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Gambian Opposition Leader talks tough on human rights during Quais D’orsay talks in Paris
By: Marie Adrienne Jones
Paris, France--Intense diplomatic activity continues as the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs played host to GMC Flag Bearer, Barrister Mai N.K Fatty in the French capital, Paris, Thursday, March 25, 2010. Barrister Fatty was accompanied by Mr. Kemo Jaiteh a GMC France based Senior Adviser, and a Gambian businessman in Paris. Speaking to this Reporter shortly after audience with French Foreign Ministry officials, Layer Fatty said he was in Paris for talks with the French Government within the framework of mutual obligations dialogue, failing short of going into details. He however confirmed that the debilitating human rights situation including opposition repression and other related matters were discussed. He emphasised that The Gambia is going through very difficult times, and that the international community needs to take an urgent unanimous action to avert the country from descending into greater crises. Barrister Fatty expressed the strong satisfaction that the emerging international consensus is that the status quo is unsustainable, and has to stop.
Asked on the electoral reform being proposed by the IEC, Fatty maintained that GMC is part of the consultations being conducted by the IEC on this issue. He said that GMC is in the process of completing its official policy position on the matter for submission to the IEC, noting that the issue of electoral irregularities is an institutional one, and that GMC proposes the enactment of a new electoral law as a matter of urgency to substantially reduce or eliminate state influence over the Commission. Mr. Fatty praised the staff of the IEC for working hard under difficult circumstances, indicating that their training would allow them to deliver efficiently under an even electioneering system. He underscored that it is impossible for fair elections to take place even with the new biometric voters’ cards, because the new cards would merely replace the old ones, bringing everybody back to square one. He said that it would provide President Jammeh with the justification that he introduced changes to minimise fraud when in reality, it is the same as putting new water in the same old container. He said this is an old trick that they shall resist.
On the new Gambia-Senegalese relations, Barrister Fatty said he supports preferential relations with Senegal, but expressed caution that people are reading too much into it. He said it is too early to judge, emphasising that the traditional suspicions are still unresolved, and may take a long time to fully repair. He said that old habits die hard and that insincerity and deception in Gambian-Senegalese relations may not fail to re-surface, as one of the parties is merely playing politics till after 2011.
On the recurring dismissals of civil and public servants, Barrister Fatty said that it is the most convincing sign of instability; that Jammeh has lost relevance and is embroiled in war with the trust factor. He cited that it is additional evidence of gross abuse of institutions of state by one man, whose exclusive preoccupation is how to keep him in power from hour to hour. He said the pillars of the edifice of brutality built by Jammeh are now crumbling on him and to Mr. Fatty the situation can neither be managed properly nor distorted by ensuing political camouflage.
On the on-going treason trials and its TV coverage, Barrister Fatty said that this in one of Jammeh’s gimmicks to say to our development partners that ‘you see the trial was transparent and fair and shown on national TV’, and that this sort of plain hypocrisy is known and disgusting to all. He also said that Gambians should see it as evidence that mounting international pressure is taking a massive toll on Jammeh. He refrained from commenting on the merits of the case because according to him that would be subjudice.