Yahya Jammeh is the most polarizing figure in Gambia. In his speech Wednesday evening at Talinding— a town in Gambia, he spoke of tribalism and ethnic prejudice. The credibility gap between his words and deeds yawns wider. As divisive as he is, the current leader of Gambia has simply exacerbated a trend towards disunity that he has been developing for years. He continues — a record-setting pace of tribalism, divisiveness and mistrust for 22 years straight. Arm with the arrogance of power, Yahya Jammeh has grown particularly contemptuous and adventurous about destroying the bonds of trust and traditions of Gambia. For example, Yahya Jammeh’s regard for the majority tribe has been on a nosedive for the past 20 years. His popularity at home is fed by similar effrontery. Gambians should carefully consider the future direction of the Gambia under the stewardship of APRC regime. He is trying to burden Gambians with collective nationalism guilt by lecturing about Pan-Africanism, tribalism and the sin of the past colonial rulers. We categorically reject all these phenomena.

If Yahya Jammeh continues to serves as president. Gambians should begin by asking a key questions. Why is this man bombarding us with ethnic prejudice, tribalism, especially pan Africanism, on his tour and what does this philosophy means? He likes to talk about the worst examples of other peoples’ behavior 400 years ago but applies them to us now. Yahya Jammeh wants to rule Gambia with his 1970s mentality but wants himself and his family to enjoy all the benefits modern world. Not surprisingly, take a look at his family’s lifestyle compared with ordinary Gambians under his rule. He promised Gambians development but delivered disappointment and stagnation in the 1970 era. Our nations pocketbooks— have been thinning for so long because of his flamboyant and expensive lifestyle putting heavy strains on Gambia. His family owns the best — mansions, fleet of cars (phantoms, hummers, bimmers) and a bank account healthier than the nations savings. His home village have seen more development and is much cleaner than the capital. Our villages are still running two-wheel donkey carts for all purposes. Our hospital without proper medication.

A competent president would know that shared values like love of country, not Pan-Africanism resentment, to enables Gambia and Gambians to achieve their developmental goals. We understand the world is a global village but charity begins at home. The first responsibility of Yahya Jammeh and his regime is the perilous task to serve the Gambian people, not his— bank account, not his lust of “African Trademark” and dividing our society with tribal prejudice. Yahya Jammeh’s Pan-Africanism have other notions — a continued reliance on a policy of open-handedness of our nation coffers and judiciary to other citizens in hopes of attracting fame in history books. This is obvious nonsense. His mind control initiative— was first undertaken in a 1995 interview with a Senegalese medium. Mr. Jammeh explained his view of our “Legayocrasy” — one that goes well beyond the typical penchant for developing a nation and includes— a drastic revolutionary change. Apparently, that wasn’t radical enough for Mr. Jammeh.

He preaches about Gambia’s tribal color blindness and equality as cornerstone— that made us different from other nations to win the hearts and minds of people. Jammeh did unnecessarily politicize the government’s civil servants. He will dish out degrees— famous 89 which favored an unprecedented expansion of the powers of his government back then. Mr. Jammeh wants a government to have a bias in favor of an entire class of individuals. People with qualifications are increasingly frustrated of being hampered by internal tribal politics of hiring and nepotism. Yahya Jammeh in election time will speak so strongly about tribalism but kept Gambians in the dark about staffing decisions and hiring’s that aren’t being made on merits. A lot of his tribes’ men landed top jobs without necessary qualifications just to divide Gambians. This is wrong. We are all Gambians and love each other. Social engineering of the nation’s service men has been one of Yahya Jammeh’s goals in his quest to transform Gambia, and that means— playing with soldiers and ordinary citizens heads. By now we heard many related stories of military services about how superiors wanted to promote a qualified personnel because of their skills matched the job, but they were turned down by regime.

