Gambia Moral Congress tells President Jammeh, “fix past wrongs„
--Says Mile II conditions affront to humanity
GMC continues to be gravely concerned about what appears to be a persistent pattern of persecution, arrest and serial prosecution of Gambian citizens most of whom appear to be rights advocates, opposition politicans or sympathisers, by the regime of Yaya Jammeh.
By the same token, GMC is seriously concerned about the fate of two Gambian activists, Dr. Isatou Touray and Mrs Amie Bojang Sissoho. As it is, both indomitable Ladies are presumed innocent, and GMC stands tall in solidarity with Dr. Touray and Mrs. Sissoho, with their families and our nation. Thank you for your indelible impact on The Gambia´s social evolution – your Nation is very proud of you! While conceding that it is the obligation of the state to investigate and to prosecute where crime was proven or reasonably suspected to have been commited, and without prejudice to the law of sub judice, we urge The Gambia Government to respect the fundamental rights of all Gambians and non Gambians in our jurisdiction, and to desist from what appears to be selective persecution and prosecution of Gambian rights advocates and opposition politicians.
Our country is by treaty and municipal law required to observe, to respect, to protect and to enforce the fundamental rights of its citizens at all times. Indeed, that is the primary duty of a government. The Charter of the United Nations, the Charter of the African Union and the ECOWAS Protocols all enjoined The Gambia to fulfil its human rights obligations without discrimation. In recognition of the importance of human dignity, the preamble of the UN Charter reaffirms among other things the universal faith in „the dignity and worth of the human person“. Similarly the AU Charter stipulates that „ freedom, equality, justice and dignity are essential objectives for the achievement of the legitimate aspirations of the African peoples“. In reaffirming this belief, article 1 of the Universal Declaration of human rights provides that „All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood“. The endowment with „reason and conscience“ is what grants us our differing perspectives on matters and issues leading to diversity and dissent.
GMC endorses The Gambia Government´s Official Statement on the need for political stability and other elements as contained in Vision 20/20. It is essential for a fusion of policy and practice to converge in the actualisation from vision to reality. This Vision shall remain meaningless unless it is anchored on human rights as its core in building a centrally stable political system. Respect for the dignity of Gambians is at the center of the struggle for human rights in our country, and one that fundamentally inspired the formation of our Party. The conditions at Mile Two Prisons that Dr. Touray, Mrs Sissoho and other decent Gambians endure by themselves and without more, constitute inhuman and degrading treatment. It is a sordid situation that continues to assault our conscience – its a disgraceful tragedy that forty five years after independence, our Government could permit such inhuman treatment of its own citizens without any moral inhibition.
President Jammeh´s government shall achieve significant political mileage if it overcomes self destructive tendencies and by freeing all political detainees and prisoners today. GMC sincerely engages President Jammeh and his administration to take another sober reflection on the state of human rights in our country, realising that moving as a nation we can all work together to collectively resolve our differences and the difficult issues each of us confront.
GMC urges President Jammeh to exercise leadership, demonstrate a bold new approach to national reconciliation and other confidence building measures by first freeing all political prisoners and detainees, and terminating political persecution. We assure the President that the opporunity for Gambians of different political leanings to work together in advancing the cause of our people has always been real. The Gambia has all that it takes to be a great Nation, a land of compassion where democratic plurality, the rule of law and economic justice can indeed reign supreme. The only true home anywhere in the world for all Gambians, including President Jammeh and us, is the Republic of The Gambia. We envision the possibility for all of us to work together within a genuine spirit of national political reconciliation, living side by side in social homegeneity to make our Gambia the best place in the world. We must take the lead for our nation´s friends to compliment.
President Jammeh, take the gauntlet now by making right today some of the wrongs of yesterday. Free all political prisoneers and detainees and allow the free expansion of the democratic space. If you muster the courage to do this now, it may well be your greatest asset in the future. GMC is proud of the goodness of The Gambian heart as a permanent charasteristic of our people. Gambians are decent people and traditionally reward decency. It is never late to do good by your people. President Jammeh, as 2011 rears its inevitable rudder, the ball is in your yard. Your greatest legacy in the history of our nation would be to assure seamless political transition to the next dispensation of Gambian political leadership. To err is human. To admit error and take practical bold steps to make amends where possible is what determines the quality of a person.
Long Live the Republic of The Gambia!!