I have never doubted the continued existence and the future of the Gambia until the issue of ‘secularity of the state’ emerged following the release of the draft constitution for public review. I have come to see the rise of extremism on both sides of our religious divide that is just scary, worrying and sad. I, therefore, strongly suggest that the CRC Chair convenes an in-house closed-door family consultation between the Supreme Islamic Council and the Gambia Christian Council to provide clarifications, assurances and bridge the gap harmoniously over this issue so they can better engage their congregations on the matter.

Having said that let me state that my position remains that we should have the word ‘secular’ in the constitution simply to further reinforce the secularity of the state as enshrined in both the 1970 and 1997 constitutions. Both constitutions uphold the freedom of religion and the 1997 Constitution went further to bar the National Assembly to make a law establishing a state religion. The Gambia cannot be a religious state. Therefore, to attempt to twist and confuse ‘secularity of the state’ as anti-Islam is a manipulation that some people are perpetuating with the notion that they are defending their religion.

Yes, majority of Gambians are Muslims, but this does not give Muslims anymore rights over the other less populous religions even on the principle of democracy. I have heard many people argue that democracy is ‘majority rule’ and therefore this should reflect the fact that Muslims are the majority in this country. Indeed, decisions in democracy rests on majority but it is not to the detriment of the minority. The fundamental values of democracy are equality, inclusion, participation and representation. Hence it is not merely about the majority riding roughshod over the minority. That would be dictatorship.

In that regard I have noticed a very concerning view from many significant quarters who call for an outright ‘Islamic Republic’ on the basis that Muslims form the majority in the Gambia. One person even suggested to me, in defence of the ‘Islamic Republic’ campaign, that if the Christians were the majority then it would also be right to declare the Gambia a ‘Christian Republic’. Such a view is essentially saying that it is okay for the majority to own and rule!

The trouble with this view is that it ignores and violates at the same time the sovereign equality of all citizens of the Gambia as per Section 1 of the 1997 Constitution. Regardless of which section of the population of the Gambia forms the majority or minority the fact remains all citizens are equal in rights and ownership of this country hence the Constitution and state of the Gambia cannot be based on one particular section. This is why even political parties are not formed on the basis of tribe, religion or region so as not exploit the majoritarian argument hence undermine democracy and sovereignty of citizens.

Otherwise if we go by that majoritarian argument, then should the Mandinka people also claim to be owners and rulers of this country? Should the women also say they own and should rule this country? Should the youth also claim they own and should rule this country? This is because all of these groups form the majority by their sheer numbers. This is why it is such a wrong view to conclude that democracy is all about majority rule.

There is also the misconception that ‘secularity of the state’ will undermine Islam and Muslims in the Gambia. On the contrary I wish to posit that in fact ‘secularity of the state’ will protect both Islam and Christianity and their believers equally. For that let me point some of the misconceptions and misinformation that are being peddled in opposition to ‘secularity of the state’.

In the first place there is reference made to France which banned the veil in 2004 that some people claim that in future it is possible that someone may also call for the banning of the hijab in the Gambia. Those who perpetuate this misinformation, deliberately or not, refuse to state the full facts about this French ban. In 2004 when the French Parliament voted to ban the veil, the ban was only limited to public schools. Furthermore, the French law also bans the explicit wearing of all religious materials such as the Jewish kippa (i.e. the small hat Jews place on the middle of the head) and large Christian crosses. Therefore, it was not only about the hijab.

The French law permits ordinary signs of faith to be displayed. In public hospitals, schools and other public places the law requires state employees to respect the principle of secularism by respecting people’s religious preferences. In fact, recently the French Government has resisted calls from far-right groups to ban Muslim women volunteers who help schools during excursions from wearing a headscarf. In fact, as recent as October 2019 the French President Macron was heard speaking strongly in support of the Muslim population against the racist narratives from the far-right racist groups. Therefore, to exploit the French veil ban in the discussion about secularity in the Gambia is a misconception and a misinformation.

But let us look at Muslim majority states where many countries have banned the veil (from the hijab to the burqa) in public places such as schools, universities, restaurants, parks or in offices as the case may be. These countries include Tunisia, Tajikistan, Chad, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Morocco, Gabon and Cameroon including some European and Asian countries. What is clear in these bans is that they either relate to security concerns or other distractions as well as racism in other cases. Again, these actions are not caused by secularism.

There is also the false narrative that secularism means the demolition of mosques in public places and the outright restriction on Muslims to worship as they wish. This is utterly false because such an action would constitute a violation of the principle of secularism and the freedom of religion. Secularism is where the state does not side with any religion against another. Rather the state protects the fundamental right to worship which includes protection of religious sites and activities. Therefore, a secular state cannot be seen to violate or destroy the right to religion. As we see in France, the ban on the open display of religious materials in schools was not limited to Islam alone but also affects Judaism and Christianity which are the biggest religions in that country.

