In 2009, when Gambian law makers passed the Information and Communications (Amendment) Act, they have miserably failed their constituents because this law has and continues to victimize countless innocent citizens in and outside Gambia.
The passage of such ill intended law not only is disappointing , but also pitiful, disheartening, backward and dangerous because it is being used to intimidate, subjugate and constantly victimize countless citizens all in the pretense of national security. Why is The Gambian government so afraid or worried about citizens criticizing and demanding accountability of those who are elected by the people and for the people to serve them and more importantly they are paid by these people ?
The law created several new offenses for online speeches that are punishable by fifteen years jail time and/or three million dalasis. According to the this law, anyone who spread false news about government or public officials or incites dissatisfaction or instigate violence against the government, caricature or makes derogatory statements against the governments and against government officials is a criminal. Are you freaking serious? Are we living in the pre-historic era? What kind of law is that and what kind of egoistic law makers do we have over there? What happened to the civil libel suits for character assassination suits? What happens to common sense? Yes I said it and will not retract those questions and hope some of you who supported such a law understand how much you failed the Gambians and yourselves and your loved one because your own karma can bite you in the rear.You surely are big disappointments to the core values of democracy, decency and good governance.
Government is a trust and the trustees are those who are elected either directly or indirectly to serve the people. They include civil servants as well as the military. Hence both the trust and the trustees are created for the benefit of the people.
Laws are made to protect individuals and society as a whole and sometimes even the outcasts. When a particular law is used or twisted to victimize innocent and helpless people, it is absolutely a gross failure and disappointment on the part of those who made such a law.
This law we all know is vague. It is used and is being used as a witch hunting tool by the government to victimize those who just want to keep the government accountable. May I remind these good folks who made this law that , government is always at its best when citizens can criticize the government and make them accountable. You don’t actually have to be a genius to understand that.
The law, which is Africa’s most repressive laws is not for any other purpose than silence the people and instill fear and intimidation in heart, minds and souls of the general public. We Gambians must resist fear because it is that fear that is going to destroy the good of our society.
Obviously, the main targets of the law are internet news providers, social sites users and activists and definitely news media. This law can be used (and has been used) in instances in the name of national security. What a claptrap?
No government that serves the interests of her people should fear the people they serve or represent. It is the same fear that Gambian government has of her people that it is using against them to manipulate and control the people and allows them to continue holding onto power and their reign of terror.
I just hope that none of the law makers who support such a law see this as an insult but a challenge to serve our common goods because while they are in control today, they or their loved ones are all potential victims of the very law they make. Stand up for what is right, fair and just even if you will be standing alone. Be that person that is missed when you are gone not the one people will celebrate your departure from our midst with joy. Those who stand for justice, truth and fairness for others will always be appreciated.
Our government will always be at its best when they allow freedom of press and let the market decides which press is printing false news. Free press is the best tool for meaningful democracy, and to hold government accountable and encourage ingenuity amongst our ingenious populace and encourage creativity. Instead of fearing the free press, embrace them, instead of controlling them, expand their abilities. This will only make our people and society stronger, more viable and an inspiration for the sub regional Africa and we will be admired. It will help our citizens to be creative and creativity is progress and that will in turn bring about socio economic and political developments and that means more employment and money for our people and government. The power of free press is limitless and should be supported.
No government that truly represents the interests of the people should take away, limit, and/or silence the voice of the people. Such government must not announce that there will be no criticisms of the government or a leader ; and /or they should not take away the liberty of the people to know their government and, they must be allowed to argue with them as well; and must not see the sounds of the people as danger, or see disagreeing with the government as an act of treason but instead that very government should use that opportunity to hear the voices to bring about meaningful changes that help not just the few privileged and powerful but all the people they serve and should instill in them sense of hope not despair.
