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dbaldeh
USA
934 Posts |
 Posted - 28 Jul 2006 : 18:20:05
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NADD FLAG BEARER’S STATEMENT
ON THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN THE GAMBIA,
PROPOSAL FOR UNITY AND RELATED ISSUES
Part One
Compatriots, sons and daughters of just humanity, the world over, The Gambia, our beloved motherland is at a cross road. This is marked by challenges, difficulties, dangers and opportunities. Our duty is to surmount the difficulties and dangers, face the challenges squarely in the eye with a view to overcoming them and making maximum effort to exploit the opportunities to make a great leap forward in liberty, progress and prosperity.
The first difficulty and challenge to overcome is the decline in the political integrity and openness of our motherland.
Section 214 (1) of the Constitution of the Republic states that “The Gambia shall be a democratic state dedicated to freedom, peace, progress, prosperity and justice.”
Subsection (5) adds that “The government with due regard to the principles of an open and democratic society, shall foster accountability and transparency at all levels of government.”
Section 207 (3) adds that “The press and other information media shall at all times, be free to uphold the principles, provisions and objectives of this Constitution and the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people of the Gambia.”
Under a functioning democracy press conferences by aggrieved parties, headlines in newspapers and the electronic media, exposures in parliaments, public outcries and threats of parliamentary inquiries and impeachment often compel the executive arm of the state to be sensitive to public opinion. Impunity is retained by the fear of having one’s misdeed exposed and one’s abuse of authority reprimanded.
The most disheartening thing about the country is that National Assembly members can be subjected to detention without trial; mayors can be detained and suspended indefinitely. Newspapers are put out of operation and their reporters subjected to detention without trial without any powerful instrument of public opinion to restrain those who perpetrate these actions.
In my view, a nation that is mute about its grievances is a nation that cannot surmount its difficulties and challenges.
Under a functioning democracy where sovereignty resides in the people, they must have the freedom to participate in discussion and decision making on matters that affect their individual lives and the collective life and welfare of the whole citizenry.
A government that is determined to utilize the authority entrusted to its members by the people to promote their general welfare must be tolerant of being hammered from all sides by public opinion. This is the only way it can be fully tempered to be able to address the needs and aspirations of the people. In my view the only good government is one that can be criticized, scrutinized and restrained from abusing power and perpetrating maladministration.
It is therefore necessary for public opinion to continue to call for the release of those who have been kept under detention up to today without trial, especially Duta Kamaso, an elected National Assembly Member and Mariam Denton, a senior member of the Gambian Bar; the eradication of all the restrictions on the press especially the Independent Newspaper and the cautioning against all threats to the sovereign people of the Gambia who have right to freedom from forced labour, movement and security of person. Only a government that respects the people and acknowledge that sovereignty or power resides in them can address the decline in political integrity and curtail the trend towards impunity. This is the first point.
Secondly, the key battle for countries in the 21st century is the struggle to build democratic institutions, practices and cultures. Section 214 (2) of the constitution states categorically that “the people shall express their will and consent as to who shall govern then and how they shall be governed through regular, free and fair elections of their representatives.” Section 26 (b) adds that “Every citizen of the Gambia of full age and capacity shall have the right, without unreasonable restrictions to vote and stand for elections at genuine periodic elections for public office....”
It is therefore clear that the type of registration practice that is underway where some party chairpersons and village heads appear to have formed a compact to issue attestations that enables those who are not entitled under law to get ID cards and voters’ cards is undermining the integrity of the political system.
The under-aged youth and the non Gambians should bear in mind that it is the vote that creates the representatives who shape the policies and programmes of government and how to implement and administer them.