There is also the false narrative that the Gambia was not a secular state and so why introduced it now. The fact is that the Gambia has always been a secular state since 1965 as stipulated in its various constitutions. For example, in the 1965 Constitution, the right to freedom of religion is guaranteed under Section 19; in the 1970 Constitution this right is guaranteed under Section 21 and in the 1997 Constitution the right is guaranteed in Section 25. Furthermore Section 100(2) of the 1997 Constitution bars the National Assembly from declaring a state religion. It is only in a secular republic that the right to freedom of religion is guaranteed. In the Saudi basic law (since Shari’ah and the Hadith are their constitution) there is no such freedom of religion because Islam has been declared the State religion for all!

Some have argued therefore what is the point of having ‘secular’ spelt out in the constitution since Muslims and Christians having lived together for ages in peace and harmony in this country. What we must recognise is that laws are made to regulate life and human activities within a society with focus not only on the present moment but also in view of the past and the future. In the past we have had a president who unilaterally declared a state religion. Even though one may state that Jammeh violated the constitution because the law-making power rests with the National Assembly and they did not participate in that declaration, however the 1997 Constitution did not also state that a president cannot make such a declaration, whether that declaration can be considered law or not. Therefore, effectively Jammeh may be said to have not violated the Constitution.

This one act by Jammeh highlights the weakness of the Constitution in building fences to prevent abuse of power. Hence it is therefore necessary to state upfront in the new constitution that the country is secular to further reinforce that tradition since Independence. Furthermore, it could be stated under the powers of the Executive that the President has no power or authority or function to make a declaration or issue an executive order for a state religion.

Some have argued this is still not necessary because we saw how Yaya Jammeh however violated many other safeguards in the Constitution therefore what is the point of putting in higher fences if another president could also violate them. Well, this is the very point why those fences must be put there so that we could point out with clarity which fences were broken and by who. Without those fences we cannot hold any president or person accountable for violating them. Hence putting up those fences enhances accountability as well as protection.

Some people have come up with the idea that because Islamic law protects minorities therefore by making the Gambia an Islamic Republic will protect non-Muslims equally. I find this argument equally untenable simply because Islam and Muslims do not own this country. Their majority does not in anyway give them any right or power to determine the manner of governance in the country. More fundamentally when you institute a Muslim law or Christian law for the entire society there is no doubt that such law will negatively impact on those who do not belong to that faith sooner or later. Hence a state based on religion can only work conveniently and safely for a society with 100% believers of that particular faith. The Gambia is multireligious hence no one faith can be the basis for governance.

Many others went into dictionaries to copy and paste meanings of secularity and therefore conclude that secularity is anti-religion and therefore will deny believers from performing their religions. Well the point is that the literal meaning of ‘secular’ in any dictionary is anything that is not connected with religion, i.e. secularity is about mundane things. Of course, it is a fact that religion is inherently not secular but spiritual. All religions, especially Islam and Christianity teach believers to shun the secular and mundane aspects of life but to seek Heaven or the Kingdom of God.  But the State is not a human being. The State is not a believer of any faith. A secular state guarantees freedom of religion otherwise it is not secular at all.

The State is merely a set of institutions in which men and women work. Those men and women do have faith but when they go to work in a State institution they do not operate based on their beliefs or faiths. They operate based on a set of laws, policies, guidelines, regulations and tools and processes which are not based on any religion. But these laws, policies and tools do not violate one’s faith, rather they protect it. Therefore, if you wish to pray in the workplace you should have the right to have space to pray. This is why workplaces have mosques and chapels or prayer rooms to satisfy the right to worship by workers.

Secondly while religion is about the spiritual and secularity is about the earthly affairs of people, however the values that exist in secular laws and institutions can be found to be the same in religion. For example, the constitution and other laws condemn rape, stealing, lying under oath or misuse of public wealth just as it is in religion. However, acts of immorality and criminality do occur in every society, whether the law punishes it or not. Every week they cut off someone’s hand in Saudi Arabia for stealing yet stealing continues.

Hence the counter argument against secularity that it will promote homosexuality and same sex marriage are unconnected. There are multiple democratic and secular states that continue to ban homosexuality. Homosexuality is a matter of human rights and how much citizens are aware and appreciate rights in general within the wider context of political awareness. So long as that awareness is not there it means the acceptance of sexual orientation will be lacking hence homosexuality cannot be legalized.

However, it must be noted that what is moral or immoral in religion and culture and what is legal or illegal in law are sometimes not the same.  For example, Islam prohibits drinking of alcohol and eating pork, while both Islam and Christianity forbid adultery and fornication as immoral acts but such practices are not illegal by law. Hence to put forward the moral argument in opposition to ‘secularity of the state’ would be untenable where there are different religions. After all the Gambia Government continues to receive financial and material support from states around the world among which some are secular such as UK or France, theocratic such as Saudi Arabia or Iran and atheistic such as China or Cuba. So far no one ever said we return all support from those secular and atheistic states!

