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Sitasungo
77 Posts |
 Posted - 04 Jul 2006 : 00:31:03
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Gambia: Once a Coup, No Democracy
AllGambian.net (Onalaska)
OPINION
June 30, 2006
Posted to the web July 3, 2006
By Sarjo Bayang
(Though I have done this without the Author or his Publisher'S PERMISSION,I have no doubt it is a masterpiece which be shared by all democratic/peaceloving and Gambia loving citizens.)
I thought of sharing the reading with those of you who don't read AllGambian.net.
Wounderful isn't it?
Read on.
Long time ago, it sounded like fairy tale in Gambia to hear about coup detats in other countries. Living under military rule was like a far fetched experience. Both events have now happened to Gambians. Since the emergence of military rule in Gambia on 22 July 1994, life has changed for the worse. There is no secret to hide about it. Yet, there are people out somewhere who for selfish reasons prefer others to keep tight lips and to fold arms not to talk or write about just what is happening in our country. This is a shame and very unreasonable too.
Before this regime, information on socio-political and economic issues about Gambia flowed as events unfolded. Why will this have to change just because a repressive regime and fanatical defenders will want the wrong continue unquestioned? The day that those who get on misruling us stop, on the same day genuine critics will stop criticizing. Until that change of conduct, don't blame the critics. Rather warn those who seek to deceive and mishandle public affairs and public resources to correct their wrongs.
Many of those who occupied /occupy key political positions under this regime have not been in politics before. It has been and still serves as experience for this lot. By the peaceful nature of Gambians there has not been serious concern over anyone of our new breed of public personalities being where they are. Meager public resources provide the opportunity for all that. Whether anyone likes to believe it or not, things have changed in Gambia.
Where Gambians have permitted or simply endured being used for an experiment by political non-starters, it is simply fair to talk and write about how we live through these most trying times. For those who perceive the military regime as God-sent redeemers, any mention of what goes wrong is seen as a scheme for personal hatred or mere criticism for the sake of criticizing. That perception is quite a pity on the side of those who take offence by the mere mention of wrong things and events about Gambia. The comments and information revealed in this forum and other media outlets is about Gambia, a country we all have right and pride of belonging. It has been mentioned many times and will be mentioned lot more times that anyone who chooses to keep a public position must bear the responsibility that goes with it. They must also expect to be cautioned for whatever that goes wrong in the views of society's right thinking members. That is all by the generous provisions of democracy. A nyone who regards criticism of public position holders as anything other than that needs help to live at home with basic truth.
Rather than taking the writings and talks as part of building a better and more tolerant political dispensation, the regime's worst haters who pretend to be its best lovers turn around to take raise ugly defensive feathers against genuine critics. That is not helping the situation in the least. If those in public position dare to do wrong, what is there to stop the rest of society dare to say or write about what's going wrong. Again that is healthy democracy and those who get blind to that truth need further help.
What is happening now is nothing less than history in the making. Where deceptive praise singers and deceptive journalists prefer to keep false record of wrongs and wrights, by equal weight of concern, genuine speakers and unbiased speakers and writers have the right to keep accurate account of things and events. Undemocratic criticism of opponents will not bar genuine Gambians to give our country the attention we deserve. The international media fraternity along with human rights organizations is making greater leaps in the advancement towards providing needed information about what goes on in Gambia. We have gone past the age and time where truth is both denied and suppressed. The media and civil society in Gambia can enjoy far greater harmony in our collective defense for betterment of our lot.
Relevant Links
West Africa
Gambia
Legal and Judicial Affairs
Human Rights
The most unfortunate development in Gambia is the breed of people who refuse to recognize democratic principles and to accept truth. These are people who feel bitter by those who say or write about what goes wrong. There is a simple message for you lot. Tell the rest of society why you think it is normal to keep quiet over wrong while seeking to promote wrong for right. Tell us why Gambians have to accept a government that came through a coup and for (twelve) 12 years and still fails to honor democracy. Do we expect society to pretend about all the wrong doings?
If one thinks that by calling opponents names and misinterpreting their purpose will make any genuine critic yield to your nefarious schemes, then you need help. Before this regime, genuine critics have kept society informed about whatever was not going well. Unless you are able to keep public position holders to do justice and be fairest with the use of public resources, the good voices of truth will continue to echo over the crocodile skins of those who refuse to do right. That's all the reason we call it democracy. Your misinterpretation of our reasons will not deter us the way you want to it.
This message is best placed in the basket of those blind fanatics who may not be part of the military regime but choose to defend it for selfish reasons. If you so love Gambia and share the increased suffering everyone is facing, tell your men and women in public positions to be fair. The rest of you, who neither belong nor want others to take their rightful stance, should enjoy their choice. For now, we are in the era of information and succeeding generations of Gambia will need these records for a better society. Gambia is our homeland.
I have to be the first here to thank our dedicated son of our soil for that masterpiece and wish him well.He is a true Gambian with truth in his veins.May it continue there forever.Amen
Peace
sitasungo
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