Those who allow themselves to be used just to corrupt the electoral system must equally accept responsibility for the decline in liberty and increase in poverty, fear and hardship of the people. What should be abundantly clear is that the 185,000 children in our primary schools, the 66,000 children in our upper basic schools and the 27,000 youths in our high schools deserve a future in about 10 years time that provides quality living. They should not accept anyone who provides them with food and green tea to eat and drink today just to become beggars tomorrow. They deserve a life of prosperity in liberty and dignity. They deserve to grow and work to live and not to live just to be a tool to individual sovereign Gambians like themselves whom they should relate to as equals. The time has past for mental slavery. The youths of the country must liberate themselves. They must not accept party chairpersons leading them like sheep with ropes around their necks towards the slaughter house of poverty and marginalization. I have followed the registration of underaged youths. I have followed the organisation of parties after the AU Summit. While some of the schools are without adequate benches and desks and toilet facilities. The food provided lacked adequate protein. The rice and oil were meant just to feel their stomachs. Finally, a large portion is destined for the pigs. I have trust in the Gambian youth. I am confident that with their votes they will liberate their brothers and sisters, parents and people at large. They will never accept permanent residence in the colony of the marginalised, poor and wretched of the earth.
As for non-Gambians, it is important for each and everyone to know we do not choose our birth places. This is a historical accident. Each person has a right to a homeland. No nation is superior to another. No people should subjugate another. We understand the plight of non-Gambians. We in NADD have spoken against the arrest and transportation of non-Gambians in airtight congested vans to cells where they are compelled to pay for Alien ID Cards or face deportation. We have formulated a policy that once NADD is in control of the country; all non-Gambians will exercise their right to belong to a society established by the nationals of each country. The leaders of such societies shall be democratically elected and the minister to be responsible for African integration and the affairs of non-Gambians in the Gambia will liaise with such leaders to deal with and solve all grievances. There will be no discriminatory fees against non-Gambians resident in the Gambia. They will not be subjected to unequal treatment in the rendering of services. In this regard, there will be no need for non-Gambians to seek Gambian documents. They will be enlightened to know the laws on how to naturalize if they wish to do so. This is the way forward and non-Gambians should be part of the solution of the problems of the country and not part of the problem. Maximum effort should be made by all NADD militants to spread the NADD position among youths and all non-Gambians in the country. This is the way to defeat the forces that are trying to undermine change through the promotion of corrupt registration practices. NADD will combine mass democratic action with legal action to deal with the problem of corrupt registration practices. If Gambians really want change no force on earth can stop it.
Finally, the difficulty or challenge that is uppermost in the minds of most Gambians is how to overcome the factors militating against the unity of the opposition. It is incontrovertible that a nation with a weak opposition is one standing at the threshold of tyranny or national disintegration. This allows room for retention of power by any means and the attempt to wrest power by any means. This leads to endless treason trials. A weak opposition is also a contributing factor to political instability and insecurity. In short democratic change presupposes the existence of a strong opposition. Democratic existence is also guaranteed by a strong opposition.
The best way a people can contain tyranny, fear and impunity is to be united around a strong opposition. When a party in government calls on the people and sees a few, then turns around and see the masses galvanized around an opposition, it will have no option but to abandon the route of tyranny and seek the route of conciliation or be removed from office by the people.
It is therefore of paramount importance for the Gambia to have a strong opposition, one that can rekindle hope and give assurance that the fears and hardship of the people can be put to an end.
Part Two
Now one may ask: What are the prospects for unity and how is it to be achieved?
The proposals continue to come. NADD has responded to Dr. Saine’s proposal. As flag-bearer I am inspired by the fact that the people themselves have become the mediators.
A day hardly passes without men, women, and young people approaching me to express their concerns. From these encounters it is incontrovertible that people are interested in an alliance and not individual party politics. If I am wrong I stand to be corrected. In no where do we find people promoting the principles, policies, programmes and practices of their individual parties. If this was the case there would not have been any need for consultation. In short, it is the right of each individual to support the party of his/her choice. On the other hand, individual parties may consider it necessary to forge an alliance. An alliance may be done out of necessity or convenience.
In an alliance of convenience the partners can go their separate ways without any impact on each other’s support base. For example, if the APRC/NCP were to split today each is likely to retain its previous support base before their Alliance.
Conversely, in an alliance of necessity the partners separate to their mutual detriment. This has been the case of the opposition in Togo.
