Gambia-L:
I am forwarding the e-mail I sent today to Robin Cook, the British Foreign
Secretary, for your information.
Ebrima Ceesay
_______________________________________________________________________
AN OPEN LETTER TO ROBIN COOK, BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY
Rt. Hon Robin Cooke MP,
British Foreign Secretary,
Foreign and Commonwealth Office,
King Charles Street,
London SW1A 2AH
10th February 2001
Sir,
I am a Gambian Journalist, who has been resident in the UK since December
1996, having left The Gambia when members of the independent press there
were being severely harassed and persecuted by the military authorities. I
am now undertaking Post-Graduate research into Third World Politics and the
process of "democratisation" in The Gambia since 1994.
I am sending you this letter on my behalf and on behalf of many Gambians in
The Gambia and throughout the world, concerning the deteriorating political,
social and economic situation in The Gambia. We are deeply worried about
the direction in which The Gambia is heading under its current leader, Yahya
Jammeh.
The Gambia is now a country beset with acute problems ranging from
malpractice in government, poor governance, massive high-level corruption,
poverty and malnutrition, harassment and persecution of citizens, gross
violations of human rights (including arbitrary arrest, illegal detention
without charge, torture and murder), economic stagnation, government
interference with the Judiciary, and government manipulation of the
electoral process.
Jammeh seized power in a military coup d’etat on July 22nd 1994, and then
"civilianised" himself and his military junta – the Armed Forces Provisional
Ruling Council – to "win" both the Presidential and National Assembly
elections of 1996 and 1997 respectively.
These elections, and in particular the Presidential election, were described
as being "deeply flawed" by both the Commonwealth and the European Union.
The outcomes of the elections did not represent the true wishes of the
Gambian people, since the electoral process and the polling were tailor-made
to ensure that the incumbent leader, Jammeh, won.
A number of irregularities ranging from the banning of the major pre-coup
opposition parties, the banning of certain politicians who had served in the
First Republic, the detention of potential political opponents, the monopoly
of the national media by Jammeh, the tampering with the draft Constitution
by the military, meant that the elections and the electoral process were
deeply flawed and grossly unfair.
The elections were supposed to pave the way for a return to civilian rule
and democracy, but because of their fraudulent nature, a number of
international organisations including the National Democratic Institute in
the USA, the European Union and the Commonwealth, boycotted them and
refused to send international observers.
Therefore, when the results were announced (some would even allege first
from State House in Banjul, before the Independent Electoral Commission
offices), it surprised no one that the incumbent leader and his now
"civilian" APRC party "won" a majority.
Since Yahya Jammeh assumed leadership of the country, first as a soldier and
now as a "quasi-military leader", The Gambia has been degenerating into
chaos, and its government is presently embroiled in a range of illegal
activities such as involvement in the Blood Diamonds trade, the illegal hard
drugs trade, illegal arms dealing, money counterfeiting etc.
The situation in The Gambia is so bad that we concerned Gambians and
friends of The Gambia feel obliged to call on you, through your good
offices, for help in our struggle to return our beloved country to dignity,
integrity and genuine democracy.
Sir, we are calling on you, because Britain and The Gambia have had very
close ties for many, many years. Our two countries are members of
organisations such as the UN and the Commonwealth, and through these bodies,
we have strengthened our relationship with each other.
Indeed, despite the dreadful years of slavery, and the colonialist "scramble
for Africa" to which The Gambia and other parts of Africa were subject for
so long, we have moved on into a world where countries are increasingly
dependent upon each other, and we are duty bound to be working together both
bilaterally and multilaterally through the UN and the Commonwealth.
However, it needs to be pointed out that there is now an increasing trend in
international politics for the major "players" in the world to turn their
backs on Africa. Surely, in the medium and long term, this trend will work
against the best interests of us all, because the more Africa is allowed to
deteriorate into chaos, the more continental Africans will seek refuge in
the developed world.
If Africa is isolated and ostracised, then there will be an even greater
exodus of Africans, searching for sanctuary in other countries; and we know
that this has its negative side.
In fact, the current debate in the UK and in Europe is on how to stem the
tide of refugees from the African continent and other parts of the world.
It seems to me that the best and most effective way of preventing the exodus
in the first place, is to concentrate efforts on helping to make Africa a
better place for Africans to live.
If Africa was a continent where people’s needs and aspirations were being
met, and where repression was not widely encountered, then Africans would
not be seeing the need to seek exile. Of course, there would still be some
movement, but not by any stretch of the imagination in the numbers that we
see today.
Many Africans who have fled their homelands and sought refuge in the
developed world, are anticipating the day when it will be safe to return
home, and when it will be possible to make a good future for themselves and
their families there.
Again, I shall stress that Africa has a lot to offer: its potential is
enormous, and its future will be bright if and when it receives the vital
support from the developed world which it needs to progress and develop.
We are of course, aware that Africans themselves need to be taking the lead
in finding solutions to their enormous problems, and the good news is that
in fact, there has recently been a paradigm shift in attitudes amongst
Africans who are now determined to be proactive in this recovery.
