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: NAMs
Express Diverse Views on the Witch Hunting Exercise  By Abdoulie G.
Dibba<http://www.foroyaa.gm/userinfo.php?uid=10> on
17-04-09 (29 reads) News by the same
author<http://www.foroyaa.gm/modules/news/newsbythisauthor.php?uid=10>

The National Assembly Members namely, Madam Tina Faal, Sidia Jatta and
Fabakary Tombong Jatta, have expressed diverse views on the witch hunting
exercise that witnessed the abduction of people in various parts of the
country.
Speaking during the adjournment debate held at the National Assembly
Complex; a nominated National Assembly Member, Hon. Tina Faal, commended
President Yahya Jammeh and the witch hunters that abducted defenceless women
and men in the country.

She said that the number of sudden deaths in the past was really high. She
commended the witch hunters who are going round the country helping “us with
the witches (wizards) because our children are dying, and our parents are
dying”. She added “You can talk to some one today and at night or the
following day, he/she is dead”. She indicated that witch craft is true
because it is in the dictionary and the English people will not put anything
in the dictionary if it did not have a meaning; adding that they (the
English people) used to burn their witches alive. “So that means that witch
craft is a fact and it is something which is happening; so we should be very
mindful of the words we use in this Assembly”. According to nominated
member, Madam Tina Faal, the Gambian people have nothing to say to their
president other than thank him. She said they should be loyal to him; and
should be faithful to him. She said, “He (the President) has provided
everything for us in this country and made it easy for us, Gambians”. She
added, “Even rice, the price has come down to D675 per 50 KG bag, and cement
too, the same thing. I think we should give praises and thanks to him even
if we are not in his party because what ever he does, he is not doing it for
members of his party only but for all Gambians”. *
Earlier, the National Assembly Member for Wuli West Hon. Sidia Jatta pointed
out that he was expecting a certain policy pronouncement in this year’s
presidential address to the National Assembly, but he has not found it in
the address even though they were told that (witch hunting) is a government
policy. He said he wants to draw an analogy and that is; he feels that his
animals and other properties are more protected in the country than himself.
He pointed out that if somebody steals his cow, and he reports the matter to
the police, the police would make it their duty to look for his cow and if
the culprit is apprehended, he may recover his stolen property.
“But I feel that I am not protected in the sense that some people can just
get into my compound, get to my house, arrest me or adduct me; label me a
witch (wizard) and accuse me of being a witch (wizard) and in some cases
torture me and the law would not help me, but the law protects my cow to be
restored to me” Sidia added that if he is abducted and accused of being a
wizard, the law will not come to his aid. He indicated that this is why he
said that his properties are more protected in this country than he as a
person. Sidia pointed out that when his colleague (Halifa Sallah) was
arrested sometime ago, it was written as part of the charges that this was a
government policy to screen witches. In framing these charges, he said it
was indicated that witch hunting was a government policy. He said in other
words witch hunting is a government policy and that’s why he was expecting a
policy pronouncement of that nature in the president’s statement, but there
wasn’t any. He fumed, He said the authorities said it is a government policy
and he has copies of the charges and that if any member is interested in it
he can come to his office and he would provide him or her. Sidia pointed out
that it is a policy that some people can come to people’s home, adduct them,
detain them as long as they want and torture them and then release them and
nothing will happen. He pointed out that he and all other members of the
Assembly took oath that they will uphold the tenets of the Constitution and
defend the constitution and also defend those that they represent in the
National Assembly. He said he has said it in the Assembly once or twice and
he is going to repeat it and that is, he is ready even if it will cost him
his life to defend the constitution to the point of upholding the
fundamental rights and freedom of the people of this Republic. “I think it
is intolerable that the sovereign social being of people of this Republic
could be abrogated like that and nothing comes out of it.
This must stop! It has to stop because it is something that has no place in
this Republic. We are a sovereign people. There is no place for a policy for
witch hunting in this Republic.
In fact if this is really true and if they had made this known to us that it
is a government policy, it wouldn’t have been necessary for any of us to go
any where to find out”. Sidia added that they would have taken the policy
and critically observed it and make comments about it and send it to the
executive rather than take a vehicle and risk their lives going to places
like Makumbaya and somewhere else. Sidia pointed out that it would have been
much easier for them. He added that they said it is a policy document but
there is no pronouncement of such policy document. He stressed that this is
something very serious and has to stop. He asserted that it is the duty of
all, not only those in the Assembly, but all those concerned citizens of
this Republic to stand on their feet and condemn and challenge such a
practice that tends to abrogate the sovereign social being of the people of
this Republic. Reacting to the comments made by Sidia Jatta, the Majority
Leader and Member for Serre- Kunda East, Hon Fabakary Tombong Jatta opined
that the analogy of the Hon. Member for Wuli West that his properties are
more protected in this country than himself is not a fair comment.*
He said this country believes in the rule of law and that any person whose
right has been violated could take legal action for redress.
He pointed out that the 1997 Republican Constitution has protected the
rights and freedoms of every individual citizen in this country. Fabakary
Tombong Jatta added that they were not written to and told that the witch
hunting is a government policy. He said as for him, he did not see that
document.

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*Just read the comments of Tina Faal and perhaps one might see that Halifa
and Sedian and theirh friends are more than needed to rid our society of
such deranged kinds of perceptions.

Sedia another great citizen doing his duty as required*.  (Is he also just
another politician driven solely by point scoring and no conviction in
fighting for his human rights and those who are less lucky to amplify their
voices, you tell me.)  Sedia and Halifa sing from the same hymn sheet as
always and their voices are soothing and beautiful.  I say on to Sedia,
Halifa, OJ, and all well meaning fighters against Jammeh's tyranny and
debauchery keep marching on the troops are behind you.



Momodou Olly Mboge
*Unrepentant PDOIS fanatic and incurable Halifa disciple*

M

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