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Special Election 2011: Message To The APRC
Monday, 13 June 2011 21:19
(Jollofnews) - As a matter of fact, the APRC does not need any strong arm tactics to coerce voters to its cause.
It has so many landmark developments to rally people to its support. The massive infrastructural development that opened up areas hitherto laying in waste; the unprecedented promotion of education and self confidence among Gambians, and other socio economic gains are for all to see.
All what the party needs is to recruit and make good use of competent communicators among its disciples to sell its image to the people. You can have the
best of programmes, the best ideas and projects, yes, but all these can remain in obscurity when you lack the effective human resources to communicate to the masses about them. Many a time the APRC loses or is afraid of engaging the opposition in open free and fair debates because it lacks professional politicians which are abundant on the side of the opposition... The ministers in the cabinet are careerists whose specialties end at reading out bureaucratic jargons at state functions. Where are the good public speakers who are fully indoctrinated in the APRC principles and master its programmes, and can give inspiring speeches? They are not there anymore if there were some.
Admittedly, Fatoumata Jahumpa Cessay and to some extent Yankuba Touray, did try, but they have all either been humiliated, recycled and rotated from one post to the other until they might be feeling dizzy now. This is why the APRC is likely to lose any debate between it and the opposition despite the fact that it has more tangible materials to illustrate its points.
Another major factor in APRC’s poor image is the apparent attitude of President Jammeh in using undiplomatic and threatening languages that does not befit the position of head of state. This alongside identifying himself with demonic and superstitious activities like the Aids cure and Witchcraft hunting have a tendency of staining his otherwise good image in the eyes of the World and by extension destroying the Gambia’s image.
President Jammeh must get rid of the half baked so called media advisers, if there is any at all, and recruit professional media and press men who knows the dynamic of the modern news making and reporting who will help guide him write speeches at important international and national events. Then and only then can the APRC reap the results of the good achievement it has recorded in the Gambia
On the role of the party in elections, I wish to note that The APRC, being the ruling party, has the greatest role to ensure a peaceful election. They must learn to play the game by the rules and desist from using strong arm tactics to gain advantage. The use of the security forces to terrorize opposition agents in villages and towns are a recipe for disaster and as it can enrage even the mildest tempered person to action in self defense... Let us all take lessons from Ivory Coast and other places where violence has caused thousands of deaths because people feel that their rights have been trampled and resorted to arms to settle scores. Let us not fool ourselves that it cannot happen in The Gambia. Violence does not have any master. Anyone can be violent and the best way to avoid it is by allowing everyone to exercise his or her rights without hindrance. Arresting opposition agents, supporters or political leaders with a view to narrowing down their influence amounts to a violation of their rights and therefore a provocation to violence.
Arrogance, in ignoring all decency and indulging in political intimidation by misusing the security forces to brutalize their own citizens is dangerous and counterproductive especially with the events in North Africa. People no longer fear to die once they see death. To think that this cannot happen in the Gambia is to be dreaming falsehood
The End
Note: If you miss the Message to the Opposition, please click this link
Written by Yusupha Cham
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