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Rambou's UDP dump at Mile Two-AU Delegates should take note of Jammeh's move to throw the country into turmoil!!!
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Rambou's UDP dump at Mile Two-AU Delegates should take note of Jammeh's move to throw the country into turmoil!!!
Rambou's UDP dump at Mile Two-AU Delegates should take note of Jammeh's move to throw the country into turmoil!!!
EDITORIAL
The African Union Summit currently underway in The Gambian Capital
Banjul, should seriously looked into the looming political crisis in
the Gambia and find a lasting solution to the problem.The current
Gambian crisis could lead to a full blown political upheaval if not
handled with care and high sense of responsibility by these leaders
representing the continent in this important August gathering. There is a
problem at hand facing our dear country and leaders such as Koffi
Annan, John Koffor, President Wade, President Obsanjo, President Mbeke
and others should use the occasion to talk to President Jammeh to end
his "madness" in the interest of national stability.
  
President
Jammeh's preoccupation is to plunge The Gambia into turmoil. This is
manifested by his dictatorial policies and forced rule attitude. The
blood thirsty dictator killed, maimed and forcefully exiled his
opponents. From 1994 to date hundreds of Gambians died from the hands
of this ruthless tyrant. He uses the army to gun down opponents and
critics.
While the AU leaders are currently in Banjul,
magistrate Kebba Sanyang entertained a request made by the Inspector
General of police to jail Bakau Councillor Ousman Jatta, alias Rambo.
The magistrate invokes the issue of "National Security" to jail Rambo,
a strong supporter of the Main Opposition United Democratic Party
(UDP). Rambo was accused of "using abusive words" which the state says
tantamount to breach of national security. Efforts made by Rambou's
attorney opposition leader Ousainou Darboe, for his client to be
granted bail failed. The case in question is "politically motivated and
we know the objective of the IGP to drag Rambo to court at this hour.
All these bogus charges are calculated to provoke the UDP/NRP alliance
to take to the streets. The blood thirsty dictator wants to kill some
opposition supporters in a bid to subtract their growing support in the
country. The second theory is that he wants to hide in the name of
national security to lock potential opponents before the September
polls.
The opposition should tide their belt and be ready to
counter Jammeh's politics of terror. Classified information passed to
this paper by the NIA indicates that certain political leaders and
their supporters had been targeted by the State in the days to come.
The NIA official who spoke to the Freedom Newspaper said the said
operation to silence the opposition will begin after the AU Summit. The
President said our source is very upset following Washington's move to
suspend the country's millennium Challenge Account and was posed to
vent his anger on his opponents. The NIA official predicts gloomy days
for the country, as in his own words "many government opponents are
lined up to be taken to the Mile Two Prisons."
Ousainou Darboe
and Hamat Bah should start reading the writings on the wall. First, the
state started its terror campaign with MC Cham and Mariam Jack Denton.
Yesterday, they dumped Rambo to jail without any justified reasons. Who
knows who is next. The said classified information the Freedom
Newspaper relayed was declassified by a senior NIA agent. This agent
loved the Gambia and her people. His action to share such a classified
state information with us can be viewed as a "positive gesture."
It
is our contention that President Jammeh is trying to test the NRP/UDP
alliance. Darboe and Bah should prove to Jammeh that they are ready to
pass any test they are exposed to in days to come. If this culture of
silence continues, we can comfortably say that Jammeh will one day try
to detain NRP/UDP leaders.
Magistrate Sanyang is allowing
himself to be used by the system. What is wrong with giving up your job
if you feel that you are not given free hands to do your job. Sanyang
should remember the day when he visited the late Deyda Hydara and my
very self at the Point with a corruption complaint against Magistrate
King. Sanyang in an interview with Pa Nderry M'Bai accuses King of
"massive corruption and abuse of office. In that interview, which led
to a major shake up in the judiciary, Sanyang charges that King was a
"mercenary magistrate" who connived with corrupt court clerks to
embezzle state funds. That King will fined accused persons and turned
around to collect such funds and put them in his pockets. That most of
the accused persons fined were declared acquitted and discharged.
Deyda
and myself were impressed by Sanyang's brevity to expose graft at his
own house the judiciary. He Sanyang told us that he was ready to face
the consequences, but will not watch by to allow King to defraud the
State. The same Sanyang told us that King was in the good books of the
Jammeh regime. That President Jammeh took King to Mecca in a bid to
lure the disgraced magistrate to side with the state on cases that the
government have interest. Sanyang also told us that King's fridge was
always filled with cow meat. That he King usually extort bribes from
poor litigants in the upcountry.
We are merely reminding
Sanyang about the honesty he preaches when he visited us at the Point
few years ago. Right at his grave yard, Deyda Hydara, will be very
shocked to learn that magistrate Sanyang who registered a case against
King is acting in such an unprofessional manner. The same Sanyang was
given scholarship to pursue his master's degree program in the United
Kingdom shortly after his row with King.
We are disappointed,in
the sense that our hopes and expectations on Sanyang had been
shattered. We were with the firm belief that Sanyang was going to be a
role model after his return from his UK studies. That he was going to
help revamp the tainted image of the judiciary and further expose
judicial graft. But what we are witnessing today is the kettle calling
the pot black. Sanyang's failure to grant bail to Rambo is an affront
to democracy, good governance and the rule of law. The offence in
question is bailable and we still cannot fathom why Sanyang is making
himself very low by allowing himself to be used by the executive.
Sanyang
should bear in mind that repressive regimes like that of the Jammeh
government hides in the name of national security and domestic
terrorism to intimidate its opponent. The judiciary should not aid and
abet such despots bent on undermining the freedoms and liberties of
citizens. Magistrate Sanyang is exactly repeating what he
accuses King. He is worse than King.
Coming back to the AU
Summit, we urge the opposition to try and meet with delegates and
highlight our political crisis. This will help a great deal in exposing
monster Jammeh.
It is imperative for the AU to understand that
the best way to stop these coups and counter coups is to end self
perpetual rule. The regional body should encourage countries to promote
two term limit for the Presidency and the respect for human rights and
the rule of law. The military should stay away from active politics.
Our leaders should also not create the conditions for lawlessness and
coups. Coups are unconstitutional acts and should not be entertained.
The AU should also start asking itself, what leads to coups and how
to discourage such an anti democracy acts. Imagine dictators like
Jammeh saying that they will rule The Gambia in the next thirty years.
It is time for the AU to address these pressing issues and stop the
double standards. We are sick and tied with the empty talks. It is time
for action to save the continent from dictators like Jammeh.
The editor can be reached at the following emails
addresses:editor@freedomnewspaper.com, panderry_mbai@yahoo.com If you
know that it is happening or is about to happen, please contact us. The
Freedom Newspaper is your leading and most authoritative source of
news.
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Posted on Thursday, June 29, 2006 (Archive on Friday, June 30, 2006)
Posted by PNMBAI Contributed by PNMBAI
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