By D. Baldeh Gainako Associate Editor
In his address to the crowd in Seattle during a UDP organized meeting the leader of the UDP Lawyer Ousainou Darboe made an emotional recognition of one of Gambia’s strongest opposition leaders who has endured all sorts of sufferings more than anyone else in Gambia. He paid a special respect to Momodou Lamin Shyngle Nyassi UPD’s Party Secretary declaring that Shyngle Nyassi is the real face of the Opposition struggle in Gambia.
Darboe said there is nobody in the struggle against impunity in Gambia who has suffered more than Shyngle Nyassi. He said he cannot even begin to list all the things that Nyassi has done for the UDP and the opposition parties in Gambia. He narrated an emotional incident when he visited Shyngle Nyassi at his home in Cololi in March 2003 a day before he left for Mecca for the Hajj. Darboe said when he saw Mr. Nyassi that day he broke down in tears and cried profusely because of what had happened to Shyngle Nyassi. He said Nyassi was so beaten and tortured that he could not even stand up on his legs as a result of the torture. He said anybody who knew Shyngle Nyassi and his strong able body yesterday and see him today you will know he has lost the ability to even walk properly. “The doctors were teaching him how to walk again” He added that Shyngle said to him “it was better for me to suffer this way than my grand children to go through this”. The crowd was visibly moved by this narration. Darboe and Nyassi went through trials and tribulations accused of murder and prosecuted for five years the lawyer said.
Darboe attested that the APRC government did everything possible to buy Shyngle Nyassi’s loyalty and support to no avail. He said he can confirm that Nyassi was offered ministerial positions, governor positions and even a home and a plot of land to buy his loyalty. This he said did not have any effect on Nyassi and he wouldn’t take anything in place of his dignity and freedom. He concluded that Shyngle Nyassi is a true patriot who is willing to give up his life for the Gambia and he Darboe is deeply indebted to Shyngle Nyassi for his loyalty and dedication for Gambia.
Mr. Nyassi in an earlier address to the crowd equally paid a special tribute to Mr. Darboe telling the crowd that the most successful lawyer in Gambian history gave up everything for the fight against impunity in Gambia. He said he has never seen someone so dedicated and so humbled in the fight against impunity for his country. Nyassi amazingly never mentioned even once about his numerous tortures and detention depicting true humbleness and heroism. Nyassi clarified that there is nothing that will stop him from returning to Gambia. .
Darboe also delved into the issue of women participation in national and Global politics and stated that even the UNDP and African Center for Human Rights encourages women participation in national politics. He made reference one of the female speakers Jarai Sisoho on the panel telling her that she is the kind that Gambia needs to help promote women voices. Darboe said it doesn’t matter what party these women join as long as they are “on the vanguard of change” they will be able to contribute to Gambia’s political emancipation. Darboe concluded with optimism that the future of Gambia is brighter than it looks. He thanks the organizers of the gathering and encourage Gambians to continue to get involved in the national discourse.