>From: Moses Sarr <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Ma' Lekken (It's true in Jola) >Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 09:01:19 +0000 > >Below is an interesting story by someone from the Jammeh forum, read >on, it >is well written. > > >Mose > > >Posted by Ma' Lekken (It's true in Jola) on July 19, 2001 at >18:03:16: >Humankind, you have to understand that we have a special situation >in the >Gambia. I get a lot of flak for no reason, so hear me out for I have >My >reasons for what I do. > >You see, I have guns –many, many dangerous guns. The smart ones >among you >know where I got them. Oh, yes Al Ghaddaf is My brother. The >Americans can >go to hell. Though many of the guns are used and in need of >maintenance, and >My boys don’t know how to operate some, they serve their purpose. >That’s the >idea, not so? > >See, I’m on a Mission. Yes, a Mission. That’s what people fail to >realize. I >spent 10 years in the Army, and what did I get? Lieutenant rank. 10 >years >and I only made Lieutenant! Couldn’t even afford my own basic needs. >Had to >keep begging my colleagues daily for cigarette money. Couldn’t find >a decent >girlfriend, cause they all want men with money, education or refined >qualities. I don’t have any. Neither did I have a nice Apartment, >nor was I >able to buy Mama what she needs. The Old One had to sell spices and >smelly >rag-tag foodstuff at the Market. What life is that? > >So as soon as some smart Junior Officers invited me to Chair a >Walk-Over >coup, I jumped. Didn’t even have to do a thing. What’s wrong with >that? I >saw my opportunity and took it! In America, they’ll call it “The >American >Way.” Someone told me about a great American named Tammany Hall who >lived by >that creed. Edward Singhateh and Sana Sabally should be the ones who >should >get the flak, not me. They thought I would just be a figurehead. >Well, now >they all know that won’t happen. Look at what I’ve been able to >accomplish >in six years: built my bush hamlet into a mini-city complete with >all the >trappings of modern life (only place in Gambia with a 24 hour water >and >electricity supply;) bought myself a wife from Morocco (why settle >for >skin-bleaching Gambian women when I can have the ‘real thing?’; >bought >myself a private plane (why do I have to fly commercial;) I give my >dirt-poor subjects millions of Dalasi every year (all I ask is that >they >grovel at my feet;) well the countless women who have looked down on >me all >my life, now they all want me (because I can fire their husbands >anytime;) I >have more money than I know what to do with (my descendants yet >unborn would >never go through what I went through.) I should be commended for my >achievement, not criticized. Not so? > >But my enemies –yes anyone who criticizes me is an ENEMY of the >State. And I >am the State! Well, my enemies have nothing but their mouths, their >pens, a >few rag-tag private Radio Stations that cannot even be heard in >Brikama, the >Internet, and the West. They’re all Paper Tigers! Sissies if you ask >me. >Real men would pick up machetes and knives to confront My boys with >their >AK47s and semi-automatics. But, they’re not real men. So they keep >criticizing me, many of them at a distance. As if I care. Let them. >I don’t >fear anyone but Allah who has been such a good friend that he has >allowed me >to dip into his Personal Bank Account to fund my government. So what >if I >keep most of it for myself? Yes, His Most Venerable has allowed me >such >honor. They criticize me for this honor out of jealousy. Just >because The >All Mighty never had such a relationship with Prophets Muhammad and >Jesus >Christ doesn’t mean he can’t have one with me. The West, they think >they >have a monopoly on wealth. Well, they’ve never dealt with anyone >quite like >me. > >On Human Rights proper, our policy is clear: >“If you belong to My Party -the APRC, you can go anywhere in The >Gambia and >do whatever you want. You can beat up anyone who says anything >negative >about My Highness or our Party. You can go to any government >department and >take what you want. If you don’t want to do a rough job, you can >always rely >on our National Intelligence Agency to do the job for you. State >Security >means torturing anyone who slights My Highness or our Party. And oh, >the >Police? Don’t even worry about them arresting you. They know who’s >the boss >here. The only thing you cannot do is to go against My wishes, >because all >of us in the Party