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The True Story Behind Ansumana Jammeh’s Arrest and Subsequent Trial

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Ansumana Jammeh and Co were first arraigned before the Banjul Magistrates’ Court on two counts offence of conspiracy to commit a felony and official corruption. They all pleaded not guilty and were granted bail in the sum of D100 million by the presiding magistrate, Omar Cham. Later, the state took over the case and filed a bill of indictment against them at the High Court.

 
Count one of the bill of indictment alleged that Ansumana Jammeh between 14th June 2010 and 5th January 2011 in Banjul and diverse places, being employed in the public service as Gambian Ambassador to Qatar and in the discharge of his official duties, corruptly and dishonestly received the amount of USD 1, 555, 065.00, equivalent to D45, 515, 907.00 from CONAPRO DENA BMS SARL, as incentive for procuring a contract for the building of a Gambia Food and Feed Mill project for the Government of the Gambia.

 
On count two, it was alleged that during the same period in Banjul and other diverse places, being employed in the public service as Gambian Ambassador to Qatar, and in the discharge of his official duties, Ansumana unlawfully received the amount of USD 1, 555, 065.00 equivalent to D45, 515, 907.00 from one Mr. Saoud Gandour in order to confer benefit or favour in a contract between the Gambia Government and CONAPRO DENA BMS SARL company.

 
Count three stated that in Banjul and other diverse places, being employed in the public service as Gambian Ambassador to Qatar and in abuse of the authority of his office, Ansumana Jammeh arbitrarily received the amount of USD 1, 555, 065.00, equivalent to D45, 515, 907.00 from CONAPRO DENA BMS SARL of Qatar for his personal gains.

 
On count four, Ansumana Jammeh and Hassan Badjie were said to have between the periods of 2010 to 2012 in Banjul and diverse places conspired amongst themselves to unlawfully receive for personal use, the sum of USD 1, 555, 065.00 equivalent to D45, 515, 907.00 as an incentive for procuring a contract for the building of a Gambia Food and Feed Mill project for the Government of the Gambia.

 
Ansumana Jammeh was also charged on count five for wilfully and unlawfully facilitating the procurement of a contract with CONAPRO DENA BMS SARL which caused an economic loss to the Government of The Gambia in the sum of seven million US Dollar, which is equivalent to D205, 100, 000, between 14th June 2010 and 5th January 2011 in Banjul and diverse places while being employed in the public service as Gambian Ambassador to Qatar and in the discharge of his official duties.

 
Count six stated that Sanna Bah and Hassan Badjie between the months of June, 2010 and February, 2011 in Banjul acted in collaboration with Ansumana Jammeh, Gambia’s Ambassador to Qatar to wilfully and recklessly cause economic loss to The Government of the Gambia in the sum of seven million US Dollar equivalent of two hundred and five million, one hundred thousand Dalasi being money expended for a contract between the Government of the Gambia and CONAPRO DENA BMS SARL, which act is detrimental to the economy of the Gambia Now the question which we think is bothering the mind of all Gambians and the world over is why the sudden U-turn on the part of Ansumana and Co warranting a change of their pleas. Well the answer is simple.

 
The Gambia government had entered into a contract with CONAPRO. They have breached the terms of the contract prompting CONAPRO to sue them. The Gambian government has hired the service of international lawyers to defend them.

 
Now they want to use Ansumana Jammeh as a witness to testify before the International Tribunal hearing this matter that he was bribed by CONAPRO to award them the contract which is the subject of litigation herein. In short, they want to raise the defence of bribery and Ansumana Jammeh is the only potential witness to help them in substantiating this defence for them.

 
This defence will frustrate the claim of CONAPRO. People are not stupid. Section 29(3) of the Criminal Code empowers presiding officers in The Gambia to impose an option of a fine instead of an imprisonment term where the punishment for the offence charged is not death. This provision has been invoked several times without numbers in state interest cases and have been refused. Why the change of tune in relation to Ansumana Jammeh? Gambians lets wake up!

 
Another important factor which is worth considering is the fact that the Criminal Code is a general provision. The Economic Crimes (Specified Offences) Act Cap. 13:07 is a specific legislation with its specific provisions.

 
Therefore, as a matter of construction of statutes, a general provision of the laws of a land cannot be invoked to do away with specific provisions of the laws. It is a trite cardinal principle of interpretation of statutes that where there is a conflict between the general and specific provision, then the specific shall prevail.

 
There shall be no avenue to derogate the clear provisions of a specific legislation and hide behind the general provisions of laws. Section 6(1) of the aforesaid Act states that a person convicted under it shall be sentence to a fine which is the total amount of loss occasioned to the state by the offender and in addition to a term of imprisonment not less than three years and not more than 10 years.

 
It is clear from this specific provision that the punishment which should be imposed on Ansumana Jammeh is both a fine and an imprisonment term. Section 29(3) of the Criminal Code cannot help here as the Economic Crimes (Specified Offences) Act is a specific legislation and its provisions are very clear as to what the court should no. There is nothing else the Judge could do save as what is provided by law.
The only discretion open to the Judge was to reduce the minimum imprisonment term of three years and even if she does so, she must state reasons for such as provided by section 6(3). Whichever direction the Judge took, an imprisonment term as a matter of law which guides her conduct in court, must lie against Ansumana Jammeh.

 
Ansumana Jammeh as per the clear provisions of the law must have tasted the four corners of the prison wall as a convict even for a day. Why only the fine against him without an additional mandatory jail term provided by the law? Because the state wants to use him as a witness against CONAPRO and tender this rubbish judgement as an Exhibit to show that Ansumana Jammeh had pleaded guilty to the fact that he was indeed bribed by CONAPRO. This whole trial is a sham.

 
As if all these were not enough, the Judge had the impetus to even reduce the fine. There is no provision under the Economic Crimes (Specified Offences) Act allowing a reduction of fine to be imposed when a person has been convicted under it. Its punishment provision is very clear. It states the amount of loss occasioned to the State should be the fine to be imposed. The loss as per the charge sheet is seven million US Dollar equivalent of two hundred and five million, one hundred thousand Dalasi.

 
The Judge in this case imposed D25 Million when the loss alleged to be committed by Ansumana is seven million US Dollar equivalent of two hundred and five million, one hundred thousand Dalasi. The question again is, why this VIP treatment for Ansumana Jammeh? Also, Ansumana Jammeh was given a grace period of 32 months to pay the fine imposed on him by the court. This grace period being given by the court is unlawful.

 
It is not borne out of any good faith and or law. It transgressed the law the court was set out to enforce. This is a clear manifestation of the fishy games the Yaya Jammeh government continued to exhibit in the country’s judicial deliberations. Section 6(5) of the same Act mandatorily requires of a Judge when ordering for an instalment payment of any fine imposed under the Act to set the time limit not more than 6 months.

 
Why 32 months for Ansumana Jammeh? The question remains the same. This is a trial set in motion by the government of The Gambia in other to cook a defence in a case against them by CONAPRO for breach of contract. You can elect to play smart but people will still know the underlying factor fuelling your evil moves. CONAPRO be aware of this.

AGERA 2016 Ad

Fatu Camara
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DISSENT AS AN ELEMENT OF 21st CENTURY POLITICS:

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In a democracy the conventional wisdom has been that citizens have the right to dissent and express micro-aggression against rogue leaders who violate the constitution. With trust in politicians at an all-time low denying such rights shall only lead to chaos, hence voters around the world have become cynical about politics and its practitioners. Across colleges and university campuses students of all shapes and political persuasion have expressed distaste and contempt against tyranny, and the millionaire and billionaire class holding onto extreme riches at the expense of the majority. Younger people often complain about the trust factor suspicious of traditional politicians who appear to say just about anything to win votes.

