The news today from Minnesota of the sentencing of Four Gambian US citizens who were involved in a plot to overthrow the most brutal regime in Africa, doesn’t appear to sit well with a lot of people especially Gambian dissidents. Mr. Banka Manneh, Alhagie Barrow were all sentenced to 6 months in jail, Papa Faal for time served and one year one day for Cherno Njie. The verdict came after almost two years of trial in their legal tussle against the US Federal government for allegedly violating the century old US Neutrality Act for attempting to overthrow a foreign government without the sanctions of the United States. What the trial reveals in the US federal court is that the dictatorial regime in the Gambia which survives on intimidating citizens and insulting international traditional partners of the Gambia, was that the United States’outdated foreign engagements and confused definition of who is a friendly or enemy nation of the United States only fits their own narrative. While the US continue to prosecute these brave Gambian Nationalists who were out to rescue a nation and its people, the government of Yahya Jammeh is busy arresting, torturing, raping and incarcerating political opponents including women – something unthinkable in the U.S and any Democratic country. With absolute disregard to the plight of the Gambian people; the US willfully and knowingly ignores the suffering circumstances of the Gambian people including the killings and disappearances of US citizens in the Gambia who have committed absolutely no crime.
So one may ask what is the priority of the United States? Is it defending the fundamental rights of every human being, or is it based on strategic interest and what the US wants to see happen around the world? After clear evidence were produced in court of a mad regime in Gambia and the possible involvement or awareness of the FIB and CIA about the planned coup in Gambia, the US federal judge who may have zero exposure to world politics and to the brutality of dictators around the world, handed down shameful sentences on these citizens who were out to promote the democratic values inherent in them by the United States system of government.
The US attorney’s statements after the sentencing revealed more on what the motivations of the United States are rather than their interest in protecting the fundamental human rights of US/Gambian citizens. The attorney said “These defendants conspired to overthrow a foreign government, Regardless of the legitimacy of their personal and emotional connections to The Gambia, these men placed countless innocents in harm’s way when they engaged in a brazen and fatally flawed attempt at regime change.”.. So the basis of argument for the US attorney is that this was a “a fatally flawed attempt at regime change” and places “countless innocents in harms way”.. Are we living in a different world? Isn’t the US known to consistently place thousands of citizens in harms way every time they send missiles and bombs into countries they call “friendly nations”. Was the attorney insinuating that if the attempt had succeeded then the US would have been exonerated from prosecuting these innocent citizens? What is more revealing in this trial like many others across the US justice department is the fundamental flaws embedded in a justice system that has been the subject of scrutiny in how sentencing guidelines are used in the justice system on some groups of citizens vs others.
The burden of proof and moral explanation for why the US federal Court will hand the most brutal regime the moral victory on how the Jammeh government continuously oppressed Gambian citizens is something that will continue to hunt the moral conscience of this Democratic nation. The accused must serve their sentences with their heads held up high in the sky; for the shame is not on them but rather the justice system that puts the position of a brutal regime on top of decent citizens fighting for justice and human rights in the Gambia. They must be comforted that they are serving sentencing times because they stood up against oppression of innocent Gambians. When Nelson Mandela was sentenced to 27 years in jail for fighting apartheid, he honorably served his sentence and never looked back knowing his conscience was clear. When Dr. King was thrown in Jail several times with his freedom marchers, they turned the jails into houses of honor and resistance against injustice. When Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma resisted years of dictatorial rule in her country, she was jailed numerous times but never looked back and turned those jails into political operatives against military dictators in her country. Today she is the President of Burma..
In Essence, while these brave citizens of the US/Gambia prepare to serve their sentences, they must never despair and must remain convinced that they stood up as drum majors for Democracy, human rights and fundamental principles of holding their government accountable. While they may not have succeeded in removing the dictator – his cage has been rattled and will forever be fearful of his citizens who are willing to stand up against their oppressor. We therefore stand in solidarity with our heroes of justice, heroes of democracy and human rights. We wish that they will come and pick all citizens of conscience fighting for what is right in Gambia and jail us all with these brave men of our times. The fight to free the Gambian people is just beginning and until the country is liberated, Gambians around the world will continue to exercise their national duty to defend against the torture, rape and killings of innocent Gambians. Our thoughts and prayers are with those gallant bullalo soldiers of our times marching to the houses of freedom.
Editorial Authored by Demba Baldeh Associate Editor – Seattle Washington.