Religion is a huge resource only if believers act on the precepts. It is meaningless to claim to be a Muslim or Christian and to pray fervently yet one is corrupt, unjust, unfair and you discriminate and commit all of the evils that one’s religion prohibits. Therefore, for me the biggest threaten to Islam and Christianity in the Gambia is not ‘secularity of the state’. Rather the biggest threat is the very believers themselves who violate the values and standards of their faiths. Given the level of injustice and corruption in our homes, communities and in the public and private sectors I have no doubts that majority of our men and women are not abiding by their religious precepts. Otherwise if we truly uphold the values and standards of Islam and Christianity in our words and deeds it is clear that we would have had a very wealthy, peaceful and just society. It was not long ago when we had a leader who committed al forms of crimes and evil yet he was strongly supported and embraced by Islamic religious leaders!

In our society today the incidence of abuse of the rule of law, embezzlement of public funds, failure to work diligently and efficiently and sexual harassment of girls and women are rampant. The mere incidence of poverty in itself is a manifestation of injustice and discrimination in our society. Who perpetuates these crimes and evils other than our citizens who claim to be Muslims and Christians? Therefore, whether we are secular or not secular if we cannot ensure justice, fairness, non-discrimination and uphold the rule of law and the rights of all then what is the value of religion in our lives even if we are secular or a theocracy?

I hope as citizens debate on the soul of our nation we will be able to identify the fundamental and important issues that will serve to value all lives, protect all human rights and ensure that there are adequate opportunities so that no Gambian lives in poverty, deprivation and discrimination because of one’s religion or tribe or sex or disability or other status. In this world there are many countries – some are secular, and some are theocratic – yet many have failed to secure safe and advanced life for their all of their citizens. I hope the Gambia could.

For the Gambia Our Homeland

……………………………………………..

Madi Jobarteh

Skype: madi.jobarteh

Twitter: @jobartehmadi

LinkedIn: Madi Jobarteh

Phone: +220 9995093

Banjul, 19 December 2019

EU Budget Support and Technical Assistance contribute to macro-economic stability, economic governance and support the implementation of the National Development Plan as well as ongoing political and legislative reforms required to consolidate democracy and the sound management of public finances for the benefit of the population of The Gambia.

On 19 December 2019, the EU transferred a tranche of 22 million euros to the National Treasury of The Gambia, as per the State and Resilience Building Contract agreed between the European Union (EU) and the Government of The Gambia. Since EU and The Gambia intensified their relations in 2017, the European Union has so far transferred a total of 77 million euros in grant financial assistance to The Gambia to support reforms to improve its governance, public financial management and service delivery in the country.

EU Budget Support involves the transfer of funds directly to the National Treasury of The Gambia. EU-funded Technical Assistance helps to improve the overall capacity of Gambian administration to better manage its public finances.

With the transition to a democratic regime in 2017, the EU opened a new chapter in EU-Gambia relations. A programme of budget support and technical assistance is accompanied by a broad and intensive political and policy dialogue between the EU and The Gambia. Through its support, the EU contributes to the short-term stabilisation of public finances and to consolidating good economic and financial governance, the improvement of transparency and accountability while simultaneously supporting the ongoing political and legislative reforms.

“With this programme of Budget Support and the Technical Assistance the EU encourages the Gambian authorities to continue to improve management of public funds with the aim of advancing its National Development Plan,” says Ambassador Attila LAJOS, the Head of Delegation to the Republic of The Gambia.                        

The Gambia’s finest rapper, ST, once  asserted in one of his hit tracks, “we’re bigger than all these stars when shall I become a galaxy?” And from his inspiring lyrics I take my cue to emphatically state the obvious: in the firmament of Gambia’s political celestial bodies, the United Democratic Party is bigger than all these other stars; it’s The Gambia’s political galaxy!”

And so being the galaxy that it is, anytime a self-acclaimed star drifts from the party, another brighter planet emerges in the Yellow galaxy! A couple of weeks ago the lacklustre Karamo Jadama showed his true colours and jumped ship to the flat-tired bus only to be replaced by the towering giant (both literarily and metaphorically) Alhagie Sainey Sabally of Royal pedigree (both from his maternal and paternal sides), as Chairman of the UDP’s North Bank Region. 

For a party that has earned its place as the most youth-friendly party to have Aji Yamundow Yarbo stepping up after our old uncle Mr Bojang’s departure;  in addition to having the legendary Aji Yam Secka as Deputy Secretary General; which entity can claim to be more progressive and gender-sensitive than UDP?

Interestingly enough, in the same song where ST raps about being a galaxy he warns a certain Dembo, saying we “gone by force”. And therefore I paraphrase ST and proudly sing “So nko Dembo yeh UDP is going to State House by Force; no one can stop this trajectory to victory at the impending national polls!” 

As I finalise this second segment of this two-part essay, a very dynamic and influential young man, Bakary Manneh has decided to join the mighty yellow caravan on his birthday. The same day he announced his membership, Sunday December 15, he was able to convince another influential youth leader based in Europe to also make the same decision. This major feat was also preceded by another top youth leader currently doing post graduate studies in Asia also declaring his membership of the UDP after an initial flirtation with a new political party that just did their official launch.

