Manjang calls for Sarjo Jallow’s Freedom.

Manjang calls for Sarjo Jallow’s Freedom.

Dear Editor,

Please allow me to use some space in your well respected newspaper to express my disquiet over the disappearance and possible abduction and detention of the former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Momodou Sarjor Jallow. Mr. Jallow is a close friend, a former comrade in the struggle for justice in The Gambia and in countries all over Africa as well as a persistent colleague in the efforts in empowering the poor, disadvantaged and dispossessed and helping them to be self-employed, independent minded and productive citizens of our beloved Gambia. Knowing who he is I know there is a possible misunderstanding within circles of the APRC government

Though Mr. Jallow has from 1994 been a supporter of the AFPRC and APRC governments, I have never been a supporter of the AFPRC or APRC governments. I take it as a principle never to support a government coming into power through military coups, or through the hatching of plots by isolated groups of conspirators or ad vanguard revolutionaries because of my belief that the masses are their own liberators, not isolated groups of individuals claiming to be liberating on behalf of the masses. So while Mr. Jallow was a supporter of the AFPRC` and APRC governments I never have been. But this did not stop the comradely brotherhood between Mr. Sarjor Jallow and myself because we were both part of MOJA-Gambia where political pluralism was the ideological norm. Comrade Sarjor and I could continue sharing general ideological convictions while still deferring in our political appraisal and understanding of situations. We could agree on the belief on the need for a non-capitalist path to development while not agreeing on whether the current APRC regime is the way forward to ultimate solution of the problems of the nation.

But despite this dissonance in views Mr. Jallow and myself have respected each other’s views  and continued to respectfully agree to disagree.  Based on this I have known Mr. Jallow to be a patriotic official of the APRC government and an extremely loyal supporter of the current government. Mr. Jallow and I have long stopped trying to convince each other over to our respective political persuasions and I have no doubt that he has been  extremely loyal to the APRC and its government.

His current predicament is something he most likely do not even understand. It is may be because of his wife’s recent support and membership to the United Democratic Party, UDP, but that has nothing to do with Sarjor’s loyalty. Both wife and husband have long been MOJA members, brought up and trained in MOJA’s tradition of political pluralism. In MOJA we were trained to believe and respect that spouses, friends and relatives can hold different views and yet live and tolerate each other.and the differences of views. This is why Sarjor Jallow could not stop his wife from expressing her support for the opposition UDP.

This I understand so much that I must write to call for the immediate release of Sarjor Jallow by the authorities concerned. I am, in fact, ready to hand over myself for arrest by Gambian security forces in exchange for his release as soon as I can make myself available if you find him liable for arrest. Information on my arrival will be made on your convenience.

Ousman Manjang Bakoteh Layout 6th September 2016

3 Comments

  1. It’s categorically ILLEGAL, SADISTIC & BARBARIC to highest standard to persecute, molest, kidnap, capture, disappear, torture, maim, rape, incarcerate or kill ANY human being based on ideological, political &/ any other differences…

    However, personally I doubt the consistence in Sarjo Jallow’s “dedicated commitments” TRUTHFULLY to wellbeing & welfare of fellow human beings as the author attempts to present herein…

    With the pungent sadistic barbarities of yaya KILLER DEVIL jammeh on innocent Gambians & humanity at large, how can Sarjo or anyone justify Sarjo’s comradely commitments to alleviate the Gambian & fellow human suffering by his continuous participations enable aid abetting of the MURDEROUS kanilai KILLER DEVIL status quo for the past 22 years…???

    “When one breeds a venomous asp, if not the first to be, one should expect to be among those bitten by the very poisonous snake…??”

    “Fools” inclined on devilish greed above TRUTH never learn from decent dictates of morality & necessity or from the experience of others’ mistakes; they must themselves experience from the classrooms of “had I known” directly to learn firsthand…

    How can anybody morally argue on Sarjo Jallow’s continued innocence in his personal participatory aid abet enablement of the continuous MURDER of innocent human beings under the MURDEROUS kanilai FIEFDOM…?

  2. These are the sincere words and commitment of a comrade.Where Right is Right,Wrong is no Man’s Right.The only factor that is constant in the equation of the universe is CHANGE.Nothing changes CHANGE.Thanks Ous.

  3. Mr manjang , I am sorry for what happened to your Friend , our fellow citizen and family man . It is indeed an injustice and blantant violation of his constitutional rights . However , mr Jallow should have learned the lesson from others and never allowed himself to be used and later abducted. Most Gambians are naive to understand the danger they put themselves and their families for a mere position which they can survive without . He is on the wrong side of history because he is loyal to the tyrant and APRC which has inflicted so much suffering on Gambians . Currently , our parents ,fathers and uncles are also kidnapped and they are illegally incarcerated at mile two for fighting for justice . Those are the real freedom fighters .
    I sympathize with his wives and children for the emotional suffering they are going through as a result of mr Jallow’s disappearance .
    I do not believe that mr jallow ever care for justice in his political view for The Gambia otherwise he would have not joined the tyrant or APRC regime . He has never spoken up for so many atrocities committed in our country in the past 22 years .It is therefore a dishonesty and hypocrisy to indicate that he care for justice for his fellow citizens . While it is good thing mr manjang was speaking up for his friend but we must remind him always to speak the truth even in the most difficult circumstances . I applaud mr manjang for speaking up for your friend who never spoke up for other victims before him and I also applaud his wife who has been consistently fighting for justice and constitutionalism in our country . I must say I am indeed proud of her efforts . I say big thank you to her .