As Seven-Year Silence Ends, Dibba Gives Verdict On Democracy




The Independent (Banjul)

August 17, 2001
Posted to the web August 17, 2001

Sheikh Al-Kinky Sanyang
Banjul, the Gambia

The leader of the formerly banned opposition National Convention Party,
Sheriff Mustapha Dibba has contended that democracy in The Gambia is a sham.

Speaking for the first time since July 1994 Sheriff Dibba told Citizen FM
that it was a pretence on the part of the Jammeh administration to ban three
political parties while the transition to democracy was on course.

"It is a serious blunder that can hinder the development of this country" he
noted, adding that there is a need to create an enabling environment to end
the culture of fear and insecurity among Gambians, which he described as
development-unfriendly. He questioned whether investors could invest amidst
a situation of fear and insecurity.

Mr. Dibba who in a BBC interview shortly after the coup had said he was
going on a "political vacation" spoke of general disenchantment about the
government, whom he said are presiding over a lot of wrongs.

Mr. Dibba said the level of displeasure for President Jammeh would be known
in October when Gambians go to the polls. He said many people who had voted
for the APRC in the last presidential election may never vote for President
Jammeh in view of the declining economic situation in the country.

The veteran politician said the NCP will support the majority opposition
party in order to dislodge the Jammeh government in a coalition but observed
that cooperation between the PPP and the UDP alone should not be binding as
far as any possible opposition coalition is concerned. He also noted that he
would take up the responsibility of leading the coalition if endorsed by the
majority of the coalition of parties.

Reacting to allegations that he was given millions of Dalasis to create
confusion and division among the opposition parties, Mr. Dibba he cannot be
bought.

Justifying his long silence Dibba said he didn't want to create any problems
in the country. "We took a break not because we didn't want to participate
or we were intimidated, but we didn't want to create problems. There could
have been serious confrontations between us and the military regime, but we
deliberately avoided it in the national interest," he said.

Quizzed whether he is not too old to handle the job of the presidency as a
64 year old man, Dibba claimed that he is probably a more mature person at
his age. He cited Senegal's Abdoulaye Wade and Nigeria's Olusegun Obasanjo
who are 70 and 60 years respectively as mature and able to rule. "At this
age you are in a better position to handle the affairs of this country than
younger people".

He accused some of his former MPs who joined the UDP as more concerned with
their own financial gains.

Mr. Dibba believes that the chances for UDP to win elections are even much
smaller now than they were five years ago when the NCP and other parties
were under the ban.


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