Dear president Jammeh,
As
a concerned Gambia citizen currently resident in the U S, I am closely
following the political developments taking place in our mother land
under your leadership. Thus I deem it necessary to remind you upfront
about some fundamental duties and responsibilities of that honored
position of presidency -the highest position in the land , which you
happen to occupy today.
Mr. president, as the chief
executive officer of the nation, it is your constitutional duty to
uphold, defend and protect the constitution of the republic. This
entails the safeguarding of the constitutional rights of all who live
within the boarders of the Gambia. It is another duty of the president
to promote the development of a healthy socio - political environment
in which functional democratic institutions can be established and
accorded the room to grow and flourish. As the president, it is also
your duty, both legal and moral to strive for the economic empowerment
of the people you claim to serve.
Mr.
president, I think it would be worthwhile at this point for you to sit
back and take stock of your own actions and that of your government
since you came to power in July of 1994 through criminal means, by
forcefully and violently overthrowing the democratically elected
government of the people. Following this criminal action on your part
and that of your cronies, you forced our dear mother land in to a
period of political sidation, by banning all politicians, political
parties as well as political activities of all sort in the country. You
did all these just to satisfy your greed for power at the expense of
the Gambian people.
Any way lets take a quick look at your records on
the protection of the constitutional rights of the people; Ofcouse,
over the years you have paid a lot of lip service to safeguarding the
constitutional rights of all. To quote one of your favourite
statements: Do right and fear nothing. What a beautiful statement!
However it is heart sinking to realize that your rethorics does not
match your deeds.
How many innocent Gambian citizens, defendless civilians for that matter have you murdered with impunity?
How many orphans and widows are created by your senseless brutality?
How
many political opponents have you abducted from their homes, detained
and tortured indefinitely without access to the justice system?
How many fair minded journalists have you persecuted, detained and exiled?
How many arson attacks have you directed at various independent media houses ?
AND
How
many innocent school children have you massacred on April 10th and 11th 2000?
Mr.
president, your records does not look good. Your hands are stained with
innocent blood and I am afraid that the route you are embarking on in
the run up to the Sept. polls could only make things worse. All the
early indications are there that, in terms of your own words and the
recent attacks on the opposition campaign delegation by your misguided
boys, who are severely indoctrinated with your madness and hate filled
political philosophy that the electoral process is going to be anything
but free, fair and peaceful.
However as a
fellow Gambian, I wish to remind you that force can bend heads but not
minds. The human spirit is free and can endure. Thus no force on the
face of the earth can subjugate a people for good. In essence, we (the
Gambian people ) will be the ultimate winners in this struggle, not you
and your gang of cold hearted killers, who took pride in torturing
their fellow citizens for your ( Jammehs ) pleasure. What a shame.
This is the lowest man can go.
My
humble advice to you is that, although it is already late, you still
have a small window of opportunity to repent and come back to your
senses, give up your barbaric and despotic behaviors before the hour
comes when you shall be seated before the judgement seat of the Gambian
people - a people you have oppressed for more than a decade against
their will, to account for your actions.
REMEMBER, THIS DAY IS INEVITABLE AND IT IS NEAR HAND.
BY LAMIN DIBBA
Minnesota, USA.