identify such people and disassociate itself from them because they are neither serving its interest nor that of the people. Those who take care of the sick and the needy deserve to be respected and encouraged.
I hope the GPA will do everything possible on their part to facilitate the work of the foundation.
A Volunteer
Victims Of Circumstances
The fact that the newly incepted National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD) has undoubtedly made waves and impacted on the lives of the ordinary citizens, from the boss right to the common cleaner is indeed a great and well-documented milestone as far as the quest for good governance and the respect for human dignity and people’s rights is concerned.
Anyway despite all desperating efforts by the elites of the ruling party to frustrate people of what NADD is all about. Gambians painstakingly show a sense of responsibility and belonging to their motherland. Alas! Our mature and well behaved, composed, well experience and after all worthy liberators of this evidently sinking country were unshaken in their resolve of understanding the symptoms of demented, discouraged and confused politicians of our time to whom it is clearly evident that they have lost the grip of favour amongst the Gambian populace.
This is unquestionable as every conscious wise and mentally sound person is a witness to the many woeful alien atrocities juvinating in our modest society and adding salt to injury by the frivolous sentiments of the government’s report of the cause of valiant Deyda Hydara’s death. The spraying of life bullets on unarmed students, the gruesome murder of much loved Ousman Korro Ceesay, the arson attacks on the independent and on BBC Gambia correspondence Ebrima Sillah and the monotonous exploitation of state functionaries, judicial system and most importantly the IEC. Which it has always been evident of the changing of leadership to suit Yaya Jammeh any time presidential elections are obvious and just round the corner, much more the electing of persons constitutionally ineligible to such post.
These indications are enough food for thought, for the sound-minded human being to be able to distinguish between constitutionally and mentally matured and intellectually able persons from the inexperience nincompoop, tyrants and unscrupulous persons of this twenty first century generation.
If perhaps I was asked to portray the Gambia’s current political panorama under Jammeh that befitted the current situation, it is as easily derivable just as stated in the oxford English lexicon and just as easy as when stupidity, impotency, ignorant, infamous, primitive, flamboyant, incompetence, melodorous, is being interpreted to pupils at the secondary school; adding that the unintelligible mysteries of predicaments are scars un-erodable and undeletable and that History is always having it as we always play it just as it implies to the paying of every man according to his coin. But yet we see the blind and weak minded who will not succumb to the will of the people, as always it should be obvious to most leaders today that it is the will of the people that must be adhere to at all times especially when outrageous malpractices, corruption, inequity, chaos and unrest are infinite and integral factors of the day.
If wise men, I believed are always portray as sober, enthusiastic etc, and always convey their message to the people without any segregation, sentiments of disregard, threats and substance-less constitutional misspellings whatsoever as long gone are the days of political immaturity, pettiness, decadence and unfounded acquisitions.
Then Perhaps, It would be startling also and surprising enough to many of us that even the dutiful turned up to work everyday, many civil servants of this country today and the amount of work they each manage cannot to reliably say, compensate the amount of damage the present government has indelibly carve in the process of their eleven years rule of political decadence, nepotism, suppression, and informantism of which a philosopher once relied on as grounds by way of enlightening my humble self and broaden my conscience to the many facts reliably related to human existence and development since generations immemorial, attested that life with all its hanky panky must be lived forward, but must also be remembered from backward, just as widely believed that our future makes us who we are and so must we not make it our burden to the detriment of the people.
Today the Gambia’s political mind-scope is so diverse and diverted and harsh to many thousands of its recipients or audience that people are beginning to wonder whether a replica of the 1981s, 1994s and the likes in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, and Guinea Bissau, may not become a DE factor reality, imminent in our dear Gambia.
Take an example, where the opposition, an alternate government is being trample upon and castigated and ridiculed as unserious, the rampant heinous activities gradually immigrating in our society, the Indemnity Bill, the abolition of the second round of voting and the enactment of draconian laws etc are all serious enough hullabaloos to concern all and sundry and bereaving enough to any sound minded.
Therefore my fellow citizens and especially electorates of Serrekunda Central, Jarra West, Wuli West and Upper Saloum, note that as we are face with a very decisive and very crucial situation that we are not only in a process that will indicate to the whole world of how we deliberately refused to allow the APRC by exercising our right and vote for NADD to act as our mouth piece against any malicious, unrealistic, unreliable and unreasonable manoeuvres by government that seem likely to multiply our hardship, suffering, suppression before it becomes a situation of weeping and gnashing of teethes where revenge is the order of the day.
