By Ebrima Manneh
When a government fails to carry out its responsibilities and duties to the governed and instead rules with an iron fist, exercises vengeance instead of forgiveness, and celebrates loss of life instead of preventing suffering, it becomes an ardent responsibility of the citizens to replace such a government with one that will be considerate and empathetic in serving their needs. Acts of injustice continue in the Gambia because we have inadvertently given the oppressor the mandate and a license to carry on the tyranny. While other regimes and presidencies leave remarkable legacies worth emulating, this government will be remembered for the infliction of undue pain on citizens, created mistrust and scepticism in our communities through the implementation of divisive policies. The enacting of bad economic and business policies has been the trademark of this regime. Companies and businesses have been chased out of the country due to over-regulation and heavy taxation making daily survival very challenging to the ordinary citizen. An unhealthy private sector that has been interfered with has also impeded employment opportunities for the citizens, especially the youth.
The Gambian people have been dealt the worst experiences of their lives under this regime. When all basic rights are denied and hope of attaining freedom seems to be an unattainable reality, the people are left with the option of resorting to all possible means. This is not a regime that is concerned with serving or representing the interests of the people, but rather solidifies its position through intimidation and brutalization. Great nations were built on the principles of sacrifice. Great men and women had to embark on selfless service and some paid the ultimate sacrifice to liberate their people from oppression and bad governance. This is the same legacy that our freedom fighters left us. To change the unjust laws and policies that continue to keep our people in bondage will require a total commitment and sacrifice. We have demonstrated hesitance in this endeavour because we have ignored the suffering of our neighbours and continue to focus on seeking personal pleasure more than righteousness. We continue to look the other way pretending it does not affect us. We cannot continue to look the other way because dictatorship spares no one. To advance the greater good of our society, we must show that we care for each other and will defend our collective interests. We thrive as society when we defend collective interests and stumble and fall if we focus on individual endeavors and interests. It is time we regroup and reinstitute a caring society that will deter any divisive strategies. Dictatorship does not only affect the governed, but equally impacts peace and tranquillity throughout the world. Those that oppose dictatorship or exercise dissent are arrested, tortured, jailed, killed and the fortunate ones that escape into exile face unpredictable futures and the harsh reality of being separated from their families and love ones. This mass exodus impacts global population distribution and economies. The developed nations are now face with the challenge of accommodating an unprecedented number of immigrants forced out of their homelands due to economic hardships created by bad governance. Ending dictatorship and bad governance remains a shared burden and global leadership will be required to move this agenda forward. The absence of justice in other parts of the world does not mean it is not desired. The silence of the people does not always mean condoning the situation, but a cry for help because the victims have been intimidated and cowed into submission.
After being denied basic rights for far too long, it is time for people to believe in themselves and take back their country. When people are devoted to a cause, fear or obstacles will not deter them from achieving the ultimate objective. liberating one’s country is a noble endeavor and an act of kindness. Engaging in acts of kindness and generosity to improve our societies is not only a moral responsibility, but a sacred endeavor. Acts of kindness must be beyond self gratification or the simple pleasure attained from it, but because we have the conviction that we are commanded by God to do so. We cannot continue to confuse our priorities. The young and old have a responsibility in collaborating to create a righteous and just society. Parents must shift their focus from encouraging their children to pursue material possessions, but teach them to be virtuous and this will have a lasting effect on society and will be more gratifying. Devoting efforts to reinstitute rule of law and end the destructive path taken by this regime and avoid saddling the next generation with a huge financial and moral debt should be a collective responsibility. The unified efforts of the societies during the anti-Apartheid and civil rights movement in fighting to end oppression and injustice is a true testament that in unity we can overcome the most difficult challenges.
We live in times when the majority are interested in attaining individual goals than collective interests. We cannot continue to leave the pursuit of happiness and justice for all in the hands of the one percent and expect to reap the mutual benefit. This is a moral injustice and unfairness on our part. We must embrace our collective responsibilities equally to change the catastrophic situation that is besieging our motherland. We must stop the procrastination and hypocrisy and assume personal responsibility of our problems. In times of hardship and when our people need us the most, sitting in our comfort zone and remaining silent is not a good option. The morality of our nation is derailed which impacts our unity to stand by each other during difficult times. The deep slumber waiting for divine intervention will not give us answers to our problems. A way forward would require enhancing political awareness through citizens education and also revamp our educational system to develop youths with social awareness to enhance moral development. If some of our youngsters still render loyalty to a dictator that conducted gross human right abuses and continues to be a threat to their future through the embezzlement of the country’s resources, and fails to implement viable growth and developmental policies, is a clear indication that the education system needs enrichment. An education curriculum that encompasses critical thinking and moral integrity will produce responsible citizens that understand their civic responsibilities and duties to country. Intellectualism without moral development will lead to absence of virtues such as faith, personal courage, empathy, and fair mindedness. Intellectuals with moral principles will have the intestinal fortitude to stand up for what is right and will defend the collective interests of their societies without hesitation.
