Gambian NAMs call urgent praise singing session as Jammeh secretly signs Bill
On 29th July – The Gambia’s National Assembly Members (NAM) met to convene a special session specifically to heap praises on The President of the Republic of The Gambia, Yahya Jammeh for his recent pardon of at least 200 prisoners. The majority APRC (Jammeh’s Ruling party) NAM started the session by unanimously agreeing that the recent Pardon was “one of a kind” and described it as the “greatest act of magnanimity”. The motion was completed as the NAMs declared that there was no contradiction with the President’s kind gesture.During the debate Honourable Abdoulie Saine of Banjul hailed Presiddent Jammeh for showing mercy. He reaffirmed his confidence in Jammeh’s accomplishments and for the Gambia since seizing power in 1994. To back his absurd claims he cited the vast number of roads, schools and hospitals built under Jammeh’s watch. The deluded NAM concluded by urging Gambians to crown Jammeh as King echoing earlier calls by the Mayor of Banjul recently in April 2015.Honourable member for Foni Bondali began by thanking Jammeh for “coming up with this Godly gesture”. He urged Gambian youths to take maximum advantage of all the opportunities created by Jammeh since seizing power in a military coup on July 22nd 1994. Despite the countless enforced disappearances since seizing power the NAM felt compelled to compare Jammeh to Allah (God) highlighting the uncompareable qualities demonstrated by Jammeh “the ever merciful”.
In reaction to news of the recent selective prisoner pardons, the United States Department of state issued a statement calling on Jammeh to release political prisoners and abide by the Gambian Constitution. The statement issued on 28th July urged the Gambian President to charge all suspects currently in custody or release them after 72 hours. The same statement highlighted the recent abduction of Taranga FM’s Manager Alagie Abdoulie Ceesay. “The United States remains deeply concerned about the whereabouts of Gambian radio journalist Alagie Abdoulie Ceesay, who disappeared on July 17, days after being released from a two-week long period of arbitrary detention during which he was reportedly tortured. We urge the Government of The Gambia to promptly locate Mr. Ceesay, return him to his family and loved ones, investigate the circumstances of his previous abduction and detention, and hold accountable any individuals found to be responsible for violating Mr. Ceesay’s rights.”
Gambian activists and families of those still in arbitrary arrest are frantically trying to ascertain which prisoners have been released. Two such victims are dual citizens (United States and Gambian nationals) Alhagie Ceesay and Ebou Jobe who have been abducted in the Gambia since June 2013. To date they have not been released since the recent pardon announcement by Jammeh. The families of Saul Ndow and Ma-Awa Cham made attempts to enquire about their release as they have not been seen since his abduction in April 2013. These are just some of the countless victims that the Gambian dictator still has in custody without any charges.
Meanwhile the Opposition have begun reeling from the effects of the recently passed 2015 Electoral Reform Bill. On 24th July Mr. Hamat Bah, the leader of a Gambian Opposition Party NRP, entered a candidate for Lower Saloum Parliamentary election with D5,000 to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). However later in that evening IEC responded by demanding for a total sum of D50,000 to be paid for the candidacy. This by election is slated to take place in August. It’s alleged that the 2015 Electoral Reform Bill was ascented into Law without any public notification. The bill recommended by the IEC was approved by the NAM on the 30th of June. Many critics have criticized the bill as the final nail on the coffin for a multi party democracy in The Gambia.
Gainako readers will recall that on 22nd July 2015, Jammeh declared pardon for select political prisoners from 1994-2013 with conditions. Jammeh made this announcement during his official statement at the 21st July 22nd anniversary in Banjul on Wednesday 22 July 2015 at the Arch 22.
In another related news coming out of Banjul indicate that the recently pardoned prisoners will stage a ‘Solidarity March’ of thanks for President Jammeh. The March is expected to start from Arch 22 to The Gambia’s State House. If this in fact turns out to be the case, then critics would have been vindicated that Gambians including the released prisoners continue to be treated as slaves. To have been possibly wrongly convicted, jailed for years, tortured and humiliated only to come out and march in solidarity to the very power who oppressed you, is simply the lowest act of modern slavery one could engage in. These people would demonstrate that they are not worthy of any respect or dignity as sovereign citizens. Gainako reporters will continue to monitor this story as it develops and will update our readers as the process unfolds.