However, in this world where globalisation is becoming increasingly both
necessary and desirable, we should be tackling our problems together,
building solid relationships which are mutually beneficial.
The twentieth century saw Africa very much as a "lost continent" because of
its destruction by so many of its despotic and corrupt leaders, and also
because of the meddling in African politics by the developed world..
However, the good thing is that the twenty-first century is seeing a new
crop of African leaders emerging, who are committed to transforming their
nations, with the support of the international community. These emergent
leaders have Africa’s image and interests at heart, and more importantly,
are committed to mapping out blueprints for sustainable development , and
for national and international peace.
It is also true to say that the whole world is in crisis – not just Africa –
but there is hope for us all, because there are up and coming, talented
people who are taking the wider view, who are recognising and knowing the
problems which have traditionally divided us (xenophobism, narrow
nationalism, regionalism, chauvinism and patriarchalism).
The emphasis is now on globalisation, cooperation, interdependence, joint
responsibility, mutual respect, mutual trust and mutual understanding. We
are beginning to recognise more fully that we are citizens of one
increasingly small world, and one people linked by a range of common bonds.
Britain could do a lot to help Gambians to restore genuine democracy in The
Gambia. The situation there is desperate and we need the goodwill of
countries like the UK to use their influence to bring about the necessary
change. There are a whole range of political, economic and diplomatic
strategies which Britain could use to put leverage and pressure on the
regime in The Gambia to move towards true democracy.
For instance, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, Britain
could be calling for an imposition of sanctions on the regime should Jammeh
and his government continue in the current despotic and corrupt rule of The
Gambia.
At least, in my view, Britain’s position on The Gambia is not yet clear, and
it seems to be characterised by inconsistency. The Foreign Office appears
not to have been fully or accurately briefed on the tragic situation in The
Gambia, and still makes reference to The Gambia as a "functional democracy",
when this is patently not the case at all. It may well be that the British
High Commission did not brief the Foreign Office in full, or it may be that
the Foreign Office is choosing, for whatever reason, to convey less than the
truth of the matter.
What is becoming clear, Sir, is that British Government officials are
making contradictory statements on the political situation in The Gambia.
Some make favourable comments about the regime there, and others do not. On
Thursday 8th February 2001, the Deputy British High Commissioner in The
Gambia, Mr Bharat Joshi, was quoted in the Point Newspaper as expressing
serious concerns over the governance situation in The Gambia.
He went so far as to say that the presidential elections of 1996 were
neither free nor fair, and expressed some concerns that the forthcoming
presidential elections of 2001 would follow this pattern - "...have
created great concern in our country and other donors about the prospects of
free and fair elections in October". I urge you to read this interview in
full in The Point Newspaper.
Ironically, and very worryingly indeed, the British government resumed
military aid to the regime in The Gambia, directly in the wake of the murder
by government forces of fourteen young students who were engaged in a
peaceful demonstration over the murder of a fellow student, Ebrima Barry,
and rape of a young school girl.
Britain’s action in resuming military assistance, shocked the world and at
the same time, gave an implicit and very strong message of support to the
Gambian regime who had perpetrated this atrocity. Dozens of young Gambians
were seriously injured and many are still in hospital, while Britain offers
military aid to Jammeh !! It is an extraordinary situation.
According to the British High Commission in The Gambia, the decision to
resume military aid to The Gambia, was recommended by them because The
Gambia was now playing an important role in peacekeeping in the world !
Many Gambians and friends of The Gambia registered their protests over the
British government’s decision, and the British Foreign and Commonwealth
Office will confirm to you, Sir, that this diplomatic blunder resulted in
many angry letters. Sadly, many of these protesters have not yet received a
response from your Department.
Sir, we therefore anticipate that this sort of blunder will not be repeated,
and that you personally will be monitoring events as they unfold in The
Gambia, especially given the fact that presidential elections are slated for
October 2001.
The purpose of this letter is therefore to:
1. Acquaint you with the deteriorating situation in The Gambia
2. Seek your support in returning The Gambia to genuine democracy in the
forthcoming elections there.
1. The Deteriorating Situation in The Gambia
Domestically, our country is in a perilous state: unemployment is high and
escalating; agriculture is in the doldrums; both the health and education
sectors are finding it increasingly difficult to provide an effective
service, particularly in the rural areas; the civil service is virtually
non-functioning; sackings and premature retirement are the order of the day
for any people who do not toe the government line; electricity is an
increasingly rare commodity which an increasing number of people cannot
afford anyway.
Our postal and telecommunications systems are in disarray; roads are
crumbling away; social services are non-existent. Much of the population is
living below the poverty line and life is a constant daily struggle. The
crime rate is escalating, as some people resort to theft in order to feed,
clothe and shelter their families.
Government interference in the Judiciary increases daily: there is constant
series of dismissals of Attorney Generals, Judges and Magistrates. Court
decisions are ignored or openly flouted by the government. The Constitution
is constantly being contravened by the government, and is now hardly worth
the paper it is written on.