The colorblind tribal society in Gambia is no more under this regime. Yahya Jammeh has successfully divide Gambian communities, families and popular towns such as Bakau— Banjul — and Birikama using job positions to constantly put people at each’s others throat. No one has done more to work to cause inherent friction among the various ethnicities in Gambia than Yahya Jammeh and handful of his henchmen of this APRC regime. He and handful of rotten people, secretly spread— a message of in tolerance and differences among his tribesmen. During the PPP government, there were accusations that hiring decisions were based on who you know rather than what you know. With the APRC regime, Jammeh backhandedly gave us a pervasive culture of nepotism and tribal favoritism. The appalling pattern of workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, rampant retaliation— is mind boggling. This is the reason why the government isn’t operating to its fullest potential. People whom were drivers, orderly’s, watch men now assumed mayoral posts, parliamentarian jobs, ambassadors and ministerial jobs etc.

There is no evidence that Mr. Yahya Jammeh has been seeking any consensus to change his ways. Gambia is one of the most overworked nations. He senses an opportunity to put additional pressure on a diminished and overworked Gambians. For 22- years, you have everything and we have nothing to show for. The Gambian people should ponder whether this model governance is the one we need to adopt at this juncture in our history as a country. Its seams we all looked the other way for 22 years. Gambians now want a vibrant government that will help fast track developmental goals. We don’t like the APRC model of cozy relationships and sweetheart deals when it comes to contractors or grantees, and the same holds true for pulling strings to benefit a particular tribe and friends. What makes us exceptional is — there isn’t tribal grave yard or tribal market in the Gambia. We are one people and Yahya Jammeh is the bad man. We are proud of all our different cultures. Gambians will soon come together to repent, repair and reinvent their wrong doings to society after you are long gone. So Yaya Jammeh, you keep your tribalism and Pan Africanism. A leader at his best — lifts the spirits of people but our eyes have seen a lot of bad examples from you.

I will leave you with one verse of the Quran to ponder upon. Surat rum verse 22: And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your languages and your colors. Indeed, in that are signs for those of knowledge.

Ramadan Mubaka

By Habib (A Concerned Gambian)

The best among you are not those who do not miss their five daily prayers or frequent churches every week BUT watch innocent, defenseless people get oppressed and murdered and endorse it even tacitly. Jammeh’s misappropriation of our state resources, overstay, rudeness are bearable but appointing himself as God’s deputy on earth taking lives at will has to stop. The Gambia has been an oppressed nation for the longest, but blatant killing and murder by the oppressor earns no condemnation from a supposedly religious people.

You do not have to be invested in our politics to see the sad, urgent developments that have our country impregnated with explosive potential chaos. We can scream about how religious and tight-knitted we are as a people but we’re not God’s favorite country or people, and are not any better than the countries that went this path to destruction before us. We earned the right to meet force with force.

JAMMEH SAID:

“I don’t see the point. People die in custody or during interrogations, it’s really common. This time, there is only one dead and they want investigations?, I will not. No one can tell me what to do in my country.”

Yaya did not only confirm Solo Sandeng’s death but reiterated his lack of care and concern for Gambian lives especially that ‘this time there is only one dead’. Well, when someone dies in state custody thorough and expeditious investigations are launched to establish cause of death to rule out or ascertain any foul play. This hasn’t been the case. No admission of death nor the dead body given to the family for befitting burial. This lack of empathy or remorse is evidence of the level of respect Yaya has for you, me, our families. But we are the enemies of the country we’re all born in and have everything we love in? We are the violent ones?

It’s no secret that Yaya has no iota of regards for any regional or international bodies because he is confident that they’re not going to do anything serious that would affect his presidency. No sanctions or travel band of any kind worries this idiot who is richer and wealthier than his country. This is our fight and it is apparent that before you have any serious international intervention of any sort, things have to get worse or at equal severity with countries like Myanmar, Syria, etc.

Gambia unfortunately but deservedly will have to stand for herself against the barbarity if the state and leadership are the perpetrators of this sadness. We would not love to take lives but we have to kill in defense of self, family and nation. We’re getting there. This isn’t acceptable and we can’t say it can’t be helped. Instructing to have an already beaten woman to be raped is sadistic, and whoever has the guts to even think that should be murdered.

