The Yahya Jammeh Debacle: A Compendium of Tragic Misrule

By Mathew K. Jallow

Under ordinary circumstances, those of us in the media would not give a hoot whatever happens to the perpetuators of Jammeh’s dictatorship once Yahya Jammeh disposes off them like pieces of garbage. But as media personnel, it is our responsibility to protect the rights of every citizen no matter how horrible we think they are. The responsibility to try and condemn citizens falls under the purview of a free, fair and independent judiciary. As we enter a new and dangerous dimension of Jammeh’s reign, it will be irresponsible for the media to gloat over the misfortune and suffering of our fellow citizens regardless of what we think they did wrong. Consequently, all victims and former victims of Jammeh’s dictatorship from Abdou Savage, Sana B. Sabally, Baba Jobe, Lang Tombong Tamba, Ensa Badjie, Alieu Mboge, Yankuba Drammeh and everyone else who has fallen victim to Yahya Jammeh’s madness and rapacious bloodlust, deserves media protection and our advocacy. Admittedly, the temptations to demonize former members of Jammeh’s inner circle are high, but the media are driven by the consciences of fairness to not succumb to the compelling desire of kicking fellow citizens, especially when they are already down and defenseless. And recent events, tragic as they may be, show the professional maturity of Gambia’s online media as champions of the rights of fellow citizens, in particular, those at home where a dark cloud of misery has hung over our country since July 1994. Let us reassure Lang Tombong Tamba, Yankuba Drammeh, Ensa Badjie, Alieu Mboge, and all the latest victims of Jammeh’s senseless purge that we are here to protect their rights and liberties too; until some of our illustrious legal luminaries headed by Honorable Hassan Jallow, and including Cherno Jallow and Ms. Fatou Bensouda can hopefully soon re-visit Jammeh’s reign of terror and determine with pointed professionalism those that deserve to be tried and the charges to level against them. And, the events of the past two weeks, particularly given the Universal Periodic Review report, over which the Justice Minister, Marie Saine Firdaus was fired only goes to confirm how much legal mess Hassan Jallow and his team has to untangle.

Afang Yaya Ibilis Asombi Jammeh

Ever since the Universal Periodic Review on The Gambia came out two weeks ago, I was trying to make sense of the reports and their implications for The Gambia. To say that the reports produced by organizations such as The Media Foundation for West Africa, under the indomitable Professor Kari Kari, Gambia UNICEF’s Min Whee Kang, and Amnesty International among others was a rude awakening for Jammeh, was an understatement to say the least. The reports were damaging to the image of Jammeh’s regime, and exposed the perpetual insanity unfolding back in our country. As I prepared to assess the situation to write a commentary, the news of widespread firing, arrest and detention began to filter from home. Once again the scenario was stunning, but far from being out of the ordinary. As a matter fact, this is the new normal in The Gambia, and it was Yahya Jammeh at his best, whenever, he is firing, promoting, arresting and detaining members of our military and security forces, for any reason or for no reason. It is what the Jammeh regime can do best. The recently fired, arrested, demoted, released, promoted and fired again, Yankuba Drammeh, has now probably gone for good, or probably not. Like many others before, he might resurface again as ambassador to some far outpost in a country whose name no one can pronounce. But Drammeh is not alone. Now we know Ensa Badjie is gone, only one day after Jammeh promoted his brother as deputy head of the army. Alieu Mboge is out of favor too, as is Sarjo Fofana and many others. This is the story that will repeat itself again and again and again as long as Jammeh remains head of a criminal enterprise which he calls a government. But the message to Yahya Jammeh, contained in the reports of the Universal Periodic Review could not be more succinct and unambiguous. The reports were not the display of moral superiority or ethical sanctimoniousness, but a sober assessment of the political and governance situation in our country. After all, the free world was speaking to the pain, fears and crimes that have characterize Jammeh’s reign and how its perversity has affected every level, every aspect of Gambian society. When the Universal Periodic Review-Human Rights Council met two weeks ago, it was evident that standout countries like The Gambia were destined to occupy prominent roles in the review debate. The role of Jammeh’s regime and the picture painted of The Gambia, this once bastion of freedom and sanctuary of liberty for Africa’s despaired and desperate, was of an ugly and cruel land, where hopelessness and misery reigned. Hopefully, I will be able to delve into the essence and substance of the Universal Periodic Review reports in more detail soon. For now Yahya Jammeh, has succeeded in sinking our country to the depth of despair only a few other countries in the world have ever wallowed in, and he isn’t finished tearing the moral fiber of our country into shreds yet. In fact he is just beginning. Our story is one of a compendium of tragic misrules, and the debacle of Yahya Jammeh will continue to ruin lives and destroy our country. How long more must we live this life of horror? Only time will tell.