JAMMEH CALLS FOR VIGILANCE               Written by Ebrima Jaw Manneh & Chief Ebrima B. Manneh        Tuesday, 18 April 2006       President Yahya Jammeh has warned against external aggression, urging Gambians to reject any foreign involvement in issues of national concern. 
  President Jammeh made these remarks on Saturday at the July 22 Square in Banjul, where he addressed thousands of demonstrators who thronged the streets of the capital in a peace march that commenced at the Radio Syd along the Banjul-Serrekunda highway. Individuals and business people, including government parastatals participated in the peace march with the slogan: Say no to coup. Yes to democracy.
  Here we reproduce the President’s address:
I want to thank Almighty Allah who made this gathering possible, as well thank all patriotic citizens of this country: Those who are here and those who are unable to be here but whose hearts are with us. This shows The Gambia’s love for progress, for prosperity in Africa. 
  I have seen banners saying no to coup, but the reality is that people will say how then did he become head of state because he overthrew somebody’s government? Yes, I came through a coup d’etat, because what was happening in this country is unacceptable. On 22 July 1994, not even a frog died, much more a human being. When we came that day, in broad day-light, which Imam missed a Friday prayer? 
  Let me also ask you this question. On July 22,1994, who among you missed his lunch because of the coup? In fact, July 22, 1994, our coup d’etat was more peaceful than any general election that was held in this country. When we came, we told you that we were soldiers with a difference. We were not power hungry, greedy soldiers that are looking for wealth and power to subjugate Gambians. We were development hungry. We want this country to move forward and be a beacon of hope for all of Africa, because what is happening in Africa is a sad story. 
  If you have to ask me question as to whether we should say yes or no to coup d’etat, my answer will shock you. First, we should understand that there are three types of coups d’etat -  coup d’etat based on tribal lines; coup d’etat based on greed and personal aggrandisement; and a coup d’etat to rescue a country from the brink of catastrophe. The first two types of coups d’etat no body should accept because those two types are perpetrated by people who do not even love their country; by people that are working for foreign elements and they do not want  Africa or any country to move forward, and they are bent on bringing havoc. Those two types should not be welcomed but the third one we should welcome. 
  A coup d’etat is like a prescribed drug. Depending on how you use it, it could be useful and it could be dangerous. Let us ask ourselves as Gambians and non-Gambians who have been here for the past 20 years. If there was no July 22, who would have imagined what The Gambia would have been like today? The reason why I am asking you today is that there are economic problems created by international economic situations. For example: When the oil prices were made $25 to $30 a barrel, Gambians were experiencing power outrages, lack of water, and children were carrying chairs to schools. Imagine if that government was here today, when a barrel of oil is up to $65, how many of you would have had lunch today?
  I will tell you one thing: Whenever I go against the interest of The Gambia; If ever I betray The Gambia, any patriotic Gambian can overthrow me in any way. If ever I betray the country, a coup will be most welcomed. Until that, which will never come, I will never betray my motherland. I will never betray the country. I will never betray you the Gambian people. I will never betray Africa. Let me tell you one thing: I will never betray Allah. No human being, Gambian or non-Gambian, no foreign power can do anything to Yahya Jammeh or the Gambian people. 
  Those who want to be President, those that are doing covertly or overtly, if you want to be a president of The Gambia, I can assure you that you will have the longest years to wait. Billahi Wallahi Tallahi, if you want to be the President of this country, I can swear to Almighty Allah, you must be more patient than a vulture, because I am not giving you the power now. When am I going to hand over The Gambia to you? And before that I will not hand over The Gambia. The day we achieve what is enshrined in Vision 2020, the day The Gambia and your oil benefits every Gambian and non-Gambian, the day your oil benefits every African and all sets of human race, the day The Gambia becomes a superpower, that is the day I will hand over the power to you the Gambian people. You have at least 30 years to wait. Do I raise any eyebrows? Yes, the British were here for 400. What did they leave you with after 400 years, only two high schools, the English language and the neck-tie. They
 exploited our mineral resources in Sanyang and other Kombo Coastal areas. Up to day, when they were leaving, they destroyed all the documents. So only God and the British knew what they were extracting from our soil. For 400 years, they left you with only two high schools, two hospitals, the English language and the neck-tie. 
  Thirty years of Jawara’s, the same two high schools, the same two hospitals, the same neck-tie and the same constitution. And in fact, in addition to that, at least in Jawara’s time to a point where at least we allow the people to build tesito schools, which ended up with some of you carrying chairs and desks to schools, because you are poor. 
