Dear Editor,
If Momodou Sabally’s unnecessary, unprovoked vitriolic attack on TRRC lead counsel Essa Faal was limited and specific to personal and political disagreements, I would have found it equally unnecessary to respond to or reason with him. His misguided diatribe was motivated by Faal’s work at the TRRC where he distinguished himself as an unrelenting champion of victims of Yahya Jammeh’s decades long bloody and barbaric campaign which, by the way, Sabally had no record of condemning. His vilification of Essa Faal in relation to his work at the TRRC, therefore, was an attack on the TRRC as an institution and would be met with unequivocally legitimate and outright rejection by conscientious Gambians.
But for some of us who have observed Sabally’s political evolution over time, this did not come as a surprise. He seems to have a lurking but consuming bitterness for people who probed Yahya Jammeh and have taken uncompromising position on the need for his accountability. In fact, he shares this strong animosity with all of Jammeh’s minions and apologists who turned out to be his loudmouth defenders and cheerleaders in his shameful stunt against Essa Faal.
We have seen how Sabally deploy similar blistering and nonsensical crusade against the Bensouda family with a view to tainting their public image and dishonour their legacy. In that futile journey too, he had APRC and Jammeh’s soulless and criminal sympathisers backing him up in every step of the way. What all of these point to, among others, is Sabally’s continuous unalloyed loyalty to Yahya Jammeh, his obstructionist desire to bend the course of justice and his unquenchable appetite for controversy where there is need for none. I call on him to get off his high horse, tone down the tempo and cease projecting himself as a malleable pawn to attack decent Gambians who espouse and share great vision for The Gambia and Gambians.
And just so we are very clear: we will defend Essa Faal’s work at the TRRC, all the commissioners and staff of TRRC and TRRC itself without regret against any and all attempts by Yahya Jammeh apologists and anyone who shares their pervasive romanticisation of murder, torture, disappearances, corruption and other acts of cruelty against Gambians and non-Gambians. Like everyone else at the TRRC, Faal hasn’t done any wrong to anyone. He was only doing his job as expected by Gambian people and as required by the Commission’s mandate.
To Faal and all the honourable men and women who worked and are still working at the TRRC, we are hugely appreciative of your services to the country. Your sacrifice, bravery and dedication can never be tarnished nor diminished by agents of disgruntleness, bitterness, division and impunity. You deserve our appreciation and gratitude; not condemnation or ridicule.
Zakaria Kemo Konteh
USA
Re: Kandeh tells Fulas not to fall for NPP’s tribal rhetoric
Dear Editor,
Thank you Mamma Kandeh for the effort but no one will succeed in this rubbish political fraud called tribalism. Politicians who engage in tribalism have nothing to offer. What else can they offer but the old African style of politics: Tribe A versus Tribe B = Divide and rule.
A foreigner is a foreigner, be he or she, a Fula, Mandinka or Wolof. The hard fact remains that some particular foreigners always fight to be Gambians automatically just so that they would not pay the proper taxes they are supposed to pay. This is unacceptable. We have a border to protect. Period!
Lamin Janneh
University of The Gambia
Dear Editor,
This shows that our country’s political leaders are still lacking tribal sensitivity. We all see tribalism happening in the country but the leaders do not do enough to address the issue. Only a few of them really give it serious thought and condemn it. I think it is high time we addressed this situation because we are all Gambians. I don’t still understand why some of our immature leaders should be thinking in terms of tribes. The Gambia belongs to all of us as Gambians. There’s nothing like a majority or minority tribe or people.
Babanding Jobe
www.facebook.com/GoldenmanBaba
Dear Editor,
Please tell Mamma Kandeh the leader of the opposition Gambia Democratic Congress to zip his mouth. Where did he hear Barrow promote tribalism or preach to Fulas to engage in tribalism by voting for him? If Mamma Kandeh wants to be president, let him sell his agenda wisely rather than telling us such silly stories. All these accusations do not make sense at all. Gambians should learn to distance themselves from listening to such silly statements from people like Mamma Kandeh.
Biran Sey
Lamin, West Coast Region
Dear Editor,
I agree with Mamma Kandeh. Anyone who doesn’t believe President Barrow is further dividing this country is a joke. Barrow is mixing our brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers all over this country. Never before did we have tribal problems to the extent that fights break out between people.
Adama Barrow will go down in history as the leader who chose to further divide the country by calling tribes to State House for a meeting, where tribal talks take place front and centre. We saw ministers who call on members of tribes to vote based on tribal lines.
Thank you Mamma Kandeh for speaking out. The Gambia is for Gambians.
Leo AJ
Dippa Kunda
Kanifing Municipality
