As the saying goes, the best way to expose the weaknesses of bullies is to stand up to them. For 21 plus years Yahya Jammeh leader of the small West African State of the Gambia and his clique of mediocre have held the Gambian people hostage. The President and his few notorious securities have intimidated Gambians from every sector of society. No Gambian citizen being it politicians; religious leaders, Journalists, public servants, private independent citizens, artists, students, activists, members of parliament, business men/women, security personnel and even diplomats dare say a word in opposition to the incompetence of the…
Author: Gainako
West Africa Review © ISSN: 1525-4488 Issue 15 (2009) WALKING THE LINE OF JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE: THE CASE OF GAMBIAN GOVERNMENT AND MORAL INTEGRITY Nkemdilim Amelia Izuako* Abstract The article narrates what transpired after Justice Izuako gave a minority judgment in Gambia, rejecting the State’s argument and challenging its attempt to use the judiciary to stifle political opponents. The government retaliated by levelling charges of professional incompetence and misconduct against her,and terminating her services. Her 2005 dissenting judgment on the sedition case immediately follows. Keywords: sedition, gambia, judiciary, judicial independence It is one thing to pontificate on the virtues of judicial…
By Mathew K Jallow As an inter-party round-table discussion panel gets underway at the IEC, a significant element is missing; Ousainou Darboe, UDP party leader; Gambia’s largest opposition. No one knows what the Inter-party discussions are about yet, what is clear is that with leaders of the main opposition illegally held in detention for exercising their constitutional rights, it is not the time to discuss any issue around the 2016 elections. But, if the discussions center on the unconditional freedom of UDP party leader, Ousainou Darboe and other UDP officials in detention, the topic is right, but the meeting is…
By Mathew K. Jallow As a country, much of what shapes the politics we observe is not based on reality, but on the flawed way our brains process what we see around us. We draw conclusions that rely on limited information, which often result in a myopic representation of facts. In my experience living in and learning about various totalitarian regimes, the one constant is their inherent administrative weaknesses and fragility. Because dictatorial regimes use fear as an instrument of gaining control and compliance, they are able to create a false sense of power and invincibility. The truth, however, is…
When members of United Democratic Party and others took to the streets a week ago, the brutal regime of Yahya Jammeh responded with a callous wickedness, that even some of his toughest critics didn’t expect. The Gambian people responded with overwhelming generosity to show their support for the gallant efforts being made by our brothers and sisters on the ground. That fight still continues as the wrongfully detained citizens got dragged into court earlier today. We all have no faith in the legal system under Yahya Jammeh’s government, but we still have to let these events play themselves out. Due…
Gambian Protests Put Jammeh’s Human Rights Record Into The International Spotlight By Jeffrey Smith Imagine being brutally assaulted by police simply for exercising your constitutional right to public assembly. Imagine later being apprehended by your country’s notorious riot police, along with dozens of your friends, and crammed into an unmarked vehicle and driven to an unknown location. Then imagine being tortured and terrorized to death by those same people, those who are duty-bound to protect the integrity and security of your person. These are the tragic circumstances and the ultimate fate that befell youth activist Solo Sandeng, along with two…
The position taken by Mr SIDI SANNEH towards these inter-party committee meetings, by castigating the actions of those attending as; an act of betrayal of the course of justice for Solo Sandeng, as well as Ousainu darbo, who happens to be an elderly senior citizen and an elected major party leader currently languishing in one of Jammehs dreaded 5 stars hotel. Myself being a reasonable and concerned citizen, I will further qualify Mr. Sannehs position by stating that, these go slow, passive positions taken by the other opposition parties , at this present junction for Gambia, is an ought right…
The Spotlight: Let Go off Darboe, the UDP Executive and all Prisoners of Conscience! By Yero Jallow “When a man is denied the right to live the life he believes in, he has no choice but to become an outlaw.” –Nelson Mandela, Former ANC Leader, South Africa. We do not have much politics going on anymore; the issue is beyond politics, beyond partisan, beyond anything else, as it involves life and death. What we all see right now is the Gambia and her citizens. The Gambia continues to sit on a ticking time-bomb, at the crossroads of bloodshed and civility.…