Breaking News:The Gambia Is Heading To Civil Unrest-EX-Vice Chairman Sabally Declares!!
Breaking News:The Gambia Is Heading To Civil Unrest-EX-Vice Chairman Sabally Declares!!
"[From a sincere security analysis] many have observed that our country is seemingly [at super-sonic high speed] sliding toward insecurity, but to be exact, a civil unrest [look at Guinea Conakry, Bangladesh, and others]. You have sown the seeds (and are also watering them) and they can sprout out at any minute. Any security-conscious person(s) can add one and one and he/she/they will not fail to see into what I'm talking about. We may all have differences on one or two issues, but we can never differ on the fact that "we are all Gambians and we care: For The Gambia; our love is deep and strong. Nothing will ever change it." These were the exact words of Sana Bairo Sabally, former Vice Chairman of the then Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council. Mr.Sabally in a dispatch to the Freedom Newspaper said there is high public discontent in the Gambia today,while citing the economic and political uncertainties befalling the West African country." Mr. President,Why would people keep echoing these words?
1. "The Gambia is (today) living under the jackboot of a terrible dictatorial regime of Yahya JAMMEH."
(2) "In our country [The Gambia] today, there is intolerance, oppression, and autocracy to the last degree.
(3) "The Gambia is a country governed by an oligarchy---an absolute autocracy!"  
(4) "Repeated deliberate [outrageous] misbehavior by The Gambia government is now almost always on daily basis and is almost always picked up by the newspapers [but what with the total restriction on the freedom of the press and or freedom of expression!]
(5) "Human rights have undeniably been widely and egregiously abused, and are still been flouted in all parts of the country."
(6) "The Yahya JAMMEH regime have deliberately evaded or ignored its obligations under the National Constitution with depressing regularity."
(7) "The Gambia government has failed so abysmally before its (own) citizens and the world at large."
(8) "The Yahya JAMMEH regime does not care / give a fig (for the citizens / or the rule of law or human rights)."
(9) "Yahya JAMMEH only desires to become a tyrant in The Gambia, and not to be one who sets things right! He is nothing but a bully!"
Below is the full text of Mr.Sabally's open letter to President Jammeh. Please read on....
 ................................
OPEN  LETTER  TO  
THE  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  REPUBLIC  OF  THE  GAMBIA,  
YAHYA  JAMMEH  

ATTENTION:  ALL  GAMBIANS.

 Mr. President,
T H E   G  A  M  B  I  A:
A NATION DIVIDED
CANNOT STAND

Mr. President, this is now my second (open) letter to you. I have written both of them as sincere reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking.  I cannot doubt that I am advising you in your true interest, but for the State of The Gambia. WATCH OUT! Sounding an alarm! Allah's Statement, "He granteth wisdom to whom He pleaseth; and he to whom wisdom is granted receiveth indeed a benefit overflowing; but none will receive admonition but men of understanding." (Q2:269)
"My Words" must not be narrowly interpreted. To be good is noble, to teach others how to be good is nobler, and no trouble. I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the Truth and reality. If a man doesn't live by his principles, he's not much of a man. Some advices, disarmingly at first glance, offer deep truth when chewed on. For instance, the saying that, "Every prudent man acts out of knowledge, but a fool exposes his folly," seem to merely repeat the obvious. But its underlying meaning is that a person's character determines his or her actions. You can reflect at length on what this implies about you and why you do what you do.

