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Momodou
Denmark
11828 Posts |
 Posted - 11 Jun 2006 : 17:52:44
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INTERVIEW WITH HALIFA
Foroyaa: What was the purpose of your mission to Chad?
Halifa: The bureau of the Pan African Parliament constituted a mission to Chad comprising three members. The mission was mandated to meet members of the executive, the legislature, judiciary, opposition parties, the media, unions, human rights organisations, women organisations and others to gather information and report findings to parliament so that it can influence the process of maintaining peace and security in Chad.
Foroyaa: What was the outcome of your mission?
Halifa: I cannot go into details before our report is discussed and made public. What I can say is that after meeting, the prime minister of Chad and many members of the executive, the chief justice and President of the Constitutional Court, the legislature, opposition party leaders, members of the press, leaders of unions and other civil society organisations, we finally had a meeting with President Idriss Deby for almost three hours. The Chadian nation is ready for dialogue and ex-president Felix Malloun has been appointed to facilitate the process. We spoke to him for hours and we left assured that at least an internal mechanism to commence dialogue in Chad was evident.
Foroyaa: You are confident that all is ok with Chad?
Halifa: As I said, the process has been started. Before our departure I cannot predict the ultimate outcome. The situation is complex and there are many stakeholders. We will forward all our observations to the parliament for action.
Foroyaa: On the home front, you should now be aware that the date for the presidential elections has been scheduled for 22nd September 2006, what is your opinion?
Halifa: Two developments have been announced by the Independent Electoral Commission, that is, the supplementary registration of voters and the presidential elections. The supplementary registration of voters is scheduled for a period of two weeks starting from 19th June to 2nd July 2006. My concern is that this is the period when activities will be taking place in connection with the AU Summit. In my view, it would have been best to hold the supplementary registration of voters after the end of the AU Summit.
Secondly, section 46 of the constitution states that there shall be an election for the office of the president in the three months before the expiration of the term of the incumbent president.
Section 63 of the constitution states that the term of office of an elected president shall be for a term of five years.
President Jammeh assumed office on 21st December 2001. Hence his five-year term will expire in December. This means that presidential elections can take place any time between September and December.
Foroyaa: So the IEC is in order?
Halifa: The IEC has authority to fix the dates for election. I am just concerned with key issues.
Foroyaa: Such as?
Halifa: Section 96 of the constitution states that there shall be a general election of all the members of the National Assembly, which shall be held three months after the date of election of the office of the president. The constitution is categorical in stating that National Assembly elections shall be held exactly three months after the date of election of office of president. Hence if we hold presidential elections on the 22nd September we will be constitutionally required to hold National Assembly election in December a month specially set to determine the budget of the country. I maintain that holding the presidential election in November when the rainy season would have almost come to an end and National Assembly election in February would have been a better option.
Foroyaa: What are you going to do?
Halifa: Our executive is to meet and we will convey our concerns to the IEC if we deem it necessary. Notwithstanding, we will continue with our preparations as required by the IEC.
Foroyaa: Is NADD ready?
Halifa: NADD was created in 2005 to prepare for the presidential elections. There was a split and the Kombo East by-elections confirm the viability of creating NADD. The Gambian people have been appealing to me to work for the unity of opposition forces so that the preparations we have made since 17 January 2005 would not be in vain. I am open to tangible proposals..
Foroyaa: Do you mean to say that NADD cannot go it alone?
Halifa: What is NADD? NADD is not about individual parties going it alone. It is based on the principle of a unified opposition. The presidential candidate who can win on the side of the opposition will have to be accepted and supported by people who are ready to vote for the opposition and to earn crossover from the APRC. No one can be a leader without being accepted and supported by all sides in the opposition.
Foroyaa: What type of unity do you envisage?
Halifa: I have already stated in no uncertain terms that IN the way NADD was constituted no person could emerge as a flag-bearer unless one received the total support of all the members of the executive committee or the support of the grassroot members of all the parties at a primary. In short, each executive committee member had veto power as representative of a party. The only authority we had to put pressure on people not to delay the process is the moral authority to explain to the people who were responsible for any delay. When the UDP and NRP left, the rest of the executive selected me as flag-bearer. Just as I accepted the role of coordinator as an answer to the call for national duty, I also accepted to be NADD’s flag-bearer. In the same vein I am ready and willing to answer to any call by the NADD executive committee for the type of unity that can bring about the desired democratic change. I am ready to perform any duty that time and circumstances dictate. I do not have any personal interest in being a President, Vice president, Minister or Secretary of state of any Executive branch of the state. I have already declared that I will not be a member of any government that will preside over the poverty, voicelessness or powerlessness of the people and I will never help anyone to get to or stay in power who is likely to or is actually presiding over the poverty and oppression of the people.
