By Abdoukarim Sanneh
Politicians trade on peoples hope that heaven on earth is attainable. Since it is not, the lives of nations, like the lives of individuals are a perpetual struggle in pursuit of dreams. In President Yahya Jammeh's case, the dream that had sustained him during his 14 years in power, is only terror against peace loving citizens.
The well documented report by Amnesty International, titled The Gambia Fear Rule, which was released on the 11th day of  November 2008, is a clear testimony to realities in the Gambia.
It was in the early morning of the 22nd  of July when our people woke up to do their daily chores, that announcement came over the national radio of a military takeover by the rank and files of the Gambia National Army. The unrealistic dream of many Gambians was that this was the day of redemption, but in the hearts and minds of the criminals in uniform, this was the day they won a jackpot over our nation's coffers.
The man known to be leading the event was a poor lieutenant called Yahya Jammeh who has now changed his name, spelling into Arabism fashion as 'Yahya Jammeh'. With both animist and Christian upbringing, the man is today a self-proclaimed Islamic fundamentalist swearing with Holy Qur'an in all his political meetings.
Many who know the social history and background of our president, can speak about a life of destitution and loneliness which he has gone through. Thanks to the Roman Catholic Missionaries, he got a western education. He was helped to enroll into the security force even with his quarter baked education due to good connection and good nature of the former regime beyond ethnic, religious or tribal background or affiliation.
It is a fact that "a soldier without political education is virtually a criminal." The Gambian people are now aware that the famous slogan of the regime in the early morning of 22nd July 1994 such as "transparency," "accountability," and "probity," has vanished into Gambian clouds and does not mean anything order than a fallacy. A poor soldier who was having less than two thousand Dalasis in his account before taking power in 1994 is today richer than the state he rules.
President Yahya Jammeh has looted our national coffers and is still poaching our institutions to enrich himself. To test Yahya Jammeh by his words, if he really means to eradicate corruption in that tiny country, why is he unable to arrest the cancer that is mutilating in our society? The recent report of transparency International categorize the Gambia as one of the most corrupt countries in the world.
There was no justification for the July 1994 takeover. It was motivated by greed, hate, anger, jealousy and egoism which are a continuum to destroy the fabric of our society. Political instability on our continent is caused by factors such as bad governance, corruption and tribalism. It's only lunatics in the likes of President Yahya Jammeh, who are drunken with power would blindly accused western powers of our continent's predicaments. It is the greediness, corruption and tribal politics that are causing the failure of nation states across the continent.
It is also no secret that President Jammeh was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. All his accumulated wealth is looted from our nation's coffers. He hails from a family background like me, seeing our parents struggling to meet the daily challenges of life.
How did he accumulate such a wealth within a short period of time? Has he forgetten the days his mother used to struggle at the Bakau market selling dry fish and locust beans to make ends meet?
Even in one of his unethical remarks over national television, he confidently and arrogantly stated "even my grand children will not be poor."
Can President Jammeh tell us how he got all that money?
There is one common Mandingo saying that "it is a poor person who forecasts to be rich when he is rich, he ends up being rude and arrogant," and that is exactly what President Jammeh represents.
Our Gambian President has been involved in the criminalization of our state using national institutions to foster his criminality, among which are Departments of Agriculture, Gambia Telecommunications Company, Central Bank, Department of Foreign Affairs, etc. Gambians can recall his relationship with the so-called Malian millionaire Babanding Futaka Sussoho. In the early days of the coup, the alliance with the Malian millionaire was exposed when a container of drugs heading for Gambia was impounded in the Coast of Mauritania. The consignment was nothing order than illegal drugs and the shipping details were that it belonged to Gambian Ministry of Agriculture.
The same Malian millionaire was even given a Gambian diplomatic passport. To the surprise of many, the millionaire was ditched by President Jammeh, when he was wanted in the United Arab Emirates for economic crimes. To date, the regime in Mauritania has yet to shed light on that.
Apart from the drug trade, the regime was involved in economic crimes such as money laundering, using the officials of the Central Bank of The Gambia. He was making illusion and fantasy about Allah's World Bank but senior officials in the Central Bank will one day give evidence about the false U.S. dollars that were syphoned into Gambian dalasis. Later the Central Bank of the Gambia takes the responsibility to burn such false currencies after converting the amount into Gambian Dalasis.