One cannot help it when one caught glimpse of a dosing NAM from the opposite side take up matters of state interest. This is why it is going to be a very strange thing to see my pen laid to rest at no point near what everyone is aspiring, especially, when we are deeply engulf in undesirable system that is unable to even manage a market stall. Obviously then encouraging controllable robots controllable by the president alone into the house will be the sinister to lead us to our doom. But the wining of NADD candidates in the by-elections of Wuli West, Jarra West and Serrekunda Central serves as the catalyst to fully liberate this country from leadership of nonentity. Now the struggle is to remember Hamat Bah in Upper Saloum.
Perhaps another thing that caught my attention is the government’s inexplicable woes and incredibility on the formidable importance of letting the public know how much it owes the international community and how much it spends annually on loan repayments etc, D3, 200 million is a hell lot of money. Therefore this alone tells how immediate the government needs to erect local income generating sources, create more jobs, a conducive environment for competitive investment for both foreign and locally based and perhaps lessen the burden of tax on the ordinary poor people etc. I supposed there are certain nemesis already in our midst but that we have a choice through the ballot as the power of our voices can be use to remedy the many maladministration in this current regime, which does not take choice as the back born of a genuine democracy but rather the dispensation of injustice, segregation, arbitrary arrest and detention, harassment and intimidation etc. This is the root course of
civil servants not being able to act, almost magically micro-chip like to advance the progress of this country even farther.
Sometimes some of these people are being sacked simply for being sympathisers of the opposition. Gambia as a member of the community of nations, all are aware that there are already in place laws that are carved not only to meet the requirements of the protection of the human being but also the realization, implementation and respect of those laws by all governments and law enforcement agents worldwide.
In the sense of realising the importance of such tendency, that the law is made for man and not man for the law is not only an urge but an interpretation spelled out clearly for all and especially the so-called action men fond of torturing every now and then be they police, immigration, soldier, custom, NIA, etc that the respect for the human and people’s right should be a concern for all and sundry.
However, with operation no Compromise and autocratic nonsense, there is an even harder inclination of believe by people of absolute political maturity and comprising of humanely wise persons from all works of live in the Gambian society that unanimously agreed it should have been a reconciliatory approach of oneness as Gambians to put hands on desk to find a one lasting solution to the many problems ailing the progress of democratising this country, As there are many who will not be deterred by this negative operations.
However come what may, the president should know that we all owe it to ourselves as a moral duty as Gambians to attest to being discontent or content with the way in which the affairs of the country is being presided over as many Gambians today have dwindled back to nothing other than being victims of selfishness under an inexperience government.
However in the matter of whether Gambians in the Diaspora can vote or will vote is the job of the IEC and not for you to decide, as you inexperiencely and categorically frame that there is no clause in the constitution allowing Gambians outside to vote come any presidential elections, when it is diversively the other way round. Perhaps I guess it would be a thing worth commending to see you facilitate in this dilemma the course of democracy and successfully make it a probability for diasporans to be able to vote in their respective countries of resident, if not with the presence of economic hardship and uncertainty, we entangle with predicament and send the future of this country into a mix of confusion and fury.
Mr. Yaya Jammeh there is also the need to be aware that the daily process of state affaires involves and requires a lot of caution and couple with how delicate every piece of information and action is; require even more of wisdom and being content, that counselling with your prodigies will not result in you being belittled by one advice after another of more substance and sense than those you use to invent and start disposing off discriminately without knowing the implications they involved.
Candidly, there are certain times when you fail to understand, that the Gambian people deserve a responsible government that endeavours tirelessly towards the realization of a free and well empowered populace where people can express their views on how their country is run, and feel free to belong to any political party without inducement, and also be aware that they reserve the right to iron check any indecent leader much more a government. The time has come to put an end to your Luke worm attitude and pompous life style in which you convey your messages at rallies using abusive language against your antagonists that is typically un-ideal of a Head of State. If one is to attest to the many numerous heinous episodes taking root in our society, the rampant killings and burning down of media outlets in the country and the harsh laws against journalist to stifle the freedom of press, _expression and opinion that only are bend on preventing them from doing their job effectively, coupled
with threats on a daily bases. Take example of the capability of the terrorists group that nickname itself the ‘Green Boys’ and the report by various news paper outlets of suspected vigilantism in the Fonis, however of all this you went not more than an inch to condemn or investigate as if you’ve not heard people’s outcry.
What do you want to tell us you are up to, Mr. President? It better be good or you alone will face the music when your rein crumbles to nothing. Also be reminded that the Gambia as Franz Fanon gladly fit into his sentences the right words that bread eaten in dignity is preferable to bread eaten in slavery’’ and that "every generation must out of relative obscurity discover its mission, fulfill it or betray it’’ and Gambians as they are always array before unravel hard plain facts, Well! We will not hesitate in making true that good dream, whatever the consequences.
