By Madi Jobarteh

The presence of ECOMIG mission in the Gambia until today highlights everything that is wrong in this country since 2017 for which each and every citizen must be highly concerned. The story of the Gambia between 1994 and 2016 is common knowledge. Hence when the Tyrant rejected the presidential election results on 9 December 2016 and backed by the National Assembly on 17 January 2017 when they extended the term of the President, it was finally left to ECOWAS’ military intervention to effectively make Jammeh relinquish power as Barrow took the oath in Dakar on January 19.

The mandate of ECOMIG therefore as expressed by the Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, “was to create an enabling environment for the effective enforcement of the rule of law, and, in accordance with the Constitution of The Gambia, facilitate the inauguration of the President-Elect, Adama Barrow, on Thursday January 19, 2017.” It was on January 18 that ECOMIG entered the Gambia through Farafeni, comprising 7000 troops made from Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, Mali, and Togo, with air and naval support.

It is therefore obvious that the intent behind ECOMIG intervention was essentially to ensure that Yaya Jammeh was removed from power so that Adama Barrow could assume office in a peaceful environment. There is no written declaration by ECOWAS nor an agreement between the Gambia and ECOWAS about the continued presence of ECOMIG after the ousting of Jammeh. Thus, since 18 January 2017 when ECOMIG entered the Gambia, it has remained in this country only at the request of President Barrow and the unilateral approval of the ECOWAS heads of states.

Yet it is obvious that the presence of international forces in any country which is not at war, nor a post-conflict society would have to be guided by an agreement. In our context, the 1997 Constitution stipulates that only the National Assembly approves any international agreement that the Government can enter into. Yet since 2017 the National Assembly never received a bill for the ratification of an international agreement to legalise the presence of foreign troops in this country. Why didn’t the President ever take the issue of ECOMIG to the National Assembly?

Apart from the unconstitutional presence of ECOMIG in this country, we must bear in mind that the Gambia has an armed force already which is led by a Chief of Defence Staff with various service chiefs, and whose Commander-in-Chief is the President of the Republic. Yet, four years since taking office in such abnormal circumstances, the Commander-in-Chief is yet to visit any military barracks in this country despite the fact that this country has launched an ambitious security sector reform as part of the wider transitional justice program. Why?

Hence when we get to this point, it will be harmful to the country if our concern is only about the perceived security threats based on the idea that there are Jammeh loyalists in the military. The fact that must be recognised is that the new government was expected to lead a robust transition process that would have addressed the issues and concerns of the country as any serious government would, given our background. Why didn’t they do so meaningfully?

I do not think there are so-called Jammeh loyalists in the military or in any part of our society who are armed to the teeth and lurking behind the shadows seeking to overthrow this government or destabilise our society. No. if so, why are they not doing it until now? Yes, someone will claim because ECOMIG is present. I say to that person, the presence of ECOMIG will only delay that intention and therefore further empower those Jammeh loyalists as ECOMIG will not be present here forever. Hence ECOMIG is not a viable bulwark against such threats.

There are Jammeh supporters in every sector of our society and institutions; and indeed, a citizen has a right to support Jammeh. But the strength of these Jammeh supporters are actually derived from the failure of this President to lead a comprehensive, effective and meaningful security sector reform and overall transitional justice processes. Rather what Barrow has succeeded in doing over the past four years is to strengthen the cleavages in our society, weaken institutions further and undermine the social, economic and political transformation of the country. What this has resulted into is widespread and deep polarisation on all fronts.

To address these cleavages, polarisation, issues and concerns is not to maintain foreign forces any longer. No. Rather, it is time that we demand this government to have balls and lead this country well. We must demand a plan of not more than three to six months for ECOMIG to withdraw, while frantic efforts are undertaken to address all issues and concerns in the security sector.

For example, the issue in the security sector is not primarily Jammeh loyalists versus the country. The issue is fundamentally about the working conditions, leadership, fair play and morale in the security institutions. Go to any military barracks or police station or police quarters or prison quarters to see the deplorable living and working spaces – unkempt compounds, worn-out and rundown buildings, poor lighting, poor ventilation and toilet facilities, poor materials and equipment in the offices, limited vehicles, poor salaries and incentives, and overall low morale. Are these being addressed?

And remember, in April/May 2017 there was an audit of the army to ascertain who was a true and genuine Gambian soldier by asking soldiers to line up to present their documents at Yundum barracks. The audit found out that some soldiers could not read and write English language, while some were never seen in any barracks in this country. But this was an exercise that was a good start to help the Commander-in-Chief and his service chiefs to restructure and transform the military. Did they do that?

