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Gambia News : Gambian opposition calls for unity, slams govt's human rights record
Mr. Ousainu Darboe, secretary-general and party leader of the Gambian opposition United Democratic Party (UDP), has called on his compatriots to unite in the combat against the spread of the HIV/AIDS, drug trafficking, rape and other forms of violence facing the nation.
He also slammed the Gambian human rights record in his independence Day message, obtained by PANA here Friday.
Darboe said no nation could achieve its developmental objectives if it was bedevilled with crime.
He called on Gambians and foreigners resident in the country to cooperate fully with the law enforcement agencies in order to track down these anti-social elements.
On the government's human rights record, Darboe said people were still being arrested and locked up without charge and in some cases "those who have been tried and acquitted are rearrested and detained at the behest of the Executive".
He said citizens had also disappeared after having been picked up from their homes or work places by state security personnel, citing the mysterious disappearances of journalist Chief Ebrima Manneh and the UDP Kombo East constituency Secreta r y Kanyiba Kanyi who have remained untraceable over three years.
Darboe called for a leadership that was truly committed to serving the wishes of the people, adding that leadership in the service of the nation, skillful and judicious management of the state resources and fiscal and financial discipline should be the watchwords on the current leaders.
He said: 'After 45 years of nationhood, we should be able to point at tangible progress that positively impact on the lives of the ordinary citizens. We have borrowed millions of dollars and dalasi (the local currency) which in some instances have not been properly utilized.
"Our children and grand children will be burdened with this huge debt,' Darboe noted, saying that instead, the government should engage in meaningful investments in industry, agriculture and social services that would create sufficient employment opportunities for our young people.
"This is what some Asian countries, some of which gained independence within the same period as The Gambia, have done."
He said, "unlike these Asian nations, we are contented with grandiose, capital intensive and non-productive projects. We in The Gambia can boast of having the best and most expensive cars in Africa.
"After 45 years of independence we import virtually everything that we eat, including vegetables and rice - our staple food. We have not harnessed and exploited the full potentials of the River Gambia.
"With its abundant fresh water, the River Gambia can support irrigated rice farming and other forms of agricultural activities throughout the year thereby reducing our dependence on imported food stuff."
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- darboe please don,t slans govt's human rights record. trust me please can u remember what u do to the gambians in 1996 and in 2006 if is not you we clud have send jammeh out of office but because what u do to us that is why we have to keep jammeh in.
(Posted on February 26, 2010, 2:17 AM A.A.SAMBOU)
- Who is this silence darboe?? 80 precent Gambians have trust in Jammeh because he is the best president in the world. Remember no human being is perfect and we all learn from our mistakes to make it better tomorrow. In Jammeh we trust.BJ
(Posted on February 26, 2010, 12:21 AM bob J)
- Whatever Darbo has done wrong, he does have a point. Without the opposition parties working together and maybe even collaborating as one single party, Jammeh will remain in power even if 80% of all votes are fragmented over the opposition parties.
(Posted on February 25, 2010, 2:20 AM Lamin Jallow)
- i really enjoy u guys comments
with the insults n name finger pointings,
keep it up,it will solve all the problems in gambia
oneday.
(Posted on February 24, 2010, 7:39 PM jobe dollar)
- Darbo is a coward, and a dreamer who assumes that he has a divine right to rule, Jammeh may be a bufoon but we need leaders with conviction just as the case is in Zimbabwe, without the mettle Darbo cannot shake Jammeh, our hope is for the ARMY TO ACT
(Posted on February 22, 2010, 5:19 PM halim mustafa)
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