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taalibeh
Gambia
336 Posts |
 Posted - 13 Apr 2006 : 20:16:25
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Below is a reaction from NADD's flagbearer - Hon Halifa Salla to a motion table in the Gambia's national assembly; copied from the point news paper.
Please read on guys..
NADD’s Flagbearer On National Assembly Motion To Condemn “21st March Abortive Coup
Thursday 13th April 2006
With reference to the above-captioned subject, the NADD Flagbearer, Hon Halifa Sallah, had this to say.
Compatriots, reports have been published in the Gambian press on the position of the NADD parliamentary opposition regarding a motion introduced by nominated member Fatoumatta Jahumpa Ceesay, on 3rd April 2006 to call on the National Assembly members to condemn the abortive coup of 21st March, 2006.
Compatriots, the reports in the press contain ambiguity. Clarification is therefore necessary. The parliamentary majority drafted their own motion without any consultation with the parliamentary minority. In presenting and defending the motion they attributed motives and passed judgements and became evidently partisan by claiming that the socio-economic prosperity, progress and general welfare enjoyed under the APRC regime added up to permit no justification for a coup.
The parliamentary minority listened attentively to the arguments forwarded by the members of the parliamentary majority. Other than the member for Banjul South most of the members who spoke inflamed the situation. Instead of counselling for restraint they called for retribution.
Finally, it was the turn of the majority leader. He did not only utter inflammatory remarks, he went further to assert, with all the emphasis at his command, that the parliamentary opposition would be guilty of treason if they failed to condemn the abortive coup d’etat.
It is at this point that I intervened, as minority leader, to vehemently object to such irresponsible remarks, which constituted a gross violation of the standing orders of parliament.
In my intervention, I indicated that it was rather unfortunate that the motion was couched in the judgmental language that befitted a prosecutor or judge and not a national assembly member. I questioned why national assembly members should make inflammatory remarks when even the President decided not to raise the issue in his address.
Contrary to the opinion of the majority leader that our refusal to join them in their inflammatory remarks constituted the aiding and abetting of coup makers we stood on the bedrock of sound principles in behaving as we did.
First and foremost, it is prudent that in a state of conflict one should not allow oneself to be drawn into it; on the contrary, one should serve to be a builder of peace rather than put fuel on fire. One should be a peacemaker rather than a warmonger.
It is in this light that I issued the following words:
Hon. Speaker, when we are dealing with such matters, we should deal with matters of principle and not substance. Any democrat or those who intend to be democrats would know that people who are accused of crimes are presumed innocent until they are proven guilty. It is not the duty of Assembly Members to be judges but it is the duty of Assembly Members to advocate for principles. The principles are very clear. Article 4 paragraph (9) of the Constitutive Act of the African Union calls for the rejection of all unconstitutional changes of government. This is due to the fact that Africa is an Africa of the people. Africa has passed through the stage of monarchs, tyrants and despots, ruling over the people. Africa has grown and perhaps that is why we have started to advocate for the principle of democracy; that power must be derived from the consent of the people and should be exercise in their interest. We must bear in mind what that entails. We in the opposition have departed from the position of our colleagues where they are avoiding the principle and are promoting partisan politics, which has been reflected by the Majority Leader (Hon. Churchill Baldeh).
It is important to bear in mind that if we start to condemn the coup on the basis of somebody saying that he can come to Banjul and back to Nuimi and that his children can come to school in Banjul and back to Nuimi, people travelling to Jarra and Wuli in the South Bank can claim that it takes them days to get home.
I don’t think that is a reason for opposing or supporting a coup d’etat. It is not the nature of a government in a country, whether succeeding economically or not, that determines whether there should be a coup or not. It is a constitutional rule that power must not be derived from the barrel of the gun; that is the principle! The principle is that it should be derived from the consent of the people. We hope that all these experiences would be lessons that what we need to consolidate is democracy and free the people to be totally in charge of their destiny.
This is not a matter of party. All of us in common own the Gambia; all of us in common must defend that constitution. We in the opposition therefore hope that this event that has taken place would be left to the investigators, so that they would do their work and take those people who have allegedly committed crimes before the courts to prove their innocence or guilt. We hope that in this process, our democratic evolution would be enhanced. A member has indicated the MOU we have signed between political parties and just few days ago, we did the inauguration. We hope that spirit would continue. That is the spirit which can make Gambia to be stable today and would make Gambia stable tomorrow. The spirit of realising that all of us must defend the fundamental rights and freedom of our citizens, the spirit that we must defend the rule of law, ensure that political parties and political opponents will abide by the principle of not engaging in demagogy and character assassination but would live up to the politics of issues so that the people would decide who would govern them.
