Storm in a teacup
By Sarjo Bayang
While Gambians continue to battle with economic hardship and alarming insecurity, the government of APRC and their president Yaya Jammeh choose to make an issue of the recent Freedom Newspaper episode out of proportion. There is nothing newsworthy about a simple subscriber readership list produced by pro-government Daily Observer, that warrants the Gambia Police to arrest innocent citizens. In the absence of any serious business, a desperate government will do everything to divert curious attention on its failures.
There is nothing newsworthy about a simple subscriber readership list produced by pro-government Daily Observer, that warrants the Gambia Police to arrest innocent citizens.
It is the most disgraceful occasion that a government that barely few weeks ago arrested innocent citizens for a coup that never was, now turns around to threaten another lot with further arrests and the usual torture just because they read a publication they are interested to read. This is not only unfair but lacks sense. If you feel so insecured presiding over an unwilling population, that is enough reason to call it a quit. Why must the Jammeh government insist on bearing the risk of staying by force, intimidation, torture, killing and maiming in the name of governance?
If the alleged coup was true and the name of readers revealed in the so-called informer list for Freedom Newspaper is also true, that shows how unpopular a regime the Jammeh government is. Why then force people to accept you when you know they hate? We all know that Yaya Jammeh assumed the leadership of Gambia by forceful means. From day one on July 22 1994, the AFPRC /APRC, broke the confidence of Gambians by toppling a democratic government.
The people on their part were preparing for another civilised election when Jammeh and his aggressive members of the military junta forced their way to State House at No1 Marina in Banjul. From that moment it is true that the illegal conduct of Yaya Jammeh and his men can never be accepted by decent citizens of Gambia. This is a challenge to those of you in the legal domain, to tell Gambians how we are able to reconcile with group of people who destroyed our constitutionally established order for this unending chaotic and insecure dictatorship.
It seemed for a time that people of Gambia thought it was all going to be temporal for normalcy to resume. With the recent blunt pronouncement by president Jammeh that he wants to stay in power until his old age of 72 years and beyond, Gambians can no longer accept that as a simple joke. Therefore, Jammeh and all those who seek to deceive him need knowing that only bitter times await them.
In the course of 12 years, countless number of miserable happenings marked the Jammeh era. Some of these constitute part of living memory. State Finance Minister Koro Ceesay, disappeared from his home and discovered the next in a burnt-up state car with his charred remains, far from his regular travel routes. This has terrified and angered not only his immediate friends and family, but the rest of Gambia still mourn such devastating loss. Then came the night shooting at Bakau Fajara barracks where a number of soldiers died with no reasonable account from the government. November 11 is still fresh in the minds of Gambians. Students on 10 / 11 April 2001 thought it was demonstration as usual. Just in the middle of their procession, gun men open fired on them and killed the young school youth in cold blood. Until now, nothing comes of that.
On 16 December 2004, media legend Deyda Hydara was shot dead at close range. Fingers are still pointing to government and nothing is being done by government to counter this widely public and international view that Deyda's untimely death was politically motivated.
In the chronology of dreadful events since the advent of Jammeh's military brand of rule the most recent episode was 2006 March 21 alleged coup. Adding this raid on Freedom Newspaper and its readers the count continues. As free citizens Gambians have all the rights to access information with the permits of modern technology. When Jammeh commissioned the facilities at Abuko Earth Station some years ago, he was smiling. Now he cries because of the effiency and speed by dealings in Gambia are revealed in cyber space.
The recent hacking of Freedom Newspaper is an offence that the perpetrators have to pay for in no cheaper terms. The good hands behind Freedom Newspaper along with other progressive media establishments both national and international, deserve to be appreciated for job well done. This is a call on government of Gambia and all responsible state agencies to stop harassment and intimidation of innocent citizens for nothing other than exercising their inalienable right to know. The African Union will be guilty of negligence if after witnessing all the brutal and inhumane conduct meted out to tolerant Gambians, still insist on holding the summit in Gambia. In whose name is this whole summit to be held when Gambians have made their voice clearly heard through every medium while A U presidents refuse to respect what Gambian prefer?
Above everything, this move to make such an issue from the current situation is nothing more than making storm in a teacup. No amount of repression will win the hearts of a defiant Gambia. This military regime along with their civilian blend of sycophants must now tighten up for a final departure. The media fraternity and civil society have already broken grounds and let the infamous Jammeh regime make no mistake about the speed by which the ground they (the Jammeh regime) breed on is now rapidly eroding. No confidence on the side of the governed and no comfort on the side the governors. Gambia is ripe for positive change. To tell the world that differnt sectors of society plan to see your downfall, Mr. President, you are providing ample evidence that you are not the choice. Not even the best lobbyists can put these broken pieces together again. It is inconceivable that Gambians remain in slow suffering life without food, without power supplies, without security, and now perpetually threatened with intimidation and death. That is not sustainable and Gambians in can take no more of it. Forward with Gambia. Down with state crime and the fear of state organised crime.