If I may make my position clear at the outset, extraditing Yahya Jammeh to The Gambia is a bad idea. I say so because Yahya Jammeh, inspite of all the dastardly crimes he has committed against Gambians and the State itself, has
what is still substantial support amongst the electorate: in his native Foni wherehis party the APRC swept up all the 5 available parliamentary seats and in therecent KMC elections where the APRC candidate Rambo Jatta came second
with a sizeable number of votes.
I think any trial of Yahya Jammeh in The Gambia is bound to polarise society and endanger The Gambia’s much valued peace and social harmony. As we allknow, Jammeh himself thrived in his later years on setting Gambians against each other.
To be sure, Jammeh himself might wish to come back to The Gambia and polarise the society further. In my humble view, it would be bad for The Gambia if Yahya Jammeh set his foot in the country again – just it would have been a disaster if he had retired to Kanilai as he had initially planned to do (thank you VP for that Guardian interview).
What about Ghana?
An extradition to Ghana would have to be requested by Ghana itself since it is their citizens who were killed by Yahya Jammeh. But, Ghana’s current President, as Foreign Minister, did a deal with Yahya Jammeh to amicably settle
the issue. Ghana’s President also sought and received compensation for the families of the victims. How can the Ghana President then turn around and seek to extradite Yahya Jammeh for matters that the two of them had settled
amicably?
Further, a trial in Ghana, fully covered by the Gambian media, will still polarise The Gambia community – more so if Jammeh is given a media platform to defend himself and arouse his supporters.
At ICC or Equatorial Guinea?
ICC’s Bensouda has always maintained that she has no jurisdiction to interfere“because Jammeh has not committed a crime against humanity”. The killing of the 50 Ghanians is Jammeh’s single worst atrocity. But it seems that Ghana’s
current President and the investigators (UN involved?) accepted Jammeh’s excuse that the killings “were a mistake because soldiers thought they were mercenaries invading The Gambia in the night”. This being so, then ICC
Bensouda’s stance seems unassailable.
Personally, I think Human Rights Watch and the UN campaigners should seek to persuade Equatorial Guinea to set up a “Yahya Jammeh Crimes Court” in Equatorial Guinea itself with ECOWAS COURT judges to try Jammeh’s
crimes. This should not just involve the Ghana victims but also Gambian victims. Of course Human Rights Watch, UN and ECOWAS should fund the“Yahya Jammeh Crimes Court” and the travel expenses of witnesses that travel
there to give evidence.
Finally, the tremendous expenses involved in such a trial would break The Gambia – whose finances Jammeh looted before he left for EG. The Gambia’s government made a wise decision to have former Interior Minister be tried by
Switzerland.
PS: Today’s APRC and Yahya Jammeh
We had a small debate on this on social media so I post it here:
Sambagate Snr (Facebook – Dida)
APRC NEEDS TO BURY YAHYA JAMMEH – FOR THE SAKE OF THE APRC’S SUPPORTERS. This is the debate we are having over at JollofNews:-
Kinteh (kemo) JollofNews MAY 17, 2018 AT 10:34 AM
For me parties are a means to make our country better. Hence irrespective of party loyalty, there are facts we all need to agree to. One of these facts is that Jammeh presided over extrajudicial killings of Gambians and non Gambians alike during his reign. This terrible legacy is the definitive legacy he has left behind – just like ” Ivan the terrible “. No amount of infrastructure development can vindicate Jammeh. And as the result of Bakary Badgie showed, the tribalism that Jammeh sowed and nurtured will be an enduring presence in Gambian politics for the foreseeable future. Babu soli, with all your enthusiasm about an APRC come back, i hope you take a time to reflect on that and try to understand the consequences of Jammeh’s actions- and words.
Luntango (Dida) JollofNews MAY 18, 2018 AT 6:03 AM
100% Kemo. As I said earlier above “Babu, unfortunately the FACTS are that Babili Mansa BUTCHERED his fellow Gambians and other Africans – and RANSACKED Gambia’s Central Bank.” And as you say Kemo “No amount of infrastructure development” can wash his bloody hands: he is indeed Gambia’s Ivan The Terrible.