In my view, it is the situation on the ground which should determine whether an Alliance is necessary or not. In some situations an Independent candidate can even sweep the polls if the masses decide to turn their backs against the existing opposition and ruling parties as had happened in Mali, in the case of Tumani Touray and Guinea Bissau in the case of Vierra. UDP in the Gambia is even an example of how an alliance can be forged on the basis of necessity. In short, it is the members of the parties who were banned who decided to establish the UDP and then select someone to lead who never stood as a candidate. The wave enabled him to gain 34% of the votes. This confirms that finding the right type of alliance is not an arithmetic or academic exercise. It requires appreciation of the general political mood of the population in a country.
To cut a long story short, at this very juncture one can traverse the length and breadth of the country without noticing any encouragement for any individual opposition party to contest the forthcoming Presidential elections. The clarion call is for an Alliance to be forged.
Since time is against the opposition what is important is to gauge what the two alliances are offering The Gambian people as the basis of unity and express their preference of the best way forward before the end of July.
In this regard, it is important to note that the UDP/NRP alliance advocates for a Mr. Darboe/Mr. Bah Presidential and Vice Presidential ticket. According Mr. Hamat Bah the Alliance will empower Mr. Darboe to appoint his own cabinet. There is no indication that Mr. Darboe as the UDP/NRP flag bearer will be restricted to a one term limit.
On the other hand, NADD stands for the candidates of the alliance to be determined by consensus or primary. In any subsequent negotiation such a method can still be applicable. Furthermore, NADD calls for a cabinet derived from representatives of member parties and civil society. Thirdly, the flag-bearer shall be restricted to one term to create precedence for subsequent holders of the office of president to accept a two five year term limit.
The NADD also calls for a National Assembly that can check the powers of the president so that he/she shall not violate his/her mandate.
The UDP/NRP alliance has not spelt out how the National Assembly will be constituted under their alliance.
How are these differences to be narrowed? These are the fundamental questions we need to address with immediacy.
Conscious of the situation in the country, I wish to reiterate again that we are going through the most decisive phase of our history. This is all the more so when it is acknowledged that the regime is determined to cling on to power by relying on all desperate means. The revelation that 94, 000 persons have been registered in a supplementary registration of voters marked with controversy confirms the state of crisis of the electoral system. Registration has been suspended and is likely to be resumed while presidential election is scheduled to take place on 22 September. The IEC Chairman was subjected to such a high degree of pressure by APRC party operatives who were given access to national TV to denounce his administration that he had to show open bias by consulting the APRC leader without consulting opposition leaders. The outrageously corrupt registration practices are naked to all eyes, yet some APRC chairwomen are in fact using Rambo’s case to threaten some members of the opposition who may not know their rights. The opposition is facing an electoral emergency. The lesson to draw is that the opposition is urged by the dictates of circumstances to unite. Five years under a united opposition which enables any aspirant to prepare the ground to seek a future mandate is better than five more years under APRC regime.
As far as I am concerned, I accepted to be considered to be flag-bearer not because I thought I had a larger constituency than anyone but because I thought that I will be accepted as a tool by all the political constituencies which form the alliance. When I saw messages from some constituencies I declared that I will be willing to handover my role to anyone who can be promoted and accepted by all the political constituencies. This is my stand. However, where we fail to find such a consensus I will not betray the people.
To conclude, allow me to take exception to any notion that I had stood for elections and gain only 20%. I have never been a presidential candidate. I had 8500 to UDP’s 8000 votes in the 1997 parliamentary elections. I won my seat without any alliance in 2002. I retain the seat under an alliance in 2005 by elections. In my view, all votes are important and those who are really interested in change will not be saying things that will antagonize others. They will say things that will unite. Each of us has a duty to perform. History will be the judge of us all. The future doe not lie in the hands of leaders. It lies in the hands of those who make leaders leaders. It is for the leader to propose. It is for the people to decide. There is still hope.
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Dear Dr Saine,
RE: NADD’S POSITION ON THE CALL FOR UNITY AMONG THE OPPOSITION
The proposals made for a united front to contest the forthcoming presidential election has been reviewed by the Executive Committee of NADD.