The arrest of Solo Sandeng, his brutal torture and subsequent murder; the arrest, torture and sexual assault of the women arrested with him whom from their sworn affidavits left no room for speculation that rape is a standard weapon of torture by our state agents sanctioned by the president; and the arrest of our elderly, frail parents and senior citizens in Ousainou Darboe, Femi Peters, Kemeseng Jammeh, Lamin Dibba among others, and the use of unnecessary excessive force to the point of beating and to bloody them in the process by fatherless security officers born to unfaithful mothers of street prostitutes – are enough for Gambians to fend for themselves. We have to meet force with force, which I’m aware cannot be if we go one-to-one with the state that has all the weapons and machinery at their disposal. However, we can take on the state and still prevail.

 
Every Gambian has a family or friend in our security outfits. Darboe, Femi, Solo, Nogoi, Fatoumatta Jawara, Daba Marena, Deyda Hydara, Chief Manneh, and all who got killed, torture and detained in the 22 years of Jammeh’s brutal regime, have someone in the Army, NIA, Paramilitary and Police. How do you live your lives knowing that your mothers, wives, sisters and daughters were undressed, beaten and asked to be gang raped by your coworkers for Yaya Jammeh? How? So I struggle to understand why are these people watching criminals torture and kill their relatives and do or say nothing about it. It’s no secret that those who murdered Gambians and put hands on Darboe, his people and those before them are in your midst. You know who did what and where. You are not able to defend your parents, stop these heartless criminal nor are you able quit your job in protest to name and shame them. You go home, cry alone and go right back to work with them the next day. Your lives are a waste and you will die unhappy and guilty.

Revenge and Avenge! Hurt and Kill Jammeh’s agents of terror and oppression in retaliation for what’s been unlawful killings of your people. Attack in revenge, those who give such orders and their families. Make them live in similar perpetual fear that has you dread nightfall. If you cannot in a face-to-face combat, use any weapon to kill Yaya, his children and mother, and anybody who stands in your way in defending and protecting your family. You know where Asombie Bojang lives. You know where Muhammed goes to school. Attack and kill them. You do not have to do that for country, but yourself and family. If Yaya thinks he has monopoly over killing, he’s right because you let him. On suspicion of target or harassment by Jammeh loyalists you either join in wrecking havoc on your own people to prove loyalty OR threw away your uniforms and run for your lives leaving your families at his mercy. Cowards! That’s what you are. For 22 years there’s never been any attempt on the lives of any of his family or property in a country where he chooses who lives and dies, while you put your lives on the line for him and family before he turns around and murder you. What do you think your parents and family think of you?

Pata PJ

—

PJ Saidykhan

Yahya Jammeh never falls short to make Gambia suffer a tsunami of bad publicity. In a broader sense, Jallow Kanilai’s does not need help for bad publicity because —his conduct in numerous controversies always attract increasingly fierce criticism. In another worrisome sign, his cavalier attitudes and mere words are mostly full of thorns Orientals whenever he has a microphone in front of him. Asombi’s baby—a curse of Gambia arrived in The State house having never gotten the lecture on the facts of life. It’s business as usual in highest office in Gambia occupied by Yaya Jammeh where frittering away of the nation’s resources and his love of African Trade Mark are good sport. His recent recordings reveal an enduring culture of impunity and arrogance as he slams — UN chief Ban Ki-moon and Amnesty International for demanding an investigation into the death of solo sandeng. He is graduate of the “See No Evil” in what I do School of thought.

In looking back on the past, we must not forget —before taking control of Gambia, Yahya Jammeh vowed it was time of unique destiny and opportunity for our nation and he intends to lead the most honest, most open, and most ethical Government in history— a nation dedicated to building the best possible life for our people — built not on vain hopes and good intentions, but on solid, realistic foundations. Yahya Jammeh turned away from all those promises. Among the highlights of the fruit of the APRC so called July 22nd revolution in Gambia far better than the 400 years of British rule — a favorite tactic of Yahya Jammeh; the looting kartong village sand mines, staggering inequality, our sisters sold as domestic slaves in Arab countries, Central Bank and other public enterprises as tempting pot of money, 22 years of — Waves of power outages, mysterious dead’s, skyrocketing basic food commodity prices, regime kidnapping, arbitrary arrest, deadly backway journey and the list goes on — and — on. This is a far cry from the transparency promised by Yahya Jammeh.

