Alagi Yorro Jallow

There are reasons to celebrate the “July 22 Revolution” and remember President Yahya Jammeh in a simple way. This may be with national prayers in churches and mosques to heal and reconcile a divided and polarized nation, to move on from the whole aspect of nation-building, or to give it a more positive outlook and more positive understanding, whether it can best be described as amoral not immoral, but amoral in the Gambia’s history. The Gambian people are not blind to the darkness and oppression of the Yahya years.

Although controversies and unsolved cases marred Yahya’s 22 years rule, what will also be forever engraved in The Gambia’s history are his contributions in infrastructure development. Infrastructures were built that were unprecedented in the history of our country that provided a venue for Gambians to highlight cultural heritage, propagate arts and culture, generate tourism, improve and contribute to economic growth.

Remembering the “July 22 Revolution” might speed up the process of reckoning. This can start with the retelling of the horrors: the knock on the door before dawn for an arrest without warrant, the rape, regular beating, and water cure, the cigarette burned through flesh, the wires attached to genitals and breasts for mild electric shocks.

The struggles are worth retelling. It is the responsibility of those who lived through those difficult days to keep the memories alive for the future generations, to ensure that the abuses are not repeated. Those who dared challenge the dictatorship often paid the ultimate price. This is worth celebrating, as democracy has endured despite numerous attempts and persistent threats to civil liberties. The greed that gave rise to the word “dictatorship” has been tamed. The systematic violation of human rights is over.

Beyond the physical horrors, there was the insatiable greed for power and wealth, with the dictatorship confiscating opponents’ businesses and handing these over to cronies. As the nation is seeing, the alleged amassed wealth is mind-boggling, with 86 bank accounts, 131 movable and immovable properties, and $50 million in accounts alone, impossible for a salary of 22 years. Basically, the thrust of remembering this day is moving the nation forward from just looking back at what has happened in the past and encouraging everybody to cooperate in nation-building.

Yet, President Adama Barrow’s revolution is unfinished. Corruption remains rampant at all levels of government and democratic institutions are weak, including the police and judicial system, which has failed to make anyone accountable for the abuses of President Jammeh except the “NIA Nine” and the few “Jugglers”. Millions have not been recovered in ill-gotten wealth, and no one has been sent to prison for amassing such wealth.

According to Freedom House the Gambia’s political rights rating improved from 7 to 6 dues to Adama Barrow’s victory in the December 2016 presidential election but the regime shows little respect for personal rights and civil liberties, there is urgent needs for improvements.

The cumulative outcome and costs of President Jammeh’s dictatorship are incalculable. He was not content with simply being a president who had been reelected to four terms of the Gambian presidency. However enormous, his plunder of the nation’s wealth is only one of the costly consequences of his evil rule.

During his 22 years in power, the Gambia fell far behind several neighboring countries in West Africa in the pursuit of development, becoming “the basket case” in the region. Democracy was destroyed, the economy was in ruin, and a cul¬ture of corruption, violence, and cynicism arose.

Hundreds of Gambians were killed, imprisoned, tortured, or displaced from their homes and communities, or they simply disappeared without a trace. Also with impunity, women were raped and degraded by the military, po¬lice, and other criminal elements known as the “Green Boys” and the “Jugglers”.

President Jammeh’s economics of debt-driven growth was disastrous for the Gambia. His regime was not interested in inclusive development, long-term state-building, or the genuine social transformation of the country, despite its “Vision 2020 Blueprint” rhetoric. Instead, President Jammeh was mainly concerned with perpetuating his personal hold on power by favoring family members, friends, and other cronies. Thus, he simply created new elites or “oligarchs” rather than abolish them — supposedly one of his main justifications for dictatorial rule. Those who dared challenge the regime’s monopoly on power whether politicians, businesspeople, political activists, lawyers, farmers, the urban poor, journalists, or students — young or old, rich or poor — were intimidated, imprisoned, kidnapped, tortured, or summarily executed.
Section of Gambians have branded President Jammeh as merciless and even a criminal, true, but let us not forget the achievements of Jammeh’s administration before everything turned sour. It’s not always easy to see the good despite the bad, particularly because there are events which happen that we may never fully understand. The infrastructures that Yahya’s administration has left us is a reminder that we should all start building something good despite hard times. A good foundation with the right maintenance can lead to productivity

In his one of his speeches, he made a promise to make the nation great again and in a way, he did. Infrastructures were built that were unprecedented in the history of our country that provided a venue for Gambians to highlight cultural heritage, propagate arts and culture, generate tourism, improve and contribute to economic growth.