All those who comprehend the demand of the political situation in the Gambia cannot belittle the importance of building a durable united front to contest the 2006 presidential election. Since the AFPRC/APRC regime came into office, it has been making every effort to entrench itself by any means. Since the 1996 presidential election, the opposition has only been able to challenge the regime through a united front. What made previous united fronts to fail should be our major preoccupation. This is why the NADD Executive welcomes the debate regarding the nature of the united front we need to contest the 2006 elections.
We wish to convey our deep appreciation for the patriotism demonstrated by Gambians who have been sending their criticisms and proposals. This confirms that the duty to guide the destiny of the Gambian people is a collective responsibility.
The Executive Committee of NADD has taken note of the view of the UDP/NRP alliance that their adoption of Mr. Darboe and Mr. Bah as presidential and vice presidential candidates respectively, must be given uppermost consideration in any negotiation.
What is of fundamental importance to NADD, however, is the task of removing the present government and further ensure that a government like it never emerges again.
The key point to draw your attention to is the fact that NADD sprouted from the vision that a divided opposition will be tactically disadvantaged in prosecuting its objective of unseating the present regime.
The goals and structure of NADD were carefully hammered to address this tactical question of overcoming the weakness of the opposition.
Considering the statements unremittingly repeated by president Jammeh that he will be in office indefinitely, the primary goal of the alliance had to be linked to the agenda of putting into sharp focus the need to put an end to self perpetuating rule. Hence measures were taken to ensure that future presidents would accept a two five year term limit. In order to build a foundation for the consolidation of the culture of imposing a term limit to the presidency, it was considered prudent to restrict the tenure of office of its transitional president to one term of five years.
The NADD Executive strongly maintains that this goal of limiting the term of office of the flag-bearer of a united front is a key platform in galvanizing the people against the Jammeh regime and offers great opportunity to a new government to put an end to a culture of impunity and self perpetuating rule.
In any negotiation to forge an alliance such goals should be maintained. In fact the NADD Executive cannot comprehend how any Gambian would be opposed to the establishment of a one term limit for a transitional president. What is envisaged is a debate as to whether the five year term limit of the transitional administration should be reduced to a two year term limit as some had proposed. All the indications are that NADD will give positive consideration to any such proposition as a package for promoting unity.
Secondly, the task the opposition parties were called upon to perform was to form a united front, irrespective of the tribe, ideologies, place of origin or party affiliation of their members.
Suffice it to say that if the task of the first meeting of the leaders was restricted to the selection of a presidential and vice presidential candidate from parties which had this or that percentage in a previous election, we would not have signed a memorandum of understanding in unanimity despite the diversity of interests and idiosyncrasies of the leaders. What the leaders sought to do was to enhance ownership of NADD by all parties by advocating for the principle of sovereign equality of all parties. It gave equal opportunity to all members to seek the mandate of the people on the basis of consensus or through the holding of primaries. The consensus principle was designed to encourage party representatives to accept a candidate who they can convince their respective party constituencies to support. Where the leaders cannot agree on the basis of consensus their respective constituencies were to be consulted directly to select the electable candidate.
It goes without saying that some of the critics have questioned why NADD was created as an umbrella party. The answer is simple. Since no single party could remove the present regime the combined efforts of the parties were deemed necessary to achieve that aim. Most members of NADD acknowledged that if the combine efforts of all were to promote the candidature of one party, all the other parties will be marginalized during the period of promoting his or her candidature. This comes with its disadvantages. First and foremost, upon victory the single party may isolate the other parties and attribute its victory to its own efforts. On the other hand, in our circumstance at the time of our negotiation some parties may not have been too keen in doing their best to support the candidate of a single party. In that respect, NADD became a natural offshoot of our internal debates and struggles and not the creation of an individual reformer or idealist.
Hence the creation of an umbrella party provides the basis for its constituent members to claim victory after an election. Needless to say, people of diverse backgrounds may vote for the umbrella party for diverse reasons. Finally, the umbrella party will not be judged by the shortcomings of any individual party as their members compensate for such inadequacies. These are the advantages of creating an umbrella party. In short, ownership of the party will be equal. No dictatorship can be imposed by any flag-bearer or any single party.
