Foroyaa Editorial: IS THE MULTI- PARTY SYSTEM UNDER THREAT?
    
When the killings occurred in Guinea Bissau which cost the lives of the President and the Army chief of staff, The Government of the Gambia invited representatives of the political parties in Guinea Bissau to come to the Gambia to discuss about reconciliation. Their presence was transformed into a major event. It culminated with the drafting of a Memorandum of Understanding which borrowed all the words and principles of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by political parties in the Gambia in 2006 under the auspices of the Commonwealth and President Obasanjo.
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Interestingly enough, while the Government of the Gambia was giving lectures to the political parties in Guinea Bissau on the need to exercise political tolerance the instrument which has been created in the Gambia to promote political tolerance has literally been put on ice.
Very recently, attempts are being made to put the Inter-Party Committee into operation to review claims of rejection, by the Inspector General of police, of application for a Permit by the UDP in order to facilitate the exercise of the right to freedom of Assembly as provided for by the Constitution. Each political party is sovereign in its own right and does not need to be told how it is to conduct its politics. Each has its strategy and tactics and is prepared to build its own integrity in its own way. It is the support of the people for each policy, strategy or tactics which determine its viability.
Notwithstanding the independence and sovereign existence of each party, it is hoped that the opposition in particular and all parties in general will see the Inter –Party Committee as the instrument to bring about unity to defend principles, even if they do not agree with each other’s policies and actions. Fundamental rights belong to all. It is the duty of all to defend them so that they could be exercised by all without hindrance. In the absence of an Alliance among the opposition parties the best mechanism to ensure concerted action to defend the rights of all is the Inter- Party Committee. Those parties that do not intend to give regard to this committee to bring it to life will be subscribing to the principle of isolationism and all its debilitating effect. The time has come for political figures in the Gambia to attain the statue that political leaders deserve as representatives of a people. Section 222 paragraph 13 of the Constitution is very
 clear. Officers in the public service and the disciplined force are supposed to serve as trustees of all irrespective of party affiliation. It reads:
“A person holding an office in a public service or any disciplined force shall not-
a) allow his or her political inclinations to interfere with the discharge of his or her official duties ;
b) be a member of, or take part in any association of persons which might prevent him or her from impartially discharging his or her duties; or
c) take part in any activities which cast doubt on his or her capacity to deal impartially with matters or issues which are the concern of his or her public office or which interfere with the performance of his or her public duties.”
An Inter- Party Committee meeting can look into all complaints by any political party, send delegations and issue resolutions for redress of grievances. It can take joint Court actions and even involve our neighbours or the international committee to help in any mediation process. We at Foroyaa are convinced that Gambia has mature political leaders who can develop strategies and tactics to make our multi party system to work and accord all political leaders the dignity they deserve. However if they are not given a chance to make things work Gambian politicians will continue to be the pitiful political class Umaru Fofana spoke about.
We agree entirely with the special rapporteur for human rights defenders, at the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Mrs Reine Alapini-Gansou who quoted Voltaire in their newsletter on freedom of expression as follows: “I may be against your ideas but I will fight for you to express them.”
No political party can be deprived of the right to assemble and promote its party policies, programmes and projects. Any such incident should be put in its context and resolved with speed. Any delay in resolving issues of human rights makes those who would not behave in mature and decent manner pariahs in the eyes of decent humanity. This is the verdict of common sense and it is incontrovertible.




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