Yet as time goes on, sometimes, I sit and wonder what history can be like, for some people it can be ugly and others it can be one joy of a lifetime and sometimes for others the essence to make one live and learn has demonised as a result of abundant riches, power, leisure and glamour that go with status as thus they don’t know that gluttony, injustice, arrogance ignorance, inability, unscrupulous propaganda to the detriment of the people can lead one straight to hell.
If there is anything I would like to go ahead with and without remorse or fear is when I started the complement of these calligraphic notes of militating substance. However, it is a good thing that only the mentally fit and conscious minded refrained from associating them selves with your gangs, against the opposition an alternate government which in theory and practical are worthy partners in national development.
If those singing praises in the high table are doing it in a manner contrite and labelled by outsiders as opportunist and philistines do then mine you, these are the same people who will desert you when your reins will not be compared to nothing as paper trash. However there are many reasons that give the bases to the question why was the Gambia excluded from benefiting from the G8 dept cancellation for African countries that make democracy and good governance a criterion. Gambians as do the international community want a level playing ground for the government and the opposition that presents not a mere fiction of dreams but the truth for the realization of those dreams for all, for democracy and the respect for the rule of law and human dignity are all an anxiety longed for by the people of this country.
But yet as things, continue to showcase in such trends of non-tranquility and uncertainty, then I think there is a serious need for the responsible security agents to explore the depths of recent mischief taking root in our society as they may be of great harm to people of the Gambia in general and not to one big man an axe can take ten minutes to do with. We see examples of war turn countries, the killings, the suffering, the law-less ness, the raping and the maiming etc. These are enough to change the minds of wicked personnel who carry out killings as robots under command and the many heinous actions in the name of orders and survival.
For what effect would it have to a whole bag of rice, if one grain is moved out, of course that won’t prevent the sack from standing? Of course not!
When it comes to ruling party NAMs, they are expected to showcase as lagislationists and not as puppets or tools. It is your duty to institute directives, initiatives, laws and agendas that will change your people’s lives for the better. How pitiful to learn that some of your own people can’t afford the weight of two meals per day, let alone mention a healthy salary of after a month long hard work (service). For as long as conditions remain so and people’s concerns remain undressed, and as long as I know, poor souls, poor havoc wretch lives they shall remain forever, for ages.
Nonetheless, with all tireless efforts by various concern parties to extirpate the growing lack of transparency in government triangles and the adoption of the jungle like system of governance that extremely is intolerable to Gambians. The government tries to trample on the right of the citizenry. And of course come now or later every Gambian will no more be hesitating for a Gambia free from the rocket like speed in increasing lack of respect for the law, and for humanity, the freedom of speech and also the ascending lack of respect for the people to exercise their constitutional rights to the bottle’s brim.
One is posh to a sudden halt, seeing recent indicatives of growing tactical manoeuvres of typical infidelity in government. However, many Gambians and those in the Diaspora and in fact the international community are no doubt having their own pessimistic view about this country and what is cooking gradually, (we need to watch our backs).
Now the question is can we really trust the Jammeh or do we turn to the opposite side, which is the opposition and which as a matter of fact has a million of questions awaiting them and a billion of responsibility in their unified desire to better the lives of the Gambian people. Alas my brothers! Know you must excuse me to write as situations portray answers very obviously to one’s imagination as people are before the hard plain facts of human history, lies, thugs, heartens and most annoyingly the self acclaimed demi-gods. Believe this or not, the fundamental reason is that mere mortal human beings are not endowed with the ability to rule in peace, love, unity and oneness, for men of blindness and wicked conscience have dominated man to his injury and certainly if the winds of change blow in these direction as they did in many countries around the globe and we take to the streets to demand the resignation of the government? Sure and certainly Jammeh would not use our military to gun
us down?
The power belongs to the people; NADD has given the baton of power to the people. Self-esteem and sense of worthy citizenship has filled the chest of the supreme Gambian people. But time will tell and history will have its say one day. In the annals of Gambian history is space for the manifestation of our liberty, dignity and prosperity.
ALUTA CONTINUA!
VIEWS OF A NADD DRIVER
Our reporter interviewed a NADD driver on the by-elections shortly after the results were announced. His views are published below for public consumption:
FOROYAA: What are your names?
Kebba: I am Kebba Darboe.
FOROYAA: Mr. Darboe can you tell our readers about yourself?