It was envisaged that if each party surrenders its sovereignty to the umbrella party for a transition period of five years all of them will retain their original size and political weight and would be guaranteed a level ground for contesting the next following elections. This is when the size of a political party would matter. As far as the 2006 presidential election is concerned NADD sought to have a candidate who the representatives of parties can present to and be accepted by their respective constituencies. Furthermore such a candidate would have to accept and respect the agreement signed. A NADD National Assembly would be able to cast a vote of no confidence should the president violate his/her mandate to prevent any dictatorship of an executive presidency.
Hence it should be abundantly clear that the establishment of NADD was not designed to give any party a ladder to climb to any height. Any party representative could have stopped the candidature of anyone and propose for a decision to be made through a primary. At no time did any member put the issue of the percentage earned in previous elections as a bargaining chip to contest elections. At no time did any member call for a primary to determine candidature. NADD selected a flag-bearer after the UDP and NRP leadership decided to withdraw their support for NADD. The selection of a NADD flag-bearer was done on the basis of a criteria agreed upon by all the political parties including the UDP and NRP. Since their departure the two parties have not called for a review of NADD’s MOU or the selection process. They have also not drawn up an agenda that will attract the other parties to create a new united front. NADD is open to consider any opinion on these matters.
In our view, an alliance is a tactical instrument which is designed to increase the support base of political parties. The checks and balances expressed by NADD on the presidency is meant to earn the trust of the people so that they can see a difference between NADD and the APRC.
We in NADD are convinced that the way forward is to have a programme that most Gambians will subscribe to and select a candidate that all the parties can promote in their respective constituencies with success. This is the way forward.
We are open to any negotiation that would consolidate the ownership of a united front by all its members, guarantee the sovereign equality of all political parties, promote collective leadership of the members of a transitional government and give assurance of a level ground in future electoral contest. It goes without saying that this is the only way we can demonstrate to the Gambian people that we will not repeat the same mistakes of the past in bringing about change of faces while the governance environment sinks into the abyss of impunity and self perpetuating rule.
Time however is not on the side of the opposition. The situation is imposing its demands. We have no choice but to open up and take all genuine concerns and proposals on board. Only those who seek to lead by walking one step forward and then two steps backward can afford to ignore the opinions of the people.
We in NADD are ready to negotiate in good faith to promote the interest of the people. We hope all those who are in the opposition will negotiate in good faith by explaining how their proposals can earn us greater support among the people and greater unity among the opposition.
While anticipating the surge towards a unified opposition will receive an accelerated power of motion.
We remain.
Yours In the service of the Gambian people and humanity,
Halifa Sallah
For the Executive Committee of NADD
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Baldeh,
"Be the change you want to see in the world" Ghandi
Visit http://www.gainako.com for your daily news and politics |
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Dalton1
3485 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jul 2006 : 18:38:33
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Demba,
Thanks for forwarding Halifa's pieces all the time. What a good teacher he is. After the elections, whatever the outcome is , Halifa will still face Gambians without bending his head in utter shame. The man is an icon of the 21st century-in the whole world. Wisdom, as fas as politics couldn't be this mature and complete. The applications that he is making now, under such darkness exceeds any struggle by even the famous Krumahs, Malcolms, etc.. |
"There is no god but Allah (SWT); and Muhammad (SAW)is His last messenger." shahadah. Fear & Worship Allah (SWT) Alone! (:
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dbaldeh
USA
934 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jul 2006 : 21:42:12
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Dalton, Halifa need to be understood by all Gambians. Regardless of ones political affiliation, one need to know what he stands for. There is no doubt in my mind that once the Gambian people understand what he stands for, he cannot be compared to any part time politicians who are pose to run and hide after Jammeh wins again.
Halifa is not only a mentor but a visionary that gambia is lucky to have. No politician can stand next to him and compete. He can over shadow anyone of those tribal appointees cum politicians.
Peace!! |
Baldeh,
"Be the change you want to see in the world" Ghandi
Visit http://www.gainako.com for your daily news and politics |
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