This is the life we wish for this country. I must say that I would like to advise the government that what has happened should not lead to any culture of impunity.
What exists in the constitution as rights for people who are detained must be respected. The more we respect this, the more stable the Gambia becomes. We hope that stability will continue because we intend to contribute to that by respecting the laws of our country, by continuing to promote democratic principles, by committing ourselves not to participate in governments that are derived from coup d’etat just as we have shown in principle in the past. The best principle! We in the opposition have shown our commitment to the democratic principle by vowing never to participate in a government that is derived from a coup d’etat.
The position of the flagbearer of NADD, which is the position discussed and unanimously approved by the Executive Committee, is very clear.
As an alliance which intends to form an alternative government our role is not to take side in conflicts but to help resolve conflicts and prove that we can offer opportunities for both sides to co-exist in peace in a new country led by NADD.
Secondly, we are fully committed to the principle that government must derive its authority from the consent of the people and should exercise that authority within the fences erected and guarded by Democratic Constitutions and laws to promote the liberty and general welfare of a people. Hence in principle NADD endorsed the position of the African Union as stipulated in Article 4 paragraph (p) of the Constitutive Act of the African Union that:………..
In this respect, where an abortive coup is alleged and death and destruction of properties occur, NADD will condemn the destruction of life and property and once a free and fair trial before a Court takes place and an alleged coup established it will condemn the attempt to change a government through unconstitutional means. On the other hand, where a coup is made NADD commits itself never to participate in such a government and will strongly condemn and oppose any attempt to destroy democratic structures and reverse any democratic gains.
THIS IS THE KIND OF POLITICAL MINDSET WE ARE LOOKING FOR FROM OUR POLITICAL LEADERS. LEADERS THAT USE A BALANCED JUDGEMENT IN A CIRCUMSTANCE OF GRAVE NATIONAL ISSUES IS WHAT WE NEED IN THE 21ST CENTURY. NOT LEADERS THAT WILL NOT HESITATE TO KILL 20,000 PEOPLE AND THEN SLEEP WELL IN BED.
JAMMEH READ AND TAKE NOTE. HERE IS A ROLE MODEL THAT HAS STOLEN THE SHOW.
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Taalibeh |
Edited by - kondorong on 13 Apr 2006 20:26:30 |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 13 Apr 2006 : 20:19:04
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Well roared, lion. But Kondorong, don't forget to brush every story you hear against the fur at first, because then very often you see more than you detected at first sight.
I am horror-stricken by what I hear from Gambia. Though, there are some questions for me: Are there nations outside Africa who encourage and advise Jammeh, making him an instrument for their own interests? He wouldn't be the first African dictator to be only the puppet of foreign interests. If someone much more powerful than you should ask you if you want to be a rich and brutal man or a dead man - what would you choose?
We should try to get more informations about a possible international background; only if you see the whole picture you know what to do.
Don't put all the blame on Africans. It is true that Africans sometimes act against each other in a way I as a European can't believe; it is far beyond my understanding. But I don't forget that Europe saw extreme brutality in its history, as well as America and Asia. The peaceful way of present European life is a young phenomenon, and sometimes I ask myself if we live our peaceful and 'civilized' life at the cost of others, like Africans. Homo hominis lupus, man is a wolf towards man - sad, and maybe true, but everywhere it is possible to tame the wolf. |
Edited by - serenata on 13 Apr 2006 20:30:40 |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 13 Apr 2006 : 21:23:35
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quote:
Originally posted by kondorong
Certainly people were not mutilating dead bodies and the dead were buried.
Sadly, this is not true. Brutality in Europe was extreme in war times, like the 30-years-war in Germany. And it was extreme in peace. People were burned alive, cut into four, tortured with incredible instruments by the authorities. If you come to visit Europe one day, I will gladly guide you to museums where all these instruments are displayed (about slavery there is to say that the majority of the European population actually was enslaved from early medieval times up to the 19th century, in some places even longer; and that in the Greek and Roman societies slavery was normal).
But of course this does not mean I try to excuse any brutality in Africa. Africans should be aware that they put themselves more and more backwards if they practise and tolerate this brutality.
Of course Africans shouldn't allow others to tell them what to do. What about the idea of making every attempt of blackmailing public, reporting it to UN and the press? Oh yes, I know - a very naive idea...