 

A democratic society is one in which peace and security reign for a prosperous people, conducting periodic elections underpinned by free speech. As Winston Churchill enumerates – such is a state in which the principles of justice and fair-play protect the weak against the strong. Over the years, however, African citizens have been manipulated and conditioned to accept the status quo. Despite evidence to the contrary, we are being asked to accept the offerings whilst billions continue to disappear into thin air. This is a daylight robbery of the poor yet to wise-up to the tricks of the trade. Premised on sixty years of failures by successive leaders all across Africa, questions about tax evasion and the maligned connections between money and politics with those lining their pockets onto ill-gotten gains lingers.

 

 

In Victorian England during the reign of King John, the British Monarchy exercised ‘absolute power’ in a reign of terror refusing to accept the demands of the masses seeking to establish an accountable system of government based on laws and plurality. The citizens eventually rose led by Langley, the Archbishop of Canterbury, demanding rights over an unelected King forcing the Monarchy into a binding accord – thus the ‘MAGNA CARTA’ was born. The Magna Carta (1215) blueprint established Britain as a nation of laws based on individual rights governed under parliamentary democracy, with the Royal family reduced to bare ceremonial purposes. The lessons of that struggle highlighted the march to democratic change is never easy. Deposing an entrenched dictatorship and a manifestly corrupt ruling class has historically proven hellish, even fatal. Across Africa, Gambians, Ugandans, and Togolese face similar predicament. Regardless of those challenges, the campaign to depose Yaya Jammeh has got to remain resilient, steadfast, but also patient recognising our strength in exploiting his weaknesses. This involves relentless expose of his scandalous regime undermining the leadership at every opportunity.

 

 

 

The power of lobby and vested interest has often led to favourable media coverage as it is with the Daily Observer Newspaper in Banjul. Hardly a day goes by without a favourable headline showcasing the dictator in good stead. Despite overwhelming evidence of banditry seeking to destabilise the Senegambia region orchestrating a potential war within the periphery, the Gambian daily continue to support him. Yaya Jammeh has orchestrated and manipulated the border impasse with Senegal in scoring political points, but it all came crashing down. Most African leaders still exploit the so-called securitization and anti-terror laws as means to strengthen their arbitrary rule, and to satisfy political positioning as exemplified by the ‘Kangaroo Court’ case ‘Darboe and Co’ are being subjected to. In today’s Gambia, the rule of law has been supplanted by the rule of the jungle, with a once democratic process and civilised citizenry masked by anxiety and disillusionment.

 

 

 

The rise social media has effectively allowed for an informed citizenry to organise and analyse free-talking politicians with such rhetoric in political discourse gauging fact from fiction. The last ten or so years has witnessed popular dissent by a disillusioned electorate fed up with lies and deceit from their leaders and acting according by taking to the streets. This scenario unfolded on the streets of Dakar, when the then incumbent, Abdoulie Wada, decided to temper with the constitution extending his term. The masses rose demanding slogans of change eventually deposing the old man. A similar fate was sealed for Blaise Compaore, in Burkina Faso, when the power hungry dictator employed similar tactics in hanging onto power. Ordinary citizens refused as people power defied military tanks and bullets on the bloody streets of the capital, Ouagadougou, overthrowing the 30 year dictatorship. When will African leaders learn? Today, the Gambian people are probably facing the worst dictatorship and repression of anywhere in the world facing major uncertainties. The economy is crumbling with no investors looking its way. Because of ineptitude and bad leadership, the country is drowning in debt according to IMF figures (2016). Across the continent, leaders often make promises of stupid proportions just to win votes knowing full well they are undeliverable. For instance, Yaya Jammeh has promised the poorly educated Gambians that he will transform the tiny west-African state into Singapore in a span of five years. How that is possible in a repressive regime pushing the nation’s economy down a cliff, with half the population malnourished seeking food-aid. Again, how is such achievable in a country in which its youth continue to flee in large numbers through the ‘back-way’ syndrome across the Mediterranean Sea seeking pastures new.

 

 

 

In1989, for example, China became synonymous with the massacre of pro-democracy protestors at Tiananmen Square, serving as a wake-up call to the Communist leadership better start putting the welfare and concern of their citizens foremost if the status quo is to sustain. Fast-forward twenty years, China has managed to uplift over 400 million of its citizens from poverty into the middle class, thus the trend continues – unprecedented human development in history. Dissent is a powerful political tool, thus encouraged. The U.S. Presidential contest for the White House has unearthed similar angry and frustrated voters who reject establishment politicians turning to a man with no political acumen, DONALD TRUMP. Political leaders in the western world have come to learn that power belongs to the people. What are the lessons for Africa in light of the ‘SOCIAL CONTRACT? Our leaders ought to realise that it is far more productive to keep a society content by providing for its needs than it is for a self-interested ruling elite to seek compliance through violence.

 

 

 

In modern 21st Century politics, citizens are no longer willing to accept lose talk and crumbles of the elite to trickle down to their level, instead demanding wholesale changes at the top for leaders with the nation’s interest at heart. As exposed by the Panama Papers, corruption is a global phenomenon which has created an international bourgeoisie exploiting the poor. Sadly, African leaders themselves have contributed to that exploitation against their own people. In true Liberal fashion, the philosopher, John Locke, has called for an overthrow of such corrupt ruling class to be replaced by a legitimate government reflecting the wishes of the majority. A population of barely two million, The Gambia is suffering from a ‘legitimacy deficit’, isolated and abandoned by its partners and allies in the international arena. A country of limitless potential, industrious and friendly people those soft-power diplomatic channels of old ought to be revisited and applied if we are to realise our collective dreams soonest. History teaches us that the long road to freedom has often ridden rougher, simply because anything worth fighting for is difficult. After twenty-two years of diaspora struggle we must remain steadfast and dedicated to the task as a collective unit if one is to exert penetrative impact and hard-blow damage to the Jammeh regime and the criminal cartel sugar-coating it. Please, I urge the various Gambian pro-democracy groups to embrace unity so as to gather international credibility, thus focus on the enemy at hand.

 

 

The quasi-democracy in The Gambia has connived in every deceitful way possible to block democratic means of expressing dissent and vexation against the manifestly corrupt government motivated by vested interest and cheap thrills. Banjul is at a critical juncture where its credible politicians are either assassinated, exiled or locked in jail. As campaign season heats up to the December 1st polls, so has extreme rhetoric escalating major human rights violations by the country’s de facto dictator narrowing the democratic space each passing day. The only viable option in changing the status quo and putting a stop to the brutality is not elections – a military takeover is justified in this instance – thus the trial of MONSTER Jammeh in earnest, dead or alive!!!

 

 

Mr Gibril Saine

England

 

Senegal confirms seizure of almost a dozen trucks and hundreds of carts involve in illegal logging in Cassamance

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By Alhagie Jobe

 

Senegalese authorities have confirmed the seizure of more than a dozen trucks, hundreds of horse carts, cranes and thousands of illegal timber logs and kept them in several military posts in the region of Ziguinchor, Cassamance.

 

This major seizure according to the military command in the Southern Zone of the country is a positive step in the fight against illegal timber trafficking in the forest.

 

Earlier in May, an aerial footage emerged about a secret and illegal timber market at the Gambia’s border village of Sare Bodjo, emanating from the illegal logging in Southern Senegalese region of Casamance.

 

Ecologist Haidar El Ali and Senegal former environment minister at a press conference in Dakar highlighted the exorbitant amount of money Senegal has lost in the illegal business and the environmental catastrophe caused by the illegal business. He revealed that there are 6 illegal timber markets in The Gambia namely Sare Bodjo, Soma, Bureng, Brikama, Bansang, Gambissara.

