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It is the Solemn Duty of Every Gambian to Participate in and Help Fund the Process of Defeating Jammeh in the November 24th Elections.
Communication Paper- 10th October 2011
UDP United Kingdom was founded in February 2010 as an affiliated body of the United Democratic Party (UDP), The Gambia’s largest opposition party. The group was formulated by Gambian citizens living in The United Kingdom, who are concerned by the degrading state of democracy and governance in their country, The Gambia, since the military coup that brought President Yaya Jammeh to power in July, 1994.
UDP United Kingdom having recognised the level of threat the APRC regime poses to The Gambia’s notoriety as a peace loving and just society which has hitherto been a forerunner of democracy and democratic values in the African continent, is concerned that;
I. President Jammeh came to power, first and foremost, by force of arms and has since continued to use threats to bully the Gambian people to submit to his rule.
II. The APRC government has established a sham democracy in The Gambia, with a parliament made up of the president’s cronies and stooges who rubber stamp everything he brings to the House and dance to his tunes all night long.
III. The APRC regime disenfranchised Gambian citizens living abroad, who contribute tremendously to national development, by denying them their constitutional right to vote in public elections. All countries in our sub-region have preserved the voting right of all their citizens whether living at home or abroad.
IV. The APRC regime consistently works toward the destruction of opposition parties and any other progressive movement that holds divergent and dissenting views to that of the government.
V. The regime is also hell-bent on muzzling press freedom with utter disregard to due process. The arbitrary closure of the Private FM Radio Stations, Citizen FM and Stud FM, and the Independent Newspaper are typical examples.
VI. Arbitrary dismissal in the civil service, unlawful detentions and disappearances of Gambian citizens are now endemic leading to increased fear and insecurity of individuals in the country.
VII. Poor management of the Gambian economy characterised by excessive borrowing and conspicuous consumption, is fuelling hardship for ordinary citizens who have to endure daily increases in cost of basic commodities and services.
VIII. Meanwhile, President Jammeh who in the early days of his unlawful usurpation of power, campaigned on the slogan of fighting to end corruption and the flamboyant indulgence of public servants has now become one of the richest and certainly the most flamboyant political leader in our sub-region.
IX. The politicized nature of the Gambian Public and Civil Service is encouraging the type of political bullying that is forcing many public and civil servants as well as members of the security forces to personally deliver free labour on the president’s many farms.
X. President Jammeh, as head of state and government, also has his business tentacles extended virtually to every sector of the Gambian economy competing with small farmers, bakers, transporters, butchers- the list goes on, and often pushing them out of business and their livelihood.
We urge all Gambians to take cognisance of the fact that every day, month and year of President Jammeh and APRC misrule is sowing seeds of long term damage to the tranquillity of our society and thereby putting the future of our children and grand children at risk.
We therefore have a historic responsibility as Gambians, to work together and save the future of our great country, The Gambia. In that respect, UDP UK calls on all Gambians, both at home and abroad, to join the UDP and its leader, Alhagi A.N.M Ousainu Darboe Esq., in their bid to constitutionally remove the APRC government from power in these forthcoming November 24th 2011 presidential elections. We consider this to be the fierce urgency of now.
The United Democratic Partyhas pledged, if elected, to [among other things]:
-Make credible political and constitutional reforms that would nurture in a vibrant democratic society based on respect for the rule of law and the fundamental principles of democratic representation, and in which citizens are able to exercise their fundamental rights and freedoms without undue state interference.
-Introduce a presidential term limit into the constitution [this would be an entrenched clause] as a way of ending the culture of self perpetuating rule.
-Strengthen and safeguard the independence and integrity of the judiciary particularly the criminal justice system.
- Make tangible investment in the productive sectors of the economy so as to stimulate growth, and to judiciously appropriate taxpayers’ money.
- Create an environment conducive for enabling Gambians of every background to participate effectively in the socio- economic and political developments of their country.
- Extend voting right to every Gambian living abroad.
- Adopt a decentralised form of local government administration that provides significant autonomy to our local government institution.
- End the culture of impunity and restore the dignity and respect the country has lost in the world community.
2011 Presidential Election; the Defining Moment
UDP United Kingdom is currently co-sponsoring series of political activities and programmes aimed at re-enforcing UDP’s preparations for the forthcoming November 24th 2011 Presidential Elections. These include nation-wide tours, regional tours, Voter Engagement Initiatives and constituency based programmes. These programmes and activities are currently doing well and are making all the pre-requisite difference for potential victory and thus, need to be sustained until elections day.
The solution to the difficult circumstance we face as a nation is in our collective hands. That being the case, all of us must assign ourselves a role in the shaping of our country’s future. It is for this reason that UDP United Kingdom is urging all Gambians living in the United Kingdom and mainland Europe to assert ownership as sovereign citizens, and join us in an aggressive fundraising campaign to support, fund and help sustain these ongoing programmes of the United Democratic Party (UDP).
Anyone interested in making donation[s] to the UDP 2011 Campaign or would like to support any of our programmes is hereby urged to contact the UK coordinator, Mr. Suntou Touray, by email;[log in to unmask] or phone; [mobile] 07411248764 [house line] 02476659290.
Those Gambians living in the United States of America, who would also want to donate or contribute in the process of defeating Jammeh constitutionally, can contact the following officials of UDP USA; Ebriama Dibba;(001) 206-250-3822 or Musa Kanteh; (001) 907-830-5125. You can also email their funding raising committee;[log in to unmask] or pay your donations straight into their account; Name:Gambia Democracy Movement,State:New York,Account #: 4830-3384-8047.
Mr. Kebba Sanneh will be coordinating our fundraising activities in Sweden and can be contacted by email;[log in to unmask].
We look forward to seeing the cooperation of every progressive Gambian in this noble course and together; we shall not only defeat Yahya Jammeh on November 24th2011, we will change The Gambia for better and for good.
Thank you.
Long lived the United Democratic Party!!!
And long lived The Republic of The Gambia!!!
The End.
Issued by UDP United Kingdom
London, United Kingdom
10th October 2011
Join the Vote Lawyer Darboe 2011 Campaign on facebook;http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/163686343716685/