are equal, but some are more equal than others. >Gambians >who do not support our Party will be seen as Enemies, and will be >treated as >such. No exceptions!” > >Now this is a Fundamental Human Right, isn’t it? The rules are >clear. It is >Real democracy. The West criticizes me, but if you really look at >it, my >policy is better than what they have. Remember racism is still alive >and >well there. So, we have to stick to our Fundamental Human Rights >Policy. >Otherwise, we’ll be seen as weak. We cannot let that happen! Some >Gambians >are too stupid to understand this. They make me show them I mean >what I say. >How can you blame me for that? > >Remember November 1994? Some fellow named Lt. Basiru Barrow who was >the >original chosen leader of the coup had the habit of responding >slowly to my >orders. I think he was jealous because he’s smarter than I am, and >he >thought My position is rightfully his. True, but since when has >truth >mattered? I cannot afford to let him make me feel guilty about >stealing the >limelight from him. He had to go! And go he did with all the >Officers, and >soldiers close to him. I ordered My boys to butcher them and dump >their >bodies in a pit latrine. Serves them right. We called it a “Coup >Attempt.” >Civilians don’t really care. Besides I own a Radio and TV Station, >and most >Gambians are too simple-minded to question what they hear on such >media. Our >story stands unchallenged. My chicken-hearted Enemies criticized me >for >being brutal, but I had to set an example. Our Human Rights Policy >has to be >enforced! > >I even had to mete out the same type of treatment to some of My >underlings >in the Council when their heads became too swollen. Right after I >took care >of Lt. Barrow and company, My very own Vice Chairman Capt. Sana >Sabally and >Council Member Capt. Sadibu Hydara accosted me in My office for some >decisions that I made. Just because Sana was one of the two people >who >handed me this position, he thought he could remove me at his whim. >He was >lucky I didn’t have him shot immediately. If he weren’t blinded by >arrogance, he would have noticed how I had consolidated my position >by >promoting my fellow Jolas to all sensitive security positions. And >guess >what? I took away all the money and things that we shared amongst >ourselves >as “Risk Compensation.” > >Yes, we had to compensate ourselves for having the courage to stage >a Walk >Over coup. We’re National Heroes, you know. I gave away a lot of My >share to >different Groups around the country. Edward bought his Mama a house >in >London, and an air ticket to go see her people in England after >nearly >twenty years. His family moved from England to The Gambia in a Land >Rover >when him and his siblings were young, driving through the Sahara >desert and >all. But that’s another story. Sana Sabally gave back all the money >he had. >Turns out he’s a Cry-Baby contrary to the Tough Guy image he put on >for the >public. Sadibu played difficult, and I had to give him the Lt. >Barrow and co >treatment. Only out of compassion, we dumped his body at the Imam’s >place in >Dippa Kunda. Decent people don’t dump their dead former comrades in >a pit >latrine. We called his death Natural Causes by way of High Blood >Pressure. >The Human Rights Policy has to be enforced! > >Then there was Ouman Koro Ceesay My Finance Minister. Well, Koro >stepped on >the wrong toes. Smart fellow that Koro, but he didn’t understand >that I have >a covenant with My cohorts Edward Singhateh and Yankuba Touray. They >have >their weak spots. I have mine. I don’t mess with theirs as long as >they >don’t mess with mine. Koro got on their wrong side. He should have >just >handed them the money they wanted. I was myself in Arabia at the >time, but >My cohorts had to do what they had to do. Koro was butchered and >burnt in >his official Mercedes. When I came back, I went to see his people >and cried >my eyes out. Then I turned a deaf ear on those who said I should >prosecute >the killers. You got to turn a blind eye on some things. So I had it >both >ways: Koro’s people feel I’m exonerated, and My cohorts will always >be loyal >to me because I hold a trump card against them in my hands. We have >a >covenant you know. The Human Rights Policy has to be enforced! > >Because I was tired of all the talk about bringing back democracy, >and I >could use some money from the West, I said “no problem, let’s have >an >election.” First people wanted to be empowered. I said no problem to >that >too. I