However, with dozens of multimillion dollar assets throughout the world at his disposal and various of his close bodies are filthy rich now along with his family members — some under investigation for corruption, APRC regime clearly values political power over clean government. This is something worth bearing in mind. The essential issues in Yahya Jammeh’s widening regime’s scandal have always been his judgment and his imperious belief that the government’s rules don’t apply to him and his family. Deservedly so. Under Yahya Jammeh’s stewardship, The Gambia coup-installed government has been not just politicized, but radicalized. On issue after issue, he has tried to redefine everything on his own image —without clear thought of consequence thereafter and sometimes in clear defiance intent. If there’s one thing APRC regime is good at, it’s the coming up of weird and expensive schemes of partying or celebrations at the expense of Gambian tax payers. They preside over a weak economy and a government riven by corruption, waste, fraud and abuse.

The government operation process in this country has never been so unseemly. Cumulatively, corruption thrives in a big way in government offices. Everything about APRC regime involves arm twisting, backroom deals, special privileges for Jammeh family and his buddies —potentially criminal agreements became a normal way of doing business. Most of the regimes business dealings are held in close door secret meetings, buddy—buddy robbing shoulders kind of a thing and family affairs trumps the nations interest. Secrecy that hides Government business activities from the public itself should be anathema in a constitutional republic. For instance, the residence of kartong village were rightfully concerned about illegal sand mining activities of Yahya Jammeh and his family. They end up jailed at prisons by the regime—later released after mounting pressure on the regime. But APRC immune officials or close bodies of the president use the system for their own business interest and easily to abuse anyone they dislike. They often pursue secret grudges of witch hunting with exorbitant taxation to the little guys with small business, stalls, meals on wheels’ peddlers and poor women selling at markets or road side—while holding hostage both business and a person’s livelihood.

And, to be technical about it, if the man at the top wanted it to be different, the stonewalling of Gambian people development would have ended years ago. Our sisters are lied to —about work and sold as domestic slaves in other countries. Furthermore, each time a Gambian brethren fell in hands of law in foreign land, they are happy to dispatch immigration personals to expedite their deportation process. That is reprehensible and especially hypocritical coming from the man who promised the most open administration in history and have Gambian interest at heart. That’s why it is more than a little irksome when the president lectures about fearing GOD and society depends on the unvarnished truth whiles he is laying broken glasses on Gambians pathway on everything. He and his administration hasn’t walked its talk. And up to a point the regime is not dedicated to building the best possible life for our people, to overcoming injustice, expanding a level plain field opportunity every Gambian regardless of political or tribal affiliation.

Additionally, Yahya Jammeh though has successfully institutionalized subsidies for Gambia neighbors and created dependence on Gambian government handouts rather than self-reliance through their own governments. Having exported part of Gambians wealth to its neighbors as a fake pan African, they are forced into bill-collecting from Gambia’s coffers. This has also produced resentment among the native Gambian population — wholly predictable. The growing Cassamance and other foreign numbers in Gambia include some with ties, however nebulous, to rebel activities is very worrisome. Gambians are weary of the spiraling political and tribal chaos. Many are biding their time doing what they can in this difficult fight, hoping to fast-forward to the next government amid hopes that Gambia can eventually restore its democracy and repair its international image.

By Habib (A Concerned Gambian)

At the outset of his presidency, Yaya Jammeh enjoyed a brief flurry of enthusiasm among Gambians but it suddenly began to decline precipitously when the citizens learned about his envious politicized and tribal -based “justice” along with his social re-engineering agenda, which — among other things — attempts to seed everything with values antithetical to the Gambian tradition. Perhaps most perniciously, as soon as Yaya Jammeh’s reason for taking over the country fell apart, he picked up his pen (Daily Observer) and microphone (State Media GRTS) — and began to distort what he had done and why he did it until today. He continues to think the Gambians are merely impatient with his failed promises rather than scared by his executive actions and deception — though misinformation. He’s wrong on all counts.

He is out there to cherry-picking facts to yield a desired effect on misinforming our citizens. They have their own semantics. For example, a “Nationalism” has become the “unpatriotic.” The APRC coming into existence through “Coup detat” is now concealed as a “July 22 revolution”. “Gambian Diasporian” instead become mislabeled as “Negative internet sites or Bad citizens”. In keeping with the use of the APRC Party’s semantics, I am opposed to the “Regime’s treatment of women” means you oppose “Gender-equality”.

