Folks, i don't want to get into this constitutional debate but i want to
make one thing clear- most Gambians, may be with the exception of Mr. Halifa
Sallah, did not know nothing about the constitution before the referendum.
The Draft Constitution was redrafted and made public on the eve of the
referendum. Even the Administrative Area Returning Officers ( including
myself) of the electoral commission did not know what the people were voting
about. Halifa probably knows the difference between these two draft
constitutions and i will be pleased if he can tell us which one includes the
wishes of The Gambian people.
Thanks
LAMIN PF MANNEH
>From: Jabou Joh <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: The Absmal State Of The Gambia: The PDOIS Connection
>Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 10:04:01 EST
>
>Musa,
>
>Well, l don't want to beat a dead horse as they say, and l certainly do not
>want anyone to launch at me with machetes held high for addresssing this
>issue again, but,this echoes my sentiments exactly.
>
>In all sincererity, l also do not see how Halifa Sallah can bear the sole
>responsibility for the failure of government to abide by the Constitution.
>It
>is not as if the government has experts sitting in panelled rooms reviewing
>our constitution to look for loopholes that Halifa has left for them, in
>order to justify what is going on in our country. It is clear as daylight
>that even the most basic aspects of our Contitution are being ignored by
>the
>Jammeh government, just ask any journalist who prints anything they do not
>want to hear, or Citizens FM, or any average citizen who is afraid to speak
>their mind.
>l asked a question before which no one answered. Would this constitution
>not
>have been in effect if Halifa Sallah had rejected it?.And let us suppose
>for
>a minute that Mr Sallah had that weight behind his decision, and that a
>Constitution acceptable in the eyes of his critics were put into effect,
>can
>we really believe that this would have made much of a difference to an
>administration such as we have right now in The Gambia?
>
> The responsibility being heaped on Halifa gives the impression that this
>guy is mightier than anyone in our country, as if his acceptance or
>rejection of the Constitution could have stopped what has been unfolding in
>our country. Could his condemnation of Yaya Jammeh's desire to run for
>office
>have stopped Yaya from running? Also, Halifa's argument that Yaya has a
>right
>to run for office is true. Everyone has a right to run for office, the
>questions is, whether the people choose to vote for them or not, that is
>where the checks can be applied.
>
>Hamjatta has every right to perhaps criticise Halifa for his view or
>position
>on these issues, and leave it at that, but to lay such a huge
>responsibility
>on one individual, in the face of the rampant disregard for our
>constitution
>that this administration has displayed is amazing to say the least.Does the
>Constitution belong to Halifa? Why is it that an effort to create
>democratic
>space is so much under fire, when those who are the real culprits of the
>situation unfolding in our country should be the ones being challenged for
>ignoring the most basic of human rights? What is the point here?
>l would rather deal with an individual who is making attempts to create
>"democratic space", than someone who disregards the basic tools of
>government
>just to perpetrate their desire to be on top come what may.
>
>l think the million dollar question here that Mr kanteh has not considered
>is
>this:
>Do we really have the kind of atmosphere in The Gambia right now where a
>move
>to impeach the President will be undertaken with dilligence on behalf of
>the
>people by those elected to represent us? No doubt some will speak up and
>come
>forward, but where will their efforts lead in the face of a government that
>has demonstrated that they do not necessarily have to abide by the law in
>their efforts to get what they want?
>
>In the interest of an intelligent debate.
>Jabou Joh
>
>
>
>In a message dated 1/19/00 10:00:24 PM Central Standard Time,
>[log in to unmask] writes:
>
><< Hamjatta:
> I have been following your debate wih Halifa and Saul, and both of you
>have
>elevated the discussion and the G-L is definitely the winner.But
> looking at the above statements, do you honesly believe that a flawless
>constitution would have made a difference to this administration, or
> havee they even attempted to rule by this constitution you deemed to be
>flawed. Are you suggesting that Halifa contributed to the political
> situation we are presently facing. It is rather convenient to engage in
>Monday Morning Quarter Backing, and lay everything on Halifa's heels.
> Most of us supported this administration and saw them has an alternative
>to
>a corrupted status quo, and it would be rather disingenuous to
> blame Halifa who decided not to sit on the perriphery but be part of
>finding
>a democratic path for our country. To even suggest that Halifa
> has any role to play to the political situation you are describing is
>ludicrous. And I am not in anyway against raising issues with Halifa,
> but let us direct blame to the right individuals(Jammeh's
>Admisintration),
>the Sheriff Dibbas, Hassan Musa, and other politicians that opted
> to run rather than fight for their believes
>
> Musa Jeng
>
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