Gambia: Jammeh Talks to the Nation

In this year's New Year message to the Gambian nation , President Jammeh, has called on all Gambians to unite and work to ensure that peace and tranquility prevail in the country, especially as this month's National Assembly elections approach.

President Jammeh began by offering his prayers for all the people of The Gambia and called on them to join as one and work towards national development. He again declared his government's resolve to fulfill its obligation in providing social and economic development to the nation.

Jammeh recounted the successes and challenges of his government over the years, referring to 2006 as one of the most challenging in the history of his presidency. He cited the hosting of the African Union 2006 summit by his government, saying cheerily "for the first time in the history of The Gambia, we successfully hosted the AU Summit in 2006".

While thanking his party supporters for giving him a third-term mandate to rule the nation, the Gambian leader also commended Gambians for making 2006 a successful year and called on everyone, regardless of political affiliation, to work together for the interest and development of the country.

On the forthcoming 2007 National Assembly election, scheduled for 25 January, President Jammeh prayed for a successful election and said that "violence will not be tolerated".

"We are not going to tolerate any act that will propagate or instigate violence during the forthcoming parliamentary election, "President Jammeh said.

"We are not going to tolerate unacceptable behavior - any form of acts that would stimulate violence in the upcoming parliamentary elections."

The President also said that one of the lessons he learnt in 2006 was the alleged coup plot of March 2006 in the wake of which scores of civilians and members of the Armed Forces were arrested in a six-week clamp down. The Gambian leader also used the opportunity to call on the youth to adopt responsible behavior, and to be respectful and law-abiding citizens. He advised them to always pray for peace and stability in the country as well as troubled regions of the world.

President Jammeh also spoke about the threat to life and national development posed by HIV/AIDS and advised all to join the global fight against the pandemic and other diseases.

A day after this broadcast, President Jammeh gave one of his one to one interviews to GRTS's Ardy Fatty. The choice of Mr. Fatty, instead of the usual sycophantic Mr. Lamin Dibba, alone rang some alarm bells among many. Relaxed in the greeneries of his garden, President Jammeh sounded more like his former self than the dry, rehearsed and dispirited speech gave out as New Year Message. President Jammeh spent over fifteen minutes delivering daring lectures on West African history. Perhaps it was because of his wild sojourn into historical discourse that the President's tongue slipped several times uttering that "in fact parts of Guinea Bissau and the whole of Casamance historically belonged to The Gambia." Coming a day after the horrible slaughter of a top Senegalese government official by suspected separatist rebels in Senegal's that restless southern province; the statement sent many listeners dumb-struck.

Oumar Lamin Badjie, Chairman of the Regional Council of Casamance, was laid to rest on Tuesday 2nd January 2007. The funeral was attended by hundreds, including Senegalese President Abdoulai Wade and other top dignitaries. The top-ranking ruling party politician, a long time collaborator of Wade's, had been "slaughtered" in the early hours of Sunday, 31st Dec in his house and in front of some members of his family in the village of Sindjan, 50km off The Gambian border. His car was later found burnt.

The Senegalese Government has condemned the act and the MFDC has denied any wrongdoing or knowledge of the assassination. An observer however told the Gambia Journal that, now deeply divided into factions that are at war with each other, MFDC cannot speak with one voice, so such a denial is not worth the paper it is written on."

It would be recalled that recently President Wade requested military assistance from Morocco to contain the Casamance civil strife. About 100 Moroccan soldiers were said to be currently working with the Senegalese army to dislodge the MFDC rebels backed by Salifou Sadio. Informed sources said the MFDC has also expressed dismay at the presence of the Moroccan troops in Casamance.

Gambia: Jammeh Talks to the Nation

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