My Fellow Gambians !
I received a telephone call from one of my highly-placed sources in The
Gambia last night. He was almost in tears because of the worsening
situation in The Gambia. He told me that he had just returned from a trip
into URD and CRD, where he had been shocked beyond belief by the suffering
of people there. He told me of the present day scourge of malnutrition
which is biting into the population. Many people he came across were
struggling to eat just one decent meal a day, never mind three.
He reported an increase in the cases of stomach cancer and hepatitis cases,
particularly amongst men. My source also spoke of the cases of rickets in
young children which he had observed, and noted how so very many of the
young children (and young adults) he saw were suffering from chronic boils
and upper respiratory tract infections. He spoke of the rise in infant and
maternal mortality rates in the provincial hospitals and health centres.
How can we blame him for crying?
Indeed, these are calamitous times for people living in The Gambia and
especially those in the provinces. My friend also spoke about the once
bustling, busy lumo markets being more or less deserted. Even the one of
the largest of these at Wassu was suffering.
Most people in the provinces have no cash to spend, credit is unavailable,
and even if you have money to spend, there is precious little to buy.
Staple goods from candles to sugar to chickens to kerosene are in
chronically short supply, I am told.
My source told me about the terrible conditions of the roads in the
provinces: journeys which used to take less than an hour were now marathons
or four hours or more. In this dry season, the dust from these degenerated
road surfaces is intolerable. Now let us imagine the road conditions once
this year’s rains come. For many people in the provinces, travel by road
will be an impossibility once the rains start.
In every household in the areas my source visited, he went on, there is a
farmer who is owed money by the government. Promissory notes of payments
for groundnuts or sesame are not worth the paper they are written on.
People try to live on credit, but credit is becoming increasingly hard to
get as the provincial entrepreneurs experience cash flow problems.
For so many of our fellow Gambians who are dependent on agriculture for
their livelihood, the situation is grave, and the future does not bear
thinking about.
My source expressed his serious concerns about the living conditions and the
terrible struggle for life which is experienced by our brothers and sisters
in the provinces.
He then spoke to me about how conditions in the urban areas are similarly
deteriorating. From Farafenni and Soma all the way through Brikama and
Serrekunda up to Banjul, the circumstances are the same for ordinary
Gambians.
People have a constant, grinding daily struggle for existence at the most
basic of levels. People are no longer looking to the future: all their
efforts are directed to surviving the day. More and more people are
experiencing unemployment, malnourishment, poor health care, lack of money,
lack of goods to buy and there is a general feeling of helplessness and
hopelessness in our population.
Truly, the situation in The Gambia is at crisis point.
My source told me that he is so concerned about the way our nation is going,
that he is even contemplating evacuating his wife and children from The
Gambia. He has such grave concerns about their future well being at home,
as well as the future of all other Gambians, given the current chaotic
situation at home.
But, of course, my source himself will remain in The Gambia to continue to
expose the corruption and mismanagement which typifies Jammeh’s regime and
to work towards seeing the back of Jammeh and his cohort.
My source also spoke about the growing discontentment apparent in the
security forces. Reports seems to indicate that some of the top brass in
the Gambia National Army are privately not happy with the way things are
going at home. Jammeh’s divide and rule tactics have infiltrated the
security forces and have led to growing dissatisfaction at every level.
The word is also out that there is discontent within the NIA itself, and
amongst the Presidential Guard. Some of the Presidential Guards are angry
that Jammeh is favouring a few men in the group, and they are deeply
resentful of this sort of favouritism and division.
Jammeh and his spin-doctors are doing their level best to convey a message
of progress, peace and harmony in the nation, but the reality is quite
evidently at odds with this.
In the Civil Service, the dissatisfaction with the current regime is even
worse: some offices lack even basic stationery; others have no telephones
at all; others have telephones which will accept incoming calls only.
Offices are empty because their employees have been sacked and no
replacements found: some officials are being asked to do the job of four
people, because of the shortages of qualified and dedicated personnel.
In fact, there are increasing reports of Civil Servants who have been
undertaking tasks, missions or study overseas who refuse to return to The
Gambia at the end of their period away from home, because of the continuing
deteriorating situation at home.
Furthermore, there are reports of some Civil Servants who are receiving
their salaries late, and a rumour is gaining ground that come the summer of
2001, the government MAY be unable to pay state salaries because the public
coffers are almost empty and Central Bank Reserves are almost depleted.