Until today, there is no reform of the Armed Forces Act, NIA Act, Police Act, Prisons Act or other laws establishing other security agencies. Yet one cannot do a security sector reform in a post-authoritarian regime without first conducting legal reforms thus paving the way for institutional reforms and capacity building.

Thus, I wish to call on the National Assembly to take up its leadership role urgently and vigorously to correct this gross travesty on our sovereignty. ECOWAS has no mandate to extend the presence of ECOMIG here. Hence NAMs should demand that the President brings to them an agreement for their review. In this review, I wish to call on NAMs to approve only a maximum of six months within which ECOMIG should wind down and leave completely.

For that matter, the National Assembly must demand that the President provide a comprehensive security sector reform action plan covering January to June 2021. This action plan must realistically outline what needs to be done to build a robust security sector that is fit for democracy. There is absolutely no justification to give 12 months to ECOMIG and then transform it into a police mission. This will only serve to delay and derail SSR, undermine good governance and bring unforeseen costs and consequences on the country in the medium to long term.

For The Gambia Our Homeland

What made sense in 2017 is beginning to be abused, and put the Gambia’s sovereignty and pride into question. The idea of the ECOMIG forces transitioning to a police force is very stupid, and frankly, even the politics of it is odious. In the early sixties, under the British empire, The Gambia was not seen in a position to function as a viable independent entity, thus tag as the improbable nation. Even though it has been a difficult journey but we held our own and proudly became the Republic of The Gambia

Back in 2017, the ECOMIG forces roaring into the Gambia was well received and seen as the only solution to see the wishes of the Gambian people respected. The majority of the Gambian people lost faith in the security apparatus of the Gambia, and frankly, the forces were also totally out of their element. Transitioning from a twenty-year rule under a dictatorship where command and control were under the tutelage from one person morphing into a fragile democracy trying to find its footing, ECOMIG forces made lots of sense. Four years later, our democracy is evolving and the promise of Gambia can be seen on the horizon, only if we have faith in ourselves.

The Gambia has never been like a Somalia, nowhere close to Iraq’s situation back in the early two thousand, or Afghanistan of today. Now is the time to wean ourselves from external forces, complete the security reform exercise and take the future of our country into our own hands. The future of a peaceful and stable Gambia ultimately is in our hands, and political jettisoning only undermines our trust in our security and police forces that for the past twenty years underwent the same sort of abuse and negligence.

MUSA JENG
FTPBTP

Ecowas troops who entered the country four years ago had one clear task: to sack Jammeh and help the nation stabilise. The stabilisation part entailed reforming the country’s security institutions. The army. The police. And the NIA. And even others.

But after four years, only a brave man will say that programme has thrived. Not much has been achieved really. President Barrow himself will confirm this. That’s why he wants ECOMIG to stay.

But while Gambians are inclined to denounce ECOWAS and its new decision to keep soldiers here till the end of 2021 and beyond, it’s our security who should feel ashamed of themselves.

They created our current predicament. Their lack of love for country is what has now made our nation look like a failed state in the eyes of others.

If only our men and women in uniform saw country and not Yahya Jammeh, there would not have been an ECOMIG. Never mind transforming it into a police mission. They would therefore be last to ever complain.

As the security sector reform staggers, President Barrow can only turn to ECOWAS for help. But doing so repeatedly only points to our failure as a nation. Sadly.

Yesterday, Saturday January 23 the heads of state of ECOWAS held their 58th ordinary session via videoconference and chaired by the President of Ghana.

In the communique issued after the summit, the West African leaders have decided to extend the presence of ECOMIG in The Gambia for another 12 months, that is from January to December 2021. Secondly they said they want to transform ECOMIG into a police mission!

I hereby state my total and complete opposition to this decision by ECOWAS. I hereby condemn Pres. Adama Barrow for agreeing to such a terrible decision that undermines national security and national unity.

The Gambia has a national police already and they are enough to ensure law and order. All they need is the right support from the President with effective leadership from the IGP and the Minister of Interior.

The decision to keep ECOMIG in The Gambia as either a military or police mission must have National Assembly approval first. Hence I demand the National Assembly to stand up to defend the sovereignty of The Gambia and ensure good governance by rejecting the ECOWAS decision and order The Gambia Government to remove ECOMIG altogether out of The Gambia.

The Gambia is not at war. The Gambia is not a post conflict country. Much as we highly appreciated ECOWAS’s intervention in ousting the Tyrant, this country does not need any foreign force anymore.

The continued presence of ECOMIG has caused the slow progress of security sector reforms which is no fault of ECOMIG. Rather it is the fault of the political and security leaders who are the only people benefiting from ECOMIG presence to the detriment of the country.

