Dear Editor,
The Gambian electorate is weary of the same old politics, they are looking for a new approach and beginning. The levels of political discontent in The Gambia are palpable. The only missing political element to flushing President Barrow out in 2026 is the policy agenda for government and reforms from the UDP.
Gambians wanted change, what’s the change going to look like are the questions on the minds of the electorate.
The current president is terrible and Jammeh was terrible too. Jawara overstayed and ran out of steam. From Jawara to Barrow, it’s been governments of similar characteristics and outcomes > poverty, corruption, bad economic policies and the unusual democratic governance narrative.
From Jawara to Barrow, the experience has been a few people enriching themselves at the expense of national development, borrowing money and spending it on their political and personal interests. And it’s we, the ordinary Gambians, paying up for the borrowed monies.
The amount of The Gambia’s national debt from Jawara to Barrow has given rise to the hyperinflationary economic conditions in the country. Yet, there’re no decent public services accessible in The Gambia. Barrow is the worst having tripled the national debt in seven years compared to the 52 years of Jawara and Jammeh combined.
All that the Gambian electorate are asking for from UDP’s Ousainu Darboe is a different policy approach to govern the Gambian political economy. God knows The Gambia is crying out for political and economic development policy reforms. Our national economy is kaput and the political system is broken down. President Barrow is awful, we know that! But what’s the change agenda for government and sustainable national development? We can’t keep rinsing and repeating the same lopsided economic policies and the knucklehead democratic narrative.
Darboe is a repeat of his unsalable and unwinnable political self again. He’s going round the country again and again and no one knows what he’s offering for change and national development. “They stole the election” and what else? “President Barrow is this” and “President Barrow is that”, what are your policy programmes for government, change and national development? The Gambian electorate is weary of the same old politics. They’re looking for a new beginning and something different and better.
Yusupha ‘Major’ Bojang
Scotland
EFSCRJ marks International Human
Rights Day 2024 with a Call to Action!
Dear Editor,
Today [Tuesday] is International Human Rights Day. The preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 opened with these words:
“Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,
Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,
Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law.”
Seventy-six years today, the blatant violation of human rights by states is perennial and widespread across the world. Not only is Israel willfully committing genocide in Palestine, but the entire Western world stands resolutely behind it. The five permanent members of the UN Security Council – US, UK, France, Russia and China, have become the greatest enablers of human rights violations across the world. The failure of COP29 in reaching a meaningful and sustainable agreement in tackling climate change and its effects exposes gross negligence by developed nations to take responsibility for their greenhouse actions which are ravaging the environment thereby denying millions meaningful livelihoods and pushing them into hunger and poverty.
Meanwhile the despicable presence of terrorism, migration, racism, discrimination and corruption expose the anti-human rights policy decisions and actions of states and businesses across the world. In Africa, autocratic governments and corrupt leaders continue to hold sway thereby pushing most of their citizens into increasing and excruciating poverty, deprivation and inequality.
Overall, the assault on human rights is intense, widespread and without end in sight perpetrated by the powerful in government, business and society. But as the UDHR reminds us that there cannot be lasting peace, justice and development in the absence of human rights. The widespread incidents of conflict raging across the world are a testament to this fact.
Now is the time therefore for the peoples of the world to rise to defend human rights simply because human rights cannot defend itself. Our problems and solutions are rooted in human rights, i.e. how well or not human rights are protected. Every individual, every society must consciously and deliberately embrace human rights to respect, protect and fulfill.
In The Gambia, EFSCRJ shall continue to defend human rights through public education and advocacy for transparency, accountability and adherence to rule of by the Government and businesses and across society. This is the standard and obligation expressed in the UDHR.
Madi Jobarteh
Executive director
Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice
