(JollofNews) – Nearly two years after Gambia’s longtime ruler was defeated by a coalition of opposition parties in Dec.2016 elections, the former governing party held Sunday a Quranic recitation ceremony to mark July 22. The current leadership of the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) has made it clear they are not celebrating Yahya Jammeh’s coup d’état, but rather the birth of the party.
APRC spokesperson Musa Amul Nyassi told this reporter that in 2017 they have been denied permit by the Inspector General of Police to celebrate the birth of their party and they opted this year to organise a Quranic recitation ceremony because they are committed to obeying the law.
“We’re not celebrating a coup d’état,” he emphasized in an attempt to silence critics who are accusing the APRC of commemorating the illegal seizure of power.
Yahya Jammeh’s rise to power was punctuated by a military overthrow in July 22nd, 1994 of the three-decade long civilian gov’t led by former President Dawda Kairaba Jawara. Turned civilians, the junta members subsequently formed the APRC, which won the 1996 elections, making Yahya Jammeh as the first President of the Second Republic.
Musa Amul Nyassi, who also doubles as National Assembly Member for Foni Kansala, said the occasion provided an opportunity for them to pray for the country, for the founding fathers of the party, as well as for peace to prevail in the country.“For some of us, fasting was the best option,” he added.
When asked what is holding the APRC leadership to make a public apology for the atrocities committed under the Jammeh regime, he responded: “Apologize for what?”
Nyassi sidestepped the question and expressed their commitment to the reconciliation agenda spearheaded by President Barrow.
Mohamed Sandeng, who also spoke to this reporter, agreed that July 22 should have been used by the former Junta leaders to make a mea culpa.
“I don’t think APRC people are responsible for July 22. The gang of five that led the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) to power are the brain behind this tragedy that plunged the country into dictatorship,” Sandeng said.
The son of United Democratic Party (UDP) activist Solo Sandeng, killed in April 2016 for leading a demonstration for “proper electoral reforms”, made it clear that the gang of five officers including Yahya Jammeh have to apologize to the Gambian people for the crimes they committed.
He described the current leadership of the APRC as opportunists, saying they are only busy preserving their interests.
“The best thing the APRC members should do is to dissociate themselves from dictator Jammeh,” he observed.
Sandeng described the leaked audiotape highlighting conversations between ex-dictator Jammeh and the party’s top brass as a provocation. “It was intentional and aimed at disrupting the peace prevailing in the country. It was a disguised attempt by Jammeh to say “Hi” to Gambians,” he added.
A prominent Gambian activist Saul Mbenga said “the knuckleheads amongst them will never apologize…”
Mbenga, who also works for the Gambia Center for the Victims of Human Rights Violations (GCVHRV) stated that some of Jammeh’s supporters will be caught by history as if they are waiting for the Truth, Reparations and Reconciliation Commission (TRRC) to start its sittings.
“When victims will face Gambians live and direct, to tell their stories, there would be no way to deny,” he said.
He expressed skepticism about the current gov’t committment to make things happen, denouncing what he termed as “selective justice.”
It is true that APRC party militants should disassociate themselves from Dictator Jammeh. He is a criminal and worst dictator on Earth.
Some of these misguided unrepentant party loyalist are observing 22 years of APRC rule. This are the accomplishments they are proud of:
Killings
Rape and
Stealing.
Not sure these are legacy worth observing, certainly nothing to be proud of. Finally hypocrisy in the name of God in the house of God is haram.
APRC wasn’t born on the 22nd July. This is a provocation that shouldn’t be entertained. If they want to celebrate the birth of their party, they should do so on the day it was legally registered as a political party and that’s not July 22nd.
Dr Isatou, Bax,
Stop staining your energies on the birth, existence and rejuvenation of the APRC. Isn’t it the right of the hundreds of thousands of APRC supporters/sympathizers to demonstrate their political will somewhere/somehow? That’s the real democratic dispensation in spite of your bitterness.
