July 22 Coup is still a Punishable Crime

Dear editor

Hearts are bleeding in The Gambia and beyond when armed invaders who violently took to the streets, seized power by barrel of the gun now continue glorifying that dreadful event.

Worst still, after 18 years illegal occupation on Gambia’s highest seat of political power, coup leader, Yaya Jammeh, in open mockery of fairness and justice, can brag about that shameful manner of robbery. Let us look at the whole face and body of July 1994 military invasion and tell yourself if the crime is not ready for punishment.

Before seizing power by force of arms, what stopped the invaders from forming a decently genuine, legitimate, and popular political party for proper entry on the democratic platform in best fair play due process ? Guns used in seizing power have been entrusted to the hands of all those calling themselves July revolution coup makers so that they protect government, constitution, and people of The Gambia. It was the most wrongful conduct for them to conceive any idea leading to that terrifying and gravely uncivic crack of the system.

Without needing to expand any further, it is clear that the path trodden by Yahya Jammeh and his group only turned day light robbers of Gambian sovereignty.

In any hurry to gain position and power, why could they not as decent people join the queue, train for those positions, build up sustainable careers, and to settle decently as good citizens?

Deviating from all the norms, they stormed up their way and since then put everyone in dangerously unstable situations.

Going over national television and ranting about this unfortunate event 18 years later as Jammeh brags about, is uncalled for. Doesn’t Jammeh or anyone around him not realise that eveything is so accurately recorded and neatly preserved for posterity? In another 122 years, true account of the July 1994 military invasion will be handed down for justice to prevail. Jammeh can pretend he is glorified for seizing power by force. People are being silenced but their dignity cannot be stolen infinitely. When the solid lid of deception is lifted, Gambia will restore law and order. The truth will prevail. That may take time. It may also happen any time sooner.

Gambian people never called for military coup in the first place. Like in any situation, people always prefer advancing from even fairly good to better conditions. With the option of forming a political party and seeking rightful entrance through the ballot, that was the best. Forceful dislodging of democratically-elected government was illegal, uncalled for, and serious breach of trust. It is one big shame and mentally torturing that coup maker Jammeh chose to remind Gambians of this most ugly moment in the nation’s history. Jammeh owes Gambians unreserved apology and not this shameful bragging about an unlawful invasion. How can any sane person associate with such a crime?

Even those hypocrites and parasites licking the juice from that stolen pot know that Yahya Jammeh is grossly abusing state position to get rich. Gambia already had the enabling economic environment for clean trade and fair competition. Now the entire order is one big monopolist prevailing over everything. How can anyone tell civilised society that what Yaya Jammeh is doing adds up at all?

  Equating the post of president to being rich is where all started going woefully wrong. What Jammeh and his group continue doing amounts to serious economic and cannot sustain a nation. There is no expert on this planet who is capable of justifying the misconduct indulged in by Jammeh capped by flagrant violation of civility and decent conduct.

System and structures have been destroyed long since. Jammeh operates as the spin board. From military outfit to the super structure of governance, everything is broken down. What we have in The Gambia since 22 July 1994 military seizure of power is unending circus of experiments. All doors are tightly closed and one person has the keys. He does what he wants by suppressing some people and appeasing others.

July 22 Gambia coup of 1994 remains a punishable crime. Unless the country’s legal experts become sincere and ready to suppress personal desires of national duty for everyone’s salvation, the crime two decades will live on generations to come. Some day, when all the rotten woods perish, genuinely concerned Gambians will restore law and order. This may be later or soon to be. It is beyond reasonable doubt inevitable. The Gambia will eventually breathe deep air of relief as the nation recovers from injustice at a time never anticipated.