Sections
DONATE
SUPPORT WWW.JOLLOFNEWS.COM
Account Login
War of words over Gambia weapons
Sunday, 01 May 2011 01:00
By Sarjo Bayang, UKTension is growing in the hearts of president Jammeh supporters as they have chosen to go really foul in response to the recently published article on Gambia weapons. It is strange that not one of Mr Jammeh's supporters mustered any courage to use their own decent names in standing for the hero they call saviour of Gambia. Rather they sit behind the keyboard under faked names and drop bundles of profane language as response to their anger over the weapons exposition. Lot of reasons come to play. It is very much possible that not a single person in that lot has any trust for what they all pretend to be in support of. Therefore they could not show even a name let alone their good faces.
Something dangerous is happening in Gambia. Since Mr Jammeh took up arms in July 1994 to deny Gambia peace and order, he also inculcated a
dangerous mentality in the minds of some people. He made them believe that only he is capable of serving Gambia as head of government. By that mind- set, anyone who comes up with the truth about Mr Jammeh's misleading position is seen as enemy of progress who deserves to die. When they lay hands on you, they readily kill you or torture to break you down. Where they are not able to lay hands on you, they stay under cover of darkness to drop words of degrading profanity. That alone speaks volumes about how much damage Mr Jammeh inflicted on some people without them realising it. That is similar to what just came out from recent experiences where despots have been challenged.With that amount of anger generated over the weapons issue, it smells a rat. Why will the Jammeh fans choose going so low by simple mention of secret weapons at some undisclosed locations? In the minds of these patriots as they call themselves, the nation of Gambia and person of Yahya Jammeh are doubles in one. That means when you challenge the wrong doings of Mr Jammeh, you are offending the state of Gambia. Reversely, when you mention about problems of Gambia, you are referring to Mr Jammeh not being capable. By account of both, you are enemy of state and anti-development, because Mr Jammeh symbolises development in their views.
To assume that president Jammeh equates the nation of Gambia is one reason why everything Gambia is taken as belonging to Mr Yahya Jammeh. In accounting value terms all the assets of Gambia belong to the person of Mr Jammeh. But the books are never properly balanced because Mr Jammeh assumes no liability for what goes wrong with Gambia. He reserves the exclusive right to own but under no obligation to owe duty to Gambians. Invite them to logical thinking and set the steel plate on fire. How Mr Jammeh comes to own everything and will not have to account for it beats every blend of reason. In the first place Mr Jammeh does not own Gambia.
On bigger issue of the weapons crisis, Mr Jammeh has no right to pile up weapons as though someone ready for war. There is Gambia national army with military posts at diverse locations. Kanilai where Mr Jammeh calls home and prefers turning into governmental point of contact is a private place. There is no public declaration that Kanilai village, Kanilai Farms, or Mr Jammeh's bunkers and other properties in Kanilai belong to the state. On that account, Mr Jammeh could not invite state matters in Kanilai, especially official transactions. Equally Mr Jammeh's private weapons stock in Kanilai and other locations cannot be taken as part of the Ministry of Defence weapon stock. While it could be argued that the weapon stock of a nation should be kept confidential, private weapons in the hands of others has to be declared publicly. President Yahya Jammeh is free to farm, breed crocodiles and lions, and host wrestling contests. What he cannot do is keep weapons of larger proportion at private locations, especially using public funds for that. All the weapons required to defend a sitting president of Gambia are meant to be housed at designated military premises. It is not the personal responsibility of a sitting president to keep weapons for defence of that seat. The Ministry of Defence is responsible for that. This should make it clear that a sitting president has more demanding responsibilities than engaging in trade, piling up weapons, or giving orders to have perceived or real enemies killed.
During a recent Internet radio discussion host by Freedom Newspaper, Gambian opposition leader lawyer Ousainou Darbo of the United Democratic Party UDP clearly stated that he is aware and has raised concerns about amount of weapons in Gambia. Mr Darbo specifically referred to the amount of military gears seen around when president Jammeh is being escorted. Asked by this author if his party or he as a concerned citizen of Gambia will consider reaching the United Nations Security Council to lodge the matter of excess weapons in Gambia at unknown locations, Mr Darbo who comes from a legal background will not commit himself. He however declared that his party does not hold even a bow and arrow not to mention lethal weapons as said to be in the possession of president Jammeh. In the event of dispute, it is more than likely Mr Darbo and his party will have to keep mute to avoid excess use of armed force against them as their rival party holds unknown stock of weapons at diverse locations including Kanilai, the private resident and property holdings of president Jammeh. Consignment of weapons has been impounded at a sea port in Nigeria bound for Kanilai Farms in Gambia from Iran. The matter is before Nigeria laws. Both Gambia and Senegal recently broke diplomatic relations with Iran after disclosure of the Iranian weapons impounded at a Nigeria sea port.
Michael Scales, a concerned British tax payer has been following developments in Gambia and made his views known in many ways. Mr Scales warned that with the Iran weapons case still in Nigerian courts, it is worth waiting to see what comes out of it. He quickly added that from the UN Security Council, transparency and accountability will be put to test. There is so much to agree with Mr Scales especially taking account of him as independent observer on Gambian matters. What is most encouraging about the unique role of Michael Scales relates to his position as a non -Gambian with clear interest. He stands a solid bridge between the two worlds.
The world is now witnessing how despots have amassed private wealth by occupancy of state leadership position for unlimited terms of office. The wealth thus accumulated over the period of their clinging on political power is misused in various ways. It provides the source of public inducement by corrupt means. Elections are manipulated and patronage perpetrated in larger ways. Worst still is, when despots plunder national wealth to build up armed fortresses. There is hardly any threat of war but dictators are always afraid that dissidents will venture them. For a leader who is confident of serving public needs, why thinking of weapons as means of containing oppressed people?
Most certainly, when war breaks in Gambia, many people will face it bitter.
Jollofnews Poll
Who do you think should be the next President of The Gambia?
Follow us on Twitter
-
McGuinness wants dissident talksDeputy First Minister Martin McGuinness offers to hold talks with dissident republicans, saying their violence...
-
Egypt candidate to seek election suspension: lawyerCAIRO (Reuters) - Leftist candidate Hamdeen Sabahy will file an appeal for Egypt's presidential election...
-
Bristol Rovers Speed Merchant Could Be Racing To Posh(GamSports) – Peterborough United are thought to be one of a number of Championship sides...
Comments
Mind you don't get charged for your
" education" when you go back?
What education?
Wot a laugh !!!!
I like your grammar and writing style but do not agree with your points.Like i normally say,one man's hero is another man's criminal.You have strongly believed in your points and i firmly believe in my points too. However, criticism without genuine proves is tantamount to sabotage. No government in the world can satisfy all its people. The rate of crimes in the U.S for example, is sky rocketing. They have millions of people who are missing or whose killers are still at large. Did you call the recounting of votes in America, a free and fair election?. Votes were never recounted in The Gambia because the opposition is not even closed to the ruling party. It is time for Gambians to know the difference between Jammeh and the laws of the Gambia or the difference between the govenrment and its supporters. Yahya Jammeh is not the law and we (supporters)are not the government. Some questions should be directed to the justice minister and not Jammeh and some to the Government and not us.
RSS feed for comments to this post.