You are really strange people: Highly sensible, warm and friendly, and hard like stone; lively, hotheaded, and cold like ice at the same time. |
Edited by - serenata on 13 Apr 2006 21:27:24 |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 13 Apr 2006 : 21:39:16
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| Accendum: Meanwhile I think one of Africa's greatest mistakes was to adopt European political systems. You had your own systems before colonialism (and even during these times), and I am almost sure you will have your own functioning systems again. But it will take time. |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 13 Apr 2006 : 21:45:44
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quote:
Originally posted by kondorong
Was martin Luther also harassed in this manner when he wrote his religious ideology. I cannot rememebr its title. I think they were 99 or 100 in number
The nobility and the clergy in Europe were almost one. Martin Luther hid in a friendly duke's (?) castle for years, otherwise he would have burned like a torch. After, there were very bloody rebellions, and religious wars. 60 years of peace, like we have in Europe now? Impossible in ancient Europe! |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 13 Apr 2006 : 21:48:23
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quote:
Originally posted by kondorong
You seem too optimistic. I hope sankofa has not given you the magic water (laugh)
Oh, only yesterday he gave me a big bottle, and I drank half a litre  . Is it dangerous?  |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 13 Apr 2006 : 21:58:48
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| Thank you, I'll cancel the trip to Kanilai I planned for the weekend, and pay more attention to my poor husband. Good night! |
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kayjatta
2978 Posts |
Posted - 13 Apr 2006 : 22:04:24
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This are statements by Kobo:
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"Kenyiata it appers that you are very unsympathetic to the plight of Gambians and don't appreciate these accounts as genuine facts. My heart is bleeding and tears running from my eyes reading these allegations and acounts of tragedic events that occured and left in the hands of God. Don't pretend to be selfish that you are fine with what#s going on and idividually isolated. However this forum is for open discussions and you are entitled to your own opinions and rationale. "
Kobo, i don't want to be misunderstoon , and please don't get me wrong.
I am a Gambian , i love the Gambia , and i want the best for the Gambia and her people. I want Gambia to be a country to be proud of , a country my family and i can return to one day.
My position , however is that i cannot comment on whether this narrative by a former soldier and an interested party in the July,1994 coup, is accurate or not.This story is simply not verified , and my experience and training would not just enable me agree whole-heartedly with any story at face value.That is different from not sympathetic to the plight of "Gambians"(Saye and others).
I have a few people dear to me , friends and class mates who fell victim to Jammeh's excesses.Almamo Manneh, Amadou Sillah , Borry Manneh , and others were all close to me and i still mourn them.
I did not know Saye very well , but i met him a few times through a friend of mine who happened to be his good friend. The loss of these fine people is tragic, we don't need to be stagnant in the past ; we need to move on to the next crucial task:democracy and the rule of law; then Saye and others will finally rest in peace.
However, i have come to the realization that the best way to fight for these victims is to press for democratic change of government in the Gambia so that the perpetrators of these crimes can be brought to justice.We can cry on paper , rage and riot on a computer screen , but unless we effect true democratic reform justice will remain elusive.Military coups and counter coups and other violent means will only plunge us further into catastrophy.
I hope i have made myself a little clearer this time .
Thanks.
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 13 Apr 2006 : 22:05:00
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| Good night. |
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
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Sitasungo
77 Posts |
Posted - 13 Apr 2006 : 23:15:05
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Kejatta,
Then why don't you come home and form a political parrty?
Maybe you can uproot Jammeh out.We are definately desparate to get rid of this man.Even if we have a deaf president who is atleast humane enough to listen to the people is better than a president who goest to the national TV saying "if any body wants to become President,you have to do what he did".
HOW CAN WE REMOVE HIM DEMOCRATICALLY?HOW?
listen My dear brother we are in the same boat and we needs each others advise,so listen to my comments!
When Jammeh came to power,
(1)He claimed to have come because Leaders stay too long in power thus allowing Rampant corruption and mismanagement of public funds,
(2) He said his government would wipe out corruption and esterblish good governance.ect ect.
NOW WHAT HAS HE ACTUALLY DONE?
(1) He made sure first He changed the constitution to suit himself,
(2) the rights people had to choose their own village ALKALOLUS since they esterblished their towns and villages was taken from them and the APRC choose ALKALOLUS for the people.
(3) Even our chiefs, After independance from Britain we felt that to reduce the power of chiefs over people and make the people masters of their own thus electing chiefs so that they will respect the will of the people was taken away and APRC government choose chiefs for us,
(We had radio stations and private news papers where one could express his/her views,Now he is closing them one by one,
(4)He force people to accept him or loose their jobs thus reducing tallented Gambians to beggers.
(5) He has used the state aparatus(The Army,Police,NIA and sometimes even the fire service) to indulge fear into people through totures, imprisonments and mass killings.
He has continously vowed on national radio and TV that he will bury people six feet deep and anyone who wants to be president must do what he did.
So would you condemned these soldiers who were just carrying his orders? for he said if they want to be presidents they must do what he did and we all knew what he did.