On the APRC as a party (without Jammeh) if the votes in KMC and previously in the Fonis are anything to go by, it represents a sizable chunk of The Gambia’s CITIZENS who have their rights too. Bereaved by loss of power they have taken comfort in the APRC, and as Lawyer Darboe himself has CHAMPIONED their rights within the law we too must respect their rights. Madi Jobarteh’s rants about “banning” the APRC has rightly been ignored and that is as it should be. As with UDP Bensouda’s PLEDGE, the way forward is to work with all Gambians, more so the sizeable number represented by the APRC to develop KMC and the Gambia (and above all to preserve the nations CHERISHED PEACE.
Running the affairs of a nation is both a science and an art. Governance requires tact. These are the first things necessary to bear in mind.
Our current government has a problem in that the president (Adama) is JUST a figure head and the true leader (Ousainou) has an unclear agenda, or at best a divisive intention. Taking sober decisions in this constellation becomes hard and unpredictable.
Here are a few of the decisional blunders made by this regime since coming to power:
1) Setting up a commission of enquiry that might end up costing more money that what it can ever recover.
2) Not coming out with a clear position on the questions of justice for victims of the former government. There is no direction here.
3) Appointing Ousainou and Sanneh to ministerial positions even though they technically have a pending case to answer at the Supreme Court.
4) Etc
From the above, we see science, art and tact missing.
Hopefully, sanity will be restored sooner than later.
Indeed Lamin, we like to say that there’s the science and art to everything.
By the same token, if I may digress a bit here, the art of conversation, presentation and the pursuit of personal goals calls for complex science that may not seem so prominent at the outset.
Thus when our elders spoke of HAKILI TUWO (Manding) or BAYI HEL (Wolof) and the words, Ka Luntango Jiyaa/Dalal Gann/Ngann, there was the attendant call to employ tact, diplomacy and simple courtesies in articulating subjects relating to Luntangolu/Ngann/Ganaleh.
It is in this context that I offered to Dida that GANN DU YEWI BEYE. The same holds true in the rural Midlands.
I’d further advise Dida to seek help in parsing out the statements that I’d be offering below.
In traditional Gambian society that’s all embracing as opposed to urban Gambian society that’s mostly self serving, wise elders that have had enough of a Luntango’s antics would call for a meeting where the Luntango is made aware, in no uncertain terms, that (s)he has worn out their welcome. The meeting would invariably be followed by a prayer as a gesture of goodwill that bore testimony to the good nature of Senegambia.
While I consider our Luntango a witty, sharp, versatile and analytical person with a propensity to articulate talking points and positions, he doesn’t always show a good grasp on the nuances associated with deep seated Gambian traditions. Dida Halake-Jallow also tends to lose sight of the innate Gambian capability to deduce the subtle nuances and possible end game in positions offered by pundits.
I’d end with saying that when life is all about self preservation in dog eat dog society, HAKILO, the same as HAKILI in Kiswahili, is always found wanting. Thus the age old elderly advice in Wolof that says, NANGA JIITAL SA HEL. What in Manding is, E SAY E HAKILO TAMBINDI.
Mind boggling right?
What a digression?
What’s he trying to say here?
Oh no! Let’s all wait for our multicultural Luntango to land down the road.
And yes, I agree 100% that extraditing Yaya Jammeh to The Gambia would not only be imprudent but would pose challenges and a test of rigor that our untested Security apparatus of questionable allegiances may not withstand.
I’d also side with Bax on his analysis on Talib Bensouda and Ousainou Darboe’s aspirations down the road.
Ni Meh Kuwa Kaali Bwana. Smile.
Andrew, IN-BREEDING, intellectual or biological, is a dangerous thing and, therefore, THE LUNTANGO is a National Asset for The Gambia!
True from a scientific perspective! Cross Breeding of not so close siblings preferred instead.
Just as diversity and multiculturalism have been proven to be desired attributes where they’re are well intentioned!
Una Wona (Kiswahili).