The TRUTH  HURTS, VIOLENCE  KILLS. Like hot red-pepper, it (Truth) reddens the eyes but does not blind them. Those who sample the Truth never acquire a taste for it. There is a saying, "Nobody wants to hear Truths about himself."
BE CARERFUL! Please, please, please, accept and cultivate the Supreme Gift of Wisdom: First, learn to listen. Wisdom judges every thought or action by one standard: "Is this wise?" Wisdom is above all practical and down to earth. Wisdom teaches you how to live. It combines understanding with discipline-the kind of discipline an athlete needs in training. It also adds a healthy dose of good common sense-except that common sense isn't and never has been, common.
How do you become a wise person? You must begin to listen. Wisdom is freely available to those who will stop talking and start paying attention-to God and His Word, to parents, to wise counsellors. Anybody can become wise. Wisdom is not reserved for a brainy elite. But becoming wise requires self-discipline to listen, to study and humbly seek wisdom at every opportunity.
The Making of a Fool:
Even a genius can be one! "As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly." Fools, in modern English are people who lack brains. Fools may have high IQs. People may admire their reputation for success. Yet a wise person views them as a disaster.
One of the society's worst insults is "You fool!" People become fools by ignoring the wisdom God offers them, preferring to follow the crowd or their conceited opinions. They may think themselves very clever but their cleverness will land them in trouble.
When one wants something in this world, it is not by delivering ultimatums or threats that one is likely to get it. You are old enough not to play the fool, and for the sake of national interest, security and safety, give up the foolishness. He is not a fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot loose.
I aim my sharpest warnings, not against you (in person), but against you becoming a fool. If you develop such a character, no set of rules can keep you out of trouble. A wise person ought to recognize a fool from far away, and stays out of his or her path. Do you know anyone whom our society would call a fool? If so, how should you relate to him or her?
Mr. President! Think over the last twelve (12) years of your leadership life. To whom do you listen? Who has the greatest influence on you? The wise or the fools!
Wisdom is Supreme:
Mr Yahya Jammeh! Wisdom is supreme, therefore get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.
A father's advice can degenerate into, "Don't do this, don't do that." But this fatherly advice isn't preoccupied with rules. Instead, this father tries to help his son develop a love for the best things in life---just as his father did for him. This love for the best---and most of all for wisdom---begins with listening to wise peoples' advice, but it goes beyond taking instructions. The love of wisdom becomes A Lifelong Quest that may make you wiser than your father.
Be Careful!!! A hypocrite or sycophant offers common sense, but doesn't encourage simply trusting your own sense. Choices that seem perfectly right may end up destroying you. That is precisely why people need to accept and cultivate wisdom: "what looks good often isn't." Some say, "Not all that glitters is gold." Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in grief and tears. Be Careful! Take this, "When you are laughing, the whole world laughs with you, but when you are crying; you do it on your own."

Mr. President, You can ask the Gambians (1) "What do you want?" The Gambians want a president with fewer complications: not a saint but a matured person. The president should be plain spoken, compassionate, honorable, not a lot of fluff. (2) "What do you hate?" Whatever the answer, one thing is certain: It's not wrong to hate when we hate what is wrong. It's possible that hatred can be a comfort when the alternative is grief. If we do not hate evil, we cannot love Good.

Mr. President,
Why would people keep echoing these words?
1. "The Gambia is (today) living under the jackboot of a terrible dictatorial regime of Yahya JAMMEH."
(2) "In our country [The Gambia] today, there is intolerance, oppression, and autocracy to the last degree.
(3) "The Gambia is a country governed by an oligarchy---an absolute autocracy!"  
(4) "Repeated deliberate [outrageous] misbehavior by The Gambia government is now almost always on daily basis and is almost always picked up by the newspapers [but what with the total restriction on the freedom of the press and or freedom of expression!]
(5) "Human rights have undeniably been widely and egregiously abused, and are still been flouted in all parts of the country."
(6) "The Yahya JAMMEH regime have deliberately evaded or ignored its obligations under the National Constitution with depressing regularity."
(7) "The Gambia government has failed so abysmally before its (own) citizens and the world at large."
(8) "The Yahya JAMMEH regime does not care / give a fig (for the citizens / or the rule of law or human rights)."
(9) "Yahya JAMMEH only desires to become a tyrant in The Gambia, and not to be one who sets things right! He is nothing but a bully!"

 The other day; I was painfully reminded by a Gambian over the net: "…It is yet to be decided whether the (22nd July) revolution must ultimately be considered a blessing or a curse…"

Mr. President,
GOD'S TRUTH HAS NO RELATIVES.
I will not feel shy to tell you [Yahya JAMMEH (my erstwhile comrade)] the Truth as I have always done… The Gambians trust in your credibility has since been shattered---like a kaleidoscope! My personal question out of concern for the peace and stability of our Dearest Motherland—The Gambia, I'd hesitate not to ask you (the President) if you have so quickly forgotten "HOW" and (especially) "WHY" we [The Gambia National Army (AFPRC)] had come to power (in 1994)?
Mr Bra-Rabbit  said, "There are two kinds of tragedy. One is not getting what you want. The other is getting it."

NB:
Please, read this three times…with great attention:

FRIDAY 22nd JULY, 1994 REVOLUTION
THE GAMBIA (WEST AFRICA)
On Friday 22nd July 1994, The Gambia Armed Forces under the (now defunct) AFPRC (Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council), toppled the [almost 30 year-old] civilian government [of (the now) ex-president Sir Dawda Kairaba. Jawara.]

REASONS FOR THE COUP:
First and foremost, it was because WE FELT THAT "THE GAMBIANS DESERVE BETTER."