 

Commander Serge Boissy of Diouloulou military post in the Department of Bignona confirmed the major arrest on Sunday during a visit to the region by Abdoulaye Daouda Diallo, the minister of Interior, Augustin Tine, minister of Armed Forces and Abdoulaye Baldé, minister of the Environment and Sustainable Development.

 

The delegation is on a nationwide tour to take stock on the progress made in the fight against illegal logging in the country’s forest especially in Cassamance.

 

Commander Boissy told the delegation that the fight against illegal logging over the past months have beard fruits as they have made important arrests and seizures especially from illegal traffickers from The Gambia. “The seizures are considerable’ he said.

 

After a stop Diouloulou, the ministerial delegation proceeded to Bignona where they have the highest arrests and seizures of illegal traffickers from The Gambia.

There, the Armed Forces in collaboration with the Forestry and Hunting Units confirmed that they arrested 122 horse carts and 10 trucks bearing Gambian registration numbers with lots of logs.

 

 

“We don’t even have any more space to keep the carts, trucks and trunks. The places are full because of the seizure. But we will not stop the operations” said Commander Djimanga Diedhiou, the regional inspector of Water and Forests in Ziguinchor. The delegation then traveled to Touba Couta in the town of Nyassia where the military post also seized 58 carts and 699 logs. There, Commander Diédhiou told the delegation that the figure there is only based on the sites visited, but the seizure goes far beyond what is stated if all the other sites not visited are included. He said the different security service units in the region are involved in the fight against this illegal trafficking and will continue to intervene so as to preserve the forest.

 

 

Statistics

According to statistics released by Mr Haidar in May, more than 1 million trees have been illegally cut down since 2010 and Gambia has generated a handsome income of close to $240 million in sales to China.10, 000 hectares or 1 million trees have disappeared in past five years from Cassamance and there are 30,000 hectares of forest remaining.

 

 

Potential lost of another 10,000 hectares by 2016 if the trend continues saying the figure of one million trees is derived by dividing the total volume of exports from The Gambia to China since 2010 (419, 233 m3).

 

 

Cassamance has 30,000ha of forest remaining while The Gambia has just 4,000ha due to deforestation” he said.

GDF Gives $4,000 To The Families Of December 30 Attackers sentenced in Minnesota

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Press Statement

 

Gambia Democracy Fund – GDF, would like to inform the public that on Monday, 6/13/16, the organization disbursed $1,000 to each of the families of those sentenced in Minnesota during the week of May 10th, 2016 (totaling $4,000.00). This amount is a direct donation from GDF.

 

 

As you are aware of the legal ramifications 12/30/14 comrades are facing, Gambians in the Diaspora reached out and collectively agreed that GDF should organize a fundraising drive to support the young families they will be leaving behind. GDF must make it clear that under no circumstance did these families request help. Gambians saw a need and decided to fill that void. Therefore, after Ramadan, GDF will be conducting a fundraising simulcast on the online radios – details will be posted on our social media pages. In the interim, we urge you to please donate to this worthy cause through the Gofundme attached to this press release. You may also contact GDF for other means of making a donation.

 

 

Thank you in advance for your generous donation.

 

https://www.gofundme.com/24bpv9vu

NCP Unveils Presidential Candidate

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National Convention Party (NCP) has unveiled its presidential candidate for the upcoming December 1 presidential elections.

 
On 18 June, 2016 in Brikama, the administrative capital of West Coast Region, the NCP announced that Dr. Lamin Bolonding Bojang is its new party leader and secretary general.

 
Dr. Bojang, a former leader of the defunct People’s Democratic Party (PDP), told journalists that “The Gambia matters and that the seat of presidency is very crucial so it should be given to a credible person.”
“I am ready to sacrifice my life in the interest of Gambians, we want continuous peace and stability in The Gambia, but we are not out for a revenge,” he said.

 
He urged all Gambians to exercise their constitutional rights wisely by voting for a leader who is answerable to them and will bring development to their doorstep.

 

Dr. Bojang NCP
Jerrehba Jammeh, NCP’s deputy secretary general and party leader, said that NCP was formed in 1975 under the late Sheriff Mustapha Dibba, one of the pioneers of Gambia’s independence.

 

 
“We took part in elections, represent Gambians in parliament until in 1994 when the military took over and we were banned,” he said. “We want to inform the electorate that NCP still exist as a credible party with the intentions of effecting change through the ballot box.”
“We are urging all Gambians to join hands to ensure that democracy, human rights and rule of law to flourish in our beloved nation,” Jammeh said.

 
Majanko Samusa, NCP’s national mobiliser and campaign manager, said they call for free and fair elections. He said if the NCP is given the chance to be the flag bearer of the opposition coalition they will do better than all previous governments in The Gambia.

 
“We are yearning for electoral reform for a level playing field in the December presidential elections,” he said.
“We cherish the peace and stability of The Gambia, but we want to endeavor to remove [the ruling] APRC regime from power because of its lack of respect for human rights, and political freedom,” Samusa said.

 
“We revive the NCP, we are ready as we believe in Gambians to answer to urgent needs of the country that is to vote out a system that has failed to deliver its promise to it people.”

WHERE IS BUN SANNEH?

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All went so quiet about Ebrima Bun Sanneh since his unceremonious exit from the Gambia Police Force and subsequently as the former director of the National Drug Enforcement Agency. Bun Sanneh as was commonly called used to live in Tallinding where he was so arrogant to us the neigbours and quietly terrorized us psychologically as tool to get us into supporting his political party.

 

 

A half-baked educated former police officer never hid his support for the dictator whom he supported so well, thus almost much feared in Tallinding, not because he used to carry a pistol in the neighborhood, but he was in a position to report anyone to the authorities or even arrest you because he had the “human power” as a former police officer and an APRC loyalist and was so oblivious of the fact that he won’t remain in his position forever.

 

 

While Bun had/ has the constitutional right to support any political party / leader of his choice of which was the APRC/ dictator Yahya Jammeh, he did it wrongly in Tallinding where as neigbours who lived together side by side peacefully before the coming of Yaya Jammeh into politics had no such political issues between us to an extent of creating suspicion. This support by Bun was done with arrogance and total distain for the good neigbourliness and mutual respect we have been having in Tallinding.

 

 

Bun was in the habit of carrying his official pistol tucked in between his underwear and his trouser anytime he is taking a walk in the neighbourhood. He used to do it in a way that if he was passing you or meeting him in the streets; you must see the pistol. Also, he made sure he greeted you in order to draw your attention to the hand-gun he was carrying. Bun was also without respect for our Tallinding Muslim worshippers as he used to carry the pistol into the mosque and would pretend to have forgotten the pistol in the mosque. This would later be taken to him at his home by some worshippers who thought he forgot the pistol by mistake. This was an intimidation tactic he employed thinking it would force some of us to cross-carpet into APRC.

 

 
Interestingly, Bun confided into someone in the neighborhood that he made a mistake and is so embarrassed to now visit Tallinding because of his past sycophancy with the neighbours since he moved out to his new compound in Yundum (I think).

 

 

Ebrima Bun Sanneh was indeed oblivious that dictator Yahya Jammeh does not have friends; he forgot that neigbours came first before Yahya Jammeh; he forgot that any position on this earth and especially in the government of Yahya Jammeh is very temporal; he forgot that he can’t intimidate people with a gun; he forgot that Yahya Jammeh will go sooner or later and that our relationship and good neighborliness shall always remain forever.

