As Decree 89 is Annulled, Old Politicians Contemplate United Front
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The Independent (Banjul)
July 27, 2001
Posted to the web July 27, 2001
Alhagie Mbye And Haddy Jatou Kebbeh
Banjul, the Gambia
Politicians who were banned by Decree 89 from all forms of political
activity in the wake of the 1994 coup have swiftly reacted to the annulment
of the decree, saying they are in the process of considering a common front
against the ruling party.
They however, cautioned that there is no cause to jubilate their return to
the political scene. The process, which the politicians said began with the
petition to President Jammeh, urging him to quash the decree would be made
public as soon as is feasible, The Independent was informed.
The politicians who were effectively silenced by the decree since the coup
which brought an end to PPP rule noted that the president had no right to
promulgate it in the first place.
Reacting to the much-awaited political development, Omar Jallow alias O.J.
former minister of Agriculture in the deposed PPP regime, who has been
waging a legal battle in the Supreme Court for its annulment told The
Independent that as far as the three main political parties were concerned
there was no cause for jubilation. He said the decree has wasted seven years
of Gambians' lives, who have otherwise contributed immensely to the
political and economic evolution of the country. He said that the banned
politicians saw no legal or moral justification for the promulgation of the
decree. For him, the decree was promulgated to make the political field more
advantageous for the president so that he could succeed himself as civilian
president. "Any law that is selective and discriminatory is unacceptable
nationally because of our constitution and internationally due to the
conventions that we are a party to" he argued.
Decree 89, O.J. emphasised was a "rough and jungle law" and therefore should
not have been allowed to happen. He said the politicians affected by the ban
had already started the process of consultation and cooperation, which began
with the petition to the president on June 22, signed by the three political
parties. He said the end of the decree was the result of local and
international pressures on President Jammeh.
"It was incumbent on all the opposition forces in the country to start
consultations and dialogue that would create a common platform for them to
constitutionally dislodge the tyrant from the throne", he said.
Reacting to the 65-year age limit for pretenders to the presidency which
disqualifies former President Jawara from contesting the presidency, O.J.
said although he could not speak on the ex president's behalf, it was
disturbing that the age limit for anyone wanting to contest for the
presidency is in fact stated in the constitution. "One of the most dishonest
acts of the AFPRC-APRC government was the rejection of the unanimous
decision of Gambians through the National Consultative Committee that nobody
under 40 years should be the president of the country" he averred .
According to him there was nowhere in the report where it was requested by
Gambians that anybody above 65 years should not be eligible to contest for
the presidency and that as a result constitutes a serious violation of the
rights of all citizens of that age and above. He cited as examples that
Nelson Mandela, Abdoulaye Wade, and Ronald Regan were above 65 when they
assumed power. "Therefore there was no rationale behind such unlawful act".
O.J. acknowledged that "the period is too short for those affected by the
decree to start campaigning for election but are nevertheless still
fortunate that some of the structures of the PPP, NCP and GPP are still in
place with the possibility and indication of a positive outcome.
"The reaction of the people during the past few days is encouraging as a lot
of people who left the three banned political parties to join the ruling
APRC party are now ready to come back to their own parties." He emphasised
that the repeal of Decree 89 is the "beginning of the end of the APRC
party."
Reacting to the view that the revival of banned political parties might
affect the United Democratic Party, he said he could not speak on behalf of
the other parties but noted that the revival of all the political parties
would strengthen the UDP and other opposition parties and give Gambians a
variety of options.
O.J. appealed to the former PPP supporters and sympathisers to return to the
party so that in collaboration with other political parties they could bring
back "sanity into Gambian politics."
The APRC, he claimed introduced the negative principles of terrorism,
intimidation and harassment, which were alien to The Gambia's political
configuration. "All hands", he said, "have to be on deck so that Gambians
can have a system that guarantees every citizen the liberty, freedom, right
and security that is expected in a civilized and humane country".
He charged that it was stupid for any one to suggest that the repeal of
Decree 89 was a gesture or philanthropy from the president, as the abrogated
decree had no place in the constitution and international conventions and
could only be compared to apartheid South Africa. He said the heads of the
banned parties had never been summoned to any of the "Kangaroo commissions
of inquiry",
He believes that Decree 89 was a law used by "despotic regimes to stifle
dissent" as the AFPRC-APRC junta was fully aware of the trust, confidence
and popularity of the three banned parties.
The Gambia Peoples Party (GPP) leader, Assan Musa Camara said the parties
affected by the ban were working on certain matters and would brief the
press in due course.
Sheriff Mustapha Dibba, leader of the National Convention Party (NCP) in the
same vein maintained that he would contact The Independent when he is ready
with his work.
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Copyright © 2001 The Independent. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media
(allAfrica.com).
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