The people create and maintain dictators
A sumary. Part 1
All Gambians can remember the unfortunate events of 31 ST July 1981, when a dis-oriented power hungry bunch of confusionists created havoc in our beloved country through a mal-organised and coup d’etat without a sense of direction armed with an ideology which they never had an understanding of, leading to the buchery of at least 2000 Gambians, young and old, technocrats, labourers, unemployed youths, communty leaders and simple farmers.
Thus, a new semi-dictator was born in the image of Sir Dawda Karaba Jawara. DKJ, whose leadership before 1981 was based on manipulation of political and tribal sentiments, bribery, nepotism, sycophantism, clientelism and intelectual arrogance siezed the opportunity that struck at this crucial moment in our history to create a personal semi-dictatorial power base, although the basis for this new power was laid by the few police oficers and civil servants who resisted the armed quagmire that ravaged the nation by armed resistance and other technical means.
Hiding behind the military might of his Senegalese rescuers, he paraded first old guard (Ibrima Garba Jahumpa ex Muslim congress, Reverend John Colley Faye or JC Faye, Sheriff Ceesay Democratic Congress, Senior leaders of the UP including Doudou Taal who had betrayed his constituency just some time before hese events, Alien Badara Njie, Ibrima Kelefa Samba, Lamin Sarho the lawyer and a long list of personalities from Banjul to Koina) at the MCcarthy square after private talks to show them that he was no more in need of their old favours, but it was they who needed to show allegience to the new Senegal dependant master.
Meanwhile, he started to elevate to higher ranks, the likes of Bakary Bunja Darboe, Saikou Sabally Omar Amadou Jallow, Dr Lamin Sarho, Ibrima Kama Badjie, Mrs Njie educator, Nyimasata Sanneh Yaayi Compin and women activist among other new comers that he had influence and control over.
The first people to fall victim of the new dictatorship are the once that help him secure this newly found position of power e.g. Hawsoun Semega-Janneh, who was jailed for mis-appropriating 11,000 Dalasis, Ebou Taal, the then Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then incharge of the recovery of looted goods was jail after being duped by unscrupplous people like Abdoulie Joof, a CID officer who became rich from these looted goods. Lawyer Lamin Saho who was then the Attoney General and Minister of justice, was expecting to become the country's next Vice President, but was dissappointed when he was given the ministry of Local government Lands and mines and later disgraced at a Banjul Central rally follwing his arrest in London UK for smuggling. Many community leaders including Imams (religiuos leaders) were jailed and most of them disgraced mostly in public and even insulted directly by the new crowned Prince of Senegal.
Jawara, then created an army which was deemed not neccesary after independence because there was no outside threat to the peaceful nation against its neighbours and a nation's security service was the other weapon that was used to harass his fellow Gambians into succuming in to his dictates. The new Army, NSS, together with the newly form para-military force called Gendamrie (worst of all), copied from his new Senegalese masters to terrorise the population.
This tyranical Gendamrie was were the new wreckless Yahya Jammeh emanated from after being promoted to the state house and a personal guard of the Presiden through which he learned most of the tricks of the trade of dictatorial rule.
During the 1982 elections, Jawara and his new found colleagues who were divided into three groupings, namely: a) the Teeri Kafoo intelectuals who were and are still using people who speak this particular language and adhere to a common culture under the same title), in order to realise their personal ambitions and aspirations of leadership and financial wealth. These intellectuals have always been in alliance with members of the same group who were in the opposition and non- political professionals in different institutions. Sheriff Dibba and Osainou Darboe among others were also cooperating behind the scenes among others.
B) The President Youth Action Group, which was made up of minority intellectuals adhere to the same common cultures). These people were also safeguarding their own personal interests using weaker people who were their kins. One can say that there had been to some extent cordial relationship between these groups in the struggle to control the affairs of the state.
C)The third and not final group are mostly made up of individuals without the backing of a large follwing like Saikou Sabally, Momodou Cadi Jallow or MC Jallow among others.
These groups were supported by groups of Alkalos, Chiefs, managing directors, Permanent secretaries, senior head masters etc.
Some of the main operation centers were the commercial and development bank were loans were given to supporters/clients with BB Darboe (Teeri Kafo) and Ousainou Njie (President youth action group). Others were the Ministry of Education and particularly the scholarship section, the various embassies, the international appointments in different UN and other agencies, fisheries and other lucrative business areas, the National Trading Cooperation or NTC to name a few. Supporters and clients who received favours are expected to be loyal to leaders of these groupings and serve their ambitions.
