Gambia Was Better Off During Colonialism Era, Compared To Jammeh’s Rule- OJ Tells Freedom Newspaper

Says The Gambia Is Not An Independent Nation Yet!!

The Gambia Is A Terror State- Politician Laments

Pa Nderry M’Bai, Banjul

Leading Gambia politician, and also a onetime former Agriculture Minister in the deposed Jawara administration Omar Amadou Jallow says The Gambia is still not a “free nation,” and therefore it cannot commemorate its 45^th  independence anniversary—when the country’s citizens have been reduced to perpetual slaves, amidst rule of terror, fear and lawlessness perpetrated by the administration of incumbent President Yahya Jammeh. Mr. Jallow speaking in an exclusive interview with the US based Freedom Newspaper at his Pipeline residence Tuesday said The Gambia was better off during the colonial era—under the leadership of her majesty the Queen of England, compared to the Government we had today—who in OJ’s own words “had systematically undermined the core values of independence, democracy and good governance.”

OJ opined that there cannot be independent Gambia, when its citizens are not free to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed rights to free speech, expression, association and movement. He says the 15 years of Jammeh’s rule deprived Gambians such rights and liberties, and therefore argued that it is a mockery and a waste of state resources to celebrate independence in this country.

“ Those who are celebrating are those who agreed with the principles and policies of Yahya Jammeh. When the founding fathers of African independence were fighting for independence, they were fighting for the empowerment, integrity, decency, and the respect of Africans—so that we can enjoy freedom, and liberty,” OJ posited.

But under the totalitarian rule of President Jammeh, OJ said Gambians rights and liberties have been grossly curtailed, and infringed. He says citizens who disagreed with the current status quo are usually arrested, jailed, tortured, declared unpatriotic, and in some occasions rendered missing. OJ said many Gambians have went missing under Jammeh’s rule, while a good number of people are being held without any formal criminal charges brought against them, or arraigned in a court of law.    

The interim leader of Gambia’s oldest political party—the PPP, which was formed during Gambia’s post independence era, told the Freedom Newspaper that The Gambia is now increasingly becoming a full blown dictatorship—where the constitution has been reduced to nothing. He accuses the Jammeh administration of constantly undermining the constitution, which in OJ’s own views is the country’s supreme laws.

“ What I am telling you is that so many Gambians and other Africans residing overseas are more freed today, more secured to speak against the Governments in America and Europe than the Governments in Africa, because some of our Governments are treating us worst than we were treated by our former colonial masters. We are  treated like slaves. So where is the independence they are talking about?,” OJ asked.

The popular politician who had been jailed for over 20 times under President Jammeh’s era said he was shocked that Gambians are celebrating independence when their own freedoms and liberties have been hijacked by the dictatorship.

“ It is a shame, and disgusting for us Africans, after 45 years, after 50 years to talk about celebrating independence. Where is the freedom? Where is the liberty? Where is the consciousness? Where is the respect? Where is the dignity? We are still poor. We are still harassed. We are still suppressed.  We are still starving. We are still witnessing a high influx of refugees in Africa—both internally displaced, and externally displaced,” OJ said.

Mr. Jallow said despite empty promises by leaders on the continent—most importantly Jammeh of The Gambia to uplift the living standards of Gambians, including safeguarding their basic freedoms, it is a shame that such promises have not been kept by our leaders. He said The Gambia still remained backward, and underdeveloped.

He said the white elephant projects initiated by the APRC Government comes from foreign loans—to be serviced by our kids, and grand kids. He said any Government that would succeed the Jammeh administration today would inherit a huge debt burden, which will continue to hunt us for a long period of time as a nation. He said the APRC projects are not impacting on the lives of Gambians, as 80 percent of the country’s population are living in abject poverty. He cited World Bank country reports on Gambia, which in OJ’s mind depicts scary tales of abject poverty in the West African country.

OJ said Gambia’s farming community are the most hard hit by the country’s poverty nightmare. He said the Jammeh Government could not facilitate the marketing of farmers produce—while the average farmer could not afford to own a bicycle at the home front.

OJ warns The Gambia has never witnessed such economic hardship in history. He recalled when a bag of rice—which is the nation’s main staple food used to cost D160 dalasis, but today according to OJ D800 dalasis would not get one a quality rice in the market. He says Gambia’s case is miserable and that no one knows when the country would be bailed out from such an economic predicament.

Further backing up his argument that The Gambia is not a free, and independent nation, Jallow said in April of 2000, trigger happy Gambian soldiers killed innocent demonstrating students—who were out to exercise their right to free assembly. Jallow said despite his young age during pre-independence era,  there was no given time that the British killed Gambians for venting their anger against the status quo.

“  One thing I would say, that I was a matured youth in 1965, because I was in form five B. I had only one year to leave school. But from what I could remember, my brother the leader of The Gambia workers union, Mr, Jallow with my elder brother, organized strikes here on behalf of the workers. They were never shot or killed.  They were never imprisoned beyond 72 hours for months. But what is happening now, people are being detained without trial or the right to bail,” OJ lamented.

According to OJ the killing of Gambians with impunity is becoming a deep rooted culture under Jammeh’s rule. He said nothing has come out from the killing of 14 Gambian students by the country’s security forces. He says the students were merely exercising their rights to free assembly, but they were killed like chickens by the soldiers.

“ I can remember the strike of Senghore in the late 60’s when Senghore came here and the students thought he should be unwelcomed here. They burnt tires and went and sabotage the electricity powerhouse in Half- Die. There was no light when the banquet that Sir Dawda hosted for Senghore was on. Nobody was ever taken to prison,  tortured, and detained for months without been seen.  We have seen when The Gambia High School students, and other students demonstrated against the Minister of Education. Nobody was taken to prison, or shot dead.  We have also seen the Armitage High School in the late 70’s when Sir Dawda went to George Town. Nobody was even arrested,” OJ said.

OJ said both the PPP and the colonial masters respected the rights and liberties of Gambians, but under Jammeh’s rule is the reverse. He said The Gambia has been reduced to a jungle state—where fear rules.

“ For me, there is nothing more important with the life of an individual—that freedom, liberty, and respect for the rights of  human being, and the sanity of life.  And think that is very lacking in our pretty day Gambia. And this was not happening during colonial days,” OJ said.

Mr. Jallow said Gambians can only be free if their rights and liberties are respected by the Government of the day. He said what is happening in the country is unacceptable.

“ We are still not free, we are still not independent.  That’s my problem. The Gambia is now living in a serious dilemma. There is a state of fear. People are refusing to talk. If you can see now the amount of people that are in prison, and of course your newspaper published it.  Lang Tombong….. before even Lang Tombong, there are others in the prison still now wasting there without being taken before a court of law. If they can arrest a campaign manager of a party for holding a rally why is the APRC holding rally everyday day?” OJ queried.

He said the Government jailed he OJ, Hamat, and Halifa in 2005, for merely issuing political statements in the past elections. He said such kind of power abuses never happened in the history of the country. He said The Gambia under Jammeh is a hell fire for Gambians.

“ There is no freedom in this country. We are living in a terror state.” OJ said.

Part two of the Interview would come later. Stay tuned.