The
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has manifested its
effectiveness in its handling of the political impasse in the Gambia. Measures
ranging from a series of high level diplomatic overtures that did not yield the
desired results to a Military Intervention designed to literally uproot an
oracle-oriented charlatan were launched and ECOWAS can now be proud of flying
its flag high for coming in the form of a divine intervention to salvage a
member state that was tottering on the brink of an armed conflict. This is a
clear manifestation of the spirit of solidarity member states should render
when another is in genuine need of salvation. The Gambia Experience can now be
cited as a reference within international circles on crisis mitigation.
The
Gambian Experience furthermore attracted the attention of the entire
international community particularly the African Union and the United Nations
that unanimously endorsed the ECOWAS Declaration that called for a respect of the
will of the people: the verdict of the people must prevail was the theme at
their high level meetings. Cards played in the favor of this country of two
million people because if one needed a prism or a pair of lens to locate Gambia
on the map it suddenly rendered the use of glasses futile or obsolete as a lot
of light was beamed onto our nation giving her a more pronounced image on the
world map. What the international community watched was the forcible transfer
of power – diplomatic channels had failed to yield fruits – that led to the
inauguration of the third President of the Republic, President Adama Barrow.
What the international community is expecting to see is the institution of
credible and viable democratic institutions – the structures exist already but
must be reinforced with the values concomitant with good governance. We must
not be oblivious of the fact that it was not only officials of the United
Nations, African Union, European Union and ECOWAS that were watching the Gambia
Experience, perhaps with keen interest. Potential investors as well as
traditional and would-be Partners were also watching and this augurs to be
beneficial to sectors such as Tourism, the Agricultural sector, Health and
Education as well as other sectors. We have a lot to gain from this experience
and maintaining sound policies is going to prove to be a means of attracting
investors and the attention of the above mentioned international bodies that
may choose to boost their funding of projects and programs to our benefit. To
Decide means to Choose and if the Speech Delivered by President Adama Barrow on
his inauguration on Gambian Soil on 18th February, 2017 coinciding with the
52nd Independent Anniversary of the Republic of the Gambia, is anything to go
by, then I can safely say that we have once and for all chosen to be guided by
democratic principles and the rule of law to the best interest of the country –
that is the bait we need to tickle their attention and subsequent support.
The
disgraceful extirpation of Ali Baba and his Gang on January 20th – even though
they embarked with their loot to the chagrin of many - and the return of
President Barrow as well as Gambians that had sought refuge in neighboring
countries is a significant achievement for ECOWAS but also for the entire
international community as it poses as an event that marked a sincere
demonstration of good will, resolve and of solidarity among the members of the
Community – particularly when backed by the global body. The Gambia Experience
therefore serves a mutually beneficial role both for the Regional Body – ECOWAS
– and for our Country. It is going to translate into an asset for the country
and we must capitalize on it in terms of the democratic image or toga that the
country must now wear to entice support from outside. ECOWAS on the other hand,
has a lot to study from and learn from the Gambia Experience as well as the
bigger international bodies that backed its intervention in the Gambia. The
physical presence of a detachment of the ECOMIG Forces at the Parade marking
Independence Day cum Inauguration of the President-Elect is testimony to the
symbol of solidarity expressed at the Regional Level. The physical presence
also of notable ECOWAS Heads of State at this Inauguration lends credence to
their desire, not only to pay lip service to events in the sub-region but also
to play an active role when necessity calls for it. Their presence also beamed
high intensity light rays on the country because it manifested their stance for
the choice for democratic practices as enshrined in the charters of the
international bodies thereby boosting the country’s credibility towards the
international community whilst also scaling up our resilience to the impasse.
The Gambia Experience is already a written document on an intervention mission
to a country where the citizenry is not divided along ethnic or religious lines
but where political power is used to suppress the voice of the majority. An
intervention force as already demonstrated in the Gambia Experience will solve the
problem much easier than it would have in the event there was deep seated
ethnic or religious schisms that would involve a division or even
disintegration in the army along ethnic or religious affiliations as well as
the creation of militias and jihadist groups or suicide bombers. Any Plan of
Action by ECOWAS to intervene militarily in the sub-region must consider the
nature of the problem as regards ethnicity or religious orientation of the
population or whether it is purely a political problem as in the case of the
Gambia. There is no ethnic or religious strife in the country though projected
to appear extant. Rather people get on well irrespective of their ethnic or
religious origin. It has now been proven to be a cosmetic decoration that only
served to propagate the insatiable appetite to hang on to power by any means by
a Machiavellian leader.
This
February 18, 2017 event also marks the first of its kind in the History of the
Gambia that the inauguration of a Head of State was done under the auspices of
the Regional Body – ECOWAS – and for reasons well known to all of us.
Diplomatic pressure propelled by President Macky Sall of the Sister Republic of
Senegal played a crucial role in dissipating the December 9, 2016 to the 18 of
January 2017 impasse that brought sanity back to the country. The diplomatic
moves he undertook at the level of ECOWAS, the AU and the UN in our best
interest was just to get them do the right thing and he will be assessed
thusly. Is there a difference between the Person of the President and the
Office of the President? I think there is. Whereas the person of the president
is an occupant of the seat of President, he may not conform to the acceptable
norms or standards governing national or international behavior and we have had
our fair share of such a leader and wish that he be the last. Where the person
of the president conforms or abides to the rules, regulations, standards or
norms defining the Office of the President, he or she may be perceived as
taking actions that do not overstep or transcend the acceptable limits of
national or international behavior and thus earn the reputation of being a good
leader and this is what we wish for our new leaders. Good governance therefore
pays dividends as it attracts investors and other potential partners rather
than provoking an undesirable intervention that would reduce or relegate one to
the category of a pariah.
We
therefore must adopt and maintain it, preserve and conserve it so jealously as
to hand it over as a palatable legacy to the future generation. Only then would
success be a feature or trait of this administration and with all wishing and
praying for good luck, the desired result would be reached. The journey is not
going to be mellifluous but hard work can ferry us across to the other river
bank where the Gambia Experience would have paid off dividends.
SHEIKH TIJAN
M.D.SALLA