So as this mass movement of the best and brightest into the UDP climaxes, we can do the ST and sing like he did in his song “Tass Dekabi”: this is my zone duntu malango buka taamang taamang jang! (this is my zone, no little ant can perambulate here)

The UDP continues to grow and flourish and the best of its times are yet to arrive. Meanwhile here’s a poem I recently did with the trending hashtag #KanaSong as title addressed to the Secretary General and Party Leader of the mighty Yellow Nation:

Kana Song

Not a story, this is a song

From strings the heart throbs on

Where true convictions belong

Fear not, do not cower to attention

Fair or foul from humans stubborn

We listen to your heart’s song 

The true thoughts you hold strong

Let those ooze out from the bottom

Of your heart purely sung

Stick to that and ‘kana song’

‘Ka Silah wara ka jarra jarra’

‘Kana song jutunna-yaa la’

‘Ka dimbaa toe fo, wo teh daa jani la!’

Sing your own song – Kana Song!

Be glad thou shining yellow stars

Lawyer Darboe yeh banko taa!

Momodou Sabally 

The Gambia’s Pen

We all know for a fact that President Barrow does not have what it takes to run this country successfully due to his lack of public service experience and many other critical factors that I would prefer not dwell on for reasons of decorum. Barrow happens to be our Head of State and Commander in Chief, and we bear collective responsibility for that, granted that the circumstances surrounding his ascent to power were quite exceptional.

We all believed that with the right mix of technocrats in his cabinet and well-chosen advisers, the man at the helm of our affairs would do well at the average mark. However, what transpired during these past three years has shown us that our President will not even get to the average cutoff mark but he will fail dismally at this historic period of our evolution as a nation. This grim prognostication is anchored on nothing but the type of people our President has decided to surround himself with.

Sometimes I just decide not talk talk about President Barrow and launch my critical ‘missiles’ at his Ministers and advisers on policy matters so as to send genuine advice his way without bruising his ego. But after almost two years of doing this, the situation keeps getting worse. As if having people like Mambury Njie in his Cabinet were not bad enough, Barrow has men like Henry Gomez and the schizophrenic dunce, Saihou Mballow, as his close and trusted advisers. 

This certainly does not augur well for sanity at State House. What triggered this article is a video I watched this morning showing senior adviser Henry Gomez at yesterday’s “3 Years Jotna” protest scene attempting to provoke the massive crowd gathered to peacefully send a genuine and timely message to the man they elected to serve them for a 3-year transition period. This is a most brazen attempt at unwarranted provocation that could have set this county on fire; but thank God the police intervened on time. And this came from a man that is supposed to be knowledgeable and responsible enough to advise our Head of State on how to run this country. Indeed,  “if such are the priests, then God bless the congregation!”

This situation just reminds me of a Facebook post I did immediately after the infamous Brikama rally where President Barrow and his team of advisers and Ministers threatened a whole nation with violence with Barrow himself pounding his chest with the statement “whether you like it or not, I am here to stay as President till 2021. With Henry Gomez himself being just about the worst performer at the Brikama melodrama, I posted on social media “perhaps the President himself needs to advise his advisers!” But the lesson was not learned and it was after that meeting that he added yet another moron, Saihou Mballow as another Presidential Adviser.

With former Observer editor Baboucarr Camara lamenting Henry Gomez’s unruly behaviour at yesterday’s protest scene on Facebook, my comment on his lament is this: with such personalities as advisers of your Head of State, you surely know that your country is doomed!

May Allah protect our dear motherland, The Gambia. And may He (subhaanahu wa ta’aalaa) save us from the impending perils of the gathering storms.

God bless The Gambia and May Allah bestow genuine wisdom on our leadership.

Amen.

Momodou Sabally

The Gambia’s Pen

The Jotna Movement staged their protest on December 16 in peace and calm and in total obedience to the requirements of the police permit. Not a single report of violence or hate speech was reported. Yet before the protest, The Gambia Government at all levels continuously spewed lies that this public assembly will bring conflict in our society! For that matter they have caused so many citizens to forego going to work or school, or open their businesses today hence causing huge economic loss to the country.

Human rights cannot be achieved in the absence of openness, accountability and the Government’s expressed commitment to the Constitution and the rule of law. When a Government chooses to deny rights the first thing they do is to concoct lies and misinformation and then issue threats in order to circumvent the Constitution and the rule of law. They do this to generate fear and anxiety in citizens in order to control and contain the people and therefore prevent the people from holding the Government accountable.

Since the Barrow Government was established it appears this act of lying and threats was the first lesson it borrowed from the Jammeh Regime which they seem to be perfecting everyday even though they always get exposed, even if they do not get ashamed or afraid of lying and threatening citizens again.

The Brikama Rally of the President in June 2018 could be descried as the first major platform where they launched intercontinental ballistic lies and threats when the President of the Republic himself fabricated the falsehood that the Three Years Jotna protest will bring chaos in the country. It was at this same rally where the former Interior Minister Ebrima Mballow and the so-called Youth Adviser Henry Gomez and series of other speakers took turns to either lie or threaten citizens about the Three Years Jotna protest.

