Criticise but don’t Insult Fatoumatta Jahumpa-APRC Meeting Organiser

I will be grateful if you allow me the chance to join the debate regarding our nation’s state of affairs. Please read my contribution with open mind because I am a first hand witness to what I am telling you. As a lady APRC meeting organiser now out of the country, I am aware of those who never get any qualification but awarded high positions both in the Civil Service and the Army. I think the Army is even the worst but now it is clear to everyone that was as a result of tribalism which I hate to elaborate on. Also since Jammeh came to power lots of bad things took place in the midst of public silence, arrogance, hypocrisy and greed. The educated and dedicated intellectuals were disregarded and despised and treated with contempt for the simple reason that Jammeh thought they are a threat to his totalitarian rule. Others are too cheap so much so that Jammeh treated them the way he wished and sacked them without explanation. Today, they cannot blame anyone but themselves.

The judiciary is in total controlled by Jammeh as he is empowered to hire and fire judicial officials with impunity. Again we must blame our selves for that because we allowed him to control the most important institution in our country. For this reason, I knew that Jammeh is a coward and not a revolutionary so I left looking for votes for him as my conscience cant allowed me to continue. I later told some of those I convince to join the APRC that I needed the money as there are no jobs in the country but mere propaganda and they must abandon the party. I met Gambians in the USA and some part of Europe and Africa who refused to return to Gambia even though they are not experiencing any political problems. The simple reason they forwarded is that despite their qualification, Jammeh would never allow them to express their views and opinions in a fair manner and they end-up in the notorious Mile Two prison.

Any office you visit in Gambia or institution you step your feet in, you could found workers praising Jammeh for fear of losing their job. The worst places includes GRTS and the Daily Observer, Ports and Quadrangle. Therefore I suggest that Fatoumatta Jahumpha must not be insulted for siding with Jammeh taking into consideration where Jammeh found her. FJC was nothing and even confessed that it is because of Jammeh that she is known to the people. It is true that her father was a known politician but never a praise-singer or someone who undermine other and destroyed their lives and livelihoods. But what is important now is how Gambians should remember FJC as a person especially when Jammeh knew her true intentions and sacked her. Can she convince Jammeh to accept her once again? This should be included in the debate.

It is because of Jammeh reward she took for pleasure and used it to attack and humiliate lots of men and women in our society. She engaged in provoking and insulting Jammeh opponents to the level of the National Assembly where she swore to defend and protect the constitution without bias. I remember she insulted NRP leader Hamat Bah in a political rally but Bah insisted that she will never respond to such insults because FJC is a woman. She publicly insulted, abused and laughed at opposition leaders like lawyer Darboe, Halifa Sallah, Waa Juwara, Kemeseng Jammeh and Singhle Nyassi. The list goes on and on. FJC implicated businessmen that refused to contribute to Jammeh’s so called good cause. But her mistake was she never knew that she was been monitored by the NIA for those monies including the cash paid to Senegalese musicians to perform for Jammeh in the Gambia.

Jammeh knew that FJC is a close friend and associate of much feared ex- NIA Aboulie Kujabi, whom Jammeh later sacked, arrested and thrown out of the country like a common-criminal. FJC was making money in the name of Jammeh both left right and centre pretending to be a die-heart supporter, while we the real APRC organisers were left in the cold. FJC and co. are extremely broke people who can do anything to get money and recognition, therefore insulting her will never change a thing. FCJ’s worst enemies are those in the private press, she had ordered her NIA friends to monitor, arrest and torture journalists she consider ‘opposition elements’. In our presence, FJC, Baba jobe, Suma Jobe, ex-Finance Minister Famara Jatta etc heartlessly bought voter cards from poor farmer as little as D25.

She publicly acknowledged her role in sale of the Daily Observer and the humiliation the independent press-men and women. She even named journalists to be sacked both at the Observer and GRTS including the brave and fluent Peter Gomez. This is how powerful FJC was with the help of the NIA. Therefore those who know her contribution to the dictatorship including her attempts to fake Jammeh will continue to be very cautious about her actions and attitude in future. Thus we should continue to criticise her for her contribution in making us Gambians suffer but please don’t insult her. I love you all and thank you.

Ya Awa Badjie.