Hon.
Madi Ceesay, National Assembly Member for Serrekunda West Constituency, has
said that any attempt to celebrate the July 22nd 1994 anniversary would amount to coup d’état.
Speaking
at a media briefing held at the UDP Political Bureau in Manjai yesterday, Hon.
Ceesay said all political parties in the country subscribe to democracy and not
coup.
Hon.
Ceesay was reacting to an article published in The Standard Newspaper quoting
Amul Nyassi as saying: “APRC will celebrate the 22nd July anniversary if they
have a permit.”
He
recalled that July 22nd 1994 was the day when a democratically elected
government under the leadership of Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara was overthrown.
“July
22nd 1994 was a day when democracy was killed in this country,” he intimated,
saying it was a day when human rights were violated, so many institutions and
newspapers closed, a day so many people began to lose their rights while others
were judicially executed with the beginning of that long story that took us to
December 1st 2016.
“I
cannot see any sense for anybody who call himself a democrat and a sitting
member of parliament who call his party a democratic party to subscribe to the
celebration of a day when democracy was killed in this country,” he remarked,
while describing the coup as a criminal act that cannot be condone in any way.
“Any
party or organisation that attempts to celebrate July 22nd is subscribing to a
coup and that party should be banned,” he said.
He
also said that any attempt to celebrate the day would tantamount to a mockery
to democracy, as the sitting government was democratically elected.
“Democracy
cannot compromise coup d’état,” the Serrekunda West NAM said, adding that any
activity or attempt to glorify July 22nd, which is a criminal act, is aiding a
coup d’état.
Celebrating
the day is a serious crime hence anyone attempting to celebrate it should face
the full force of the law.
“What
happened in July 22nd 1994 should be condemned by all and sundry,” he
emphasised.
“The
act by the former president was an act of betrayal and criminality because as a
then soldier he was paid tax payers money to safeguard the territorial
integrity of the country,” he highlighted, saying, using a gun for aggressive
against civilians is the highest form of betrayal.
“If
coup was glorious, the former president would not have calm down several
attempts on him because in November 1995 as well as in 2006 there were attempts
and he brutally dealt with those people by killing and imprisoning some of
them,” he said.
He
commended Barrow’s government for their position on the celebration of the
event.
APRC
is a registered political party and have contested several elections since 1994
and have all rights to organise party functions and discuss about their
successes as well as organise rallies and press conferences, Ceesay further
said, adding that, he would have thought APRC would have commemorated the day
they were founded rather than glorify July 22nd 1994.
He
called for the banning of APRC if they continue to push the agenda of July 22nd
1994.
According
to him, even when they were (the APRC) in power it was wrong to celebrate the
day because Jammeh turned into a civilian and contested elections.
He
pointed out that none of them, including the party attempting to celebrate the
July 22nd anniversary, that was elected to parliament have used a gun to change
any effect of the government.
“The
53 National Assembly members were democratically elected; none of us used a gun
to get to where we are,” he stated, saying all parties subscribe to democracy
and as such all parties took part in the December election in which Barrow
emerged as president.
He
further said that in April this year all parties used the ballot box; therefore
all parties subscribe to democracy. “None has subscribed to a coup,” he
averred.