set up a National Consultative Committee. But most Gambians >don’t >seem to realize who the real owner of this country is, because the >majority >of them want me to limit the Presidential Term to Two Five-Year >terms. You >see, Gambians like to over-step their boundaries. Ten Years, can you >imagine >that? Now, who can run this country the way I do if I were to leave >in ten >years? This country will fall apart without me. All patriotic >Gambians know >that. So, because I love this country, and have sacrificed so much >for her, >I had to expunge Term Limits from the New and Improved Constitution. >Also, >just so we don’t waste any time in the future worrying about lawyers >and >greedy people, we had to indemnify ourselves against any lawsuits. >Our >decisions to eliminate people who are “threats to national security” >are too >sacrosanct to be second-guessed by anyone. Our job is to make >decisions for >Gambians, and theirs is to follow those decisions. No questions >asked. >Relatives of our victims have to understand that whatever we did was >out of >love of country. They need to know that, it’s in their best >interests that >we kill, arrest, or torture their kin. You can’t find a more >patriotic group >of Gambians anywhere than us. > >We conducted a very clean, free, and fair election. The Opposition >–mainly >UDP had the wrong ideas though. They still do. They really believed >they >could go anywhere they wanted, and criticize My Highness to canvass >support >for themselves. I wonder where they got those ideas. Some people >watch too >much CNN and listen to the BBC too often for their own good. The >elections >weren’t meant to be like that. They were only supposed to go through >the >motions. So, I had to teach them lessons. My boys went after them at >Denton >Bridge. A whole truck load of them including pregnant women. It’s >not my >fault that some had a miscarriage, broken bones, or that some later >died of >their wounds. The best way to convince mouthy Gambian Opposition >women to >vote for you is to strip them naked, whip them with a cane, and >force them >to perform de-humanizing things. > >As for the men, let’s just say that the women were treated with >kid’s >gloves. But these UDP people don’t learn. Months after the election, >they >forced My boys to give them a similar treatment again. How can you >try to >hold a Committee Meeting only months after a General Election? Don’t >they >have anything else to do? Why do they have to even start thinking >about >organizing to oppose My Highness when I had just formed a new >government? I >mean, it’s not like I tolerate corruption from everyone. Oh no, >there’s only >a select few that have that liberty in My country. God knows there >are >hundreds of senior Civil Servants including Cabinet Ministers who >can attest >to that fact. Everybody knows his or her place in My government. The >monkeys >will do their part, and the baboons will do their part. So, we gave >the UDP >people what they asked for: treatment reserved for run-away slaves >that get >caught. They sent a video of their mutilated bodies all over the >world, and >thought something will come out of it. Well, I’m still here. The >Human >Rights Policy has to be enforced! > >I know I got a lot of flak last year for shooting down 14 >demonstrating >students. But you haven’t heard the whole story. You see, I have >given >millions of Dalasi to Gambian students. Have you heard? Millions! No >leader >in African History has been more generous to students than Son >Excellence! >Vans, scholarships, sponsored trips, cash money, name it, I gave >them. But >they listen to foolish people like the Opposition, and BBC, and >Gambia-L. >Yeah Gambia-L, a group of burger-flipping ne’er do wells in America >and >Europe who are jealous because I have what they can only dream >about. Some >of them have been away for 20 and 30 years, and don’t have anything >to show >for it. That’s why I don’t even pay heed to anything they say. > >Back to the students though, how can they betray me like that? >They’re not >supposed to launder My dirty linen in public. Imagine My Highness’ >embarrassment by all those World Leaders looking at me funny in Cuba >when >they heard about demonstrating students in The Gambia. So, some of >My boys >raped a 14 year old school girl, and tortured another school boy to >death, >that’s not reason enough to demonstrate. Since I emerged in 1994 to >save the >country from the PPP, someone often gets killed in a violent way, >sometimes >almost