Today how many high schools do we have? Today how many hospitals do you have? Today how many of you are going to the university? Today our airport is number one in West Africa. And The Gambia is the only country today in the whole of African continent where D5 (less than 5 US cent), you can have medical treatment from consultation to surgical operation from the D5. You will not have that from anywhere in Africa. 
  We want to take this opportunity to thank all Gambians and non-Gambians alike, especially foreign governments that are standing by The Gambia, foreign governments that have confidence in our leadership, foreign governments that want to see Africa move forward. They are all behind us. I want to thank everyone of them. I want to thank everyone of you for expressing solidarity. Let me just tell you one thing: If a frog wants to scare an elephant, the frog is committing suicide. 
  Fellow Gambians, you could share the same womb and the same mother or father with someone, but he is not your relative. If there is any family relationship, you should reason together, move together and in cohesion. Gambians should open their eyes. There are people who tell you that these are your family members. Their means for survival we are all from here, but they intend nothing progressive for you. There are people within us, whose only intention is to bring havoc to the country. But God is not sleeping. 
  If any country wants peace with The Gambia, we can work together. But if you hate us and our peace, Billahi Wallahi Tallahi I will bury you with salt. There is not a country that we are scared of today, particularly within our sub-region. There is no country that I am scared of. I know why I said so. If any country wants peace, you will have peace. 
  If you hate our progress, then move your country elsewhere. Billahi Wallahi Tallahi, there is no country in the world that can stop the amount of progress in this country and those in the offing. Only God has that power to stop it. To resist against conflict does not mean that you are scared of conflict. Our focus is how Africa as a whole can develop. But everything has a limit. I want you to listen carefully. If you think that The Gambia is small, then you do not know God. I will not disclose what we have but every Gambian should open your eye. All what has transpired should be an eye opener. Gambians should unite. I am not saying the opposition must not exist but we should all pray for peace for one another. It takes only Gambians to defend this country, besides God. It is only we who can develop this country, besides God. The opposition must exist to guide the government. A genuine opposition should crave for the progress of its country. But what we have in The Gambia
 is not an opposition. Under a democratic system, an opposition is supposed to be patriotic. It is supposed to be development-oriented and they should love all citizens. But what we have here, a group of tribalists, a group of hate-centered greedy parasites, who want to intellectualise everything, even though they are not intelligent. If you are a genuine opponent of a system and you are opposing because you are development-oriented, any positive development by the government you should congratulate and when you see something that is bad you should criticise them. But here we have a bunch of lunatics. Everybody wants to be a President to a point where they formed ‘the National Association of Desperate Donkey Drivers’ (Nadd). They say they want to lead this country. That is not an opposition. They hate this country and they will never become even alkalolu in this country. Politics of tribalism or politics based on religion is outdated...Europe has all nationalities, all
 religions and all races. So why should little Gambia accept individuals whose politics are based on tribe. Gambians are too intelligent for that. They must reject tribalism. They must reject anything that will divide The Gambia as one. As one country, a unified country, we will be the strongest on the face of Africa. 
  On a final note, all these machinations against The Gambia, the peace and development we have, many countries do not have it. The worst of all those machinations came about, when they know that we have oil. They say they hire some unpatriotic soldiers and can cause chaos for The Gambia.  Our peace, progress, and our oil, if anyone wants to tamper with any, I will split you into four. Gambians, especially the youth, should open their eyes. The world has changed. You can only be destroyed by somebody who knows you. You can only be lied to by somebody who knows you. You can only be misquoted by somebody, who knows you. All this noise is happening because we do not show what we have, especially in terms of weapons. What we have in terms of weapons, I will not show out. But if anyone wants to test it, I will show it out and then use it on you. 
  Billahi Wallahi Tallahi, even if you have one million troops or thousands. I am afraid of no country because I have the most powerful: God. Then I am not afraid of any country. I am not afraid of Satan. I am not afraid of the Jinns. If you want, go and sleep. If you see us ignoring so many things, Africa wherever you see there is conflict. The innocent ones are suffering. This is why Africa remains backward. But if anyone forces me into fire, I will drag you along. I am not asking you to be hateful to people. Let us not allow ourselves to be divided. We can disagree among ourselves but let us not allow anyone from outside to interfere with our national issues. Every human being should be faithful to God. As long as we are delivering and doing good, there will be no country that can be more progressive than us in five years’ time. I said so because I know the reason why I said it. 
  I thank you for listening. 
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