They Got It All Wrong! The Point (Banjul) EDITORIAL January 10, 2001 Banjul Reports that the President did not give clearance for the laying-in-state of the two UDP members of Parliament, who lost their lives in the traffic accident that took place last Saturday, is disturbing. We had thought Jammeh marvels at what binds Gambians, be they Muslim or Christian, as implied when he received Muslim elders on Koriteh Day. It baffles observers that someone who praised Gambians for holding on to their bonds of brotherhood despite all odds, would not allow members of Parliament to pay tribute to their departed colleagues. For, in reality, that was the form the function was to take. We can easily visualise the scene: Speaker Wadda paving the way with a speech, as the man who presides over the deliberations of the National Assembly. Next, Tamsir Jallow in the name of his colleagues of the majority side, then Kemesseng Jammeh from the UDP side, Hamat Bah for NRP and Sidia Jatta for PDOIS. And then, the crowd moves on with the funeral arrangements. Very simple indeed! Maybe the government did not understand it that way. Did they think the laying of the bodies would empower their opponents in any way? If they did, then they made a serious mistake, for the matter is usually a solemn, but simple ceremony. In view of their tragic deaths, the two deceased gentlemen were people who deserved the ceremony from their fellow parliamentrians and from all the corners of the country, irrespective of political, religious or any other considerations. What was more baffling were the two successive messages from the President's Office that came after the refusal: the first extended condolences to the bereaved families; the second announced a three-day national mourning, beginning Monday. Where is the coherence here? Within 24 hours, two messages from the President's Office dealt with the issue in a conciliatory manner. It would seem that the early reluctance to grant clearance for the laying-in-state was overcome at one point or the othder and attempts made to correct things, but it was too late. Let us not allow the demise of certain values that are dear to our heart; no politics, no partisanship should be allowed to destroy the very fabric of our society. Now to the members of the families that decided to refuse the money given them. We understand that they see the move as depicting double standards on the part of government which refused to honour the deceased, honour the departed something which has been a common future in the Gambian psyche. As Gambian taxpayers money, we hope the UDP, as a party, did not interfere in the matter. The money, which belongs to the Gambian people, was not given to the UDP, we believe, but to the bereaved Gambian families who have every right to it in the prevailing circumstances. These families are receiving dozens of guests daily from all over the country, and the money could have been used to feed our poor farmers who sacrifice a lot to come down to the Kombos to express their condolences. Whatever the case, the families have the last word - if they were convinced not to touch the money, and they accepted the reasons advanced, it was their right. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask] if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------