Foroyaa: Don’t you think time is against you?
Halifa: The peoples’ minds can be made up in a day. What is essential is for the opposition to put it’s house in order in response to a unique historical opportunity to pioneer the building of a society where people genuinely own and control power and where those entrusted with power are so controlled by institutions and institutional codes and processes that they are unable to abuse power even if they wish to do so. This is the way forward. We are simply wanting to receive the recommendations that should help shape a, focused, principled, patriotic and energized opposition.
Foroyaa: What concretely can bring the NADD and UDP/NRP alliance together.
Halifa: The NADD will meet soon to discuss the suggestions made. I will convey a statement to the nation before Monday on comments made on this score. The UDP/NRP noted a position we will state our own.
Foroyaa: How did you read the situation in the country after your return?
Halifa: I read this thing about the freedom newspaper and the arrest of Duta Kamaso. She is still in detention. What is the women movement doing about this? Many women do give example of elected women National Assembly members as example of women empowerment. How are they to explain what happened to Duta? I guess they should now acknowledge that empowerment can only come with the creation of democratic institutions and culture of respect for core values of democracy, human rights and justice, it is my conviction that sustainable leadership must be based on widening the frontiers of freedom, democracy, respect for human rights and dignity of the sovereign people. Power based on fear is a house constructed in thin air. All of us should stop romanticizing about empowerment of our people and work to liberate them.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 44/2006, 8 - 11 June, 2006
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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kayjatta
2978 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jun 2006 : 19:16:02
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Superb !It is a wonderful interview .Halifa has touched on very essential issues .
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Dembish
Gambia
284 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jun 2006 : 20:54:11
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| May our prayers be answered,such people(halifa) really deserve being incharge of state affairs. |
There is no egg without a chicken, and no chicken without egg. |
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kaanibaa
United Kingdom
1169 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jun 2006 : 22:04:39
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| Degal la y dega rek waw goreh y Sallah you said it as it should be . You definitely are not one of those cowards hiding behind their parliamentary seats mouthing useless nonsenses at rallies and rubber stamping crude decrees sent out by Presi/emperor jammeh the conqueror of poor Gambia our home land in the national assembly . Nahng dem rooooooo gi parce que roos nahng deh.They assume that we respect them but we don't and will never respect those who callously ignore their duties as they sought for those assembly seats by choice and then abdicated their responsibilty to put the state on check . History damns them and we shant forget ever . If they don't like what is being said about them here they should resign thats all . But would they noooo they won't coz they went into parliament by fraud and will stay there till booted out which shall happen soon Take the Majority leader and Netty the two Baldehs shout in the guise of doing something about absentee secretaries of State, check it folks ,its just window dressing because they will have their mouths in the position of shut up if H E the Emperor of Kanilai blinks disapproval of their comments, They are toothless believe me. Jambarr moye key Sallah chi lo woorr |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jun 2006 : 23:19:17
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quote:
Originally posted by Momodou
INTERVIEW WITH HALIFA
Foroyaa: What concretely can bring the NADD and UDP/NRP alliance together.
Halifa: The NADD will meet soon to discuss the suggestions made. I will convey a statement to the nation before Monday on comments made on this score. The UDP/NRP noted a position we will state our own.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 44/2006, 8 - 11 June, 2006
Foroyaa:
What concretely can bring the NADD and UDP/NRP alliance together.
Halifa: The NADD will meet soon to discuss the suggestions made. I will convey a statement to the nation before Monday on comments made on this score. The UDP/NRP noted a position we will state our own.
QUOTE ENDS
We are encouraged from this part of the interview that "the suggestions made" which include our blueprint is being considered seriously by both parties. Lets follow further developments as another "I have a dream success story" situation became realities post election 2006 in our wonderful nation.
We pray for them to succeed together under a UNITED FRONT.
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Edited by - kobo on 12 Jun 2006 00:02:07 |
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