The next major platform of lies and threats was the propaganda television show dubbed ‘National Dialogue’ hosted by the President’s Press Secretary Amie Bojang Sissoho in September where her panelists were military, law enforcement and intelligence chiefs among others. In the show, hosted on GRTS top security chiefs concocted lies and threats that the protesters will be on drugs and will burn down this country. The Army General Mamat Cham went even further to say that the army was ready to confront citizens as if the Gambia was facing a foreign invasion!

At various other times the Minster of Information Ebrima Sillah and the Government Spokesman Ebrima Sankareh also joined the lying and threats jamboree to claim that this protest will cost the country dearly given the festive season in December. Because of these lies and threats we saw the Ministry of Youth and Sports go to the ridiculous height of postponing the NAYCONF which was to be held at this time. Continuously we saw this Government use every opportunity to scare citizens by highlighting security concerns with the NIA even going bonkers saying social media is a challenge to national security.

Because of these lies and threats they have managed to influence and scare so many citizens to the point that citizens began to engage in severe infighting among themselves. Some strongly believed the lies of the Government that the protest will undermine the economy, destroy tourism and cause conflict in the country. Those who support the protest are vilified as unpatriotic while they also in turn would severely caricature other citizens who oppose the protest. In the end the Government’s lies only succeeded in dividing the society thereby undermining national unity, peace and progress of the country.

Such a situation only helps to undermine democracy and injure human rights because when people are preoccupied with lies and threats they tend to not realize how their best interests are being eroded. If only citizens could see through the lies and threats of the Government we would have realized that we should rather unite and demand honesty and truth from the President and his Government. By failing to reflect on the statements from the Government but rather swallow those lies and threats hook, line and sinker the people only succeeded in dividing and weakening themselves.

But today we have all witnessed the protest and no one saw any single incidence of violence and hate speech. The protesters respected the permit even though that permit was utterly unreasonable, ridiculous and intended only to suppress the protest. The Government only gave that permit because they realized that, after all, their lies and threats were unsuccessful and so they decided to issue a permit intended to further weaken and derail the protest. But they failed.

Therefore, if there is any lesson to learn is that citizens must become vigilant and smart so that we listen carefully to what the Government tells us so that they do not divide and weaken us with their lies and empty threats. This Government led by Adama Barrow is a Champion of Lies and Threats next to only Yaya Jammeh’s Regime if not higher. And this is where citizens must be concerned and become even more vigilant. When a Government is ready to lie and threaten its citizens then such a Government is not committed to democracy and the protection of human rights. This is the fact of history.

Therefore, citizens must demand accountability for the lies and threats from this Government. Citizens must demand that the National Assembly impeach the President for the lies he has released on Gambians so far that directly violate the Constitution and undermine the protection of human rights. Citizens must equally demand the National Assembly to pass a motion of censure against Ministers who have been blatantly lying and threatening citizens without shame. Similarly, citizens must demand the sacking of the heads of the armed and security institutions who have lied and threatened citizens without shame or fear.

Let us defend our Republic. Let us not sit by and taking things for granted as we have been doing for more than 50 years. Let us not underrate any word or action from the President and his Minsters and Generals. When we ignore or take things for granted or merely underrate the State rest assured we will soon find ourselves in a sea of tyranny. Mark my words!

Don’t accept a Government that lies like a passerby!

For the Gambia Our Homeland

…………………………………………….

Madi Jobarteh

Skype: madi.jobarteh

Twitter: @jobartehmadi

LinkedIn: Madi Jobarteh

Phone: +220 9995093

A lot has happened since the planets-moving homecoming of the Secretary General and Party Leader of the United Democratic Party from his unprecedented, game-changing Diaspora tour some two months back.

With the adrenaline rush injected by the energetic Gambian diaspora that was touted, by incumbent Adama Barrow, as the lever for the uprooting of Yahya Jammeh from his coveted throne; the UDP has risen to a level of strength and popularity unmatched by any political party in our generation.

With this new-found energy and dominance has come unrestrained machinations (both endogenous and exogenous) trying to weaken the party. 

But this party is blessed with a leadership that is well acquainted with the sinister machinations of political animals. The shrewd thinkers of the party did the needful by expelling 8 renegade National Assembly members who were quite overt in their intransigence in trying to undermine the party for the benefit of the UDP’s self-declared chief antagonist. 

While some people thought this move unwise for the fact that no party should risk losing a single supporter talk less of National Assembly members; my take is that giving out zakat or tithes never dwindles wealth but actually strengthens your assets.  The party is confident that if there should be a bye-election in any of the affected constituencies, the UDP candidates would win. But that  occasion would not arise because the expelled NAMs know very well that they cannot risk resigning and calling for fresh elections to authenticate their mandate despite their empty rhetoric. 

And then came the insults on the platform of the tax-financed Presidential meet the people’s tour; the response of the UDP’s leader was measured and commendable; he kept his cool and urged his supporters to remain calm and avoid reprisals. As if that tirade in front of the Head of State was not enough of a low, the party’s very own national President went on a name-calling spree in front of the Head of State on a platform financed by the national treasury. 

Of course Dembo Bojang knew that his position as National President of the UDP was no longer tenable after his obnoxious remarks against the UDP Leader Lawyer Darboe. His resignation is not a surprise for any casual observer of the political scene. The man from Bakau has shown his worth and in the process he has validated the Honourbale Lawyer Ousainou Darboe as a man of true valour, dignity and honour.

