Why Jallow Should Have Known Better

Jainaba Bah, you must thank God that your husband’s case was even heard in court and that the court has ordered for his release even though the regime continues to violate his constitutional rights . You must also remember that there are thousands of Gambians who have never been to court when your husband still held high position in government and has the ability to make significant difference in those people’s lives by advocating for their constitutional rights and due process to be respected. Majority of these victims did not have a family member like you; the one who advocates for their safe release to their families. These people continue to disappear in thin air while as the likes of your husband continued with business as usual instead of caring about the general welfare and security of all Gambians. Their carelessness to defend what they swore to do is a failure on their part to execute their responsibilities.

While I can only offer my support, sympathy and empathy to you and your family, I do not see any need to blame or criticize your for the wrongs of your husband unless you want us to believe that you privately supported his decision to serve the tyrannical and dictatorial regime but publicly condemn the regime and its officials and their acts of terrorism on defenseless citizens. I will categorise you as a political hypocrite who deserves no sympathy if your private and public perception differ. Until I am proven wrong, I  place you in the category of patriotic Gambians who deserve the support of all genuine people. Denial and rationalization of Mr.Jallow’s political support for the tyrant will only compound your psychological stress. So the therapeutic approach to his predicament is to accept the reality that he has contributed to his own predicament by supporting a human rights violator. Your defense mechanism in calling him your “comrade” is an unconscious effort not to accept his role as a supporter of human rights violations. This will not generate any sympathy from fair and independent citizens. It will rather portray you as another selfish Gambian who fails to realize her husband’s role in our current dictatorship and lawlessness . I do not see you and your husband as Comrades as you implied in your letter because you claimed to be against the dictatorial regime while your husband supported and served as an adviser to the dictator. Such a different position in political beliefs is not comradeship because your political belief is based on rule of law and democracy while Sarjo Jallow’s political belief is simply based on political oppression and support for dictatorship.

I totally understand your role as a wife, friend and loved one as far as family relationship is concerned and I must commend you to continue that role as a family advocate to secure his release but you must stop using words Iike “my comrade” which depict you as a supporter of your husband’s political views . In keeping you honest and encouraging you to act a family advocate , your husband’s political support to the tyrannical regime result of his own personal predicament which you and your family are also victimize in the process. So at the end of the day, your family has become victims as a result of his selfish political judgment and support he rendered to the dictator who continue to kill, rape and illegally disappear our fellow citizens.

I will continue to support, sympathize and empathize with you as family advocate but please desist from using words that portray you as a supporter of Mr.Jallow’s political views. Let your heart not be troubled by independent view and my goal is to keep you honest in realization that Mr. Jallow was part and parcel of the Gambia’s political oppression. Thank you.