 

This is just a reminder and a simple message for Bun Sanneh that he owes an apology to his former neighbours in Tallinding for his careless attitude he demonstrated while he was at his peak. May Allah help Bun with a better mindset and a good thinking faculty.

 

By a Concerned Gambian

Leaked Gambia Gov’t affidavit confirmed Solo Sandeng died in State Custody

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By Alhagie Jobe

The Gambia government through its legal representatives in the ongoing trial involving the state versus opposition UDP members on Thursday, June 16, 2016, confirmed in an open court that Ebrima Solo Sandeng, the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) youth leader indeed died in state custody.

 

 

An affidavit signed by Saihou Omar Jeng, the NIA director of operations confirmed the death of Mr Sandeng during arrest and interrogation. Mr Jeng has ever since been accused of supervising the torture and killing of Mr Sandeng. Mr Jeng’s name appeared in both affidavits of Fatoumatta Jawara and Nogoi Njie who were equally tortured the same day alongside the late Solo Sandeng.

 

 

The late Mr Sandeng and a dozen others were arrested on April 14, in the strategic Westfield junction during a peaceful protest demanding justice and electoral reforms. He was later reported dead under the custody of the notorious National Intelligent Agency after severe torture.

 

 

The beating and killing of Mr Sandeng was also confirmed by a co-accused person Nogoi Njie, another UDP party member in a leak affidavit detailing her ordeal after been seriously tortured. Nogoi narrated how Mr. Sandeng was beaten, humiliated, and treated like an animal which resulted to his subsequent death.

Below is the leak affidavit signed by Mr Jeng, the NIA director of operations confirming the death of Mr Sandeng and presented in court by state prosecutors on Thursday June 16, in reply to a Habeas Corpus earlier filed by defense lawyers on behalf of Mr Sandeng.

 

Avidavit 1Avidavit 2Avidavit 3

 

 

LATE MUSA NGUM ‘S FAMILY TO RECEIVE D35, 000 FROM THE THE MUSA NGUM TRIBUTE COMMITTEE.

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PRESS STATEMENT

 

The Musa Ngum Tribute Committee was set up barely 48 hours after the demise of the legend in October of last year to help sustain his legacy and raise funds to support his family.

 
The project started with the establishment of a Gofundme account to raise funds for the family followed by the production of two tribute songs; one of which was released in February of this year and another one yet to be released.

 
The final phase will be to organize a tribute concert in October to coincide with the aniversary of Musa’s death.

 
The committee is glad to announce that we have raised D35,000 through our Gofundme account and individual donations.

 
Tomorrow June 17 at 4pm Gambia time, the committee will be handing over the money to Musa Ngum’s family at their residence in Kololi. The handing over ceremony will be attended by high ranking public officials, musicians, journalists and other stakeholders including Mr. Bai Janha, Senemi Tailor, Ousu Njie Sinyorr, Mr. Lie Ngum a.k.a Abdul Kabirr and members of the Bai Fall community of which Musa was a part.

 
The committee wishes to thank everybody who contributed in one way or the other towards the success of this project especially those who contributed financially and the musicians who participated in the tribute songs.

 
For more information, please contact Kalilu Banja on (+220)-201-5524
Thanks.

 
Rest in peace father Mose. Till we meet again. Akasa.
Musa Ngum’s Tribute Committee
Release date: 06/16/2016

Thirteen Peaceful Protesters released on bail

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By Alhagie Jobe

 

A total of 13 detainees of the April 14 peaceful protesters have been released on bail late Thursday, family sources have confirmed.

 

Those released are Baboucar Gitteh, Sadar Secka, Baba Ceesay, Ebrima Janko Ceesay, Lamin Camara, Alhagie Jammeh, Alhagie Jatta, Ebrima Jadama, Pa Ousman Njie, Kekuta Yabou, Baboucar Jah, Muhamed Jawneh and Baboucar Touray respectively.

 

The only condition attached to their bail is that they should not take part in any form of protest for the next six months.

 

Family members have confirmed that they only bailed out their love ones with a single Gambian Identity Card and have completed the paper works late Thursday evening at the Police Headquarters in Banjul. All the 13 detainees have all been released and have reunited with their families.

 

Twenty five people were arrested on April 14, 2016, alongside the late Solo Sandeng who died in state custody after staging a peaceful demonstration at Westfield Junction demanding electoral reform. Prominent among them are Fatoumatta Jawara and Nogoi Njie, the chairperson and deputy chairperson respectively of the women’s wing of United Democratic Party (UDP). They have since been denied bail on several occasion by the High Court in Banjul and kept under custody at the Mile Two Central Prison.

 

The case of some of the April 14 peaceful protesters which was recently transferred from the High Court in Banjul to the High Court in Mansakonko, Lower River Region witnessed its first hearing on Tuesday, June 14, 2016, but could not proceed.

 

When the case was called, A.M Yusuf and Sheriff Kumba Jobe who represented the State said they wished to proceed with the matter but lawyers for the accused persons were not in court.

 

“Have the lawyers been put on notice?” asked the presiding judge and in response, State counsel Yusuf said he is not sure whether they were put on notice. He therefore urged the court to direct an order to that effect.

 

The judge then adjourned the case to Wednesday 15 June 2016 for mentioning of the case and ordered that the accused persons and their attorneys be put on notice before the said date to enable them to appear in court.

 

Meanwhile, all 11 peaceful protesters transported to Mansakonko have been moved back to Mile Two Central Prison this afternoon, June 16, 2016, no information was given as to what the next step will be.

Gambia’s Court of Appeal president Edrissa Fafa M’bai Removed, General Legal Council Secretary resigns

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By Alhagie Jobe

 

Justice Edrissa Fafa M’bai, the president of the Gambia Court of Appeal has been removed, reports indicate.

 

Mr M’bai who served in various capacities in the judiciary, the latter of which was a High Court judge was in May 2015 appointed as acting president of the Gambia Court of Appeal and later confirmed as President of The Gambia Court of Appeal.

 

No official reasons was advanced for the removal of Mr M’bai but judicial sources has hinted that it’s in relations to opposition UDP leader Ousainou Dabor and Co case. It’s reported that the defense counsels for Mr Darboe and Co seek Justice M’bai’s intervention for the accused persons be granted bail by the machinery judges as their charges are bailable.

 

The opposition UDP members who were arrested since April 14 & 16 respectively and slapped with politically motivated charges has since been denied bail on several occasions and detained at the dirty state Central Prison of Mile II.

 

Other resignations

Meanwhile, there are reports that the Secretary to the general legal council  Barrister Yassin Senghore has tendered her resignation today following a similar move by Bar Association President, Loubna Farage earlier.

 

No reason(s) has been advanced for both resignation but judicial source said is in relations to the opposition UDP leader and Co trial which has not only sparked outrage in the country but in the international community as its described as a political case.

 

Mr Darboe and 19 others were back in court today, Thursday amid unprecedented number of supporters’ presence in court. The opposition supporters, family members and sympathizers went wild and screamed their names as gallants, prompting the security to warn that they would not allow people in court in the next adjourned date.

 

Meanwhile, Mai Ndure, the wife of Mr Darboe spoke outside the court today and said: “My husband is a good man. He is not a tribalist and his life has always been punctuated with sacrificing for the people. I am not Mandinka but I am honoured to marry a man like him and a Mandinaka” she said.

The Gambia Gov’t finally confirm that opposition UDP member Solo Sandeng died in state custody

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By Alhagie Jobe

The Gambia government has finally admitted in court today, Thursday, June 16, 2016 that Ebrima Solo Sandeg, the opposition United Democratic Party youth leader has ‘indeed’ died in state custody.

 

The confirmation was contained in a reply by the state to a Habeas Corpus filed on behalf of the late Sandeng at the High Court for the Gambia government to produce him dead or alive.