At the same time, Gamtel is struggling to maintain a good level of public
service. For instance, Jammeh alone has been given ten international
telephone lines: some Ministers are also abusing their international lines,
as are many in the NIA. Gamtel is being asked to look after the GRTS and to
finance overseas trips for members of the regime and its hangers-on.
Consequently, once a viable, thriving and well respected company, Gamtel is
now being brought to its knees by Jammeh and his regime.
In the same way that Gamtel is being mismanaged and plundered by Jammeh, the
Ports Authority and the Customs and Excise Service revenues are also in
sharp decline because of the lack of trade/imports and also because the
little that they do have is being used by the government for its own
purposes. Some reports indicate that some GNA weaponry and armoury have
been paid for from their revenues.
Equally, the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation is struggling
financially. I am told that it has become something of another bank account
for Jammeh: a source of finance for his many overseas trips, for his lavish
domestic lifestyle at home and abroad, and his extravagant receptions at
State House.
Therefore at the macro level, our country is being systematically destroyed.
Similarly, at the micro level, it is becoming virtually impossible to make
ends meet: taxi fares have had to rise, commodity prices are escalating to
such an extent that even daily items like rice, oil, sugar, soap and candles
– the very daily essentials of life – are subject to both shortages and
price increases.
Interestingly, I recently contacted an old friend of mine in The Gambia and
told him that I was sending him a good quality camera: he astonished me by
saying that he would prefer to have the money instead! Such are the hard
times in The Gambia today.
Furthermore, I am informed that crime rates – for petty theft, burglary and
assault – are all rising steadily: car theft and theft from cars is on the
increase, shops are being broken into: all symptoms of a society under
increasingly intolerable pressure.
Needless to mention, all service industries in The Gambia are also being
affected: restaurants, bars, taxi drivers, street vendors, shop keepers,
tailoring enterprises, garages, mechanics etc. all report similar downturns
in business, and a shortfall in trade levels.
Therefore, whichever you look at it, the reality of life for ordinary
citizens in The Gambia is bleak indeed, and getting worse by the day.
This should, as a consequence, motivate us – force us to come together as a
people in order to change the course of our country. We have first of all
to work on our own attitudes: to be positive in our thinking and in our
actions: to believe that we can individually make a difference, and play a
more proactive role in our country’s future.
Every right-minded Gambian has to be concerned with events at home: there
should be no hiding of heads in the sand. Let us always remember that when
tyranny and repression result in mayhem, chaos and tragedy in a country,
then the end results are not selective: we shall all be affected wherever
we are living and whatever our current personal circumstances.
To this end, we all have a civic role to play in changing the fate of our
country because the longer Jammeh is allowed to hang on to power, the more
our nation will disintegrate. It is therefore an absolute necessity that we
combine our efforts and undertake an active and concerted role in seeking
change.
So, what can each of us do in practical terms to take our country on into a
brighter, Jammeh-free future?
Firstly, we are fortunate to be living in an age of swift electronic
communication through the Internet. We have proven already that external
pressures on Jammeh bring results: the more pressure we exert on him, even
though some of us are living overseas, the more he overreacts and lapses
into exaggerations and empty threats. In other words, he makes a public
fool of himself.
In the light of this, and knowing that Jammeh is a man who is desperately
afraid of external pressure, let us renew our efforts and start a strong
campaign to expose all the misdeeds, malpractices and corrupt leadership
which is bleeding our country dry.
In this regard, we Gambians who are living overseas should be writing to and
lobbying international organisations, human rights organisations, donor
countries, our development partners and ensuring that these groups know the
truth of the situation in The Gambia.
The Movements for the Restoration of Democracy in The Gambia in both the USA
and the UK, have a crucial role to play in taking the lead in exposing
Jammeh’s regime to the outside world. With these organisations at the helm,
we can periodically make peaceful protests in the USA and in UK and clarify
our concerns about what is happening in The Gambia under Jammeh’s
"leadership".
It is vital that we keep on enlightening the international community about
the true state of affairs at home, and we should leave not one single stone
unturned in our efforts to do this.
Equally important is that we Gambians overseas and those at home have a
vital role to play in ensuring that ordinary Gambians have as much detailed
and truthful information about this regime’s misrule and malpractices.
