Opening Remarks For ‘National Teleconference’

 

Good Afternoon!

 

‘Thank you’ making time for Gambia.

 

These call ‘neither about me nor is it about you’. It is ‘about Gambia’!

 

I only took up this initiative ‘out of passion’. I’m neither a politician nor planning to be one. It’s also not about self-satisfying ego of leading people. My hope is to share my views and I have lots of them while listening to everyone else. I’m not sure where my passion came from. I was born to Badibunka peanut/rice farming-parents in the Kombo South Village of Jambur. My dad can recite the Quran and my mom reads off head what’s needed for Islamic purposes. They’re illiterates by the strict definition of that word.  I never believe they know the basic role of a national government in a modern nation state yet they supported and I supposed voted for SM Dibba/NCP. The only reason I can think of is because they’re from Badibou as do SM Dibba. My parents endured bullying and intimidation from those who helped them put up a ‘Thatch Huts’ when they first arrived from Kitty village. I want to believe these were not directly sanctioned by Jawara/PPP but most certainly condoned.

 

Our country’s political problems are ‘rooted in the human capacity of her people (Gambians) and not just what governments did or did not. No change of governments and/or structural reform of governments are going to solve the problem until when the requisite human capacity capable for democracy is created. This would require a holistic social engineering that will take time and costs a lot – but it has to start. ‘Government(s) don’t choose democracy at will’ they’re compelled into it through functioning institutions of democracy. Those institutions will not function unless you have people that will demand so. There will be no such demand if they don’t know and/or can’t relate themselves to the nation – just like my parents.

 

The attempted coup of 1981 was a political wake up call we ignored. Instead of learning and correcting we went overdrive to create a ‘National Army’.  The 1994 coup surprised many but complacencies of PPP government was no secret.  It was both a tragedy and as well another political opportunity in our nation’s history. Again we abysmally failed to take advantage of the opportunities of using the vacuum to demand for a truly democratic transformation through the collective leadership of the then political leaders. Instead it was largely seen (I could assume) as an opportunity for self therefore political vacation/sabbatical for some and others settled on measured-words to bless and/or criticized the young soldiers. The same ‘lack of visionary leadership’ and as well failures to put national interest supreme over individual ambitions haunted us at every opportunity since – the transition period/development of Republican Constitution and the political party union for democracy instead of elections.

 

Having said that, I would like to recognized and as well thank those citizens of our country who stayed behind to fight from within – the home-based political organizations.  To a larger extent those efforts kept alive our desire to finding a political solution. On the other hand those outside the Gambia have recruited lot of political activism that I hope some day make its way to Banjul where is most needed. ‘Notwithstanding our problems has since ‘outgrown’ these efforts.’ Henceforth our actions and/or inactions will be judge by history. We cannot continue to make noise in America/Europe hoping what will convince/intimidate Yahya to change nor can we ‘outsource’ what can only be done/out done by Gambians.   We will be required to ‘March to Banjul and Work in Banjul’ for changes. This will require ‘Visionary Leadership’, hard work and organization/mobilization of both Gambians and the international community. We’ve to look and think outside the box.

 

Here we are – Yahya is stronger than he was on July 1994. Our nation is more undemocratic than any time of her short history. The people are poorer and sicker while Yahya is the sole producer, provider, seller, builder, buyer, etc. - in fact he acts as a Godly creature.  

 

The question we ought to be asking – What’re we trying to solve (The Problem)? You may choose to ask differently - What do we want for Gambia? The answer is ‘A Democratic Republic of The Gambia. Certainly this may mean different things to different people but the basics/fundamentals of democracy shouldn’t be altered with individual preferences, thus democracy would cease to exist.

 

Fellow Gambians making our nation a truly practicing democracy would not be an easy task because it would require self-assessment both past and present and as well beyond politics.  It doesn’t means denigrating one and another but to enable us craft the most effective and efficient path which only can only be achieve if we know  - Where we came from; Where we’re and why; and Where we want to go.

 

Compatriots this meeting will neither produce answers to what needs to be done. However, it gave us opportunity to truly and critically re-assess ourselves first with a view to ‘working-together’ for A Democratic Republic of The Gambia. However we can make a commitment to our nation that we will give her 15 minutes of every 24 hours we live (1.75hours/week) to work together to put together a national agenda.

 

We would need ‘A Comprehensive National Vision’ of A Democratic Republic of The Gambia, A National Face and Network of Operatives to sell the struggle to both Gambians and the International Community. Above all taking our vision to Banjul – to demand appropriate reforms/over hauls but even more importantly to cultivate democratic lifestyle through education that creates the requisite human capacity capable of democracy.

 

This approach will not exclude any Gambian. Naturally we shouldn’t expect every Gambian to buy into it at the onset but we shall remain informed by the fundamentals of democracy.  It will not be anchored around one or more political parties nor shall it exclude any political party. In fact there are very important and significant roles for political parties. It’s my view that we separate the struggle to institute ‘A Functioning Institution Democracy’ from the already tainted Party politics dispensation for now – the reason being to avoid branded agents of opposition political parties. Our ‘role as non-partisan political activists’ and ‘as neutral brokers’ is more credible if we divorce it from party politics and only stay true to democracy. Nor should we participate and/or be overly concern how individual parties want to organize and/or relate to one and another.

 

Before declaring the conference open can someone please volunteer to chair the proceedings so we can make best use of the time? If you don’t mind I will take minutes and/or if someone want to do that as well.

 

On that note I happily declare this conference open. Once again thanks for giving some time to Gambia.

 

God Bless You! God Bless Gambia!

 

Burama FL Jammeh 

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