 

The Director of Public Prosecution SH Barkun who is representing the state in the trial of the opposition members ended the endless speculations and stories about faith and whereabouts of Mr Sandeng in his reply today saying ‘Mr Sandeng indeed died in state custody and cannot be produce in court”.

 

Many believe that Mr Sandeng died during interrogation at the hands of the President Yahya Jammeh’s ‘notorious’ National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the body was disposed of at a Tanji NIA office complex.

 

The late Mr Sandeng was arrested on April 14 at the strategic Westfield Junction for merely calling for justice and electoral reforms. He and dozen others were rounded up by police and detained. He was alleged to have died during torture under state custody and the others were also detained incommunicado for weeks before been produced before the courts, for they were equally tortured and suffering pains and under critical condition.

 

Mr Sandeng’s death prompted another peaceful demonstration on April 16 led by the party’s leader Ousainou Darboe and top executive members, demanding his release, dead or alive. They were also arrested at the spot, detained at the state central prison of Mile II and currently undergoing trial.

 

Meanwhile, the state is still confused over the case of the opposition leaders especially those arrested on April 14. Reports are emerging that the Inspector General of Police negotiating with them to promise not to make any further protest so as to drop the case.

 

Though the confirmation by the DPP of Mr Sandeng story in court is the first time since the case started despite same rumor ongoing, but earlier President Jammeh himself told the French magazine Jeune Afrique that Solo Sandeng died in state custody and rubbished the call by UN Chief Ban Ki-moon and Amnesty international for investigations.

 

The ongoing political crisis sparked global condemnation. The United Nations, EU, African Union, ECOWAS among others has since deplored the attacks of 14 and 16 April 2016 against the peaceful demonstrators and called for swift and independent investigations into these events, and into the reported death in custody of opposition activist Solo Sandeng.

 

Electoral reform

Among the new electoral law is anyone who wants to register a political party or run as presidential candidate has to pay GMD500, 000, amounting to US$11,870 or £8,240, which the opposition and critics says is simply aimed at undermining pluralism in the economically-stagnant country and way of weakening the effectiveness of the opposition. The government, however, said the law was necessary to ensure parties are well organized.

Gambians head to the polls in December 2016 in which current president Yahya Jammeh is seeking for a fifth term.

 

Advanced Plans In Place To Harm UDP Leader Lawyer Ousainou Darboe In Prison

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UDP Press Statement

 

The United Democratic Party (UDP) is alerting Gambians and indeed the international community about advanced plans to physically harm the leader Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, currently in remand with scores of his executive and other supporters.

 
The UDP Diaspora has confirmed from different credible security sources that specified plans were discussed on two different occasions in the last seven days on what to do with the UDP Leader, Lawyer Ousainou Darboe.

 
At least so far we have been able to establish from our credible security contacts that one of the plans agreed upon by the regime is to use imbedded hoodlums from President Jammeh’s Hit Squad (The Jungluers) who will be planted as inmates at Mile II Prisons to stage an attack on Mr Darboe. Another method which was discussed to harm Mr Darboe is to administer poison possibly on his food or water.

 
Using rudimentary poisoning from sources like acids from lead batteries to eliminate prisoners who are perceived enemies of the Gambian regime is not new. Several inmates who served their prison term in Mile II have confirmed this to be a routine measure used to eliminate people at the State Central Prison.

 
It could be recalled that some two months ago The Gambia government through the interior minister Ousman Sonko embarked on quest to acquire poison through illicit sources in Eastern Europe. The attempt to acquire the lethal poison was detected by some Western Intelligence which raised the alarm.

 
Lawyer Darboe and many other detainees are also denied food from family making the state the sole provider of everything they consume. On rare occasions when family members are allowed to bring in food from home, prison authorities acting on orders from President Yahya Jammeh, put in place every obstacle possible to prevent the detainees from eating the home made food.

 
We are serving notice that the government of The Gambia will bear full responsibility for Lawyer Ousainou Darboe and indeed all detainees under its custody. Lawyer Darboe was arrested healthy and sound. Should anything happen to him or any other person arrested in relation to the events of April and May 20165, The Gambia government will have to bear full responsibility of the consequences.

 
The UDP wants to make it categorically clear that it and the Gambian people will not tolerate any attempt to bring harm to the heroes illegally held in prison. We demand their full and unconditional release, a full accounting of all arrested personnel, and comprehensive reform.

 
To our compatriots in the fight for freedom, we urge you to redouble your efforts to see this seminal battle through. Let us remain united in purpose, focused on our common objectives and get the job done together.

President Jammeh’s Threats against Mandinka’s in Gambia are Irresponsible and Repugnant of a National Leader.

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By Professor Binneh s Minteh

 

Controversy is not new about The Gambia’s irrational and psychopathic leader. He takes pride in killing and burying citizens 6-9 feet deep and his distaste or dislike for the ethnic Mandinka group in the Gambia has never been a hidden agenda.

 

While serving in The Gambia National Gendarmerie, Yaya Jammeh had always singled out Mandinka’s as bad people. As an acting sgt at the time, he had either directly or indirectly attacked Mandinka’s in comments and remarks. As a former officer of the Gambia National Gendarmerie, I can fully recall Jammeh’s ruthless and disrespectful encounter with a Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) Kebba Dibba, largely on the bases of his ethnicity as Mandinka. Similarly, Yaya Jammeh’s encounter with Captain Ebrima Camara remains fresh in our memories. As a Second Lieutenant Jammeh brandished a pistol and threatened to shoot Captain Camara in front of the Commander’s office at Fajara Barracks during the tenure of Lt.Colonel Pa Jagne (AKA, Press Jagne). Both these encounters were entrenched in Jammeh’s deeply rooted hatred for the Mandinka.

 

Upon coming to power in 1994, Yaya Jammeh briefly but in a brilliant fashion shoveled aside all anti-mandinka sentiments in the early years of the coup for two main reasons: first to consolidate his power across government and security landscape, second to win the hearts and minds of ethnic Mandinka’s across the country to support his dubious political intentions of transitioning to a legitimately elected leader. This was evident in Jammeh’s administrative tactical deception that ensued promotion and designation of command and responsiblity within the armed and security and other government institutions. It was similarly evident in the Gambian leader’s use of former foes, Retired Captain Yankuba Touray, Retired Captain Edward Singhateh, and Retired Captain Kaaba Bayo as mouth pieces during political campaigns, largely to bring Mandinka’s onboard his grand scheme of hanging on to power.

 

Old habits dont die or fade away quickly, and this is true with the human nature of the Gambian leader. No sooner than President Jammeh consolidated and entrenched his power base, the anti-Mandinka rhetoric and hatred in him came to the forefront of his political leadership. Throughout his two decades rule in The Gambia, President Yaya Jammeh’s divisive politics has repeatedly singled out Mandinka’s with hateful remarks such as ” Mandinka’s are foreigners, Mandinka’s think they own Gambia, Mandinka’s are evil, And Mandinka’s will never assume political leadership of The Gambia”.

 

The most recent irresponsible and inflammatory threats against Mandinka’s did not come as a surprise either. President Yaya only truly confirmed his decades long hatred of Gambia’s largest ethnic group; hatred that is driven by ego and low self-esteem on the part of the deranged Head of State. The Gambian leader’s historic argument about the non-existence of Mandingo’s in The Gambia before the 1860’s is both unfounded and a travesty to Africa’s rich history. The distinguished Ghanaian historian, Professor, Adu Boahen (1964) opined that influence of the Manding people in West Africa dates back to the 12th and 13th centuries. Adu Boahen’s historical account noted that, what started as a petty kingdom of Kangaba in the 12th century gained influence in West Africa to include in the north, Ghana and southern regions of the Sahara, Senegambia in the West and the gold producing regions of Wangara, Bambuk and Bundu in the east (Boahen, 1964). Evidently, historical accounts of Professor Adu Boahen, and the famous Arabic historian, Ibn Khaldun, showed the Gambian leader’s historical deposition about Mandingo’s as both misconstrued and unfounded. Thanks to the efforts of the broader Gambian civil society at home and abroad, and Gambian citizens across all sectors, that Jammeh’s divisive ethnic politics is increasingly challenged in all domains.