A lot of Yahya’s infrastructures today still stand like the Gambia university, Gambia Radio and Television Services, and other infrastructural developments, Kombo Coastal roads networks bridges, schools, the Supreme Courts complex and amongst others, because the people behind these infrastructures still believe that the mission of either providing a venue for performance, giving aid to the sick and connecting people is not over. Until now, these infrastructures continue to help our economy in their own aspect. Some of them are recognized landmarks that help sectors of the economy like the real estate market by increasing the value of homes or properties nearby or accessibility to establishments.

Today, the Gambian people must refuse to forget the atrocities committed by President Jammeh’s regime, and we renew our demand that the perpetrators of these crimes be brought to justice. We also reiterate our position that the government of President Barrow should relentlessly pursue and reclaim all the ill-gotten wealth accumulated by President Jammeh’s family and its cronies. Moreover, the victims and their families should be given justice and compensation in full. Any call for unity, reconciliation, and forgiveness, which bitterly divided the country, will be empty and meaningless unless truth and justice are upheld.

The Gambian people must affirm their commitment to telling the truth about the horrors of President Jammeh’s dictatorship so that it can be remembered as one of the darkest periods of the Gambian history.
The Gambian people must reject the argument that democracy does not work in the Gambia and that only a dictatorship, benevolent or otherwise, can bring our country to prosperity. We must instead encourage and harness the full democratic capacity of our people and institutions to progress as a nation. Although inequality and injustice continue to persist, we believe the solution to these problems lies in deepening our democratic institutions and practices, empowering the marginalized, and exacting accountability from our leaders and ourselves.

I condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the attempts by some individuals and particularly public figures to whitewash President Jammeh regime’s wanton violation of human rights and to distort its political and economic record. I call on all our politicians to take a definite stand on the abuses of President Jammeh’s dictatorship. I challenge them to join our call to never again allow the conditions of tyranny to take root in our society. I demand that candidates who directly or indirectly participated in and benefited from the regime apologize and, if necessary, make restitution for their role in the regime or their support of it.

I joined the Gambian people aspire to keep alive the ideals and heroism of the many brave Gambians who fought the regime. For as long as we remember and share these stories, and I believe that future generations of Gambians will learn the lessons of the years of struggle leading to the defeat of the dictatorship during the People’s Power Revolution on December 1, 2017.

The fullness of democratization, especially the creation of a political and socio-economic order, which respects the dignity of all Gambians, has yet to be achieved. It is our responsibility now to continue and complete this unfinished struggle and start with the truth.

Is There A Security Threat….?

In the past few days, there has been talk on many lips that there is a possibility of a forced return to the country by the former president. During the past week, we have seen some newspaper reports that the former president left with about thirty of his loyal soldiers.

Last month, the Senegalese Foreign Minister described the Gambia as being ‘under threat from external forces’. The head of the ECMIG forces in the Gambia; Colonel Magatte Ndiaye recently told the Agence France-Presse that the army officials loyal to Yahya Jammeh are hostile to the current government. In addition, high ranking officials, some thought to have been part of the feared junglers have left with the former president.

On June 11^th Honourable Mai Ahmad Fatty wrote the following on his Facebook wall: ‘There is more to do. We have national security concerns that need addressing. We will address the concerns. We need your prayers and support. And while I acknowledge that our work is growing in load and in complexity, I feel pretty confident that we will make sure we provide the best security for the people of the Gambia.’

Some people interpreted Mr Fatty’s post as a coded message to suggest that there is a security concern. Last month, a French minister also spoke of ‘assisting the Gambia in every way to maintain peace and security’.

Mr President, as I keep saying, if there is not enough information disseminated to the public, some people use their imagination to fill the gaps; and, some people have a very active imaginations! There is a lot of speculation about. We need reassurance that everything is under control. We want you, or one of your ministers, to speak to us in clear unambiguous language to reassure us that there is no imminent threat facing the Gambia. Or if there is, then what are you doing about it and how will it be resolved.

I know that there are certain things that cannot – should not – be divulged to the public due to security reasons, but that notwithstanding, Gambians need to feel safe and secure. I hope the population is made to know that we are safe and in good hands!