My brother you have stayed too long in where ever you are what BAMBA said was a very accurate event almost the same with what I gathered but even more accurate for I have been doing my own private investigations.I can assure you, yes these soldiers were executed in cold blood defenceless and some were burried at the front second gate of the yundum barracks just by the side of the gates a bit on the right and left sides where the National and army flag stands today stands on their graves(Barrow and others I don't know what happened after that but I know where some bodies and anytime there a regime change,those bodies would be given to their families for a decent burrial.I was taken by a friend to the barracks in the view of a friendly visit just for him to show me where my brother was burried and for one thosand years,I cannot forget the spot.
Peace be with you I know you are equally desperate but you way unworkable.I am in NADD just for the sake of excercising my civic right (which I have very little of for no one has any rights in the Gambia if you are not openly a Jammehrite).But I know he will win this election and the next and the next and the next and the next.So long as eh controls the Army,police,NIA and all state aparatus until death or fleeing removes him.
Sitasungo |
Edited by - Sitasungo on 13 Apr 2006 23:22:04 |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 14 Apr 2006 : 01:42:22
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Kenyiata you may have clarified your position but want to inform you that military run governments can never be won through elections and gambian democracy have suffered serious setback since Jammeh took over power. However can you further clarify these statements:-
QUOTE
"we don't need to be stagnant in the past ; we need to move on to the next crucial task:democracy and the rule of law; "
COMMENTS
As far as am concern, am not sure at what point in the past we are stagnant. Do we have democracy and the rule of law operative in Jammeh's government? Furthermore does human rights exist? Is the political field level for all political parties?
QUOTE
"However, i have come to the realization that the best way to fight for these victims is to press for democratic change of government in the Gambia so that the perpetrators of these crimes can be brought to justice."
COMMENTS
How under the present circumstances?
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kayjatta
2978 Posts |
Posted - 14 Apr 2006 : 02:40:43
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Sitasungo:
I definately agree with you on a lot of points.The list of promises Jammeh made when he came to power newly , and then the full turn around he made by suspending(and changing) the constitution and passing draconian decrees are characteristic of military regimes generally.That is why you cannot trust coup makers.I have earlier mentioned that research has supported that military coups are staged largely for army reasons(among them the personal ambitions of the soldiers).We cannot rely on the military (or violence) to achieve freedom at this time.It is most likely that any military coup that succeeds in the Gambia today is going to be another parasitic dictatorship. That is the nature of the military.
But whether the military in the Gambia will continue to takeover or attempt to takeover depends on two broad factors.Dr. Abdoulie Saine has noted in his 1995 study of the Gambia's military regime that both army and societal factors play a part.It is dangerous for the Gambian civil society to give the impression that a military coup is wecome, because this will emboldened the army to actually stage a coup.
I have noticed that a cycle is being repeated here:During the last years of Jawara's rule we were all fed up with 30 years of corruption and lack of development that many thought and openly called for military intervention as the only solution.The military always capitalizes on this kind of situations to usurp power because they know they will receive widespread civlian support.
Now I am not saying that Saye and others did not die(killed). The story(confession by the insider)we are discussing is very graphic ,detail and involves third party statements(or sources)which have not been verified.Also because the author is an interested party in the coup of July,1994, I am unable to impulsively comment on this story as accurate or not accurate. I do wish one day the truth will come to light and those whose hands are soaked in blood will be brought to justice.
I do not aspire to form a political party , or run for political office. I would just like to work behind the scenes so my objectivity does not get colored by the desire for votes.I am very confident in the politicians in NADD, and with adequate support they will unseat Jammeh. Jammeh almost lost in the last election; so let's not give up hope. All we need to do is press harder, we are getting there.
Werner Heizenberg (quantum Physics) once said that "it is easier to be pessimistic but intellectual pride requires that we are optimistic". The last decade or so has been a difficult time for many Gambians, but we must not choose the easier road of pessimism.We must not yield to emotions and sensations, we must not lose our heads in this struggle.
Thanks fellows. |
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kiwi
Sweden
662 Posts |
Posted - 14 Apr 2006 : 13:39:28
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| What about the close ties between Taiwan and the Gambia? Every now and then I read articles saying some representative for Taiwan hands over a large amount of money, as a gift or a grant, sometimes equipment as tractors, sometimes advisers to teach how to grow rice in the water and so on. What do they expect in return or do they just want to be friendly? Have these contributions made any improvement in the society? |
kiwi |
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rah
117 Posts |
Posted - 14 Apr 2006 : 13:57:21
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Wicked. The urge is killing me. I'm going to kill me somebody right now, Ops! at Counter Strike Source, Steam.Com. yeh,rah |
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bamba
Sweden
401 Posts |
Posted - 14 Apr 2006 : 14:35:45
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| Bro. Rah, u need to decode whatever u've written. |
Bamba |
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