 

Perhaps the Gambian leader failed to realize that such inflammatory remarks inciting tribal and ethnic tension only put him on an international spot light as a predator of peace and stability. As a global community we have moved from emphasis on state centricity that killed millions of world citizens to new norms of collective responsibility, emphasizing the protection of all citizens irrespective of race, religion, ethnicity, gender or political affiliation. Under such norms, states have a responsibility to protect all citizens from Genocide, Ethnic Cleansing, Crimes against Humanity, and War Crimes. When states are reluctant, unwilling or fail to protect its citizens from such grave crimes, it is the responsibility of the International community to provide protection.

 

In sum, threats and inflammatory remarks against any ethnic group are irresponsible and repugnant of a national leader. President Jammerh must resign in the interest of peace and stability in the Gambia and across the sub-region.

“The Gambia under President Jammeh has developed a plaid history of disappearing detainees to their eventual death only to shamelessly turn around to say that they have escaped lawful custody.” UDP Press Statement

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The United Democratic Party (UDP) has confirmed from multiple sources that an unspecified number of remand political prisoners who were arrested on April 14 2016 with Solo Sandeng have been removed from their prison cells and being transported to an unknown destination.

 
While it is still not clear why the abductees were removed from their cells, the UDP holds the government of the Gambia wholly responsible for their personal security and wellbeing.

 
The Gambia under President Jammeh has developed a plaid history of disappearing detainees to their eventual death only to shamelessly turn around to say that they have escaped lawful custody.

 
We can confirm that by around 1:30 GMT, state security personnel from the Police, the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Army, drove into the Mile II Central Prisons and removed an unspecified group of remand political prisoners in handcuffs. Neither their lawyers nor the prison officials were told where they were being taken to.

 
The UDP is deeply concerned about this latest case of lawlessness by a government that is aided and abated by a corrupt and unjust judicial system gone haywire with state prosecutors acting entirely on directives from the office of the president to deliberately and persistently pervert justice.

 
Although some unconfirmed reports say the abductees are being transported to the Regional Capital of Mansakonko in the Lower River Region of The Gambia, the UDP would like to make it clear that we will not take part in these state orchestrated violations and criminality which is part of a ploy to effectively imprison innocent people by cynically holding them up in endless and unlawful procedural schemes.

 
The alleged crimes that the April 14th group have been charged with were committed in the Greater Banjul Area therefore the courts in Mansakonko, 200km away cannot exercise jurisdiction over this case.

 

We reject affirmatively the judicial deception The Gambia government is attempting to use for its wholesale repression of the Gambian people.

 
Through its conduct, it has contaminated the judiciary and morphed it into an instrument of terror aided and abetted by hooded thugs embedded into the security services that violently abuse unarmed men and women in their custody.

 
We therefor restate our grave concern that The Gambia government in its persistent pattern of abuse and violence poses an existential threat to The Gambia and its people. We reject and will not submit to procedural tricks designed to hold our innocent compatriots indefinitely under the guise of judicial proceedings that are neither free nor fair.

 
If the regime continues to not honor our demands as well as those of the broader international community for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners, it alone will bear full responsibility for whatever eventualities may ensue.

 
The Gambian people are not cowered by the old vile threats of additional death and violence by a morally bankrupt regime.

 
Freedom and democracy are the only thing we will settle for and we will not rest until they are achieved whatever the price.

African Union to launch continental E-Passport in July

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By Alhagie Jobe

The African Union has announced it will launch the continental electronic passport (e-Passport) during the forthcoming 27th AU Summit scheduled to take place in Kigali, Rwanda in July 2016.

 

This flagship project, first agreed upon in 2014, falls squarely within the framework of Africa’s Agenda 2063 and has the specific aim of facilitating free movement of persons, goods and services around the continent – in order to foster intra-Africa trade, integration and socio-economic development. The concept of unrestricted movement of persons, goods and services across regions and the continent is not new; it has been outlined in documents like the Lagos Plan of Action and the Abuja Treaty – an indication that the unhampered movement of citizens is critical for Africa’s development.

 

According to a media dispatch from the African Union Commission, the first group of beneficiaries will include AU Heads of State and Government; Ministers of Foreign Affairs; and the Permanent Representatives of AU Member States based at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

 

African Union Commission chairperson Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma described the initiative as both symbolic and significant, calling it a “steady step toward the objective of creating a strong, prosperous and integrated Africa, driven by its own citizens and capable of taking its rightful place on the world stage.”

 

In her statement during the commemoration of Africa Day on May 25, Chairperson Zuma said by issuing an African passport to the leaders at the July Kigali Summit, they hope to accelerate the free movement of people, goods and services. “I see an Africa with a changed paradox, from rich continent, poor people to rich continent, prosperous people. The Africa we want is one with a vibrant Economic Community, with nothing less than 70 per cent intra-African trade” she said.

Aspirations 2 and 7 of Agenda 2063, respectively, envision an Africa that is ‘integrated’ and ‘united’, and the introduction of the Common African Passport as an effort towards realizing integration and unity on the continent.

 

Accordingly, the AU also announced that countries such as Seychelles, Mauritius, Rwanda, and Ghana have taken the lead in ensuring easier intra-Africa travel by relaxing visa restrictions and in some cases lifting visa requirements altogether. “The scene seems to be set to realize the dream of visa-free travel for African citizens within their own continent by 2020.

 

Issuance of the AU e-Passport, is expected to pave the way for the Member States to adopt and ratify the necessary Protocols and Legislation with the view to begin issuing the much expected African passport” it concluded.

 

BREAKING: Fatoumata Jawara and Co Removed From Mile 2, Taken To An Unknown Destination

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Family sources have confirmed to The Fatu Network that Nogoi Njie, Fatoumata Jawara, Lamin Sonko, Modou Ngum and Co are right now being transported to an unknown destination after they were removed from Mile two prisons.

 

Sources say they got information that the group is being taken to Mansakonko in the Lower River Divison to continue their court proceedings. The problem with that according to the source is that there is no prison in Mansakonko and also the case has no jurisdiction over there. Could it be that they are being taken to Kanilai to confess to protesting against the regime? These are all speculations people are making right now.

 

We hope this will not be another Daba Marena and Co scenario where they all disappeared after The government announced that they absconded while being moved from Mile two to Jangjanbureh prisons.

 

We are monitoring the situation for you and will keep you posted.

Political Prisoner Released from Hospital and Currently in court with Co Accused

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Few hours after he was rushed to The Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, Lalo Jawla was released this morning and later taken to court with the rest of his co accused. He was said to have suffered from dehydration and general body pain prompting him being rushed to the hospital.

 

We are monitoring the situation and will keep you all posted

 

 

Political Prisoner In Remand With Gambia’s Biggest Opposition Leader Is Rushed To Hospital With Serious Health Complications

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The Fatu Network has received credible reports that Masanneh Jawla, known as Lalo Jawla currently remanded with Gambia’s biggest opposition leader, Ousainou Darboe and his executives, has been rushed to the Edward Francis Small in Banjul late Sunday evening, June 12, 2016. He is said to be seriously ill, but sources could not say exactly what has happened to him or how critical his condition is.
Our sources however confirmed to The Fatu Network he was rushed to the hospital in the emergency ambulance of the Mile II Central Prisons. He spent the night in the hospital with a serious health condition.

