An August summit in Washington aims to take some modest steps toward an old dream. The journalist and Black Nationalist leader Marcus Garvey wrote a poem about it. The reggae great Bob Marley sang about it. And the Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi poured his oil wealth into it. But none lived to see a United States of Africa. This history of disappointed hopes will provide the backdrop in early August when President Barack Obama hosts the inaugural U.S.-Africa summit in Washington. Only a few of Africa’s 54 leaders—including Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe, who is still the target of U.S. sanctions—haven’t been invited.…
Author: Gainako
Twenty years of Jammeh’s tyranny has dawned upon our beloved Gambia! Since that infamous day of July 22, 1994, many have been unwavering, whether publicly or silently in the stance that Jammeh and his Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) would hinder progress and freedom for the Gambia, and put the country on the wrong trajectory. Throughout this period, we have witnessed an awakening of the Gambian people, and increased participation of our compatriots in the struggle to rescue our nation from the clutches of tyranny. Although we made significant gains, we maintain that 20 years is too long to…
22 JULY 2014, WINDHOEK NAMIBIA – Today marks the 20th anniversary of the bloodless coup, which instated Yahya Jammeh as President of the Gambia. Often referred to as Africa’s last dictatorship, the Gambia is one of the most repressive States on the continent. On this significant anniversary, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) joins civil society organisations all over the world in urging President Yahya Jammeh to protect journalists, human rights and political activists by repealing legislative provisions that restrict freedom of expression, and immediately and unconditionally releasing all prisoners of conscience and those imprisoned for exercising their right to freedom…
By Dr. Katim S. Touray Dr. Babou Ousman Jobe, former Director General (DG) of the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) died. He was 54 years old. To say that Dr. Jobe’s death, following an illness, was a big loss to our nation is a huge understatement. Physically, Dr. Jobe was an almost diminutive man, but he was a kind-hearted, hard-working, intellectual giant that spent all his adult life studying and/or working for The Gambia, Africa, and humanity at large. My earliest recollections of him are around the 80s after he graduated from the Sixth Form (Gambia High School) and…
On the occasion of the passing away of Ousainou Mbenga’s father, Alhagie Ebrima Momodou Mbenga, members of the GCC wish to extend their heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathy to you and your family for this great loss of your father. GCC is further saddened by the fact that due to your activities in fighting for the cause of justice in the Gambia, you will, by virtue of the political climate at home, be unable to participate in sending your beloved father to his eternal place of rest. GCC is further mindful of the enormous sacrifices that you, your family…
Dead Idea Laid to Rest 1994-2014 By Sarjo Bayang* Those who keep on doubting the failure of Gambia fantasised Vision 2020 development promise can now wake up from the spell of deception that Yaya Jammeh cast over them so long. It is already 20 years since Jammeh and his military gang members took up guns to dislodge a democratically elected PPP government on 22 July 1994. Jammeh promised transforming Gambia, a peanut backed economy into world class superpower nation in 20 years. By grand scheme of time buying and deceiving majority Gambians, many were made to believe every word…
By Momodou Njai As today marks the 20th anniversary since you came into power, I thank you and the First Lady Madame Zeinab Jammeh for giving me this opportunity to share with you my concerns and proposals that would benefit the Gambian people and Gambia as a whole. I also thank you and your administration for the developments that have taken place since you came into power. I am willing to take any or all of the criticism that will come my way for actually engaging you to do the right thing. Even enemies talk to let each other…
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL Press Release EMBARGO – 22 July 2014 – 00.01 BST The Gambia: Activists mark 20 years of iron fisted repression The Gambian government must abolish the laws and iron fisted practices that have resulted in two decades of widespread human rights violations, Amnesty International said as it joined forces with other human rights groups for a global day of action marking 20 years since President Jammeh’s seizure of power. Activists across the world will hold protests and public events today to raise awareness about the dire human rights situation in The Gambia, where many live in…
By Ousman Gorrmack Recently, the president of Gambia Supreme Islamic Council (GSIC), Alhaji Momodou Lamin Touray said that no Muslim should dislike Yaya Jammeh because of what he’s done to spread Islam in the country. Now, one would think that the online community’s vitriolic reaction to this statement was to be expected given that it is quite illogical to make the claim that presidents should be judged solely on their religious record – and most importantly, because this pronouncement was just one of a series of shameful positions associated with the GSIC. The GSIC is the same body…
Our nation is in the middle of an escalating situation that must come to an end and if we do not act, this will devastate our country, which our children would inherit. We all want a Gambia, where every young person, no matter where you come from, or what you look like, or who your parents are, can make it if you try and work hard not to live in poverty; a Gambia where there is economic progress, meaningful development, security, respect for human rights and the rule of law. For the past 20 years, we have been denied…