Kebba: I am a driver. I have been driving for the opposition NAM for Wuli West, Hon. Sidia Jatta, for many years. I have travelled with him through the length and breadth of this country. I have listened to his message and observed his conduct.
FOROYAA: How do you assess the political consciousness of the people, especially in Wuli where you have been concentrating with Hon. Sidia Jatta?
Kebba: Political awareness is increasing rapidly in the country. The masses are attaining high level of maturity. In Wuli, for instance, where I have been working with Hon. Sidia Jatta, the people have always displayed amazing political maturity.
FOROYAA: Are you implying that political campaigns and conducts were done with a high sense of freedom and fairness?
Kebba: If you look at the conduct of politicians, there were two levels as there were two opposing parties – NADD and the ruling APRC. The NADD candidate and his supporters relied on the power of information to transform the undesirable status quo in order to ensure the birth of a new Gambia, a Gambia where people live in freedom, liberty, dignity and prosperity. Therefore, the message on the campaign trail was simply enlightening and empowering.
The APRC campaign trail, on the other hand, relied on casting fear in the minds of the people to amass votes. As a result, public servants who are constitutionally barred from campaigning in this regard such as the Commissioner of URD, the Chief of Wuli and some security agents did not only take active part in the party’s campaign in the area, but even used public resources such as vehicles and fuel to canvass for votes for the APRC candidate, Janko Jawneh. Such people stopped at almost nothing to threaten the electorate to support the APRC. The Commissioner, Omar Khan, is known to have slapped two boys in Wuli. Other cases of intimidation include arbitrary arrests and detention of opposition supporters beyond 72 hours with the case of Omar Sowe of Sare Danfo providing a classic example.
Similarly, the attempt to remove Alkalolu, especially the Alkalo of Sutukonding, shows the low level to which these APRC agents can stop to gain votes rather than earn the confidence of the people. In the same vein, some supporters of the APRC tend to have mastered the lesson from the bigwigs so well that they engaged in character assassination, slander, mud-slinging and rumour mongering to try to discredit honourable and loyal people. A clear example of this can be discerned in the attempt of Sana Jallow of Touba Wuli whose speech at an APRC rally was aired over Basse Radio misrepresenting me as having gone to him to beg for a bag of rice and telling him that I had advised Sidia not to join NADD.
This shows that the APRC could rely neither on its record nor on popularity to contest free and fair elections. But the people of Wuli could not be intimidated. They became even more resolved that the APRC cannot endure peace, tranquility and development in this country. This is precisely the reason why they failed in Wuli as in Serrekunda Central and Jarra. For Upper Saloum when the election petition is made, interesting revelations will be made and people will be their own judges on the issue of the National Assembly seat of that constituency.
FOROYAA: Finally, what do the general results of the by-elections indicate to you?
Kebba: It is clear from the results that while the APRC is losing grounds, the opposition NADD is gaining tremendous support. We can safely infer from the results that the APRC would be fighting a losing battle if they come face to face with NADD in the 2006 General Elections.
FOROYAA: Thank you Kebba for sharing your views with our readers.
Kebba: You are welcome.
SCARCITY OF PETROL
By Fatou Janneh
There has been a long queue for fuel for days at various petrol stations. Since the increment of fuel (gasoil and petrol) at D25.00 and D27.00 respectively, the prices still remain the same.
At the petrol station in Churchill’s Town, our reporter interviewed various people who informed this paper of what is responsible for this shortage. She expressed frustrating remarks on the shortage.
"I believe there is acute shortage of petrol. You can imagine there has been a long queue since yesterday morning and it is not yet my turn," a driver remarked.
He added that there is shortage of petrol in most of the filling stations. "I have come all the way from Pipeline only to realise that the long queue remains the same. And that has affected many of us."
Most of the people at the station were drivers who complained about the problem. Almost all of them earned their living through driving.
"How can we drive when our vehicles run out of fuel? This is a very serious case and it should not be ignored. We hope much consideration will be given. It seems the issue of petrol is not strange. However, the people in charge or those responsible must take steps to ameliorate the situation," he said.
Ismaila Senghore, a seaman, said that he was in Brikama when was informed that fuel was available in Churchill’s Town. "This is a constraint because without fuel, we will not be able to fish to have means to sustain our families," he stressed.
Modou Barrow, a resident of Barra told this reporter that he went to Tanji, proceeded to Brikama then to Lamin and finally to Churchill’s Town.
"I was in Tanji as early as 7 am. My truck has been parked for two days and this cannot continue. Since I arrived, I could not fuel. You can see my empty gallons," he told our reporter.
Many drivers including tourist drivers appealed to the people concerned to do something about this problem so that they can continue their work, since without work they cannot earn a living.
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