"Shame is worse than death!" Anybody in our position at the time would do / [would have done] the same thing. It is true, the government (there then) was a democratically elected government. However, it was generally felt (by the population) that a change was long overdue to bring about a better situation.

Mr. President,
As always, honesty pays. I will ask you (again the same question) and you will answer me. An honest answer is like a sweet kiss on the lips. [A reminder of my question I asked you on the eve of my arrest (Thursday 26th January 1994)] "If a government rules and it divides the nation, what is the use of ruling?" "When anger lingers in our heart, it poisons all we think, say, and do."

Mr. President,
Your government has deliberately evaded or ignored her/their obligations under the National Constitution. [Always remember that] In a genuine democracy, the constitution is the supreme law. Whatever the Supreme Court decides will rule as the Law of the land.
 [As adviser to Mrs. Robinson (former president of Ireland), Mr.Thomas McCarthy said] "If you want to change the way people live, you have to use politics. That doesn't mean that idealism isn't involved too." But your government was not using politics, rather she has invented and devised "special laws" [(selective justice) outside the constitution] completely ignoring that "every person, simply by virtue of being human, has inalienable rights which others must respect in a civilised society." The laws were fragmentary and incomplete. The laws [made] have got to be clear, credible and enforceable. Any law remains a dead letter unless supported by the values and expectations of society as a whole. [It is very true that] A government determined to crush opposition [self-made enemies of State] is unlikely to heed any constitution or human-rights laws (forgetting that; In a genuine democracy, the constitution is the supreme law).
Using the power of government to impose a single, intolerant brand of (political) culture on all of a country's inhabitants is a sure recipe for constant conflict, both within borders and across them. Political cultures should be such that they are based on values widely shared across many cultures: respect for the sacredness of life and for human dignity, tolerance of differences, and a desire for liberty, order, fairness and stability.
Most people obey domestic laws not because they are afraid of the police, but out of a sense of social obligation and self-respect. Even laws that carry little threat of punishment are generally observed. Coercion certainly plays a part in national legal systems, but prisons full of convicts do not stop the small minority bent on crime. This does not mean that national law does not work. It stops working only when the law-abiding majority loses respect for the law, or feels it no longer has a stake in its observance. And when that happens, no police force [or army or Intelligence Service], however draconian its methods, can cope.

[From a sincere security analysis] many have observed that our country is seemingly [at super-sonic high speed] sliding toward insecurity, but to be exact, a civil unrest [look at Guinea Conakry, Bangladesh, and others]. You have sown the seeds (and are also watering them) and they can sprout out at any minute. Any security-conscious person(s) can add one and one and he/she/they will not fail to see into what I'm talking about. We may all have differences on one or two issues, but we can never differ on the fact that "we are all Gambians and we care: For The Gambia; our love is deep and strong. Nothing will ever change it."
We're (by profession) military people, not politicians in a political field.
REF: [1994-the civilian government there then…] It was time for us [The Gambia Armed Forces empowered by the constitution (In a genuine democracy, the constitution is the supreme law) and our Oath of office...enshrined into the G.A.F.A. ---The Gambia Armed Forces Act 1984 (revised in 1991)] to stand up and defend the democracy that we believe in where each man is created equal in the eyes of God. Equality before the law is ever a cardinal principle of the Gambian justice: protection of fundamental human rights and the national constitution.

We (GNA-Gambia National Army) were there not to hesitate to right a wrong where one existed. This implies (1) Loyalty to the Nation, (2) doing right, being an example to others to do right, and having the power to see that the right prevails, (3) eschewing wrong, being an example to others to eschew wrong, and having the power to see that wrong and injustice are defeated. The GNA lives, not for itself or any individual(s) or group(s), but for the Nation of The Gambia.

We wanted to change all that in what we saw as fundamental contradictions in a nation calling itself the greatest democracy in the world.

We were to speak up "for the voiceless" victims, particularly those who had been stripped of their civil rights. [To] Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.

It remains to be seen whether the GNA can help the Gambian citizens with the government to establish a firm rule of law and respect for human rights as in other democratic states. It was going to be a stern test. The GNA must have the courage of its convictions and find violations where they existed and correct them: to preserve life and the dignity of the human being and to limit suffering. The GNA was also to ensure that the government strives to achieve a balance and does not brush aside a fundamental right simply because it is inconvenient for the government to observe it.

The GNA's role was to make the government "not to let standards be watered down to suit only members of government," encouraged by the fact that the outside world was watching.