From 1994 to date President Jammeh has used Gambia's non permanent position in United Nations Security Council to pursue his cheque book diplomacy just to foster his interest. Among the projects that he embarked on during that  opportune moment for our country was the establishment of diplomatic relationship with Libya and Taiwan. For those two years, the position of Gambia in the Security Council meeting was the lifting of sanction on Libya and recognition of Taiwan as independent state. For Taiwan, it led to the disbursement of Gambia's missing millions which ended in private bank accounts and also a court case between Yahya Jammeh and fugitive former spokesman Captain Ebou Jallow. A lawsuit filed by his self appointed public relation firms at a Federal Court in the United States was also a testimony to the Gambian leader's corrupt and deceptive nature.
Taiwan as a multi-party democracy, should have pursued a sustainable and lasting diplomacy, and a responsible relationship with the Gambia on the basis of upholding the rule of law, democracy, freedom of expression to ensure social justice. Sponsoring a leader whose reign is characterized as a travesty to justice and the rule of law, will not help Taiwan's effort in becoming an independent nation.
Gambians are also aware of President Jammeh's relationship with Charles Taylor. A United Nations report on the Blood Diamond and Gambia's responsibility in freezing the assets of Mr. Baba Jobe were testimonies to that reality. Mr. Baba Jobe was used as a scape goat to disguise the operations of President Jammeh throughout the fraudulent schemes in Blood Diamond, money laundering, illicit drugs and arms trafficking
The Gambian leader's greed and corrupt nature have been extended to land grabbing and estate development. The development of Sheraton hotel in Brufut and the African Union village are food for thought for every Gambian. Following an analysis of  TAF-Construction's case with Sanneh/Manneh clan of Brufut, and the internet debate about the corporate interest of Yaya Jammeh, one can rightfully contend that the powerless and marginalised people of Brufut are only victims of land grabbing. President Jammeh's land grabbing is also extended to Siffo in Kombo South district, where according to sources, he annexed massive land which can accommodate the settlement of Brikama-ba in Fuladu East!
The first test of President Jammeh's unrepentant, immature and brutal character was tested on the Daily Observer which is today turned into one of his fortunes. It is the unrepentant, immature and brutal character that he manifested on Mr Jobe and Bahoum of Former Gambia Utilities Company. When he was trying to privatise that institution as his personal property using his Arab business partners in the name of Global Management Company, he started to sacrifice such decent individuals as scapegoats of the national electrification programme that never went through because of lack of realistic vision. Mr. Jobe was languishing in detention for days even with the fact that his release was ordered by a law court.
The Gambian leader is into all types of business partnership, using all types of middle men as cover-ups. He has shares in Africell, a mobile company, in conflict with Gamcell, a subsidiary of The Gambia Telecommunications Company. It will not be surprising to see Jammeh's privatisation dynamics- holding corporations and using shadow partnership so as to secure kick backs.
President Yahya Jammeh has followed the pattern of late Mobutu of Zaire like his mentor. Today Africa's most recognised psychic leader with title such as Dr, Professor, Lt Colonel, Alhagie Yahya AJJ Jammeh. No wander we are a sick nation with a sick leader and sick elites. They are ready to peddle lies to continue blindfolding our people. A recent revelation that Gambia's economic is not prone to current global economic down-turn just puzzles me - what world or planet they are living in? A country which has never gotten an independent statistic data, while a fiscal study of economic growth is at an infant stage, could shamelessly claim not to have been affected by the current global economic crisis.
There is also no academic freedom and the University lacks not only academic staff to define developmental policies, but the institution comprises its integrity by condoning intellectual prostitutes to just sing praises to the dictator.
Jammeh has acquired a series of properties including a plantation estate, properties in Morocco, Private Island in the Bintang Bolong, businesses such as Kairaba hotel, high class Sindola hotel and game reserve, etc. He has all types of animals such as zebras, tigers, lions and crocodiles, etc.
Recently, his business interest has gone into fisheries sector. He has number of fishing vessels which monopolize fishing in the Atlantic coast of the Gambia. With many more questions unanswered for those who think the 22nd July takeover meant to redeem Gambian people, it is my contention that President Jammeh is the greatest illusionist of our times. Transparency and accountability which the devil of Kanillai has started will continue in the annals of history of a small country called The GAMBIA.

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