 
Lalo who is originally from Dobo village, also the birthplace of Lawyer Ousainou Darboe in the Central River Region was said to be in good health prior to his arrest on April 16, 2016. Eye witnesses have confirmed to The Fatu Network that he was never even part of the protest when Darboe and Co went out to demand for the state to produce Solo Sandeng dead or alive. He was said to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

 

 

Gambia’s detention and prison facilities are known for their deplorable condition aptly described often by human rights organizations as potential death traps. A human rights activist, Dr Amadou Janneh who was on death and only released after the intervention by US civil rights activist J C Jackson, once wrote how sometimes inmates are fed with carcass of dead animals and where torture and other forms of inhumane treatments are common.

 

 

Disease outbreak and even death are common in the prisons. Few months ago, a senior member of the transport association died under mysterious circumstances while under state custody.
The Fatu Network is closely following the case of Lalo Jawla and we want to make it abundantly clear to Dictator Yahya Jammeh that the life of this man is in his hands. The world firmly holds him responsible for anything that might happen to him.

Gambia’s UN diplomat rubbishes UN Genocide advisor’s comments against Yahya Jammeh’s threats to the Mandinka ethnic group

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By Alhagie Jobe

 

Samsudeen Sarr, the Gambia’s deputy ambassador to the United Nations has rubbished the recent statement by Adama Dieng, UN Secretary General’s Special advisor on Prevention of Genocide, against President Yahya Jammeh’s threats to the Madinka ethnic group in The Gambia.

 

President Yahya Jammeh at a political rally in the town of Tallinding on June 3, threatened to eliminate the Mandinka ethnic group and referred to them as “enemies, foreigners” and threatened to kill them one by one and place them “where even a fly cannot see them”.

 

The comments gathered global condemnation including Adama Dieng, who is the UN Secretary General’s Special advisor on Prevention of Genocide who is particularly appalled by Jammeh’s vitriolic rhetoric as history has shown that hate speech that constitutes incitement to violence can be both a warning sign and a powerful trigger for atrocity crimes as seen in Rwanda. He described it as ‘inflammatory rhetoric’ targeting the largest ethnic group in the country. He said public statements of this nature by a national leader are irresponsible, extremely dangerous and a public stigmatisation, dehumanisation and threats’.

 

In a lengthy counter-message posted on his Facebook entitled ‘Mr. Adama Dieng, a UN advisor or another puppet on the service of Gambia’s enemies’, Samsudeen Sarr described Mr Dieng’s action as a shame and unfairly meddling in the internal affairs of the Islamic Republic of The Gambia.

Earlier in May, Sarr endorsed the killing of peaceful protesters in The Gambia saying they are backed by western powers to destabilize the country.

 

Below is the full message of Mr. Sarr as posted on his Facebook page;

 

Mr. ADAMA DIENG A UN ADVISER OR ANOTHER PUPPET ON THE SERVICE OF GAMBIA’S ENEMIES?

 

Dear readers, It’s been a while since I wrote anything about the current political developments in our dear country, the Islamic Republic of The Gambia. Domestic and work related matters have been keeping me rather busy these days; nonetheless I am fairly abreast with the dynamics unfolding in and out of the country that I intend to briefly discuss in this paper.

 

Whereas my main theme is to scrutinize and condemn the remarks made against our president His Excellency President Yahya A. J. J. Jammeh by another hypocrite or unconscionable “puppet” in the name of Mr. Adama Dieng identified by certain online newspapers as being “The UN Special Adviser of the Secretary General on the prevention of Genocide”, I will but first take a moment to thank the Almighty Allah for the life and wellbeing he provides all of us observing another sacred Ramadan month with the prayers for him to bless us all throughout the period. May the Almighty Allah accept our prayers for peace in our country, success in our endeavors and humbleness in our accomplishments.

 

It is also important to fleetingly convey on behalf of the thousands of Gambians and non-Gambians in the diaspora who have reached us in our New York City office extending their delightful birthday wishes to the His Excellency President Yahya A. J. J. Jammeh on his 51st birthday ceremony, celebrated on May 25th 2016. They have all expressed a common sentiment by wishing you Your Excellency a very happy birthday celebration, everlasting good health, prosperous and joyous life together with your entire family members, personal and statewide.

 

Furthermore Your Excellency, The Gambians here take great pride and satisfaction in your wise decision to send a high-ranking government delegation on your behalf and on behalf of the Gambian people in the persons of Gambia’s foreign minister Honorable Neneh Mcdoll Gaye, the Gambia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations His Excellency Dr. Mamadou Tangara and the Gambia’s Ambassador to the United States His Excellency Sheikh Omar Faye to on Friday June 10, 2016 represent you and all your people at the globally celebrated funeral of the Great Muhammad Ali. The Gambia’s presence there was without doubt venerated and well acknowledged by his family members, friends and well-wishers. It was an admirable gesture for the Gambia to witness the burial ceremony of one of the greatest people and Muslims to ever have lived on this earth of ours.

 

In the various eulogies delivered, Ali was rightly presented as a unique individual who upon realizing his special gift of talent and power from infancy put his faith in the hands of the Almighty Allah and eventually prevailed as one of the greatest regardless of the monumental challenges on his path throughout his life. He was born black in America at a time when nothing was glamourous about being a black man here. He started boxing at a time in America when black people were still constitutionally considered less of human beings and categorized as totally inferior to whites who dominated the sports then; when every professional thought his different style of fighting that brought him the huge success he had must be changed if he expected to last or be successful in the game. He stood against the Vietnam War and any kind of war, which at the time, was unthinkable and punishable by imprisonment. He converted to Islam where he found the peace of a religion that didn’t preach the equality of all beings on one hand but on the other subject its members into state-endorsed discrimination, segregation because of the color of people’s skin. Muhammed Ali in short was a true believer who lived by his convictions, altered the rules of conventional wisdom and consolidated a legacy that will ever remain cherished by mankind. May his soul rest in perfect peace.

That said, I will now return to my main theme concerning Mr. Adama Dieng and his outrageous remarks against the Gambia’s president His Excellency Sheikh Professor Doctor Alhagie Yahya A. J. J. Jammeh, Babili Mansa.

 

Since there was no disclaimer to his online-published remarks, I concluded that the harangue actually originated from Mr. Adama Dieng “The UN Special Adviser of the Secretary General on the prevention of Genocide” or whoever he is.

 

It is my stern belief that given the dizzying dishonesty in his statement Mr. Adama Dieng must have, if he is not already one of them, been coerced by enemies of the Gambia government to say what he said; otherwise it will be fair to view his disposition as that of simply a contemptuous bully.

 

By the way since the president’s speech was delivered in the two main local languages of the community he was addressing, Wolof and Mandingo, I would honestly expect Mr. Dieng to have a good command of one or both to better understand what the Gambian leader was talking about. Depending on other people’s interpretation of President Jammeh’s statement into an English version, the language in which Mr. Dieng conveyed his stern response would look to me like a careless decision to throw a brutal low punch.

 

The Gambia evidently has a permanent representative at the UN where I cannot fathom why Mr. Dieng couldn’t have first tried to get his facts straight before going on his rash condemnation of the Gambia government and its leadership.