When your Barrow came to the URR, I witnessed the most grotesque abuse of our resources and energy: school children lining all day in the scorching sin, men/women dancing/singing all day, gritos praise singing, Barrow and delegation dishing out thousands of dalasis, police road blocks, soldiers in full military fatigue totting AK 47s, vehicle sirens, disturbing loudspeakers, music and ambiance till late in the night. Isn’t that what he accused President Jammeh of doing?
Babu greetings. I think it is irresponsible for any civil servant to waste our resources, just as I think it is irresponsible for our community representatives to encourage and or bully innocent citizens to stand in the sun in reverence to their employees. ( Barrow and co )
I think those observing APRC 22 year misrule are misguided, confused and totally clueless, but they are certainly entitled to exercise their rights to remain enslaved by a wicked and dangerous ideology.
But look at the bright side, now you are at home and can bodily criticize Barrow, imagine if it was Jammeh in power, Babu will be no more. Gone to our ancestors, beheaded by Jammeh’s death squad just for exercising your rights to speak your truth. We thank Allah this is not the case.
Is that what they accused Jammeh of? Yes, some of it. And Jammeh was guilty as accused, wasn’t he? Or do you want to deny that too?
Unfortunately, they are indulging in the same extravaganza and ambiance: a clear testimony that they share something in common with Jammeh. This is exactly what we mean when we talk about SYSTEM CHANGE.
Obviously, this lot (Barrow/Darboe Admin) are NOT interested in SYSTEM CHANGE. They have ended the departure from the accepted/prescribed standards that the system laid down (as killings, incommunicado detentions, cash withdrawals from CB, etc, were a departure from the set standards), but they are quite comfortable continuing the practices of the past, including the pomp in, and privileges of, public office and the wasteful use of our resources.
There is no bitterness about the APRC. Just be honest and stop your deception. APRC was NOT born on the 22nd July, so you should not celebrate the day as the birth of your party.
Correction:
Griots.
APRC, is belong to Jammeh and they determine to keep it for Jammeh hoping one day he Will be back and continuing ruling again. But let’s wait and see, their dreams and determination will fade away before they realize, the guy is among the most wanted person in the world.
Jammeh would not have allowed such political gatherings. All of them would have been sent to Mile 2. Thanks to the new dispensation under Adama Barrow.
Dr Isatou,
There were hardly any critics to President Jammeh. There were very aggressive opposition elements whose language was INSULTING him, family, tribe and province from DAY 1 of his assumption to power. There never existed such virally irresponsible in the whole African continent. That was not opposition, that was confrontational warfare to a sitting administration. I have seen or heard such since Barrow stole the polls with the aid of Momar Njie. So who is he going to arrest? On the Kombo Jambur mother of give, the blatant gunning down of Haruna Jatta, the murderous spilling of the blood of the three innocent Kombo Faraba Banta youth.
Remember, Sidia, Halifa, Hamat lived their opposition lives under Jammeh unhindered. They were responsible, weren’t they? Today people are gradually fearing the Barrow thugs especially in my region; the URR. You either support, shut up or receive a barrage of insults and/or even physical assaults without police intervention. I swear the Barrow/Ousainou Darbo/UDP iron fists are gripping our populace. You’ll soon learn about more infringements of our people’s rights.
One thing is certain as at now: No government job for anyone described opposition.
It’s 23:57 pm, allow me to recharge my iPhone on my solar input and go to bed. More discussions t’morrow. In Sha Allah.Good night!
Corrections:
1) I haven’t seen or heard…..
2) The Kombo Jambur mother of five……
Looks like you don’t like anyone who won’t bow to your kind of trade with a “kneeling” submission: Aggression, insulting mothers and family, flaring of ethnic violence and visceral defense of a half-brain dictator, who found himself in power through a misadventure that would go down the country’s history for her generations.
I’m right now using the cheapest software device that money can buy and happily enough, it consumes very little energy. Energy though, is not a problem where I am. Oh, I forgot another good thing about my device.. it doesn’t heat in tropical climates that much. Get one like it next time you go to Gambia or anywhere in Africa.. These are types of devices whose radiation hardly, will be able colonize brain cells.