Fighting tyranny and demanding the prevalence of rule of law is not a crime but a humanitarian endeavor. Nelson Mandela, Dr. Martin Luther King, and many other greats explored other peaceful means of liberating their people from injustice. When attempts to attain their civil and social rights through negotiations and other peaceful engagements failed, they were left to explore last resorts. The plight of CPT Njagga Jagne, LTC Lamin Sanneh, Nyass, Momodou Njie and the rest of the team must not be seen differently. Their intent was not to derail the peace and tranquillity of their motherland, but to rescue the people from the never ending tyranny they are subjected to for the past 20 years. In a country where basic liberties such as freedom of speech is non-existence, and the right to worship is dictated by the president who grants it as deemed necessary, fighting to restore is in line with the Dr. King doctrine of resorting to all necessary means to attain justice for all. When a leader does not indulge in rationale and does not believe in dialogue, negotiations to attain peace are are not normally viable options. CPT Njagga Jagne led and fought with men that value freedom and the rule of law. This is a belief system that motivated him to respond to the personal call of liberating his people from tyranny. Dr. King was a true believer of the Gandhian non-violent approach but had the true conviction that it was necessary to move to the next step when success was not attained using non-violent means. The actions of great men and women cannot be duplicated but their legacies can be honored by carrying on their work to put an end to oppression. These great men that took part in the alleged 30th December coup plot were motivated by a moral conviction; a conviction that can be easily misconstrued because of biases and ungratefulness to their cause. For the love of their motherland and their heritage, they carried on their quest for liberation leaving behind their families and the good lives they lived in America and other places. The country and all freedom lovers are indebted to them and their families for their sacrifice in trying to liberate a once peaceful country from the firm grips of tyranny.
The UN Secretary General’s envoy to the Gambia on a fact finding mission for the alleged 30th December failed coup, Mohammed Ibn Chambass has committee a human error in exercising a bias and a professional fallacy in his analysis of the situation surrounding the alleged coup plot. By not taking an overall analysis of the situation and not putting into consideration all the other factors leading to the 30th December incident leading to the tragic loss of valuable lives, he has done injustice to the people of the Gambia who suffered gross human rights abuses since the inception of this regime. He has committed a professional misconduct by not vividly reporting the reality on the ground, a reality known throughout the world. His report is not in congruent with the findings of the UN Universal Period Review that further exposed the human rights violations in the Gambia. The alleged 30th December coup attempt is a turning point in the history of the Gambia and all other places where human rights violations exist. While the Universal Declaration of Human Rights makes it an inclusive policy that protects the rights of all people, states continue to use the non-intervention principle of sovereignty to shield themselves from effective international monitoring while they continue on the human rights violations. The UN needs to revise and revamp its international policies to ensure the principle of sovereignty does not take precedence over human rights. The principle of sovereignty is derived from the belief that non-intervention in the affairs of states is the best policy to maintain international peace, but when this policy shields tyrants from international laws, revising or revamping it becomes necessary. In pursuit of their treacherous deeds, dictators always claim they have sovereign protection against international monitoring or intervention. While sovereignty enhances international unity and allows individual states to operate as entities, it hampers and burdens the principle of human rights when it is not properly utilized.
With its large reservoir of natural resources, the African continent continues to be plagued by poverty, starvation, and lack of basic amenities. This poor utilization of the natural resources can be blamed on the absence of responsible leadership in the continent. To redeem our societies would require citizens to take active roles in effecting leadership changes. Tyrants and bad leaders remain defiant and will use all the state resources available to them to stay in power. Citizens must bear faith and recognize that they have the power bestowed on them by God, organize and exercise that power with a sense of urgency to demand an end to human suffering. Defeating dictatorship is a difficult endeavor that requires a commitment to overcome all the deterrents that will prevent us achieving the ultimate goal. We need to overcome complacency and inaction and realize the need to get on this fight because it is just based on its moral implications.
The painful experience of living under dictatorship should be the motivation and justification to bring people together under a unified agenda to defeat the common enemy; an enemy that has no limits in the execution of extrajudicial killings and arbitrary arrests. The need to retake our motherland from tyranny will require positive collaboration with the willingness to rally behind a virtuous and genuine leader that is willing to heed to the will of the people, a leader that respects, adheres and safeguards the rule of law for all citizens to enjoy equal protection under the law. We must feel the need to embrace the sacred responsibility of defending those that cannot defend themselves. We must maintain our commitment and remain resolute to end the tyranny in our motherland.
The opinions expressed in this article have no national or professional affiliations but solely mine based on true convictions.