Have a Good Day Mr President….

Tha Scribbler Bah

A Concerned Citizen

Alaji Yorro Jallow

An exemplary leader never wants to be the smartest person in the room. You never want to be the smartest person in the room—and if you are, you’re in the wrong room. Great leaders know this and seek to surround themselves with masters of their crafts. The leader’s job, then, is to play the orchestra.
A real leader gives constructive, not negative, feedback. There is a difference between “constructive criticism” and plain negativity. People who spew negativity aren’t doing anything to help anyone. A great leader looks for ways they can help, not ways they can tear others down in the process.

The uprightness of a decision is not determined by our ability to defend it. Let’s not become great at defending ourselves. Slavery was defended with good reasons. Racism was adequately defended even with the backing of scriptures from the holy books. Let us not be driven by our ability to justify what’s wrong and illegal.

When you are in authority and you constantly find yourself defending and justifying your decisions then there’s something wrong. We should be careful when we become good at winning arguments because winning an argument is not the same as being right. After all, freedom of expression has always been about something bigger than politics. It’s about the character of our country – who we are, and who we aspire to be. And that’s always worth fighting for.

When we choose to speak, we should not just be loud but be clear too. When we send signals, we must know and understand what those signals and messages mean to the recipients. Our politics are divided. They have been for a long time. And while I know that division makes it difficult to listen to Gambians with whom we disagree, that’s what we need to do today.

Our support for our political leaders must go beyond singing and dancing for them. We should hold them accountable. Every leadership is a call to responsibility. Our leaders must ensure that those who hold public office in this dispensation understand that they are trustees of legacies of hope created by the sacrifices of others. They must be made to realize that good governance and leadership are hinged on the ability to uphold moral values and passion to render selfless services, commitment to service and dedication to rule of law.

Leadership is for rounded characters that have imbibed, positive social norms and values; it is not conferred on individuals that lack the moral fabric to direct the affairs of life. Simply put, leadership is the critical defining element for positive change.

Although we seek leadership, we do not seek any type of leadership. We seek good leadership. A leadership that is defined by the highest values that can help us fulfil our aspirations. And they must first be driven by the pursuit of the highest values that can produce sanity in the polity.

To mount a campaign against corruption without challenging the frontiers of existing thinking is really to pay lip service to the idea of enforcement of law and order. If we do not submit ourselves equally to the rule of law; which is the most potent invention of humans that has helped to keep the moral fabric of society together and equalized the rich and the poor we should have no lawful expectation to make progress as a nation.

Disaster Relief….

In the Wolof Language they say, ‘xoddeeku balaa ngai laka le’, a crude translation of this will be ‘prevention is better than cure’. Every year, when the heavens open up, many Gambians are affected by floods or storms and their houses are destroyed. They lose a lot of their valuable belongings and are certainly traumatized. This is something that can be minimized, if not completely eradicated.

If we have the proper planning and get ready to preparation for the long term, we will ensure that the places that are prone to flooding would be identified and then measures taken to guarantee that we don’t just react; rather, we should plan ahead of the rains.

There is a Department for Physical Planning which is under the Ministry of Lands which needs to carry out a broad study of the land in the country and demarcate residential areas in a way that no houses will be constructed in sodden areas which will always cause houses to collapse. It is true that it is very difficult land for residential purposes and as such if someone acquires a land already, it will be very difficult to stop him/her from erecting his/her house there; especially those who have already struggled and put up buildings.

Of course such people may not want to leave their houses or stop constructing houses because they might have invested their lives’ savings in those lands or houses. But nothing compares to human life. We see in the developed world that when a disaster is about to happen governments evacuate residents, sometimes forcefully, just to ensure their safety. The first priority of a government is to protect its citizens, sometimes even from their own actions.

Our laws should therefore cater for such a contingency. For instance, where someone intends to build a house in a place that is known to be prone to flooding, government should have the power to stop such a person. If it does, then how, and how far can the government agencies go in enforcing this law? If this law is already present in our Constitution, then why is it not being implemented?

These are a few of the things we should start thinking about to reduce the number of disasters that are experienced by our people. I call on you to put in place measures which will reduce the damage caused by these disasters in our country.

Have a Good Day Mr President….

Tha Scribbler Bah

A concerned Citizen