Human rights [under your government] have undeniably been widely and egregiously abused, and were still being flouted (if not all) in many parts of the country. The GNA was impelled by the constitution to act without any further delay-and it was different. It touches the government at its most sensitive point: how they (government) exercise power over their own citizens. The GNA had to intervene to force the government "to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights and promoting and encouraging respect for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to religion, tribe, region or political affiliations."

The GNA went further, explicitly linking respect for human rights as necessary to the maintenance of internal peace: to preserve life and the dignity of the human being and to limit suffering.

We wanted to live---"real living" full of peace, security, honour and joy and wisdom. The All-Mighty Allah (Himself) has said, "…For persecution is [more] worse than slaughter...And fight them on until there is no more persecution…"  We felt if we want to live, we have to fight---

"Force is a dangerous weapon."  
[There is a (saying) "If you keep pouring water in a rat hole, the rats will come out fighting."]  
Mr. President, your government was suppressing everything and everybody…and you want forcibly to prevent not only the security services but the Civil Services, other related bodies, and even well-meaning individuals from exercising their sacred duties to the State, thus you have declared/instituted total incompetence in places of work, and a much bigger shame on yourself. Shame is worse than death!
And (as it was in 1994) it would have been cowardice to ignore the challenge or to fail in rooting out that government [but in your case, -the tyranny.]
Lest You Forget! We [The Gambia Armed Forces…] fought for a principle, not out of passion. We (GAF…) are descents and discipline people who, out of desperation (and compassion for the public) were forced to do something out of character.   Character is destiny. We have fought for the Gambia(ns) and Truth like valiant men and are true; we have only done our bounden duty as a man is bound to do (under a National Service Oath…)

We knew the Gambia Armed Forces is there for The Gambia(ns), but (also) it will not acquiesce in wrong-doing, and its men will always hold their lives cheap in the defence of honour, justice, and the Truth which they hold sacred. Our ideal is that of heroic virtue combined with unselfish gentleness and tenderness, and this was manifested in our "bloodless coup."  [Because] We believe in courage, obedience, discipline, duty, and a constant striving by all the means in our power, physical, moral, intellectual, and spiritual, for the establishment of Truth and righteousness and the rule of law.

There is today (political) intolerance, injustice and oppression, selfishness, arrogance, violence, lawlessness, high-handedness to the poor and the weak, and autocracy to the last degree, and the mere readiness of the Gambian citizens to enforce their rights as Gambian citizens will only result in a change of situation. "If you keep pouring water in a rat hole, the rats will come out fighting."  Peace is better than fighting. [Mr. Maurice Roberts have said,] "If a society is to be awakened one day from its deep slumber, it will only be done by people who have first woken up themselves to the full splendour of their rights and privileges and who have taken seriously the call to liberate the State and to live wholly and entirely for the State."
Lest you forget: No power on the earth can make a person(s) (Gambians) forsake his citizenship, provided it is true citizenship. Moreover, Allah has given an assurance to those who are genuine Gambians. We Remember: Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Liberia, DR Congo, -the list goes on and on. And even right under our nose; is the Cassamance… [Did I hear you say that "Guinea Bissau, (the Cassamance, Saloum-Saloum, Kadior, etc in the Republic of Senegal) were part of the Gambia?"  Huh Huuu Huh!! Yahya Jammeh, what brings you to this story?  What type of person do you think you are? You are a war-monger. You should be helped. Think well before you say anything. The Holy-Bible warns, "Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your forefathers."]  You should consider and be aware of the terrible situations in these countries, and guard against the same fate in ours. (May Allah save us from such a stage.) Peace is better than fighting. The essential condition of course is that there should be perfect fairness and justice and respect for the Law of the Land.

Thank God! Ours (in 1994) was "without any bloodshed: it marked a decisive change with the past. It was a significant moment for us.
Council Members of the AFPRC:
Yahya  JAMMEH
Sana-Bairo  SABALLY
Yankuba  TOURAY
Sadibou HYDARA…….[Now deceased]
Edward   SINGHATEY
All (of us) were Second Lieutenants (2ndLT) except (you) Yahya JAMMEH who was a 1st Lieutenant (1stLT / LT) --- (GNA).

In general, it may be said that the Gambia is a country of peace, goodwill, mutual understanding, and people who have the fear of Allah in their hearts and minds, but (they) are never cowards!!!   The Gambians are very tolerant and long-suffering! But we are for our country and Truth!

Mr. President,
Words Are Not Enough. You can believe all the right things, yet still be dead wrong.