Halake aka Luntango made a contribution to the Gambia in a manner that is worthy of a Gambian Luntango. A trial of former President Yaya Jammeh in the Gambia within this decade would do more harm to the Gambia and Gambians especially, with reference to ethnic group, regional and family co-existence than it would accomplish. The Gambians are very inter-related by marriages and residential patterns. Thus, despite as well as inspite of Party Politics and intermittent ethnic group manipulation by Politicians of the Past Regimes and Present, Gambians find a way to Peacefully Co-exist and resolve their differences without resorting to Deadly Communal Violence of the kind other African countries have experienced. Currently, this valued Gambian character and disposition is been tested and retested. It has for the most part succeeded in tempering the inner demons and lust for blood that a few may let loose on their fellow Gambians. An eye for an eye, thus, living us one eyed or blind to each other’s shared humanity. If Jammeh is to be tried and the trial seen as “Fair” and Legitimate, he should be charged, indicted and tried in a Neutral Country. Equitorial Guinea won’t do either. Nor an European or in America. That would be a demonstration of ineptitude and Continental failure at a grand scale. It is a “public secret” that Jammeh is in Equitorial Guinea because the host President is a “friend”. I am not sure, but the second reason may be because Equitorial Guinea is not a Signatory to the Rome Statue which empowers and legitimizes the ICC. In an attempt to get ones pound of flesh, don’t stab yourself in the process. Former President Yaya Jammeh is in relative terms a young man and as such has many years ahead of him. The Gambia and Gambians especially, the government has many pressing needs at home that needs to be attended to forthwith. These are the need to handle the economy and financial state of the State of the Gambia. The potential uncontrollable hyper-inflation due to the government’s “Borrow-and Spend” “policies”. Security or more accurately the Personal and State insecurity in the Gambia. Reformation of the Judiciary, the Law Enforcement Branches, Revamping Agriculture, Education and Health are claring exhibits confronting Gambians. Stabilize the Gambia and give Gambians an ability to sustain themselves and their families in a secure and peaceful environment for all without ethnic group or regional consideration first. Meanwhile, collect the relevant documents and evidence that is “beyond a reasonable doubt” for a Legal Case of “Jammeh VS. Plaintiffs”. Caveat, the Gambians and especially, the leadership should be aware of Foreign so-called “experts” who come bearing “gifts” of “Expertise” but are infact, in quest of a “Career and Resume” building adventure at the expense of the unsuspecting country and its citizens. The same so-called “experts” would not be allowed nor permitted into the Legal or Fact Finding Mission (s) of similar Cases in their home countries for example, in America or any given European country. How many of us would be entertained by their countries to permit our audacity to carry out what these “Upstarts” and sometimes “washed up” Interlopers for “Glory” are allowed and permitted to do in our countries? No questions and or in-depth background investigations are undertaken prior to allowing these itenerant “Career and Resume” building American and European immigrants are. Who is financing them? To that end and purpose? Of course, this is not a Gambian issue or trait only. It is pervasive throughout Africa. It is Africans who are arrested for “human rights” Violations and tried internationally for all to see how despotic, murderous and uncivilized Africans are”. At the same time, those who violate and murder their own people (usually minorities and those labeled radicals, terrorist and other names) by American and European countries’ governments and leadership are protected by laws and institutions they designed and imposed on the rest of us. African Despots of all kinds must be Sanctioned and Punished. However, it should be done in Africa and by Africans with an African Characteristics. After more than fifty years of “Independence”, we should not be Crawling but walking up straight to the World Stage with all of our African-Ness and with our own Cake cutter to partake of the World’s Cake. All countries have gone through growing pains. The British and American Civil Wars. The Chinese, French and Russian Revolutions and the First and Second World Wars (the later being Tribal Wars between Caucasians that they internationalised), are an example. Yet, they managed to overcome it. We must do likewise. If not now, when? Africa and the Gambia are more than the Sum Total of its Conflicts. We must as Gambians and Africans resolve to settle our own affairs in a deliberate and dispassionate disposition. If not, we shall forever and evermore be guests to our own Passages of Rites and remain adolescents in constant need of Supervision. It is time, we stop holding the donkey by the hind legs. Only those not familiar with the danger would dare do so. There is a time and season for everything…