MESSAGE TO ALL GAMBIAN STUDENTS IN THE DIASPORA AND AT

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BY BINNEH S MINTEH

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY





  The transformation of our dearest motherland has obliged me to share a few ideas in mind with all my fellow students both in the diaspora and at home. As future leaders of our beloved country, it’s important that we all recalculate our stance and make better decisions that will deter our motherland from following the path that many Sub-Saharan African countries have followed. Such decisions range from not only recalculating one’s political affiliations and making proper assessment of the current Gambian situation, but also to be true to the great ideals of the nation and make a proper decisions in casting your vote during the coming elections.

    No one can deny that we all have a constitutional right of affiliation to any political party or organization. Such a right is one great ethic that constitutes a liberal democratic institution. However, at this crucial time of The Gambia’s political situation, it is important for us to calculate our political stance and make better decisions to prevent our country becoming a failed state. It has become evident to all of us that our country is faced with a very serious crisis, and in response to such a crisis, we have to wage a campaign to bring about awareness.  The burden lies with those of us who are still at home. Some of you may be beneficiaries of the Jammeh Foundation scholarship, but that should not deter you from fulfilling your obligations to the nation, it should not also deter one from identifying what the reality is and speaking out in the interest of justice and in defense of our constitution. As students, we owe an obligation to our nation and that is acquiring a
 meaningful education that will actively guide one to fully participation in nation building.

    “We must also learn to disagree without being necessarily disagreeable. These are

     democratic values we will all need to rebuild once many return to the The Gambia.

      However education just for the shake of education or education without social responsibility has little or no redeeming value.” (DR Abdoulie Saine, Oxford University).

     No one can deny that the economic and security crisis are the most visible and therefore dangerous threat to the development of The Gambia as a nation and Gambians as a people. There is a fear of uncertainty and the spread of dangerous weapons, mercenaries and terrorists, which has raised worry about inadequate protection of citizens. Such a threat came to light when students were massacred whilst exercising their constitutional rights; when former Secretary of State for Finance (Mr. Koro Ceesay) was burnt alive; when media houses came under constant arson attacks; when Deyda Hydara was hijacked and brutally murdered; the many Gambians who flee from persecution; and finally the many disappearances of soldiers and prominent political figures. The nature and circumstances of such threats should make all of us raise a loud alarm and take appropriate action that will fully lead us into saving the motherland from falling into traps that other sub-Saharan countries have fallen into.

     Economically, our dear motherland is sinking, as we have lost confidence in the financial institutions of the country. Corruption and embezzlement is the order of the day in The Gambia. The formation of the Paul Commission is just a tainting mechanism the government is using to win donor confidence after arrays of economic scandals and failures. Today, our economy is marked with rising inflation and depreciation of our currency, whilst a few people are living lavishly at the expense of the taxpayer. A good question is why did the President not face the Paul Commisson? Can the President tell us how he acquired all the ill-gotten wealth? My brothers and sisters, we must not be fooled. What is the use of our education if we cannot use it to build a community? This is the time for us to start building that community for change, that community for justice and that same community to safe our fatherland from poverty and slavery.

   The Gambian situation has reach that point where we must not let ourselves carried along by selfishness and greed. The reality is that President Jammeh and the APRC has failed us as a people and as a nation and as future leaders we have to take up our responsibility to free dear motherland from decadence and the path of destruction. There is already that mechanism in place and that is the great opposition coalition. With this coalition, we can bring about peaceful changes in The Gambia, without following the path some of our neighbors took.

     There is also a paramount need for us as students to be true to the great ideals of The Gambia as a nation. We all know that our motherland has been known for great ideals such as peace, love, unity, brotherhood, sisterhood, care, respect, democracy, justice and the rule of law. Such great ideals made us champion the construction of the regional human rights headquarters, well before the current regime came to power. Today it is apparent that dear motherland is losing these great ideals. From 1994 to date, all that we have seen is a raise in crimes, skirmishes and politically motivated killings and tortures. Such a situation should be a concern to all students and should alert us about the appalling state of affairs. Our active participation and support of the coalition during the next elections will help restore these great ideals.

    “I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality.  That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant” (Martin Luther King Jr)

 “ Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” (Martin Luther King Jr)

    My fellow brothers and sisters, considering all this factors, the choice is therefore ours: to either safeguard our country or let it follow the path of destruction. We must understand that our country has fallen in the same trend as many of the failed states. During the July 22nd military coup, we witnessed the falling apart of the regime. On November 11th 1994, many officers and men lost their lives and some like myself, went into exile. We have seen the detention of the former vice chairman of the AFPRC Sana Sabally and Interior Minister Sadibou Hydra, who died in jail, whilst Sana was left languishing in mile two for 9 years. We have seen the shooting death of Almamo Manneh, Corporal Dumbuya and the arrest of Lieutenant Landing Sanneh. We have witnessed the farafenni and Kartong attacks and many others. Today there are many professional Gambian soldiers in the West African region and overseas. This in itself poses a threat and to avoid military action or a rebellion to remove
 the current regime from power, we must act now and support the coalition that will democratically bring meaningful changes. The choice is therefore ours, we either act professionally and collectively in support of the coalition, or our Beloved country will be a failed state.

LONG LIVE THE GAMBIA AND LONG LIVE ALL GAMBIAN STUDENTS.

LONG LIVE DEMOCRACY, JUSTICE AND THE RULE OF LAW

LONG LIVE ALL PEACE LOVING GAMBIANS.

LONG LIVE AFRICAN UNITY
LONG LIVE THE UNITED STATES



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