There is gross violation of human rights, ranging from harassment and
persecution of citizens, arbitrary arrest and kidnap, detention
incommunicado without trial, torture and murder. Innocent citizens like
Dumo Saho, Ebrima Yarboe, Lt Lalo Jaiteh, Momodou Mareneh are still being
held illegally behind bars.
The National Intelligence Agency (NIA) uses brutal techniques and torture
when "interviewing" citizens, and has become a modern day Gestapo-like
organisation. People are living in fear of their, and their families’
lives, and families are divided quite deliberately by the machinations of
the government and its agents.
Corruption and mismanagement are the key words to describe domestic
governance and our foreign policy. The Gambia’s foreign policy is becoming
increasingly inconsistent and erratic, and is usually dependent on a
cheque-book diplomacy.
The Gambian government is courting Cuba at the same time as it appeases the
USA; it is also playing Iran and Iraq against each other while actively
touting for expensive loans from these and other countries. In the
sub-region, Jammeh has become renowned as a man whose word is not to be
trusted, and who will do all in his power to create chaos and confusion for
his own ends.
Even in matters of religion, Jammeh is fomenting strife with his
announcements that he will introduce Shariah law in The Gambia in the near
future.
I urge you to read Professor Arnold Hughes’s audit of democracy in The
Gambia in a special issue of the Journal of Commonwealth and Comparative
Politics, November 2000.
I also urge you to read the country reports on The Gambia of Amnesty
International, and to study the US State Department’s Country Reports on The
Gambia since 1994.
These reports will provide you with hard and incontrovertible evidence of
the situation in The Gambia.
3. The Restoration of Democracy in The Gambia
Yahya Jammeh has in fact, amended the Draft Constitution so that
presidential term is no longer limited to two terms of five years each. He
is determined to remain in power, and is using every trick in the book to
ensure that his ambitions are fulfilled.
Recently, he unlawfully dismissed Bishop Johnson, the Chairman of the
Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), and has replaced him with a person
of his (Jammeh’s) own choice. Jammeh is now talking about votes being
counted away from the polling stations, against the best advice of the
international community and the IEC.
Last year, the leader of the United Democratic Party, Mr Ousainou Darboe,
was charged, along with forty of his party, with the alleged murder of one
Alieu Njie: the case is still pending. The Independent media is being
subjected to constant harassment: journalists have been deported, radio
stations set on fire or destroyed in arson attacks.
The prospects of free and fair presidential and National Assembly elections
for 2001 and 2002 respectively, are receding at an alarming rate.
Most Gambians, like myself, are committed to seeking political change in The
Gambia, through the ballot box. We want a peaceful solution to our nation’s
problems and a return to the rule of law and to democracy. We are averse to
violent conflict as a means of overthrowing the current corrupt regime, and
we shall do all in our power to win the battle against Jammeh peacefully.
We urgently need your help to ensure that the forthcoming elections are free
and fair, and that the electoral process is transparent and free from
government manipulation and skew.
Please, Foreign Secretary, we need the British Government to play its part
in ensuring that the elections are held on time, that the entire process is
above board and impartial, that opposition parties area free from harassment
and persecution, that the IEC remains neutral and is allowed to undertake a
full monitoring role, that the actual voting and the counting of votes is
conducted with propriety and in the open.
On behalf of Gambians at home and abroad, I urge you to:
1. Cut off military aid to The Gambia forthwith.
2. Acquaint yourself with the true situation in The Gambia at present.
3. Do all in your power to ensure free and fair elections in 2001 and 2002.
4. Do all in your power to ensure that the Gambian Government upholds human
rights.
5. Urge the Gambian Government to stop illegal harassment, torture,
kidnapping, illegal detention, arbitrary arrest.
6. Urge the Gambian Government to uphold the independence of the press, the
media, and the Judiciary, and to cease harassment of former politicians, of
former security forces personnel, of ordinary citizens.
7. Exert the strongest pressure on the Gambian Government to release
forthwith all those who are held illegally, in particular Dumo Saho, Ebrima
Yarboe, Lt. Lalo Jaiteh, Momodou Mareneh..
8. Urge your representatives in The Gambia and throughout Africa to provide
you with full and up-to-date information in order that you may make sound
judgements based on facts.
9. Seek meetings with Gambian groups in the UK and listen to their comments.
10. Attend the meeting which has been set for 7pm on 28th February 2001 at
the House of Commons, organised by the Movement for the Restoration of
Democracy in The Gambia (UK), and during which there will be a full briefing
on the Gambian situation to MPs. If you are unable to attend, send one of
your representatives from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
11. Do all in your power to help us to restore genuine and full democracy in
The Gambia at the earliest opportunity.
We have noted the assurances of the British Government that it will do all
in its power to ensure that it maintains and practices an ethical foreign
policy. We trust that you will listen to our concerns, and give us whatever
help and support you can, to ensure that The Gambia once again becomes a
functioning democracy in West Africa.
We Gambians are awaiting the opportunity to take our small country forwards
into the future, on the foundations of truth, justice, peace and freedom for
all. We need your help to make our dreams for The Gambia, a reality.
Thank you.
Yours truly,
Ebrima Ceesay
Birmingham, UK.
_________________________________________________________________________
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