By Ebrima Manneh (EB)
The experience of Yaya Jammeh’s dictatorship like all others, is so painful that ending it is worth all the joy and celebration. Winning one’s freedom could be the greatest gift since it leads to the enjoyment of all other liberties, yet it is not the time to be less vigilant. The people must not only be cognizant of the dictator’s weaknesses that led to his defeat, but must be aware of their own weaknesses and bad practices that enabled, and gave dictatorship the lifeline to reign for so long.
No one deserves the brutality of dictatorship. After the downfall, a society must adopt necessary precautions and measures to avoid the return of tyranny. In the case of the Gambia, we are certain the lessons will be kept afresh to have the mindset of saying never again in our history shall we tolerate a government that does not represent the interests nor respect the freedom of the people. Never again shall we be herded like sheep, because we will collectively seek the right, and solid education to acquire the knowledge required to exercise informed consent. We will be a people conscious enough to value our freedom, pursue and defend against infringement of liberties. With the ability to exercise informed consent, we will not accept to be divided, but value the shared values or principles that keep us united.
We will embrace moral virtues and family values, demonstrate a sense of caring for our neighbors, and not look the other way assuming their problem does not concern us until a similar predicament befalls us. Either brainwashed, hypnotized, or succumbed to temptation, we are victims of division, which increased our vulnerability. We have plunged into a moral low never experienced before under the Jammeh regime. Families were divided to the extent that communication ceased due to fear of dictatorship. The positions of employees that fell off with dictatorship were easily filled by family members without remorse or guilt. Dissenters endured isolation from family members and neighbors due to their political views. The divisive and intimidation tactics depleted the morality of the nation. Never again shall we tolerate to be divided into a society of the privileged and underprivileged creating an unhealthy competition for acceptance. This was intentionally incited and inflamed to cultivate greed, and further create a selfish society in which individuals look out for themselves.
We will reinstitute a virtuous society that looks out for those who cannot take care of themselves. We hope to be conscientious guided by deeply held moral principles, which will motivate us to be righteous and collectively seek the truth during challenging times. We will be a society that recognizes individual differences as natural, but not a shortcoming. In our effort to reinstate a virtuous society, we will compliment and intervene instead of criticizing, encourage and cultivate talent for individual and collective benefits. We will be each other’s keeper like we did before tyranny. Never again shall we lower our guard and let one individual become so powerful to impose his will limitlessly on us. We hope to exercise the vigilance and moral courage that will always remind the government that power belongs to them, and they reserve the right to take it back when government abuses it. Never again shall we allow special interest groups to led us astray for their own benefits, but focus on activities that advance our collective interests. The recognition of the shared interests is what keeps a nation united. Our trust in God will be our salvation, and with this understanding, we will not be lured into falsehood and disarray by material temptation. This innate understanding that our salvation comes from God, will give us the moral courage to pursue the truth, and be unwavering about speaking the truth, especially to power as dictated in the scriptures. Natural law dictates that people exercise their right to protect their lives and their property, even when injustice is orchestrated by the state. Never again will the people sit arbitrarily and allow the violation and infringement of their rights, destruction of their properties, misuse of state institutions, and squandering of resources while people cannot afford basic needs be a normalcy. One of the institutions that suffered the most against the regime is the security element, who have been reduced and utilized for personal use by dictatorship than defending and providing safety to the people.
