From the Gambia net website.

President Yahya Jammeh has been for sometime now under pressure. This
pressure has been mounting to a climaxing finale with the current London
meeting between The Gambian opposition and the British MPs. Events have
succeeded one and another in many areas. The energy crisis, last year's
Groundnut Season, the students demonstrations, the Basse incident, the
reception of Government's decision on the reports on the April 10 and 11
events, the Casamance and Guinea Bissau debacle, the issue surrounding the
death of the two UDP MPs and the remake about this year's Groundnut Season.

And now, some influential British MPs are mounting a serious campaign
against his administration. The man is really under pressure. Who to blame?
Of course the cohort of advisers of the past two years or so who must have
failed him. Or as many people believe, is it a case of no adviser at all?
Maybe it is too late to apportion blame. Now what is important is for Jammeh
to address these issues with the seriousness and urgency they demand. The
farmers problems must be tackled in the most satisfactory manner.

The minister is meeting the press today and we hope he gives us a true
picture of the situation and a final solution to this vexed issue, which has
been with us since last year. On the recommendations of the Commission of
Enquiry, we hope government would live up to the aspirations of the people.
On Casamance and Guinea-Bissau, we hope they would offer their assistance in
the spirit of good neighbourliness and stability of the sub-region without
fanfare.

Now, on the London meeting and in fact in correlation with the recent visit
of Secretary General Mc. Kinnon, government should endeavour to repeal, as a
matter of urgency, the decrees that are inimical to good governance. For The
Gambia to take a rightful place in the comity of nations, the government
must be prepared to play the governance game by observing its rules. For
instance, in an international match, The Gambia can only file 11 players for
a football match and not 30 or can only file 6 players for a basket ball
match and not 2.

The answer then to the London meeting and CMAG is the observance of the
Harare Declaration. Now, CMAG is an arm of the Commonwealth where we might
have sympathy but the British MPs can spearhead the unleashing of
devastating measures against the government. - We do not need to catalogue
the type of measures but they are many. Suffice it to mention the one that
provides for travel embargo. - "The First Law of Journalism:to confirm
existing prejudice, rather then contradict it."

LONDON MEETING: A SHAME FOR GOVERNMENT- LAWYER DABOE Posted Friday, March 2,
2001 by Editor

UDP's Lawyer Darboe has said the British House of Commons' meeting with
Gambia's opposition parties on the "current crises in Democracy in the
Gambia" should be a source of shame for the APRC government. He was speaking
during an interview with The Point at his Kairaba Avenue residence on
Monday. Darboe believes that for the British House of Commons to invite
opposition parties in the country to a briefing meeting in UK clearly spelt
out the type of government currently in the Gambia.

He said the APRC government has very little respect for the norms of good
government, adding that the regime has also reduced some Gambians into
slaves in their own country by preventing them from taking part in politics.
Some Gambians, he noted, had been excluded from standing as candidates or
sponsoring candidates during elections. Such people, Mr. Darboe pointed out,
were not allowed to even attend political rallies.

The UDP leader said the invitation extended to them shows that some people
outside the Gambia are concerned about the state of affairs. He disclosed
that his party would be represented by Kemeseng Jammeh who would go with a
prepared statement on issues relating to governance in the country, which he
described as very bad. Darboe emphasized that if the UDP were to be at the
helm of government, the present meeting with the opposition by UK House of
Commons would not have been convened since their government would be a model
worthy of emulation by others in terms of good governance and democracy.

The UDP government, he said, would even set a two-five year term limit for
its presidency. He further said their civil service would be better
organised, better motivated and well-disciplined. Meanwhile, NRP's Hamat Bah
is said to be presently in London, and will be attending the meeting as
well. -


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