We all knew that as at the time the UDP held their congress last year, Dembo Bojang’s loyalty was tilted in favour of President Barrow but Lawyer Darboe allowed the man he respectfully calls ‘kokokay’ to stay on as his party’s National President. 

Darboe is not a fool; he is well rooted in the principle called ‘Foroyaa’ or ‘ngorr’. He didn’t want to be the offender in this matter of sacred importance so he remained patient. Those who know enough about Gambian culture and the values held sacred by the majority of voters will understand what value lies in the class and maturity displayed by Lawyer Darboe in this predictable low-energy drama hatched by Mr. Bojang.

Mr Bojang’s resignation as UDP National President today is quite banal in the eyes of genuine observers of Gambian Politics. He resigns from a party that is home to the best and brightest from his own lineage; and his political base, Bakau, remains a solid UDP stronghold.  He goes to Camp Barrow alone and we bid him good bye with utmost respect. But the UDP stands stronger and much more resilient today with the departure of the weakest links in the party. Who wants a wolf in sheep’s clothing herding their sheep? Not event the unwise people of Kiang who are the infamous inheritors of the famed political airport would want moles to remain in their midst.

The race to State House continues with the Honourbale Lawyer Ousainou Darboe driving his tried-and-tested yellow Ferrari in pole position. All eyes are set on the learned man from Niani Dobo, with jubilant crowds singing and clapping “allay fo n-saa jeh!”

Momodou Sabally

The Gambia’s Pen

BY MAGGIE DWYER & ISMAILA CEESAY

When Adama Barrow became The Gambia’s new president in January 2017, he quickly reversed many of his predecessor’s isolationist policies. After 22 years of authoritarian rule under Yahya Jammeh – who had to be pressured to leave the country by a regional military intervention when he refused to step down after losing the elections – the democratically-elected President Barrow announced The Gambia would rejoin the Commonwealth and the International Criminal Court (ICC). At the same time, international support for the country renewed, with donors at an EU-organised conference in 2018 pledging $1.7 billion over three years to spur The Gambia’s economic growth and strengthen its democratic institutions.

Despite this foreign support, however, Barrow’s domestic support has been shaky. This is partly due to the way he came to power. Barrow was never the leader of a political party, but was chosen to head an opposition alliance for the December 2016 elections, which formed after security forces detained and killed members of the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP). Barrow had been part of the UDP, but resigned his membership so he could lead the coalition without favouring any one of its seven constituent parties.

Since coming to office, various internal divisions have come to the fore. Barrow has already sacked two vice-presidents and is now on his third. The second of those vice-presidents was UDP leader Ousainou Darboe, while Barrow has also removed two other UDP ministers. These reshuffles highlight the friction between the president and his former party, which won 31 of the 58 seats in parliament in 2017. There are also divisions within the UDP, however, which were seen this November when it expelled eight of its MPs claiming they had prioritised their loyalty to Barrow over that to the party.

Tensions have mounted also over the length of the president’s term. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreed by the opposition coalition in 2016 stipulated that if Barrow were to win, he would serve for just three years as a transitional president before organising fresh elections in which he would not stand. Barrow has now made it clear that he does not think this “gentleman’s agreement” should override the five-year term set out in the constitution.

Some parties see this as a betrayal and have been outspoken about their disappointment. Calls for Barrow to keep his promise have been led by the Three Year Jotna movement (meaning “three years is up” in Wolof), which has scheduled protests for 16 Decemberfollowing an approved permit from the police. Barrow is undeterred by the proposed demonstrations and has further fuelled the flames by announcing this week his plan to form his own political party to run in the next election.

Managing the military

As well as dealing with disagreements from within the ruling coalition, President Barrow has also faced challenges from the armed forces. In May 2019, eight former soldiers were convicted of plotting to overthrow Barrow in 2017 in what has been labelled the “WhatsApp coup” due to the use of the social media platform to plan the attack. In September 2019, another four soldiers were convicted of mutiny in a separate incident aimed at senior military personnel.

Following the coup in 1994 the Gambia’s military and many see these events as signs that some soldiers still hold an allegiance to their former commander. Some others, however, suggest the accusations against former military personnel are exaggerated and intended to sow fear in order to justify the continued presence of ECOMIG, the military force led by the regional West African bloc ECOWAS.

These soldiers originally came to The Gambia to pressure Jammeh to leave office in January 2017, but the timeline for their presence has been extended several times since at Barrow’s request. ECOMIG’s mandate, which currently extends to March 2020, includes the protection of the president and other state facilities. Barrow and other supporters of the mission see the regional intervention as a key factor in what has been a mostly peaceful political transition. Yet keeping the 500 foreign troops in country for several years has been a contentious issuewithin both the civilian and military sector. Among other things, their heavy presence in former president Jammeh’s home region has spurred protests and clashes, including one incident in which ECOMIG soldiers opened fire on protesters.