Now find in these two following paragraphs the exact decision by ECOWAS about ECOMIG:

30. The Authority congratulates the President of the Commission for the implementation of the Decision of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, taken at its 57th Ordinary Session held on 7 September 2020 in Niamey, Republic of Niger, to transform ECOMIG into a Police Mission.

31. The Authority decides to extend the mandate of ECOMIG for a period of twelve (12) months from 1 January 2021 and transform it into a Police Mission after December 2021 elections. It expresses its gratitude to Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal and Togo for agreeing to contribute Constituted Police Units to ECOMIG, and the European Union for its financial and technical support.

ECOWAS leaders also talked about the constitution building process and its unfortunate what they reported!

No to ECOMIG! Thank you ECOMIG.

For The Gambia ?? Our Homeland

By Musa Touray

AU member states will converge on February 6 to elect a new deputy chairperson for the AU commission headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The plebiscite will be pitting The Gambia’s former vice president Fatoumatta Jallow Tambajang with five other challengers. All five come with vast CVs but none can match that of Jallow Tambajang.

“I have an edge over the other candidates,” Jallow Tambajang tells The Fatu Network.

And she’s right. Jallow Tambajang’s leadership competence has seen her climb up to the role of vice president of a country, running the affairs of a whole nation when the president is not around. That’s no small feat. None of the other candidates have ever reached that level.

The AU commission will be richer for the arrival of Fatoumatta Jallow Tambajang. And member states must know this.

By Famara Fofana

There is no gainsaying that the Gambian media has seen it all in in the recent past. Not only were disappearances of journalists, closure and arson attacks on media houses, but some paid the ultimate price.

There were also well-documented instances in the past when leaders of the opposition parties were covered by state media at non-political functions only for their messages to be filtered or not aired at all. That was censorship at its best and that state control of public media is yet to nipped in the bud.

But even in the face of growing media pluralism in our country these days, there still remains some teething gaps that need plugging. With a proliferation of both traditional and digital media platforms, the quality of reportage offered by the news media continues to be tested against the basics of ethical standards including the much-storied seven canons of journalism: 1) Responsibility 2) Freedom of the Press 3) Independence 4) Sincerity, Truthfulness, and Accuracy 5) Impartiality 6) Fair Play 7) Decency

In truth, capacity gaps on the part of Gambian journalists, sensationalism and ethical blunders are still rife despite the existence of the Media Academy for Journalism and Communications (MAJaC) and UTG’s School of Journalism and Digital Media. Matter of fact, issues pertaining to ethical at the end of the day go beyond professional training. It takes the individual journalist or the media house to play by the rule book by detaching themselves from the political, economic, and other socio-cultural trappings that come with their job.

Media practitioners now have their work cut out. And as December 2021 looms large on the horizon, reporters and anchors of current affairs programmes seem to be under the sort of scrutiny akin to persons overseeing the statecraft. The local media and its handling of the plethora of issues that continue to unfold on the political front will be central to how our society’s social fabric is further knitted together or disintegrates. For a country that is deeply divided along partisan politics and tribal lines(the elephant in the room), it behoves media practitioners to stay aboveboard in the discharge of their job. Whilst the media also helps stimulate citizen engagement in politics, its AGENDA SETTING role is such that people are bound to attach importance to that which journalists pay considerable attention.

As regards party politics, there lies the biggest conundrum for journalists and the news media industry itself. This is a period when headlines alone tend to cause a stir in town. Whereas headlines can be a matter of house style, not everyone, particularly those out of the contours of the trade would realise that they do not necessarily stick to the rules of grammar, explaining why even past events take the present tense; auxiliary verbs are avoided; the omission of articles (a, an, the) as well as the usage of infinitives for future events. I got tempted to bring the stuff about HEADLINES because they can be misunderstood by many. I have seen people made a storm of out the tea cup in instances where no wrongdoing had been committed. In fact, in The Gambia, a single headline is enough to brand a journalist as a member of one political party or the other as long as it doesn’t chime with the reader. Asking a simple question too can incur the wrath of an unforgiving populace. For some Gambians, the only time one is hailed as a good journalist is when the person produces a story or a programme that do not ruffle their feathers. Do a story that becomes politically unpalatable and you will become a JOIN-THE-LIST. I am sure even the nation’s leading investigative reporter Mustapha K. Darboe is not everyone’s cup of tea, particularly those at the receiving end of his eye-popping, saliva-inducing watchdog reporting.

