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Santanfara
3460 Posts |
 Posted - 14 Jan 2009 : 11:04:31
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Dida Halake surely makes a lot of sense here folks
http://www.allgambian.net/NewsDetails.aspx?id=796
BY DIDA HALAKE
Can I start by stating that George W Bush’s elevation to the Presidency in 2000, by a group of long-term conspirators called the “Neo-Cons”, could, by just a slight stretch of the imagination, be considered a coup against the American electoral system? But then, the USA being a wealthy country where key individuals’ personal wealth is not at risk from the occupant of the White House, and where the majority of the people are existing quite comfortably, the system was able to deal with the theft of the Presidency by Bush without social upheaval.
Of course, we can, without needing to stretch the imagination very much state for a fact that 4th of July 1776 was a genuine coup – against the lawful and constitutional government of the King of England! (Since Obama is going to close Guantanamo Bay, I can safely add that the 4th of July 1776 coup was by a bunch of slave-owning genocidal bandits with the blood of the Native American population on their hands!).
Can I also state that here in Britain, where I have lived for 32 years, the Established Order would not allow its powers and privileges to be usurped by “the People” through “democracy”? Here too the people tolerate the system and would not consider changing it through a coup or a revolution, because the system does (so far!) deliver an acceptable standard of living for the majority of the people.
Now, assuming that my readers are tolerably satisfied with the above statements, let me come to my beloved Africa where most of our systems deliver an intolerable standard of living for the majority of the people. In Africa, control of the levers of power, ideally both political and military but most importantly military, means that those in control can deliver to their family, friends and key supporters, a “First World” standard of living - while the majority of the people barely manage to make ends meet from day to day.
To aggravate the situation, those outside the favored circle of the ruling clique are in most instances not even allowed to have their opinions aired (because those in power monopolize all means of communication – be it television, radio stations or newspapers). In some cases, the independent media is prohibited and those who display an independent spirit and oppose the ruling clique risk imprisonment and even death.
In the above described circumstances where the ruling mafia entrench their rule and monopolize the nation’s meager resources for decades, revolutionary sentiment develops – mainly in the minds of the energetic and futuristic-minded young.
These revolutionary-minded young people, mainly men, may find themselves in the National Army – where they also find themselves holding the means, guns, which could enable them to take political power and decide the destiny of the Nation. So, as with Jerry Rawlings in Ghana, Thomas Sankara in Burkina Fasso, Yahya Jammeh in The Gambia, and lately Mousa Camara in Guinea, we find revolutionary-minded coups taking place – inevitably. “Inevitable” because of the causal circumstances described above.
The question of whether such coups do live up to their “revolutionary” and “liberating” promises and deliver for the nation concerned must be left for another paper. In any case, each nation and its “revolutionary” and “liberating” coup needs to be assessed separately.
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Surah- Ar-Rum 30-22
"And among His signs is the creation of heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours. verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge." Qu'ran
www.suntoumana.blogspot.com |
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Santanfara
3460 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jan 2009 : 11:06:56
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editor Bayan's views also add value here
http://www.allgambian.net/NewsDetails.aspx?id=794
Editorial
By Sarjo Bayang, Editor-In-Chief, Allgambian.net
Coming to power through coup and now ready to condemn another coup leader is a contradiction President Jammeh of Gambia and some of his fellow African leaders in the name of ECOWAS need to reconcile. Incredible contradictions capped Guinea’s 23 December 2008 coup where army captain Moussa Camara declared himself ruler of the country and now African leaders say they will not stand by a government coming into power by coup. Some of those who stab the Guinean coup leader by his back came to power by force of arms and not through the ballot themselves.
No greater contradiction can match reaction of Senegal’s president Abdoulaye Wade and Gambia’s president Yahya Jammeh. The sharp point of contradiction emerging from Senegal is about Abdoulaye Wade’s open support of Guinea’s December coup. Senegal stands tall as one of the sub-region’s tested democracies where the army has never done a coup. Though coups have provided Africa’s military the fast track to grabbing high political position of presidency, Senegal’s army generals resist all temptations to try that unholy ascension to power.
In Gambia President Yahya Jammeh staged a coup the same style as Guinea’s army except that a whole elected government of Gambia has been toppled leaving the president to flee on exile to Britain. It was natural for Gambia’s president Yahya Jammeh to support any military takeover of political power considering how he came to occupy the seat of president first through a coup. He called his honeymoon period a transition and promised a two year post coup rule just as things obtain in Guinea. What many believed was true transition to civilian rule in Gambia later turned out to a real transformation of the military discharging themselves and continued ruling of the nation for 16 years this July.
By normal accord of things, one would expect Yahya Jammeh to support the coup in Guinea and Abdoulaye Wade to oppose it. It has taken Abdoulaye Wade half of a life time fighting to become president of Senegal until he finally got there by ballot. Yahya Jammeh was only a young soldier when he became leader of Gambia by bullet. With the two countries sharing geographical borders and family ties, the coup in Gambia has not motivated Senegal’s army brothers to do as Yahya Jammeh and his men did in July 1994. In terms of experience Gambia’s army ranks in their infancy when compared to Senegal. In real sense, Senegal’s army gave birth to Gambia’s army following the foiled coup of July 1981 when a gang of civilians rocked the nation toppling Sir Dawda Jawara while he attended the Royal Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer on 30 July 1981. It was only a matter of one week when Senegal’s army quenched the rebellion.
Amazingly, the longest democracy (Senegal) stands in support of an undemocratic seizure of power while Gambian president who came to power through a coup now says coups are illegal and must not be entertained.
The African Union and Economic Committee of West Africa have both condemned the coup placing stiff sanctions over Guinea until full civilian democracy is restored through free and fair elections. European Union, America and other development partners have also refused recognising the coup asking the army to restore civilian democracy soonest.
An extensive spread of contradiction is with those leaders who now condemn Guinea’s coup leaders yet some of them came by means of the same military platform. To accept them as serious about business, they have to take the challenge further. That means drawing the line of condemnation in retrospective. What will remain on the plate may not be quite palatable but certainly a good dish to taste.
Since African leaders have now come to sense that seizing political power through coup is a thing of the past (old fashion they called it) then all those serving leaders with coup history need to have their case reviewed. Some of them have already stayed in power too long already. Even if they had not stayed too long, this Guinea case can now serve as standard bearer.
In the way Guinea’s coup leaders are not allowed to stay in power, past coup leaders also qualify to be rendered redundant. Let them submit to the rule of decency and keep out of politics. That will provide greater opportunities for new breed of pure civilian participation in the political ball game.
Unless all past coup leaders are ridden off their positions, it remains total fake union of states in the name ECOWAS or African Union. They have to take the bulls by their horns.
The case of Gambia is quite glaring. What the army did in Guinea is a replica of what Yahya Jammeh has done in Gambia. It appears that President Jammeh wants to be accepted as the last coup leader standing. Is he jealous of Captain Moussa Camara of Guinea or pretending?
Watching Jammeh’s mode of dress it resembles Guinea’s demised President Lanasana Conte and predecessor Ahmed Sekou Toure. Not just that but his wife hails from Guinea. How he reconciles all that is up to him.
The bottom line is that people living in glass houses must not throw stones. Coming to power through a coup and now standing to stop another man using the same route places President Yahya Jammeh of Gambia in the middle of highly critical contradictions. The truth is being buried but the truth shall germinate and bear fruits sooner or later.
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Surah- Ar-Rum 30-22
"And among His signs is the creation of heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours. verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge." Qu'ran
www.suntoumana.blogspot.com |
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Karamba
United Kingdom
3820 Posts |
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| Bantaba in Cyberspace |
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