In 2017, President Barrow also launched a Security Sector Reform (SSR) project. Expenditure reviews show the current state of the armed forces is not sustainable and the proposed reforms include a plan to potentially downsize the armed forces. There has been no recruitment for the last three years. With poor economic conditions, however, military personnel and policy-makers alike are worried about the future of soldiers who may be dismissed. But given the ongoing lack of details around the plans, security forces remain in suspense about their fate.

The Gambia’s armed forces have also been in the public spotlight due to the ongoing Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC). This body is investigating and creating a historic record of the human rights violations under Jammeh. Public hearings, many of which have seen senior members of the security services called to testify, started in January 2019 and are being televised and broadcast on the radio daily.

Our interviews with members of the armed forces, including both top-ranked officers and enlisted soldiers, found the vast majority highly supportive of the TRRC. They explained their hope that the process would support their claim that the human rights abuses under Jammeh were carried out by a small number of the paramilitary “Jungulars”. Others noted that the process could show that many of the victims of the past regime were in fact within the armed forces.

More than a transitional president

As the anniversary of Barrow’s first three years in office approaches, the president has no plans to step down despite pressure from the Three Year Jotna movement. He has no legal obligation to do so as the internal MOU, which is the basis for the controversy, is not legally binding. If demonstrations ensue, the way in which the government responds will be crucial. Protests under both Jammeh and Barrow have led to violent reactions by the security services, which have escalated tensions and shifted political alliances.

At the same time, growing divisions within the leading UPD party and the increasingly antagonistic rhetoric between coalition partners suggest parties are gearing up for the 2021 elections. Given this highly competitive environment, Barrow is less likely to go forward with controversial programmes such as changing the size and budget of the security forces. Tough decisions about how to reform the armed forces will likely be inherited by the winner of the next election.

When Barrow first took office, many were expecting him to preside over a new era in The Gambia for three years before stepping aside. Three years on, it is now clear that Barrow sees himself as more than a transitional president. Whether Gambians share that view will likely be determined in 2021.

The Theme for this year’s International Human Rights Day is: Youth Standing Up for Human Rights. In its statement the United Nations provided a justification of this year’s theme as thus,

“Under our universal call to action “Stand Up for Human rights,” we aim to celebrate the potential of youth as constructive agents of change, amplify their voices, and engage a broad range of global audiences in the promotion and protection of rights.”

As we celebrate this Day the youth of the Gambia are already perishing in the high seas in their effort to seek better lives for themselves and their parents and families elsewhere simply because they cannot find opportunities and hope in their own motherland. Indeed, the change that the Gambia enjoys today and the comfort and better lives the leaders in Government have is thanks to the masses of Gambian youths who stood their ground to oust Tyranny out of the country in 2016. Yet three years down the line, the youth continue to be betrayed, exploited, oppressed and misused.

For 22 years the ‘Back Way’ became one of the major avenues through which youths find their way to seek greener pastures. Many other youths especially our young women went to seek jobs in the Middle East where many faced abuse and untold suffering. The plight of our youth goes back to the very beginning of Independence when the necessary opportunities that must be created were not created by successive governments until today.

In the Gambia right now most young people cannot obtain higher education because university fees are beyond their reach. The only public training institutions such as Gambia College, GTTI, MDI or RDI in Mansa Konko are all not only expensive but also hugely poor in terms of facilities and services. The dilapidation at NYSS or PIA are even beyond words! Apart from these facilities and institutions most of which, except Gambia College and RDI are all stationed within the greater Banjul area one will find it difficult to locate any other in the other regions –CRR or URR or NBR!

When one looks at the national budget constantly one will see the limited resources that is allocated to the Ministry of Youth and Sports. If budget is an indictor as to what is priority or no priority for a government then it is safe to say that indeed youths are not a priority for the Gambia Government. So long as the Government does not invest in sectors and facilities and services that cater for the youth there is no way that youth will grow and develop! Yet this is the realty in the Gambia since Independence.

The economic policies pursued by the Gambia Government do not in anyway empower young people to obtain or create jobs and earn a decent living. Not only are taxes high, but interest rates are also very high while inputs such as water and electricity remain expensive, erratic and not available everywhere. Therefore, how could a young entrepreneur start a business and grow?

In light of the foregoing who therefore is pushing young people into the Sahara Desert and the high seas to perish other than the Gambia Government? Young people must therefore realize that on a day like today the ball is in their court. One can wish to continue to build hope in the empty words of politicians and the Government but the fact remains that there is no tangible plan on the ground to transform the lives of the young into one of dignity and prosperity.

Therefore, it is high time Gambian youths begin to exercise their power as the majority in the country to defend their rights and make the Government provide the opportunities for the upliftment of the youth. The youth must demand tangible deliverables and action-based commitments to achieve those deliverables.

If that requires that the youth embark on massive demonstrations across the country, then they must do so. If it requires that youths take the local and central governments to court to claim their rights and demand opportunities, then they must do so. Remember that politicians and public servants will not yield to anything that does not put pressure on them. For far too long our youth have made life comfortable and easy for politicians and public officials and it is high that this ends forthwith!