As a culturally illiterate at heart, he took a stab at his ideological grudge and skewered the Gambian economy instead. He understands that mere bluff and intense psychological propaganda often succeeds to succumb peace loving Gambians — particularly if the bluff is big enough. His agenda was quickly fully unmasked along with his intensely ideological tribal grudges — though he often denies it but It’s a telling symbol of Yaya Jammeh’s dysfunctional leadership. He continues to hamstrung Gambian in every step of the way as an obstructionist. He ensures most Gambians are not informed at all or completely misinformed, and their lack of political education. He is very astute in revising his political vernacular in order to suit his politically deceptive purposes.

He seemed absolutely tone-deaf but he is out there trying to misinformed the public about his love for Gambian women to shadow the brutality he instructed on the likes of brave Fatoumata Jawara and Ndogoi njie and stunning rebuking Gambian man — whom he deprived of jobs in every facet of the economy to make them look worthless. Then, in the next breath- he is secretly mollycoddling his tortures, giving them stolen homes and sheep to feast on. He continues to flail around like he is loved by the people at the same time foisting plans to eliminate all opposed to his regime.

He employed remarkable audacity — as infallible human being with white kaftans and large heart. Well after his coup, those who once enjoyed a sterling reputation among honorable public servants were humiliated and their properties confiscated with no evidence of corruption. He made so many families suffer and has so much blood on his hands. His government is setting The Gambia on an inevitable path to permanent debtor status whiles he becomes filthy rich. Politicians, solders, journalist, and his former colleagues started dying mysteriously. He quickly resorted to using deceptive tactics to misinform Gambians, held the Islamic religion hostage to cloud mind of Gambians, stonewalled every investigation which exonerate the PPP regime and blend himself with certain community elites.

He uses our judiciary to abuse Gambians, our service men whom are paid by tax payers — to harm us with brute force, our freedoms — to create gender wars, our delicate tolerances among each other — to divide us, our passionate love for each other — to create envy among us, our endlessly accommodating culture — to cause tribal suspicion, our religion — to create deep divisions within societies and more importantly, our respect of human rights as weakness.

To refuse to examine those truths mentioned above increases the difficulty of dealing with the reality of Gambia today. The promised economic reforms have reformed nothing. Trust me, Yaya Jammeh knows this very well and see the issues dangling right before his eyes during his brief stopover at the presidential tour. Remote sea waters in the world have witnessed record numbers of Gambians risking their lives to reach freedom. Clearly, any push for an informed electorate or citizenship rights has been overshadowed by immense amounts of misinformation by the regime.

We can no longer permit “all talk, no action”. This is a new era of responsibility. Citizens who hold Gambia very dear to their heart are still digging Gambia out from the misinformation Yaya Jammeh and his regime continuously spread. It’s a very painful and hard fight because they are now manifested in our public monuments – example “Marcatty square” renamed as July 22nd square, he reduces our countries independence day celebration to nothing and our history books are all being distorted. The debt outlook we own to our beloved country is increasingly bleak but we are Gambians and we shall overcome. It further obscures the urgent necessity for us Gambians to seek our own solutions to the threat in our midst.

Political misinformation in Gambia is rampant. Appropriate action on shared civic education is times a headache. It’s no longer news that diasporian vaunted outreach to some with political aspirations or certain oppressed people has been a bust at times. We heard it all — why don’t you folks come here and join the fight. Indeed, that is very cheap to say. It is time for our fellow citizens to step forward as leaders of their generations and inspire the beginning of a new age of participation freeing Gambia again. Without the presence of a more informed citizen—Gambian will continue to crumble under the leadership of Yaya Jammeh due to its inability to represent the needs of its people. By putting pressure on the regime and inspiring all Gambians to get involve about our countries affairs, we can all prevent the continuous breakdown of the foundation of our country. Democracy will flourish in our beloved Gambia and citizens will experience the advantages of enlightened citizens, better leaders will be elected, better laws will be implemented and Gambians will prosper.

By Habib (A Concerned Gambian)