By Pa Malang Ndure Fatty
The recent attack on TRRC lead counsel Essa Faal by UDP’s most powerful man Momodou Sally is a reminder and evident that citizens are not safe from Yaya Jammeh’s influence and ideology even under UDP Government.
Yes, Barrow’s Government is as bad as anything bad, but Gambia’s problem did not start with Barrow, and I think we should be fair with him when we criticise his government. Sabally would not spare a minute to attack Barrow and TRRC in all fronts but there has never been a single time he talks bad against his former boss Yaya Jammeh. Sabally projected himself as a staunch opposition to TRRC and the Lead Counsel Essa Faal for the simple reason that they are uncovering Yaya Jammeh’s crimes during which Sabally himself was part of Jammeh’s most trusted loyalist.
Sadly, Sabally’s latest attack on TRRC Lead Counsel was widely celebrated by APRC and Jammeh’s followers who has the same belief as Sabally that witnesses were lying against Jammeh, and some were even bribed. Sabally was not directly affected by Jammeh because he was part of Jammeh when Jammeh was castrating men’s’ and sexually abusing our young sisters and therefore he would not have the empathy with the victims of Jammeh.
People lost their lives and every valuable material to Jammeh. A state commission was established to give justice to the victims only to be notoriously attacked by the same people who helped Jammeh yesterday and today they are part of UDP promising to deliver rights protection for the people of The Gambia. Its absurd. It is a disgrace and disappointment for the UDP party, and it can cost the party a lot politically.
Why hasn’t Sabally took a minute of his time to show compassion with the victims of Jammeh? Why can’t he publicly acknowledge and admit Gambians suffered in the hands of Jammeh and disassociate himself from Jammeh?
In my point of disappointment on UDP leadership they are more interested in anyone who will make Lawyer Darboe a president, someone who will sing a praise song for Lawyer Darboe and someone who would bring more votes to Lawyer Darboe but dispreading the person’s integrity and political ideology. UDP cannot continue like that as a party that promised to give hope to the people of this country. UDP should not entertain anyone to use the party as a base to inflict psychological pain on the victims of Yaya Jammeh.
Citizens expect UDP to have a clear agenda practically manifest on the ground they can be role models for the rest of the political parties in the country. TRRC is established by The Gambian people and Essa Faal is chosen by the people to lead the counsels. It is discouraging and fading our hopes in any potential future UDP Government when likes of Sabally who would be in the corridors of power in UDP Government are setting this bad precedent.
I hope UDP would understand that politics is not only gathering big crowds around Lawyer Darboe but its more about giving hopes and confidence to the citizens of the country you wish to rule. I call on UDP leadership to publicly distance themselves from Sabally’s attack on Essa Faal as UDP itself is the main victim of Jammeh. And I hope Sabally would stop protecting Jammeh’s crimes but also stop attacking anyone who dares to question Jammeh’s crimes.
We cannot be and should not be blind folded and blindly support a political party without reasons and principles. MY political views represent the general interest of the country and NOT anyone’s individual’s interest.
Thank you.
