Diplomatic Injustice! Email This Page Print This Page The Independent (Banjul) EDITORIAL August 24, 2001 Posted to the web August 24, 2001 Banjul, the Gambia Has it all come to this? Poor speechless Bharat Joshi, the affable and ingenious British diplomat found himself at the rough edge of the regime's wrath. This time blunt rage reached extremities, reason shunned with reckless abandon as diplomatic norms and niceties fly out the window just to punish a diplomat for the wrong thing. What was his crime? "Interacting" with the opposition in a press conference to which he was invited. The injustice of his treatment is record peculiarity especially after no reason was advanced for declaring him persona non grata. It could not be fathomed by any wild stretch of the imagination as it smacks of absolute clumsiness on the part of Yahya Jammeh's government, which is openly disdainful of democracy as an "imported idea from the West". Poor Joshi, who has since heeded the order to leave within 72 hours, was wronged and victimised without reason. This is a government that cares less about defending its actions. But the truth shall always remain unaffected. There was no good, significant reason to send this affable and rare diplomatic gem packing. If he was penalised for making himself approachable as far as the opposition is concerned, then the whole cadre of foreign diplomats here could just as well be asked to catch the next available flights home. Nothing like this ever happened here after Geoffrey Teneilabe (the then Nigerian High Commissioner), Morikeh Fofana, the Chinese Ambassador and the late Liberian Ambassador Scott were invited to APRC rallies. They at one time or another openly parroted the government's praises without being chided or warned, insulted or expelled. Why should Joshi's case be different? If it is agreeable for Joshi to attend a Baba Jobe press conference at State House last year upon invitation, why fume when he attends an opposition press conference? The simple truth is that foreign diplomats are free to attend any political meeting upon invitation. Nothing should bar them. The invitation to attend the opposition press conference was also extended to other foreign diplomats. What is so out of place or harmful in responding to that invitation? Absolutely nothing! It is also misinformed to assert that it was a case of a foreign diplomat interfering in our internal affairs. The only things that could have warranted Joshi's expulsion are a criminal act or drunkenness. But it was none of these. Poor helpless Joshi was the victim of misplaced paranoia. Jammeh's obsession with the West as a threat is costing this country dear. We all know the repercussions of pitting The Gambia against potential donors who have helped in strengthening our democracy and beating a progressive path to development. Joshi's expulsion is a blunt disregard for all this for as a diplomat he made himself handy in the general drive to change our story of political and economic bareness. Joshi was not only a diplomat in the truest sense, he was also imbued with a genuine love for The Gambia, where he became endeared to many. He meant well for this country. News of his departure comes like death, wrapped in abysmal darkness. What a shame that good people are mistaken for things that they are not. _________________________________________________________________ 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------