Most recently however, the appearances of certain individuals on media platforms seemed to have rankled with people sitting on the different sides of the political aisle. While supporters across the political spectrum may loath seeing or hearing stuff that do not sit well with them, I bet no media house or programme host would entertain the idea of denying another Gambian a seat in the studio on account of what they may end up saying or what their profile is. That wouldn’t only border on prejudice by way of predetermining the guest’s utterances but more dangerously tantamount borderline CENSORHIP. Anything beyond the media’s GATEKEEPING role will be a step too far for journalists. That role is easier for print media by virtue of their editorial set-up rather than electronic outlets that are more often than not operating live nowadays. As far as journalists are concerned, my opinion is that NEWS VALUES more than any other factors will continue to influence their choosing of guests or interviewees for their respective shows. These will be: prominence, conflict, oddity, relevance, prominence, timeliness, and proximity. Where a member of a political party is deemed to have been the subject of mudslinging by another, the best form of recourse would be activating the RIGHT OF REPLY or right of correction on the same platform where such things were said.

Since it is my contention that everyone deserves to be given a fair crack of the whip by the media, it is also my legit concern that persons that appear on shows have an obligation and a duty of care not just to self – but importantly to country. Utterances that fan the flames of hatred, bigotry and personality attacks do not have a place in a decent society. Incendiary remarks should give way to issue-centred discourse and the media can foster the latter by asking the right questions. As to who qualifies to be the right panelist or guest for whatever show there is, the answer is as murky as our current polity itself.

It’s an election year. The stakes are high! Our political leaders need to tone down their remarks in the same way the media ought to uphold the tenets of RESPONSIBLE journalism. Shalom!

Famara Fofana is a freelance journalist and author of When My Village Was My Village. He is also a postgraduate student reading Media and Communications Studies at the Graduate School of Social Sciences, Ankara University in Turkey.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Mamadou Tangara must inform Gambians in full about the contents of the agreement that was signed on 12 January 2021 between the Gambia and Switzerland. To merely issue a press release with high sounding promises and benefits that cannot be verified is not enough. In fact, that agreement cannot stand until it is approved by the National Assembly as required by the Constitution under Section 70(1)(c). Has this agreement been presented to the National Assembly yet?

Gambians must know that the Swiss Government has also issued a press release on the same agreement on the same day. But their press release did not say all that the Gambia press release mentioned. The Swiss press release noted that they have signed similar agreements with eight other African countries. So, it is not just about the Gambia.

In their press release, the Swiss said that the “State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) intends to continue to support Gambian authorities in handling migration, not least by helping to implement projects locally.” They went further to say that SEM is already supporting local projects to build national capacity as well as national response to COVID through IOM. Finally, part of the agreement deals with the issue of returnees, which the Swiss authorities said relates to “the practical organization of returnees, such as identification and the issuing of replacement documents.”

Apparently, the press release from our Foreign Minister Tangara is not fully in line with the press release from the Swiss. For example, our Foreign Ministry said the agreement deals with “unemployment and creation of more opportunities for women and youth in the Gambia”. What are these opportunities and how did the agreement handle that?

The Gambian press release also said they negotiated for “all undocumented Gambian migrants in Switzerland to be trained on livelihood skills and be integrated in Swiss community? The press release further said that both countries have agreed that “all legal remedies will be exhausted before any voluntary returnees will be repatriated.” Tangara’s press release also states that the agreement will “pave the way for the establishment of a multi-purpose skills training centre and create other opportunities for young people to achieve their goals in the Gambia.” Finally, the Gambian press release said both countries agreed on “spelt-out modalities… to ensure equitable and balanced life for Gambians in Switzerland…”.

These are lofty ideals in the Gambian press release but they are not mentioned in the Swiss press release. Therefore, are both press releases true or false, or is one or both of them overstating or understating the terms of this agreement? Citizens have a right to know.

Therefore, I hereby call on the National Assembly to scrutinise this agreement fully. We know that the issue of irregular migration and the presence of undocumented migrants, especially Africans is a major issue for Europe. They are very eager to stop irregular migration and are doing everything possible to stop it.

While European nations, and indeed any other country, have a right and duty to manage their immigration issues, in the same vein the Gambia Government also has a right and a duty not to accept agreements that undermine the rights and welfare of our citizens at home or abroad. After all migration is a fundamental human right guaranteed by international law, which also protects the rights of migrants, documented or undocumented, anywhere in the world. Hence no nation should put up unreasonable migration laws and agreements just to deny others from visiting their country.

If the Gambia Government is to allow Gambians to be deported from Europe and America then the Government must ensure that it has the necessary support to offer to these returnees in order to enable them have a meaningful and productive life at home. We must not forget that our people spend their life’s fortune and in addition to risking life just to get to Europe. Hence the Government must not accept to have these people deported anyhow simply because they are undocumented. The Government should protect the best interest of our people.