In any good governance, you are saved by Good Leadership alone, but if Good Leadership is alone it is not Good Leadership. Good Leadership itself will teach the rules of conduct in Good Leadership.
Remember that you are carrying on your shoulders a very heavy responsibility and accountability: Leadership. Leadership is a God-given privilege.  And this can be abused. And you are abusing it! Leadership has its privileges, but more important---it comes with huge responsibilities. Allah teaches, "kullukum raa'in wa kullukum mas'aulun an ra'iyyatihi;" meaning, "Each of you is a guardian, and will be questioned about those under his control."
The Gambians believe in Transparency, Accountability, and Responsibility. For too long you (and your government) have encouraged a culture that says, "If it feels good, do it and I (Yahya Jammeh) take the credit," and blame somebody else if you've got a problem."

Take lessons from the Human Body.
The body needs an eye, and the eye needs a body. The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Leadership/Good Governance.
Can you get along in life without eyes? Of course, but you must make adjustments. You must rely more on other senses and depend on friends, or perhaps a seeing-eye dog, for extra help. Regardless of what adjustments you make, however, your body will remain incomplete without eyes. You will miss out on colour and design and all the visual delights this world offers.
An eyeless body can cope, but a bodyless eye is unimaginable. The most beautiful eyes in the world, when detached from a body, are lifeless and worthless. Eyes need a body that will bring them blood and receive their nerve impulses. [Mr. President, you need the people-The Gambian people.]
One Body, Many Parts, All Working Together. I will here give you a clever anatomy lesson, with a purpose. By comparing members of a government to parts of a human body, I'll neatly explain two complementary truths you [Yahya Jammeh] had failed to comprehend. Any part of a body, I'll say---such as an eye or a foot---makes a valuable contribution to the whole body. Whenever a single member is missing, the entire body suffers. And no one member can survive if isolated from the rest. Alone, an eye is useless. All parts must cooperate to form a single, unified body.
How can diverse people work together in a government? The solution/answer is for each person to respect other members of the body-government and to take direction from the head, [but not when the fish's head has got rotten.] There is a saying, "The fish starts to get rotten from the head."
There are so many genuine and competent Gambians around whom you could sincerely bring together, and working together to your side---is the only way that the State will be able to move forward as well as this Nation of ours.
One of your first acts (after the doubtful election victory) should (must) be to bring about a process of National Reconciliation; all classes, all interests, all ideologies, all political parties, were to be invited to discuss the future shape and form of the country.
National Pact (NaPa):
 [NaPa-(in Wollof, "napa": to fish): but to fish out for the best from the society for the State.] Create a National Pact (NaPa) which will show that the driving force (interests) of all Gambians were the same and one: Better Gambia: people want better standards of living, standard education for their children, better opportunities for themselves, peace, security and the respect for the rule of law (equality before the law), and a right to freedom of speech in their own ways without fear or intimidation.
Human Resource:
The Gambia's greatest asset is its Human Resource and if a series of measures in good education is set about will add more value to this asset.
Regular consultations with all sectors of society will create a climate of nationwide co-operation (understanding with one and another) and this in turn will ensure domestically political stability.

The Government's Freedom
Everything is permissible---but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible---but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others and everybody.
Abraham Lincoln is often credited with saying, "A house divided against itself cannot stand." Actually, if we apply this principle to the Gambian situation today, we can say that: a nation divided over such a fundamental issue as respect for the Law and Human Rights could not endure.

Any good government requires also courage, resistance to evil, the firmness, law, and discipline which will enforce justice among men.

"O our Lord! Make this Nation [The Gambia (of ours)] one of peace and security. And preserve her citizens from ignorance, injustice, oppression and tyranny. And grant us an honourable mention of Truth on the tongue." Ameen!

Mr. President,
There is a Biblical saying, "The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him." I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use pen and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, and tell you more as and when ( i.e. as soon as I can; if only granted interview) when a "welcome" sign is appropriate. I have so many things to talk to you about which take so much longer to write than to tell.

I close this letter with an account of Saeed-bin- Jubair, who is a famous Tabie. The Holy-Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihe Was Sallam) has said, "To utter Truth in the face of a tyrant is the best Jihad."
THERE IS NOTHING SO POWERFUL AS TRUTH.

From:
…………SBBS………...
(Captain) Sana-Bairo   SABALLY

[From  The Gambia, West Africa.]  
    
Dakar-Senegal,
Wednesday, 10 January 2007

Copies:
The President, President's Office, BJL
SoS for Defence
SoS for Interior
SoS for Foreign Affairs
SoS for Justice
Army Chief of Staff
IG Police
DG NIA
Newspapers
File

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Posted on Tuesday, January 16, 2007 (Archive on Wednesday, January 24, 2007)
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