May I remind the able parliamentarian that restrictions of free thoughts and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversion. It is an un- human act that could most easily defeat us. Also, to view opposition as dangerous is to misunderstand the basic concept of democracy, rule of law and good governance and more importantly human dignity and decency
No one should be deprived of their dignity, their natural right to life, liberty and pursue of happiness because they dislike a politician, or the president, or a public figure . It is a very sad episode that a man would be taken away from his family and jailed because he told someone to hang the president’s photo in the air. The fourteen students massacred shouldn’t have happened and when it happened members of parliament shouldn’t be silence. Imam Baba Leigh and other brave religious leaders shouldn’t have been detained, tortured just because they said that Yahya’s Jammeh’s actions were un-Islamic. The list continues. No journalist should be detained , or imprisoned for writing critical stories about the government. No citizens should be exiled because they are critical of their government. criticism is good, it brings out our deficiencies and allow us to find a different approach(es). . Wise men and women allow criticism
When we oppress opposition, we are assaulting the very foundation of our being, our essence and our character. The very best amongst us are those who will take risk to make sure that others have lives , freedom and happiness especially for the very vulnerable members of our society, the powerless, and those without voices or hope of survivals. We must fight for those ideals of our society that we will wish for ourselves or for our family. On that note I will once again extend to the families of the December 30th heroes to bring our country to sanity and to the twenty first century our gratitude and appreciation
It must never be a crime or act of treason to have voices of dissent, to criticize the president or any political figure or government official. To say that there must not be criticisms of the president or any public figure; or that we are to stand by him wrong or right is not only unpatriotic and servile but is morally decayed and treasonable to the very core values of our modern civilized society and religious values and to our intellect and conscience.
George Washington once said and I quote “ If freedom of speech is taken away , then dumb and silent we may be led like sheep to the slaughter house” . Think about this fellows before you allow someone to take away your very essence of being… freedom( to live happily as long as your freedom is not encroaching on other people’s freedom, freedom to express yourself and be heard by those who represent you and all kinds of freedom).
Precisely this is what you will subject yourself to when your freedom of expression is suppressed. You will be like animals with no purpose or direction but only to be used.
The government of the Gambia must allow the citizens to speak their mind and I urge all those genuine lovers of freedom, justice, and rule of law to speak against terror, tyranny and oppressions of your fellow human beings especially your fellow citizens.
May I remind the good parliamentarians that, be careful of the hole you dig for others, you may be buried in it someday yourself. Give your fellow citizen the liberty to know the government and to argue freely according to conscience, and above all, liberties.
I want you to know and think about this saying. Genuine bravery is about speaking the truth and standing up for what is right when everyone is silenced, even when you will stand alone, when truth cannot be expressed. It is the right thing to speak out with a different voice risking the wrath of the state and offending those in power for the sake of truth and for your conscience. We all must do that as Gambians, as human beings with good conscience. I challenge our youths , our women and in fact, i challenge all citizens to rise up and demand freedom, justice , rule of law , accountability and above all for your dignity. The problem Yahya jammeh created is not a problem for any single tribe or religion, it is a big Gambian problem and we must all confront it from all corners.
Harry S Truman once said and I quote “Once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voices of opposition, it has only one way to go and that is down to the part of increasing repressive measures until it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and country where everyone is in fear”
Wow! This perfectly fits the government of the Gambia and the people therein. Everyone is in constant fear and in constant uncertainties even those enablers of the government. This is not the best the government can offer to the people.
The people must not continue to live in fear, or continue to be terrorized by their very own government that should provide them with hope, and security. I want to remind my able parliamentarians that it is not unpatriotic to denounce an injustice.
I challenge you all to stand tall and do the right things for your fellow citizens. It is strength not weakness to accept that no one is infallible, to accept criticism, to give others the very essence of life, which is liberty that we all should enjoy. He who denies others freedom deserves none. Gambian people count on you and it is the right thing to do to repeal the law and give back people their rights to free expression, allow free press, and allow peaceful demonstrations or gathering by citizens to hold their government accountable. It is wise to fight against a system that is victimizing countless people, a system that you all are potential victims. It is important for every person to have their basic God given rights to dignity, respect, justice, and more importantly happiness. Jammeh is never going to be the eternal president of the Gambia. As an optimist, I believe that democracy will return to our country where citizens will have dignity, their God given rights to life, liberty and happiness. Until such time arises, we must advocate for those ideals that make our society just and fair for all to enjoy and restore them by any means necessary. Enough is enough and you all should stand in solidarity with your fellow Gambian people, your constituents.
May God bless our country and give us the strength to stand up for truth, justice, democracy and rule of law. May we all have the courage to stand up for the weak, the poor, and be the hope for human dignity. I fear non but the Almighty God. This is my land, and your land and their land, don’t stand by and see it destroyed while you can do something about it.
By
Mbackeh Bamba Jabbi, USA
The opinions here are sole responsibility of the author and do not represent any government or organization the right is affiliated with nor is that of the newspaper publishing it. The writer assumes full responsibility and consequences of this and is by no means, shapes of forms representation of any government, and or organization