The people exercised patience, determination, commitment, and resolve to oust a dictator through the most peaceful and legitimate way. The international community is a witness to this noble achievement, and are siding with the people of the Gambia to ensure the freedom won will be enjoyed. I therefore reiterate that any resistance to the process, and the efforts that will be implemented to remove the obstacles to the realization of initiating the democratic process is just. Tyranny and bad governance impedes national, regional, and international development. The intention to liberate Gambia is a consensus decision by the ECOWAS governing body after diplomatic and peaceful efforts to liberate Gambia from clutches of tyranny was met with the usual defiance by dictator Jammeh. It is not unusual for such an operation to garner such a reaction, criticism, and opposing views. People have the right to exercise their freedom of choice, but hopefully the choices and positions taken will be one that leads to the attainment of the greater good, the ultimate desired outcome to move from tyranny to democracy. Freedom is fought and won by the people. Where there is hesitance to fight and protect their lives, intervention to protect human rights becomes a necessity. It is an effort to afford the people the opportunity to live in a free and just society in which they can exercise their rights as long as they are not violating the law. What ensues is the implementation and adoption of best practices for a durable democracy, primarily meeting the human and basic needs of society. The lessons learned indicate that the downfall of dictatorship does to lead to the immediate emergence of an ideal society. The end to dictatorship signals a new beginning to embark on a long process of rebuilding the institutions, and other sectors that were ineffective due to lack of prioritization. The process requires patience as It will take a long time to revive and rebuild the serious damages to the economic, political and social institutions. It will also require a collective effort, and embracing rebuilding the nation as a citizenship responsibility. The cornerstone of the rebuilding process should entail reinstating the great legacy of human rights that was present in the Jawara regime, giving critics and dissenters, and all citizens in general equal treatment before the law. Ensuring there is due process is also a great democratic tenet. To get it right, we must avoid making the same mistakes, arbitrary arrests, unlawful detentions, unabated infringement of rights leading to a society living in fear. Another shortcoming to be avoided is the failure to protect basic rights of all citizens. We have an obligation to support the new regime to serve all citizens regardless of their political affiliations, race, religion, tribe, or sexual orientation. This is the epitome of an inclusive and tolerant society. The rebuilding process also involves providing equal opportunities for all citizens, and renew hope for the younger generation, a situation that was lacking in the Jammeh era. This is also a task that must not only be the responsibility of the new administration. While the new administration is faced with enacting new developmental policies, the expectations of the citizens must be realistic and not expedient to yield enduring results.
To succeed at getting the country back on track, national service must be embraced as a national responsibility by each citizen feeling relevant, and assuming the ability to contribute in one way or the other. While there is a need for collective participation, vigilance must be exercised to prevent those that psychologically benefit from the bad situation exert their impact. The great work that has been put into this victory must be safeguarded against destruction, and against people with ulterior motives other than what is in the best interests of the people. It is important to be cautious not to replace “tyranny with tyranny” as indicated by Gene Sharp. An important lesson learned during this experience with dictatorship is the danger of giving too much power to one person or institution. To preserve the democratic process, power must be shared to include local governments, and limiting power to prevent tyranny. This is ensured through the implementation of checks and balances, or balance of power. In the Jammeh regime, the checks were really out of balance resulting in power titling to one side. Revamping the security force, limiting their powers and ensuring they embrace their statuses as citizens first is an urgent requirement. The principle that “a great army enables a great democracy to fulfill its ultimate mission,” cannot be overemphasized. This indicates a professional army or security force does not impede or enhance democracy. In a cordial civil-military environment, threat, fear, and insecurity is reduced, and the security forces are seen as partners with a common goal instead of opponents. The only “forcing function should be strictly on a democratic basis” as indicated by Andrew J. Bacevich. The citizen soldier stands ready against the misuse of power and not the other way around. Restructuring the security forces to a professional institution will enhance the creation of an equitable society in which the citizens regain their confidence, feel emboldened with the assurance there will be equal protection under the law. The citizens of the Gambia must protect their rights through active involvement in the checks and balances process, involving in peaceful assembly, protests and other forms of defiance against injustice. Never again should the people show the naivety or delayed response that entrenched tyranny. Never again will they sit arbitrarily and not participate in politics with the misconception that “it is a dirty game.” We have learned the lesson that when we let people totally manage the affairs of our lives without monitoring and intervention, the outcome could be catastrophic. The ideal alternative to being a politician is activism as described by Jeffery O.G. Obgar in a story in the New York Times as politically essential. It is a noble stance since the ulterior motive is majorly the pursuit of the truth. He further articulated that while politicians may have good intentions, they may compromise their positions for political expediency. The activists on the other hand, are unwavering and uncompromising in their pursuit of the truth. They demand for the rights of citizens instead of begging for it, as indicated in the famous Frederick Douglas quote that “power concedes nothing without a demand.” The Gambians have also proven this quote to be true. Their unflinching demand for change yielded the desired outcome, ousting an entrenched dictator. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Post tyranny often involves reestablishing depleted resources, structures and viable institutions such as the judiciary, which is an important element in ensuring justice is done. To heal the psychological wounds and forgive, a country must reconcile the past atrocities by setting up a truth and reconciliation commission. The lessons learned from such commissions is to acknowledge, uncover the wrongs of past abuses to ensure justice is done. It is an important mechanism to ensure to the family members and victims of tyranny that their pain will not be ignored, and also send a clear message to the perpetrators that the atrocities will not be pushed aside to be a bygone. It also creates a public awareness of reinstating a just society based on rule of law. Where there is good leadership and citizens invest equal commitment and sacrifice, a nation succeeds in overcoming challenges and benefits from the achievement of the desired outcome.