Therefore, the Government must take responsibility to ensure that returnees’ rights and needs are addressed. Otherwise, the Government would be undermining national security if it allows scores of Gambians to be deported anyhow only to come back to the same poverty from which they were running away. After all, the Government must bear in mind that it is these Gambians in Europe and other places who are sending those billions of dalasi in remittances every year thereby sustaining both our economy and families.

Therefore, I hereby call on the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Gambians Abroad Mamadou Tangara to release the full agreement publicly so that Gambian citizens will see and know what has been agreed in their name and on their behalf and for their welfare. It is our right to know.

For The Gambia Our Homeland

Four years ago, an American demagogue, who openly embraced division and racial discord, assumed the power of the presidency of the United States.

He came railing against the “swamp” and “deep state” and until his last day in office he continued to rail against his own government whenever they refuse to commit crimes for him.

In power, he praised autocrats like Putin and Kim,  and attacked America’s democratic allies like Merkel. He politicized the administration of justice, used government powers to serve his own ends, and monetized the Presidency for himself and his children.

A liar by trade – and at a scale and magnitude never before seen in all history of politics. Today, Washington Post have documented over thirty thousands of his lies that are to be buried with the infamy of his presidency. Epic of Trump’s lies culminated in the big lie that he won the election that he so decisively lost to Biden by over 7 million votes in the 2020 elections.

What is most astonishing about this weaseling sociopath is his ability to turn one of America’s two main political parties into a cult of personality, where blind fealty and the pace of sycophants genuflecting under the feet of ‘dear leader’ is all that counts.

America, in essence, haven’t learned anything new about Donald Trump. The fact that he is a horrible human being has always been evident. He had voluminous and incontrovertible trails of evidence against his character and antics well before politics. His multiple bankruptcies and series of rape and sexual assault cases are common knowledge.

What he also exposed is letting the world know there are millions of Americans who were perfectly willing to overthrow a constitutional democracy in order to keep a belligerent fascist autocrat in power. That 74 million Americans are willing to follow Trump’s dark lies, look beyond his fascist inclinations and care less about his casual racism against their fellow citizens.  Or perhaps many are themselves racists and fascists.

His lies metastasized to a form of cancer, which became inseparable from the wild conspiracy theories Qanon pedals around. Many in his Republican base believed his lies and much worse. Heck some of them actually believe that even on this Inauguration Day, Biden and democratic leaders will in fact be arrested and taken to jail, and Trump will remain president. This is the extent of America’s epistemological crisis today.

But at long last America can take a break from the early-morning tweets  of firing cabinet Secretaries; the bizarre sight of an orange-haired septuagenarian President dancing at super spreader events; a president that lies with every breathe; and finally the shocking spectacle of inciting a mob into storming the US Capitol.

We no longer have to listen to a President telling rioters; “We love you”, or saying white supremacist are “fine people”. We don’t have to listen to a president with a strange conviction that windmills cause cancer; who lies constantly about a pandemic that killed 400 thousands of his fellow citizens; who separate and cage migrant babies at the border; who tells us that somehow we can nuke hurricanes into submission; who suggested ingesting disinfectant  as a cure for Covid or “hit the body with very powerful lights”.

This president once contemplated on buying Greenland in exchange for Puerto Rico, and million other trifles. A President who attempted covering his petty lies with sharpie re-drawing to alter the map of a hurricane trajectory that he wrongly claimed will hit Alabama. He lies about the most trivial and the most serious.

This is the liar-in-chief who have warned for months that caravans of illegal immigrants were coming to “invade” America from the southern border and actually send real U.S. troops to guard against it.

This presidency, this American tragedy, this American carnage, is an unprecedented journey of dysfunction, a tragicomedy, and the worst national shame in American politics.

Woodrow Wilson was a bigot and botched the handling of a pandemic in 1918; Lindon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon and Bush all lied to the American public about Wars and other major issues. Reagan lied about Iran contra, supported apartheid in South Africa and promulgated racist domestic policies. Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson were impeached for other reasons.

There were plethora of American Presidents that were outright bigots, liars and philanderers. But only Trump was all of these things at once, plus much worse. And only him, has ever been impeached twice. That will be his lasting embarrassment if he is capable of being embarrassed, but a narcissist knows no shame.

His is a dark legacy of emboldened white supremacists, a raging pandemic and siege of the US Capital.

By Jamal Drammeh.

Facebook: jamal.drammeh
Twitter: @jamaldrammeh