All Jammeh cares about is his own ego. He does not care about whether or how withdrawal from the Commonwealth will affect anybody. He is feeling cornered and isolated, and feels uncomfortable in the company of other leaders in the international community. He knows he is recognized for what he is and perhaps hears the quiet giggles that greet his appearance everywhere. So how best to handle his difficult situation than find excuses to remain hidden in Banjul, with his head snugly stuck into the sands of political obscurantism? He perhaps belives that if he takes The Gambia out of the Commonwealth, Britain, Amnesty International and others will stop addressing him on questions of human rights (which are not western rights). If indeed the Commonwealth is a neo-colonial institution, did this fact dawn upon him only in 2012-2013? Perhaps the Commonwealth may legitimately be described as a neocolonial institution; but so is his regime that treats its own citizens worse than they were treated under colonial rule. Perhaps we should rethink the concept of neocolonialism and ask whether it should be applied to all "powers" that oppress and exploit their people after the end of formal colonial rule. Baba
Date: Thu, 3 Oct 2013 08:37:40 +0200
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [G_L] Gambia to Withdraw from the Commonwealth - BBC
To: [log in to unmask]
Thanks Dr. Baba for sharing. Ebrima Sankareh of Gambia Echo was just on the BBC World TV Service explaining the dictatorship and his decision to leave the commonwealth. It seems Yaya has been going on the offensive since the decision of the EU to suspend their aid package to the despotic government, blaming gay rights and now neo colonialist reasons, for the benefit of gullible Gambians. In this way he hopes to divert the discussions and the reasons of any economic problems in the future solely on the fact that the EU demands gay rights in The Gambia. It is funny and bewildering that nations are afraid of isolations and fight tooth and nail not to be removed from the commonwealth whilst Gambia on its own accord, is departing that body, throwing away numerous benefits that the commonwealth brings to our country every year, in terms of technical assistance, scholarships, etc.
Kejau
Date: Wed, 2 Oct 2013 23:26:15 -0400
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [G_L] Gambia to Withdraw from the Commonwealth - BBC
To: [log in to unmask]
Thanks Galleh for sharing. Somehow I've always thought Yahya had withdrawn us from the commonwealth a long time ago. I just don't see how the two idiots can co-exist. If I were Yahya I would have done that in 1994.
Haruna.
-----Original Message-----
From: Baba Galleh Jallow <[log in to unmask]>
To: GAMBIA-L <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wed, Oct 2, 2013 9:12 pm
Subject: Gambia to Withdraw from the Commonwealth - BBC
Below is a story on the BBC about Gambia's declaration that it is withdrawing from the Commonwealth.
Baba
The Gambia is to withdraw from the
Commonwealth, 48 years after joining.
The west African nation branded the 54-member grouping, which includes the UK
and most of its former colonies, a "neo-colonial institution".
The withdrawal was announced on state TV but no other reasons were given.
Two years ago President Yahya Jammeh accused the UK of backing his political
opposition ahead of elections. The UK said it would "very much regret" The
Gambia leaving the Commonwealth.
Earlier this year, the UK singled out The Gambia for its human rights record,
citing cases of unlawful detentions, illegal closures of newspapers and
discrimination against minority groups.
In August last year The Gambia was criticised by Amnesty International and
others for executing nine prisoners by firing squad.
The Commonwealth was founded in 1931 but acquired its modern shape after 1949
as former British colonies and protectorates, including The Gambia, started to
achieve self-government and varying degrees of independence.
The grouping dropped the word British from its name and the allegiance to the
crown from its statute and other independent nations joined.
In its statement, The Gambian government said it had "withdrawn its
membership of the British Commonwealth".
It said it had "decided that The Gambia will never be a member of any
neo-colonial institution and will never be a party to any institution that
represents an extension of colonialism".
The last time a nation left the Commonwealth was in 2003, when Zimbabwe
withdrew.
The UK's Foreign Office said: "Decisions on Commonwealth membership are a
matter for each member government. We would very much regret Gambia, or any
other country, deciding to leave the Commonwealth."
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