The coalition flag bearer, Mr. Adama Barrow is a man of character based on my previous recollection of the man from earlier days, and also confirmed by observers and those that had recent encounters with him. This is not the only ingredient to his success, but he is surrounded by professionals with proven tracked records as men and women of noble character who are dedicated to country above personal gains. This is an opportunity to renew our love for country, get on board the nation rebuilding efforts with sincerity, and vow never to return to the sordid and horrible experience of tyranny. The future is looking bright for the Gambia and we are truly optimistic that the smiling coast can smile again.
1 Comment
Sidi N. Bojang
January 1, 2017 at 3:09 pm
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Unileralism And Other Salient Issues In The Coalition Alliance Party Leadership/President Elect:
President elect Barrow of the Coalition Alliance has announced the formation of a “Think Tank” of “Seven experts”. From what I know about the MOU through which Adams Barrow was charged to be the Coalition Alliance leader, is that all Seven Coalition Alliance Party leadership would have a say in the future Governance of the Gambia? Let’s suppose this is true, it would be significantly important and infact, required for President elect Barrow and the Coalition Alliance Party leadership to inform as well as clarify some issues.
These are, how and who Choose and Vetted the “Seven Experts”? Is the Think Tank a Coalition Alliance Party Entity and therefore, government organization? This later question may face Constitutional Huddles and render it null and void. Here is the reason why. “Think Tanks” by definition are Non-governmental Organizations. A Party may have a “Think Tank” of its own for Advocacy and Research, but not a government, especially an incoming President. The reason is simple, there are Conflicts of interest issues as well as Constitutional Huddles to overcome.
President elect Barrow, should have a through examination of the Coalition Alliance MOU, as well as the prevailing 1997 Constitutional Provisions under which he was elected to be the the Coalition Alliance Party Presidential Candidate and as a result, according to the IEC of the Gambia, the President Elect and in waiting until January 19th, 2017.
To avoid jumping from the “Boiling Pot” into the FIRE, any tendency of “Unileralism” in decision making process should be avoided by the incoming President elect Barrow. Packing the deck with one Party members before President elect Barrow is Sworn in, will be a mistake of National proportion and later complicate Intra-Party relationships and dialogue, which may in turn affect the smooth transition and governance of our dear, The Gambia and Gambians. Coalition governments are Conflict prone due to the Diverse interest of the many Chiefs or Cooks that formed the government. Thus, more seasoned and experienced çooler heads need to be identified from each Coalition Alliance Party to engage in frequency Intra-Party dialogue and with the President Yaya Jammeh and members of his Party and Government. Failure to forthwith embark on this engagement in dialogue may fulfill a Short Term gratification, but would come to hunt us all, The Gambians. In the heat of the moment of getting President Yaya Jammeh to accept the election verdict as announced by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), President elect Barrow and the Coalition Alliance Party leadership need to forthwith embark on a transparent and diligent Communication with the Public and among themselves so as to avoid plunging The Gambia into a Constitutional Crisis that renders the Coalition Alliance Party government ineffective. The Coalition Alliance Party leadership and President elect Barrow should endeavor to come out and inform the Gambians who the Coalition Alliance Party government’s Cabinet members are. Failure to forthwith embark on this only generates “Radio Kankan” rumour mill to fill the Void. This can be dangerous as it would create suspens and suspicion amongst the Coalition Alliance Party leadership and their diverse supporters. The Coalition Alliance government’s Cabinet members need to be significantly Diverse reflecting the Coalition Alliance Party’s Make up. It should be inclusive of Proven Managers and Technocrats from all Ethnic groups and regions.
Caveat, time is simply running out and the Coalition Alliance Leadership need to forthwith embark on a transparent and diligent Communication with the Public and the Gambian people. Disagreements should be significantly debated and and a Consensus achieved, then communicated to the Public. Thus, it would not blow up Post President Yaya Jammeh. Gambia and the Gambians can’t afford “Carrying the National Dirty Laundry” nor accept Unileralism in decision making process in the Third Republic.
By
Sidi N. Bojang, a Gambian.