Mere talking is not enough. Empty promises are not enough. Everywhere young people are rising up to demand opportunities and defend rights. In Haiti young people are combating corruption and demanding jobs by going out on the streets. In Hong Kong young people are standing against threats to their human rights and democracy from forces inside Hong Kong and China. In France young people are in yellow vests standing against bad economic policies. In Lebanon, Iraq, Iran and Russia it is young people standing against corruption, bad leadership and abuse.

Our youth are no different. The Gambia is not an exception. Our youth must refuse to be born in poverty to grow up and live in poverty and die in poverty. Our youth pay taxes. Their parents pay taxes. Therefore, our youth must refuse deprivation and lack of opportunities while few men and women who obtained power on the back of young people stay at the top to swim in public wealth like parasites with impunity.

In Finland it is young women who are leading because that society and their leaders built workable systems and then invested in their young people to empower them such that today a bunch young women are leading that nation. The only reason young people cannot lead in the Gambia is because we never have a Government and leaders who value and invest and empower our young people. This is why they have failed to build the necessary foundations and create opportunities for young people to empower themselves to become producers, leaders, thinkers and managers!

Young people of the Gambia, Stand Up! NOW.

You have been betrayed, hoodwinked, bamboozled, exploited and oppressed for far too long. You owe no one an apology or approval to stand up. Make this country a place that you deserve. So far our politicians and governments have shown that they lack the capacity, concern and willingness to create a Gambia you deserve. Do not let anyone scare or mislead you with imaginary fears about anything. The ball is in your court.

Happy Human Rights Day!

…………………………………………….

Madi Jobarteh

Skype: madi.jobarteh

Twitter: @jobartehmadi

LinkedIn: Madi Jobarteh

Phone: +220 9995093

The general public is hereby informed that the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, will hold public hearings in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (The Gambia v. Myanmar) from Tuesday 10 to Thursday 12 December 2019, at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the seat of the Court.

The hearings will be devoted to the request for the application of provisional measures submitted by the Republic of The Gambia on the 11^thNovember 2019.

The Honourable Attorney General & Minister of Justice of The Republic of The Gambia, Mr Abubacarr  M. Tambadou will be delivering the Opening Statement at 09:00am GMT.

The schedule for the hearings is as follows:

First round of oral observations

Tuesday 10 December 2019 at 10 a.m.-1 p.m.: Republic of The Gambia

Wednesday 11 December 2019 10 a.m.-1 p.m.: Republic of the Union of Myanmar

Second round of oral observations

Thursday 12 December 2019

10 a.m.-11.30 a.m.: Republic of The Gambia

4.30 p.m.-6 p.m.: Republic of the Union of Myanmar

The hearings will be streamed live in English on the Court’s website(www.icj-cij.org/en/multimedia-index) as well as on UN Web TV: (https://www.un.org/webcast/schedule/latest.html). Still photographs of the hearings will be posted on the ICJ website and the Court’s Twitter feed (@CIJ_ICJ).

My good father, Son of Mamadinding Sabally and Binta Njie Teeda-Mamaa. Oh thou father of Binta, Gass, Ramou and Buraama,

I send you salutations of peace and prayers. Indeed this letter is long overdue for I started the draft some 7 years ago but could not proceed for myriad reasons. 

However, I received a message on what is called whatsap; yes whatsap is a communication vehicle you would swear to be accessible only to the spirits called jinns because by the time you left this world in the late 70’s this kind of thing was unimaginable. Anyway the message came through this means and it was eerie and chilling as I read what the Kombo East Youth Leader Ismaila sent me, and here’s the text:

“Good morning Sabs…

“Tell your Dude not to spoil the December 7 show. I can’t dance and cry simultaneously for this song. We starting a petition. He either don’t sing that song or make it the last song of the concert so we can get on our way home. I love this guy…. please let him hear this.”

So I sent this message to the greatest rapper of our time. Certainly the message and the music referred to evoked deep reflections in me and reminded me of the idea of writing you a letter even though you left us decades ago. Truly ST’s hit track “Baaba La Lettero” reminds me of the words American Philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson who said “To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men, — that is genius. Speak your latent conviction, and it shall be the universal sense; for the inmost in due time becomes the outmost…”

The whole country is going through a phase since the release of this song that is likely to overshadow all other tracks in the upcoming album, Gambiana. There has been an outpouring of emotions on social media as people remember their late parents. Verily, ST was right when he told me that this song is not just for those who have lost their dads but it is also a call for people to appreciate their parents while they are still alive. What a message!!!

As the social media posts of hats imitating ST’s traditional hat he donned in the official flyer for the album continues, I also remember my late grand child Babou Jow because he once put on my head a funny frame made of paper. Now you would not know Babou but he would be what we call in Mandinka ‘e mumuringo’ for he is the son of your grandchild Tijan, who is the first son of your second daughter Gass Sabally.

Babou who was named after Tijan’s late dad passed away a couple of months ago due to a tragic accident.  So when I saw people using bowls and other funny paraphernalia as hats in solidarity with ST’s Gambiana Album, my mind went to the late charming Babou Jow and the funny frame he once put on my head.