every week. It’s not just My boys who do it always. Sometimes >it’s >ordinary citizens against each other. I can’t help it that some >people feel >really frustrated by times to the point where they take it out on >each >other. I was frustrated too when the PPP ruled. And don’t forget >that I have >let in tens of thousands of people from other West African >countries. Maybe >they’re teaching My subjects all this violence. So, what happened to >the two >young students is by no means extraordinary. It’s part of the new >Gambian >reality. Which is why I couldn’t believe they would demonstrate >against My >government so vehemently, for which reason I had to shoot them down. >The >world wants me to put on a democracy face, and I did. Why should the >students peel away that façade, exposing our situation for what it >really >is? I can’t let them get away with that. We can’t be seen as weak. >The Human >Rights Policy has to be enforced! > >Because of that ruckus, some people thought they could criticize me >and get >away with it. They don’t know when not to say anything at all. My >boys >identified Dumo Saho, My Highness’ own guard Lt. Lalo Jaiteh, Lt. >Omar >Darbo, and some civilians as troublemakers. My boys picked them up >faster >than a hungry eagle swoops down on a chick. I accused them of >treason. I own >a Radio and TV Station -did I tell you that? So, people will only >hear what >I want them to hear. They’re all in Quarter-Deck at Mile Two >Prisons. A >HellHole to them. A Safe House to me. You can’t empathize with >grieving >parents when you’re held incommunicado in a rotten hellhole. My >Enemies are >challenging me to produce evidence, as if that is necessary. If I >say >they’re guilty, they are. > >They say the Constitution says no one can be held more than 72 hours >without >being charged with something. I wonder whom these people think they >are? I >dictated that Constitution. It is mine. It says only what I intend >it to say >–not what is written in it. Maybe some of My writers wrote the wrong >things >in it. It’s too complex for me to understand. But the Constitution >is only >relevant as long as it serves My purpose. Any section, or clause >that >contradicts what I want is null and void! Immediately. The >Parliament? Ask >any of those members who’s the boss. There’s nothing anyone can do >about >that. > >Having being locked up for close to a year now and not being charged >with >anything, Dumo Saho and co can attest to this fact. Dumo in >particular >thinks he can hide behind an NGO. Educating poor and desperate kids >all over >the country doesn’t qualify any Gambian to openly criticize My >Highness >during sensitive times. A Hell-Hole is what you get for crossing me. >I don’t >spare the rod. I crack it even on My own people. Remember Lt.’s >Almamo >Manneh and Landing Sanneh? Well, those smart asses thought they >could rip me >off. How can you bullshit Mr. Bullshitter-In-Chief? Thought they >could take >My money and get away with it. They ought to have asked that >pancake-faced >first wife of mine Tuti Faal. When My boys were done with them, >everyone who >knew about the deal was either dead or in prison. I called it a >“Coup >Attempt.” I own a Radio and TV Station you know. And The Human >Rights Policy >has to be enforced! > >This is My Highness’ position on Human Rights. > >His Excellency, Rtd. Lt. Col, Alh., Dr., President-for-Life Yaya >Abdul Azziz >Jemus Junking Jammeh, GCRG, GCMG, Owner of The Gambia (running out >of space >–will give a more complete list next time.) > >PS: I’m not as wicked as they say. If I were, Lt. Paul Sambou would >be dead >by now. Everyone in the army and beyond knows he was fooling with My >wife. >Matter of fact, he knocked her up, which was why My baby’s >christening >ceremony was uncharacteristically low-key. But what’s a woman >between men in >uniform? I just had him locked up in Solitary confinement for six >months and >let him go. Nowadays, he runs away as soon as he sees My Most-Pretty >wife >coming. That’s the spirit Humankind, one has to know one’s place. >Otherwise, >the Human Rights Policy has to be enforced! > >His Excellency, Rtd. Lt. Col, Alh., Dr., President-for-Life Yaya AJJ >Jammeh > > > >_________________________________________________________________ >Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at >http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >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. >----------------------------------------------------------------------------