Sidi,
If the UN is evacuating non-essential personnel, this situation is not look
ing very good. If the international agencies leave C.I, this place could
turn into a blood bath since there will be no official witnesses who can
report to the outside World, and whose presence may deter a lot of ugliness
that could ensue.
Some members of the L like Malanding, Ndey and others have commented on the
fact that if the peace accord is signed, it will amount to rewarding
rebellion and this will set a bad precedent. I agree and note that wherever
changes of government by coup d'etats has reared its' ugly head, things are
somehow never the same again because there is then the notion that if they
can do it, so can we.
However, Ousman Gajigo also made a comment about why Gambians have not made
the connection between their suffering and the Jammeh regime.
I and others have also continually commented on the fact that some Gambians
continue to support the Jammeh regime regardless of their very apparent
ineptitude, record of human rights abuses, corruption, brutality and
ignorance that is documented by what they say each time one of them opens
their mouth.
Jammeh came into power promising transparency and accountability and his
excuse was that the PPP government stayed for 30 years and did nothing.
Today, he and his regime have turned into our worse nightmare, and have far
surpassed any corruption and ineptitude we have ever seen in The Gambia.
Also, in the sad tradition of most Africans who come into power, he has set
out to forge a kingdom where he will reign with an iron hand for as long as
he lives if possible, and he will try to attain this by any means necessary.
They often do this by pitting groups against each other, instigating violence
and even going so far as to deprive basic services to those who do not
support them even though they proclaim to be heading thriving democracies
where people are supposed to be free to support whatever political party they
please.
Yaya Jammeh is even boasting in public about the fact that he will neglect
areas where the population did not support him, even though those people pay
taxes just like the rest of the people who support him, and it is from this
tax base that his salary is paid, and it si the same tax base from which he
illegally amasses his wealth.
Putting into practice taxation without representation and boasting about it
in public.
Perhaps he needs to excuse those Gambians who do not support him from having
to pay taxes since their tax money is not going to be put to use for them
,and is instead only paying the salary of and making wealthy a bully
president who is clearly not a leader of all the people, just those who voted
for him. And Gambians still support this man!
I think some of us thrive when we are being bullied.
All of the things I have mentioned above are what leads to rebellions in
Africa, and to the mess that we are witnessing in C.I today.
When we have 30 year governments acquired through tactics supported by a
segment of the population to the detriment of the entire population,
including those who lend support to it, and favouritism, bullyism and all
the other things that these people who not only somehow manage to come to
power in our countrues
but actually find thriving support , we will continue to have rebellions.
Until we learn that one cannot expect to have the benefits of a just society
if one continually contributes to activities that undermine such a concept,
we will find ourselves in dilemmas like the one in C.I. where we wonder if we
need to reward rebels or support oppressive regimes.
Jabou Joh
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