JAMMEH BETRAYED  GAMBIANS!!!

……QUOTE OF THE DECADE- “IF I BETRAY YOU, MAY GOD BETRAY ME”, PRESIDENT JAMMEH

By Alhagie Kanteh, Former Army Captain

Dear Editor,                     

It was in the month of July 1994, a few days into the coup that brought Jammeh to power in the Gambia, that the then chairman of the AFPRC, Yahya AJJ Jammeh made a solemn pledge to the people of the Gambia; one that shall prove the test of time. As the confident new ruler took to the pulpit at the Independent Stadium in Bakau, the first public address of the junta of the nation, Jammeh did what no leader ever did as far as I know. 

As if to swear himself into office, Chairman Jammeh as a sign of goodwill released a white pigeon into the air, vowing that a new era of peace and prosperity was born in the Gambia. Jammeh blamed “rampant corruption, impunity and flamboyant life style” as the reasons for the military intervention. The longevity of the PPP regime was another reason for the coup; so reasoned the man in red beret. 

Perhaps what struck me was Jammeh`s utterance of the words “If I betray you, may God betray me”. I for one remember these words vividly as the country arrives at a cross road. As the euphoria around the tripartite concept of “Transparency, Accountability and Good governance dried out on his lips; and as time went by, I could not help but focus on The country’s renegade leader, his failed policies but above everything else, his promise to Almighty God never to let the people down. 

As the regime of Dr Jammeh clocks fourteen this year, the question remaining is whether or not Jammeh has betrayed the legitimate aspirations of the people. To answer this, one needs to assess the performances of the regime from the point of view of what had first of all been the man`s grievances against the former regime: 

-Jammeh claimed that the black Mercedes Benzes utilized by Jawara`s ministers were considered too expensive, and proposals were made for the said vehicles to be sold in public auction. Does anybody know what type of vehicles Jammeh and his cronies’ pride themselves of at the moment? 

-In the so-called corruption crusade, the properties of public servants were seized, some       sold. In what can be best described as selective justice as some were returned to their owners including president Jawara, these assets have not been properly accounted for. Today Jammeh owns in less than 15 years far more than president Jawara had had in a generation, including landed properties.  

-In the area of Human Rights and the Rule of Law, more people have suffered at the hands of the Jammeh`s regime than any other period in the history our country. So many people have lost their lives including a cabinet minister, a veteran journalist, a Red-cross volunteer plus14 students, countless military officers and soldiers, nearly 50 Ghanaians and other nationals. In addition, there had been attempts on the lives of several prominent Gambians some of whom have fled the country. Today the cream of Gambia’s intellectuals resides overseas. 

-The economy today is in its worst shape. Coupled with food insecurity more Gambians will be forced to take up begging against their will to make ends meet. But in order to address the root cause of this pending crisis, the president resorts to insulting the people and wishing that the price of basic commodities rises even higher. What a leader! There he goes throwing biscuits to the people as he passes. What an insult! 

-On the current charges of the Jolanization of the government and the civil service, which appears to be true, for the first time the country has seen such open discrimination of people on the basis of tribe. If anything this goes to show how uncomfortable the regime is with itself, its misguided policies, and the fear of the inevitable. While the Jola as a tribe are not to collectively to blame for the current state of affairs, as an observer recently put it, they would hardly be able to escape possible retribution against Jammeh in the event of a regime change. 

Going by the aforementioned, one should be able determine if president Jammeh has betrayed the nation or not; and if the current state of affairs is anything to go by what this regime refers to as a revolution is nothing but a cruel hoax. Sooner rather than later, we will be delivered from this bondage.