So, we need to be analysing, clarifying and explaining the complex issues at
stake in our country, and ensuring that people understand both what is
happening at home and what needs to be done about it.
However, the struggle cannot just be undertaken from overseas: we should
therefore count on the opposition parties and the independent media in The
Gambia to be instrumental in ensuring that people at home are well
acquainted with political realities there, and of their own role in setting
the future of the nation.
Those of us abroad can help in the programme of enlightenment and political
education: we can share information which will help to raise people’s
awareness of how Jammeh is ruining our country.
However, the bulk of this work will fall to the opposition leaders and
parties at home, and to Gambian organisations such as the Gambia Press
Union, the Bar Association, the Trade Unions, the medical and dental
associations, religious bodies, women’s groups etc. All of these bodies
have a stake in the country and need to be playing a full and effective role
in taking our country on into a Jammeh-free future.
The Gambian people clearly want change: they have witnessed and lived
through the results of six years of Jammeh. The resentment they are feeling
is palpable. With coordination and organisation and with political
education, Gambians at home have untold powers.
We count on the opposition parties in The Gambia to formulate viable
alternative programmes which will give people a real choice.
Also, our Constitution permits peaceful demonstration, so if there is need
for this, then it can be done. Let us see whether the government will once
again open fire with live bullets on ordinary people exercising their
constitutional rights of peaceful protest.
Since politics goes hand in glove with risk, then all those who call
themselves politicians, or set up political parties, have to be prepared to
take risks. They are also expected to lead the people: those who can lead
remain, and those who cannot deliver effective leadership skills, lose their
influence with the populace.
History has taught us that our leaders do not give rights on a silver plate.
These rights are fought for and won: they do not come gratis. Therefore,
the opposition in The Gambia must organise effectively and lead the people
efficiently so that people power eventually carries the day.
We have seen how Jammeh cheated the electoral process during the 1996
elections in order to ensure his own victory. This time around, every
effort must be made to ensure that the process is relatively free and fair.
Now that the elections are approaching, the opposition must put their cards
on the table for all to see.
Let them make concrete demands before going into the elections. There ought
to be some guarantees from the Independent Electoral Commission in
particular, before the opposition agrees to participate in the elections.
If the APRC can hold a rally in any part of the country and without a
permit, then the same rights must be given to any other political party.
These forthcoming elections are crucial for the survival of The Gambia as a
nation state, and every effort must be made to ensure that they are
transparent and above board. If the opposition fails to do its homework
well, and allows Jammeh to perpetuate himself in power, then the Gambian
people will only know more poverty, hardship and unending repression.
Consequently, there is an urgent need for the opposition to form a
triumvirate as I have suggested in earlier messages, in order that they
collectively address issues that affect them or their interests.
A tactical Alliance amongst the opposition would have been appropriate, but
if there cannot be a coalition or alliance because of differences in
policies and programmes, then they can still form a triumvirate body which
meets regularly and which discusses issues of mutual concern. If this
aligned opposition grouping sees a foul in the electoral process, let them
shout it out loud to Gambians and to the world.
The three opposition parties collectively working to condemn Jammeh would
have far more impact than if the condemnations came only from one opposition
party.
However, it needs to be said that the Gambian people must realise that the
opposition alone cannot do the job of unseating Jammeh single-handedly. The
people must also be keen and ready to play their role properly and fully.
Let the people attend political rallies, let them report any wrong doing
they see to the opposition and to other relevant authorities; let them given
moral and financial support to the party of their choice; let them be ready
and prepared to make a difference.
If the opposition parties are convinced that they need to take part in the
elections because their demands are being met, then the people must go out
in large numbers and vote. Those Gambians who are eligible for voters cards
but do not have one, should contact the IEC or the opposition for advice on
how to get one.
Let the people police the electoral process, the actual voting and the
counting of the votes.
What happens long term to our future as a nation is very much dependent upon
what all we Gambians do in the short term wherever we are living. We have
to be confident in our ability to see the back of Yahya Jammeh through the
ballot box, but in order to achieve this goal, we need to put in the
groundwork now, and we all need to be directly and actively involved in it.
I am confident that the Gambian people have the spirit, the dedication, the
determination and the drive to change our country’s future for the better.
It really is a case of power to the people.
Ebrima Ceesay
Birmingham, UK
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