The statement made by Sidia Jatta with regards to the annulment of decree 89
and the jubilations sorrounding, confirms the lack of clarity by many
politicians who are still scared to assert their rights in the face of
tyranny. All they can wait for is Jammeh to declare that they can now assume
an enshrined right and they feel at ease,they are never willing to challenge
and take chances to expose the regime for what it is. I think it is about
time for politicians to stand for what they belive even if they are to
suffer for it, a politician with a faint heart cannot defend his own rights
let alone that of the people. I have always hold the believe that all the
decrees where null and void from the inception of the supreme document the
constitution, the constitution have many rights enshrined in it the people
must assert these rights if Jammeh and his thugs decided to flout it the the
whole world will see it nothing provokes intrest than to incaserate high
profile politicians , it hunts any regime, because it will aslways be a
subject of questioning any where one goes it wags upon you. It this reality
that people like Dibba, Camara and others need to know, there cannot be a
better way of struggle than challenge a tyrant to show his true colours.
Instead of confronting Jammeh like little children they beg him for what is
their right, no wonder, Gambia is still backward with leaders like these
steering our ship since independence. The can enjoy the privileges but
faced with the challenges they recluse into their shells and play it safe. I
remember when the AFPRC came to power and Sidia Jatta and Halifa were
arrested, Dibba was at the time in favour of Jawaras overthrow, he remarked
about Halifa and Sidia as agent provocateur!. Can you imagine people
defending a right that affected everyone being described in such by a
veteran politician, one wonders what Dibba would have done to these people
had he had the power.
You see these are not times to jubilliate or castigate each other or even
make Jawara a subject matter after all Jawara is spent force with no
patronage to rely upon I think we should move forward and focus on the most
important task of educating each othert so that any tyrant be it Jammeh or
anyone else cannot survive through either subjugation or patronage. The
fact that peopole complain about buying of votes clearly suggest that the
electorate is not yet awaqre of the importance of the vote, hence it makes
it incumbent upon all of us who are aware to teach those who are not so that
we can all be liberated from all types of charlatants.
>From: Pasamba Jow <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Sidia Jatta's contibution in the house on decree 89
>Date: Fri, 3 Aug 2001 20:46:25 +0000
>
>Honourable Speaker, I came from Wuli yesterday. It was a colleague who
> phoned to say that the National Assembly was meeting today. If I
>knew that
> the agenda was the repeal – I hate to use the word – Decree 89, I
>would not
> have come. Let me quickly explain myself!
> When the honourable member for Jarra West, Honourable Kemeseng
>Jammeh,
> introduced a private member’s bill in 1999 for the abrogation of
>decree 89,
> my position was that there was no need for a bill to repeal
>decree
>89. That
> position has not changed, Honourable Speaker.
> I still maintain that a bill to repeal Decree 89, so to speak, is
> superfluous.
> Honourable Speaker, section 4 of the 1997 constitution is very
>clear on the
> issue. The said section stipulates very clearly that any law
>which
>is
> inconsistent with it (the constitution) to the extent of their
> inconsistency it is null and void. Honourable Speaker, Decree 89
>is
> inconsistent with the constitution because it negates citizens’
>fundamental
> rights and freedoms as stipulated in section 26 of the
>constitution of the
> second republic.
> Section 26 not only gives right to citizens to vote but also to
>stand in
> elections and be voted for, as well as to belong to political
>parties of
> their own choice.
> The president has proposed the repeal, so to speak, of the
>obvious
>Decree
> 89 which, for virtually five years, has flouted the authority of
>the
> constitution, the supreme law of the land, in the hope of
>watering
>yet
> another seed of political opportunism. Decree 89 negated various
>sections
> of the constitution, particularly sections 4 and 26.
> Honourable Speaker, no law can stand above the constitution.
> I have said it here and several occasions and I am going to state
>it once
> again, that we in this country are engaged in the process of
>building up a
> model democratic nation in terms of governance and management of
>the
> resources in the supreme interest of its supreme people. In this
>noble
> enterprise, we will not allow any political charlatans to stand
>on
>our way.
> If they do, the impregnable sovereign might of the Gambian people
>will
> smash them to ashes. This country is now sick and tired of
>political
> mystification of all sorts.
> Honourable Speaker, some members have spoken of the so-called
>repeal of
> Decree 89 as if it is that which gives right to people to belong
>to parties
> and participate in the political process of their country. It is
>the
> constitution which has given that fundamental right in its
>section
>26 and
> was negated by Decree 89.
> As law makers, we have to be objective when we talk about issues
>of
> fundamental importance. Decree 89 banned an amorphous group of
>people some
> of whom faced commissions and were found guilty of embezzlement
>and were
> fined and consequently banned. Others never faced any commission
>and were
> banned without establishing any guilt. For instance, as far as I
>am aware
> the leaders of the political parties NCP and GPP were never taken
>before
> any commission and were banned without a prior establishment of
>any guilt
> in that regard.
> Honourable speaker, in the enterprise of constructing a model
>democratic
> nation without parallel anywhere in the world, obnoxious laws
>like
>Decree
> 89 cannot be tolerated for they serve as an impediment to the
>expansion of
> the democratic space, they are not conducive to the creation of a
> propitious environment for the emergence of an informed
>citizenry,
> empowered and highly motivated to assume the task of nation
>building.
> Honourable Speaker, it is never too late for reason to prevail. I
>am
> consoled that reason has now prevailed to help us forge progress
>ahead.
> Thank you very much!
>
>
>_________________________________________________________________
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