Jawara then changed the constituion and strengthened his position into a strong executive authority with a weaker parliament. These petty "bourgios" personalties found themselve left out to fend for a territory to dominate politically. Thus, they all entered into the wild political campaigning field with Jawara as their supporting heavyweight whenever they are in difficulty in canvassing the people.
OJ caught between the two rival groups, started a positive action by conducting courses and seminars to provide the general People’s Progressive Party – PPP membership worth civic education because he was faced with the intellectual drive of the People’s Demacratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism - PDOIS with Halifa Sallah, as the immidiate rival contender for his parliamentary seat.
This new constitution together with the reluctantly created Senegambian Confederation with all its institutions gave more power to Sir Dawda until the time that the narrow nationalists who are always against any close relationship with Senegal pushed him to betray his rescuer (from the foiled Coup d’etat led by the notorious Kukoy Samba Sanyang) Abdou Diouf, the President of Senegal.
Jawara started sending his expensive army officers to international peace keeping missions in other to provide funding for the useless army, which was also used to create jobs for the disgruntled youths. The army was also used as a diplomatic tool for his so-called contribution to peace and stability in Africa and perhaps later, to other areas of the globe through the UN and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference which was verey influential in driving the question of peace and human rights.
A new tool came to his hand through the efforts of Lawyer Hassan Jallow, the then Attoney General and Minister of Justice in the form of the African Human Rights Commision backed by the African human and people’s rights charter under the auspicies of the Organisation of African Unity now African Union and later the African human rights center. This boosted his image to a tremendous degree and also helped to tame him somewhat against extra-judicial excesses but not stopping him from using undemocratic proceedures against opponents even though he managed to pardon his main military oriented rivals, the Movement for Justice in Africa – Gambia Section who became disgrunggtled and dis-intergrated without orientation.
He staged an interesting theatrical performance in 1992 when he, at the famous PPP congress announced that he wanted to retire. It was partially true that he wanted to do so but he also wanted to have guarantees of his future priviledges as the so-called father of Gambia’s independence as he was often called.
This lead to general outcry from the elements within the PPP, who didn't have solid bases in a nationwide perspective and the fears of power struggle across all camps even within the same Terri kafo elements. The cunning Jawara then used this confusion to perpetuate himself as a life ruler untill the two and final attempts by his loyal army betrayed and took him out of power and he claims that it was with the help of the Americans and Abou Diouf – the then President of Senegal whom he betrayed some years earlier he being re-installed as Presiden by Diuof in the aftermate of the 1981 coup attempt.
This period was marked by manipulation of the electorate in multiple forms. People mortgaged their voting rights by giving them to local agents who would give them a small amount of money. Some were given temporary jobs and most of the jobs were allocated on nepotism basis. Some were given scholarships to further education for their children because higher education was made a previledge for the choosen few and pepole had to travel abroad to obtain them.
Corrupt workers were given the chance to go back to their former jobs and became hostages of the President because he has become so powerful that the Public Service Commision, which had to oversee the employment of most public officials, has become a lame duck. The President himself had the sole authority to allocate all senior positions and they were meant for his loyalists.
Local leaders had to show 100 per cent allegience to the PPP in order to maintain their jobs and previledges, which gave them, power to manípulate their subjects on behalf of the PPP. Personality cults gain a breeding ground and perpetrated by the leadership and semi-dictatorial positions of these new leaders particularly Dawda Jawara. Myths were concocted by the people themselves around these personalities that transformed most of the population as stooges to these cruel parasites.
The population had to be kept ignorant and powerless by all the forms of educational, economical, social, and political constrains. The Technocratcs also joined the show by establishing private religiously motivated schools in other to tap into the new resource avenue provided by the rich Arab States who were eager to see the spread of their global polical influence by using Islam as a tool for penetration into the American, Japanese and Western European dominated power network. The Women leaders who are the backbone of most of the party machinaries also had to cash in to provide for themselves and kin.
A lot of the economically weak populace played alone and condone these injustices due pertially to ignorance or simple opportunism. They maintain, nutured and abated the Jawara semi-dictatoship at their own detriment.
In 1994 group of young, inexperienced, uneducated, politically virgin, dis-oriented army and Gendamie officers took over the reign of power by force through arms without which they could never have found themselves at the helm of state power.
biraago@hotmail.com
Editor's note: We decided to edit statements touching on tribal issues based on ethical reasons. Our action to edit the said statements was geared for the common good and nothing else. We thank Mr.Bragoo for such an informative piece.