Press Statement by The United Democratic Party (UDP) The Gambia on the Impending Judgement In The Political Trail Of The UDP Leader and His Senior ExecutivesIn the next few hours, Gambians and indeed the world at large would know the fate of the great leader of our party Lawyer Ousainou Darboe now popularly dubbed Gambia’s Nelson Mandala and 19 his senior executive after having gone through a sham legal process in the name of a trial designed to definitively jail them.
Lawyer Darboe and his group of patriots came out in the streets on 16th April 2016 to peacefully demand answers from the authorities about the death in custody of UDP youth leader Solo Sandeng who together with a group of young people were arrested 14th April after they displayed banners demanding electoral reforms.
From the highhanded manner in which state security personnel handled Mr Darboe’s peaceful protest to the way the trial was being conducted all pointed to a deliberate tactic of vengeful ploy to not only put the UDP officials behind bars but to definitively cripple the party.
We are urging all party militants to expect the worst from a judge who from the very start of this political persecution in the court has shown an unmistakable bias by ignoring the fundamental standards characteristic of a free and fair trial. The persecuted UDP officials had taken the ultimate decision when their lawyers withdrew from the case to refuse taking part in the trial process in order not to legitimise an already skewed case.
The international community is hereby informed of yet another ample evidence of arrogant belligerence by the Gambia government to refuse to abide by acceptable standards pinned on rule of law and respect for fundamental human rights.
The Gambia continues to regress into the unstoppable slide of chaos designed chiefly by a dictatorship bent on pursuing its agenda of autocratic rule. The courts which were the last beacon of hope for the ordinary people have now been morphed into this wider pervasive infrastructure of misrule where political cases are decided not in the courts but at the Office of the President.
But this is not by coincidence. Rather it is part of the wider strategies by the government to continue to deny Gambians their inalienable rights.
Thank you Suntou , even if they jail honorable lawyer Darboe , the fight to restore democracy and rule of law in The Gambia must continue. Jammeh is put on notice that forces of freedom have far greater endurance than his evil agents . This trial is an injustice to every decent and civilized Gambian. We must redouble our efforts in this fight . This is a fight that every citizen must be involved so that we can collectively gain our freedom . Those opposition leaders and their supporters who cowardly refused to join this fight must realize that they have betrayed their own conscience if they truly believe in rule of law , justice and democracy . The peaceful protest was staged to advocate for electoral reforms which all opposition leaders have signed on during their broad proposal to IEC in order to ensure free and fair election . Solo Sanderg and his group of patriotic citizens have sacrificed for The Gambian people . Darboe and Co also foght for justice and rule of law.
I am so sad and angry that innocent people are jailed for doing absolutely nothing. Dictator Yaya Jammeh, you have started the war against innocent and peace loving Gambians but it is all end up on your head. It is time Gambians should realize that peaceful way will remove Jammeh out of lives but use every method in our disposal to remove from power.