We
would like to first of all thank Allah the Almighty for seeing us through a
peaceful end of the political impasse in our country.
Former
President Yahya Jammeh has finally left the soil of The Gambia for asylum in
Equatorial Guinea from Guinea Conakry, whose President Alpha Conde escorted him
to that country.
He
early Saturday announced he was finally relinquishing power, a long-awaited
news that everybody in The Gambia and abroad was waiting for patiently.
For
the past two weeks, especially on 18 and 20 January, people in the country had
somehow been traumatised, as operations and transactions of all shops, banks,
restaurants and businesses in general came to a halt in the country.
Jammeh
finally left on the night of 21st January 2017 for Guinea Conakry, and it has
been reported that he will be granted asylum in Equatorial Guinea, a Central African
country ruled by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.
This
day is very important for all Gambians, as it has marked the end of a 22-year
era of dictatorship, terror, human rights abuse, alleged killing of innocent
people, detention for long without trial, and overcrowded prisons with many
inmates remanded for years without trial.
A
majority of Gambians would want Yahya Jammeh to be tried for economic crimes, a
lot related to running of all kinds of businesses such as selling meat,
livestock, fuel, sand, stones, palm oil, bread, flour and other basic food
items.
Several
assets, such as houses, farms, cars and trucks were owned by Jammeh.
Hence
a special commission of enquiry into the many people allegedly killed under his
regime should be set up.
The
new government should work to bring him to justice, and some of the security
apparatus he used to torture, allegedly kill people and repress the nation over
his 22-year rule should be investigated and those involved brought to book.
The
new government should not waste time to seize ill-gotten wealth or assets
accumulated by him during his tenure, which included houses and other landed
properties, as well as his many expensive cars, some of which he has reported
already through shipped, through the port of Banjul, to Guinea and other
African countries.
These
should be returned to The Gambia as state-owned property.
In
line with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to be set up by the new
government, people from all walks of life should be encouraged to help the
commission with accurate information regarding the deeds of Jammeh, and the
revelations should be published and broadcast by the media, for all to know the
misdeeds of Jammeh, and in order to discourage other leaders from doing the
same.
All
of his ill-gotten assets should be frozen and transferred to the state, such as
the KGI, his bakeries, his Abuko livestock such as cows, rams, goats, among
others.
Since
he took power in 1994, Jammeh had sacked more than 240 ministers and 170
permanent secretaries.
During
his regime, several civil servants were dismissed illegally, and detained for
no just reasons.
People
were also living in fear and with no peace of minds. His departure, therefore,
is a big relief to everyone, especially journalists, lawyers and opposition
leaders.
We
would sincerely like to thank President Macky Sall of Senegal, the ECOWAS, UN
and other blocs for making sure that democracy was restored in The Gambia.
Ecowas
has played a leading role by putting together and sending forces to The Gambia
to ensure there is peace and stability in the country.
President
Macky Sall has done what a good neighbour should do when a sister nation and
colleagues are in problem.
He
had hosted thousands of Gambians in Senegal in connection with the recent
political logjam and imminent violent conflict.
With
the new era of The Gambia, a new chapter should be opened, even as Jammeh should
be held responsible for all crimes committed under his regime, especially the
alleged killings, the assassination of journalist Deyda Hydara and other deaths
and disappearances of people connected with the politics of the country, some
cases of which would need the intervention of the ICC - the International
Criminal Court.
“There
is no meeting of minds, no point of understanding with such terror. Just a
choice: Defeat it or be defeated by it. And defeat it we must.”
Abraham
Lincoln
