In his steadfast call for Gambians to rise up in an effort to liberate themselves from the clutches of tyranny, Ebrima Manneh argued and concluded, thus: “In other to restore democracy and the rule of law in any society, the will of the people will be tested. The Gambian peoples’ compliance, courage and the love for country have been tested on numerous occasions and it is time to rise to the occasion. Rebelling for the greater good of country is a sign of patriotism and history will always be on the side of those that made such selfless commitment. A suffering people find a reason for resurgence and retrieval of the ideal society they once had.” Please read …
By Ebrima Manneh.
How a peaceful nation has been transformed into dictatorship and isolation: It is a general consensus or most of us will agree that dictators are not receptive to reason. The only voice a dictator hears is his own. Trying to engage him in a political dialogue could be a wild goose chase. He accomplished his wishes by using political repression as a weapon to silence and demolish any opposition. Unlawful arrests, intimidation, hounding, torture, and killings to accomplish his ultimate desire has been the order of the day in our beloved Gambia. The saddest turning point in the history of this once democratic nation is the cowing into submission the intellectuals who are supposed to be the hope of society for sound reasoning. Analysts call them political prostitutes. As harsh as this may sound, I am forced to agree. With all the education, they have betrayed their conscience, integrity, and nationalism due to selfishness. They have therefore aided in the plunder, misrule and repression of their countrymen and women. It is understandable if they sing praises of the dictatorship and the notorious system they help create. The history of this nation will remember them as key players in the destruction of the democratic process we once enjoyed. The weakening of a democratic system can lead to dictatorship and dictatorial ideologies. Such ideologies gave birth to Nazi Germany and Italy under Mussolini. People had to fight their way out of those horrible regimes. Gambia, the option is quite clear and the choice is ours to make.
It might not have been a perfect system, but some of us can bear witness that it was heading the right direction. There was rule of law, efficiency and predictability in our justice system, protection of human rights, a society that coexisted in peace and harmony, and all the other tenets that prevail in a free society. The dictator alienated the uninformed populace by labeling any progressive policies that can benefit the nation as western polices that does not support our African heritage or values. I am not sure if our new found friends, the Arabs could be seen as better developmental partners either. In other to restore democracy and the rule of law in any society, the will of the people will be tested. The Gambian people’s compliance, courage and the love for country have been tested on numerous occasions and it is time to rise to the occasion. Rebelling for the greater good of country is a sign of patriotism and history will always be on the side of those that made such selfless commitment. A suffering people find a reason for resurgence and retrieval of the ideal society they once had. In recognition of the power of prayer, we pray that The Almighty God gives our people the courage to fight our way out of this darkness.
Note: The author, Ebrima Manneh, a Gambian residing in Seattle (USA) is currently serving in the U.S military.