I seriously don’t think Mr. Dieng listened or understood the whole statements made by President Jammeh at the political rally in question of June 3, 2016 where he raised his concerns about the Extremist-Mandingos, yes he was referring to the Extremist- Mandingos, hell-bent to permanently destabilize the country under the guise of political change. The president made it clear in his statement that he was not referring to the law-abiding and peace loving Mandingos a majority of whom constitute a large proportion of his supporters, party militants, advisers and government officials. But of course, there are those extremists Mandingos who always when it comes to politics tend to claim a special birthright to rule the country based on their historic merits of being the first settlers in the Gambia.

In the past two decades since President Jammeh became the country’s head of state, these politically polarizing elements have been relentless in their demands for President Jammeh to step down accusing him of not even being born in the Gambia and not being a Gambian at all.

 

During the past PPP government, we were witnesses to these extremists being quick to admonish Wolof-speaking Gambians in their own communities to stop speaking their dialect and start learning how to speak the Mandingo language in what they used to claim as being a “Mandingo Country”.

 

These were also the very folks who before the April 14, 2016 so-called peaceful political demonstration in the Gambia conducted an open fundraising from the US-based-internet radio stations for the sole purpose of paying for and inciting that attempted mass uprising in the Gambia that thank God was stopped without any major incidents. That’s right, all those who had taken part in the demonstration were Mandingo-speaking thugs of very low IQs paid from the funds raised from the USA and Europe and ordered to initiate the tearing of the country apart with the hope that the APRC government will succumb to the pressure. That is the reality President Jammeh highlighted in his speech emphasizing the end of his tolerance to the whole nonsense of tribal politics pestering the majority of the peace loving Gambia population.

 

I think the problem people have with President Jammeh is his frankness when it comes to address major issues. Certainly the president always tells it as it is in the same manner he would stand before the UN General Assembly in New York and condemn like no Muslim leader in the world will do the terrible mindset behind Islamic extremism and terrorism perpetuated by a tiny fraction of Muslims that continues to undermine the integrity and trustworthiness of over a billion peace-loving Muslims worldwide. Do we hear anyone condemning him for inciting genocide against Muslims by identity? No Mr. Dieng! Instead they always clap for him with standing ovation for saying what many are afraid to say for political correction. A few of his kind in the world would have helped solve many problems caused by the deadbeats entrusted with key responsibilities.

 

However, from the footage of the video in that meeting Mr. Dieng, still viewable online, the thousands in attendance loudly applauded him for his frank observations and uncompromising warnings.

 

For your information Mr. Dieng’s the bulk of the masterminds of these Mandingo extremists are in exile living in the USA and Europe with some of them naturalized in their host countries. They indeed control an elaborate association of loyalists and campaigners, devoting all their time and energy to their objective of changing the regime in the Gambia by force. Go to their websites and listen to their messages of doom, hate and gloom against President Jammeh and his government.

 

This is not the first time such dangerous attempts were made by these extremists to destabilize the country and as at this very moment they are on their radio stations, mostly speaking in the local dialects, inciting the Gambian people to overthrow the government of President Jammeh, calling on his enemies in the country to assassinate him and threatening to lynch him because of his tribal origin as a Jola. Their slogan is Jammeh must step down or the country starts a civil war. If that is not incitement for political or ethnic conflict that could degenerate to genocide, I don’t know what is Mr. Dieng.

 

Is Mr. Dieng actually aware of these numerous internet radio outlets and newspapers operating from the USA in the past five to ten years with their hosts constantly inciting Gambians to revolt against their government even if it means destabilizing the nation’s peace and security and rendering the country ungovernable? He probably doesn’t, and may never care.

 

I think the appropriate role for Mr. Adama Dieng on Gambia’s problems as “The UN Adviser of the Secretary General on the prevention of Genocide”, a role devoid of any hypocrisy or puppeteering, would be to direct his concerns to the US government to find ways or means of shutting down these dangerous Gambian internet radios in this county that potentially pose serious threat of causing political genocide in the Gambia.

 

By the way did anyone hear Mr. Dieng in his capacity as “Genocide preventer” say a word about the genocidal idea of American citizens living here, purchasing large quantity of deadly weapons from the USA, hired low-IQ mercenaries and sent them on December 30, 2014 to the Gambia to overthrow the government by force? He couldn’t tell us that he was not aware of that terrorist attack whose participants were either killed in action or chased away from the Gambia. In fact, the American government arrested the ringleaders, prosecuted and convicted them for their crimes. And did Mr. Dieng know that few months before that terrorist attack, these radio outlets were warning the Gambians to expect the downfall of the Jammeh government before the beginning of the year 2016?

 

However, for Mr. Dieng to give examples of Rwanda, Bosnia and the Middle East as what could happen in the Gambia from his memory of how incitement of violence has led to mass killings along identity lines, is tantamount to comparing what a sincere leader is indeed doing to keep his country safe and peaceful with the incomparable failure of a major organization that neglected its duties to act when it could until close to a million helpless people were massacred before their eyes.

We all know what happened in Rwanda in where an independent report commissioned by former Secretary-General Kofi Annan, showed a UN peacekeeping mission in the country doomed from the start by an insufficient mandate and later destroyed by the Security Council’s refusal to strengthen it, once the genocide started. The report also underscored how UN Officials-Kofi Annan and then- the late Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali among them-were unable or unwilling to act on information from the field that a massive slaughter was happening and that they needed to do something to stop it. The whole macabre incident was compounded by Hutu extremists using local radio stations to call for more killings of Tutsis.

 

The conclusive findings on what happened in Rwanda Mr. Dieng summarized in a report shared below was nothing resembling what President Jammeh is doing to protect the majority of Gambians from enemies of his country, external and internal: In summary, the author wrote:

“I believe the UN can be blamed for letting 800,000 people die, they knew what was happening in Rwanda and had the capacity to stop it but didn’t. Each person killed was someone’s family member and someone’s friend but the UN ignored their cry for help to maintain some political propaganda. The international community had the responsibility to help.”

 

Furthermore, the last thing anyone in his right mind will attempt to do is to attribute what is happening in tiny Gambia to the disaster in the Middle East created by untouchable mighty nations licensed to ride roughshod against the weak and helpless. So bringing that tragedy into the equation leaves me questioning your sincerity Mr. Dieng as a UN Adviser.

 

Last but not the least Mr. Dieng, President Jammeh is fully aware of the 2005 UN agreement of all heads of state and their governments’ acknowledgement of their responsibility to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity as well as incitement. That is in fact the exact responsibility he is fulfilling to ensure that the majority of Gambians who voted him into power are well protected, live in peace and don’t depend on any international organization or body to provide it for them. He is not in that mood for playing Russian Roulette.

 

Prevention is better than cure Mr. Dieng, and you need to know that instead of helping by demanding for the shutdown of these vitriolic internet radios mounted by the enemies of the Gambia in the USA that are day in day out inciting for violence and tribal war in that peaceful nation you are hurting by directing your frustrations to the wrong target. Take reality check of yourself and stop the hypocrisy.

 

I have indeed written in the past that the US government would have authorized the use of predatory drones to take out the stations and hosts of all these inciting-radio stations in this country if they were faced with the same level of threat from another country as the Gambia does. That’s another hard fact I want the whole world to acknowledge and get the US to take action about it.

 

On a final note Mr. Dieng, I am curious to know when “The UN Special Adviser of the Secretary General on the prevention of Genocide” would start cautioning Donald Trump the Republican Party standard bearer on his campaign for the US presidency that everyone now sees as being rooted on xenophobia, racism and all kinds of hate ideals? Or can I assume that the rules don’t apply to America’s internal political affairs?  Oh yes, Mr. Adama Dieng, what you are doing is unfairly meddling in the internal affairs of the Islamic Republic of the Gambia.

What a shame!

 

Samsudeen Sarr

New York City

 

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