The Gambia’s veteran human rights lawyer and leader of the opposition United Democratic Party met youths at the American corner for a wide ranging interview. Lawyer Ousainou Darboe used the interview to attack President Yahya Jammeh for using school girls in beauty pageantry. He called on him to halt what he described as “exploitative.”
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I just saw the above mentioned video interview.
Mr. Darboe appeared very defensive on the issue of a flagbearer. I have an uncomfortable feeling that Mr. Darboe is dragging his feet on this issue and is sounding indecisive about a successor.
The hope of galvanising the biggest party in the country, now threatens to blow-up in disrepute and acrimony.
Mr. Darboe, more than ever before, has an obligation to act steadfastly in order to prevent bad blood within the rank and files of the party and their well wishers. The solution is simple : Mr. Darboe must firmly put the uncertainty to rest, by stepping aside and initiating a flagbearer selection.
Timing is everything and the time is now.
Kinteh…very brilliant piece. Jammeh will rule for a billion years. I see it coming. And since I won’t be here for a billion I may as well join him. Life is too short.
This so called beauty pegeant is a source of recruitment for Jammeh’s sexual exploitation of young Gambian girls ranging from the age of 16 to19 years . The participants of this sexual recruitment process comes from high schools across the country , Gambia college , MDI and university of The Gambia with the false promise that the first winner , second and third runner off will be provided scholarships . These girls were always promised that the first winner will be provided with a scholarship to study at any university in the world up to the PH.D. Level . This is the main reason parents encourage their daughters to participate in the so called beauty pegeant . Parents of these girls and wider Gambian population didn’t know that the so called beauty pegeant was organized by the ministry of education under the direct supervision of the evil dictator as a means to exploit Gambian teenagers . During this process , Dictator jammeh will decide who will be the winner based on his likeness and the one he prefer most among the girls . These innocent girls are not aware of being trapped as sexual object for Jammeh’s predatory behavior in coming months . Once the winner is announced , the evil dictator will organized a big party for the winner and invite the girls at statehouse for the party . There will be various prizes given to these girls as means to deceive unsuspecting innocent girls and the general public. During the presentation , Jammeh’s cabinet ministers and Vice President will be presence in order to continue in their deception and lie to Gambian people about the true purpose of this beauty pegeant . For the record since jammeh has started to involve himself in the beauty pegeant , there is no single Gambian girl who has ever been sponsored to study at any university in the world . The only opportunity these girls have is to be employed as protocol officers because the beauty pegeant was designed by jammeh as means to sexually exploit these girls whenever he wants . As soon as they are employed , the evil Dictator jammeh will start his sexual advances to the girls . He will provide the winner with unbelievable amount of money , buy expensive gifts and also make countless false promises to these poor girls . Jammeh will send his agent to find out the backgrounds of these girls and what they like to do and ambitions in life . Jammeh will later engage in personal mystification by falsely alleging to these girls he has supernatural power and would inform them what had been told by his agents who are mostly closed family members like jimbey jammeh , Ndey or Fatou jammeh . Currently one of the girls who has escaped from The Gambia and was initially used as a state witness for the trial of journalist Alagie Ceesay , has participated in the so called beauty pegeant and was later offered a job as protocol officer at statehouse . Dictator Jammeh’s criminal behavior is beyond the imagination of ordinary Gambians . Some of these girls and their parents were threaten with death by Jammeh’s henchmen if they refuse to comply with jammeh to satisfy his sexual desire. Many of these girls are under Constance surveillance especially if they are invited to statehouse to meet the evil dictator . Gambian people and those in diaspora should continue to educate their families , neighbors and friends about this criminal scheme of sexual exploitation of young Gambian girls using the so called beauty pageant as a pretext . Today most of the foreign embassies , UNHCR ( United Nations high commission for Refuge) , world leaders and intelligence community as well as ECOWAS is well aware of Jammeh’s sexual predatory behavior . Jammeh’s personal protection officers as well as top security leadership in the country are all aware of jammeh’s behavior . Today it is open secret in The Gambia who sleep with jammeh . In every major town in the country , jammeh has mistresses . It is up to Gambian people to make a stop to it or he will continue to exploit our young vulnerable innocent girls .
Excellent talk Mr Darboe. Clear and uncomplicated. You should do more engagement with the media and youths. I Like your response on the youth un-involvement in politics. We are scared of the tough situation ahead.
On the flag bearer for UDP. Take your time and fight the electoral reform and if it fails. Let the party select a professional who can stand his ground no matter what. The UDP is not taken lightly and all avenues will be exploited to destabilise the new candidate.
If possible select a woman to contest. The use of young girls by Jammeh is also a great point. Islamic state subject all good.
It is sad that some people think if another candidate stands after Darboe UDP will be collapse. Seriously, anyone who campaign and knows the depth of the UDP, they will not even bank on seeing a disintegrated or reduce dominance of the UDP. When you listen to Diaspora radios, you hear this kinds of statements. How wrong. Yes Darboe is a big personality, but he is not UDP. And Darboe will always remains in UDP top echelon. Thanks Sir.
Max, I agree. Anyone who support Jammeh ignorantly have moral bankruptcy issues. Jammeh is a contradiction in anyway you look at him. A serious moral problem for the Gambia.
Love lawyer Darboe. A true gentleman. Sadly the Gambia is on a splippy slop. We want an arrogant and wild leader like Jammeh. The Stockholm syndrome has catch on. Lawyer Darboe can unite the Gambia quiet easily.
As a Banjulian I always advise people to look into Mr Darboe’s sincerity and humility. He is not deceptive and neither aggressive but he is firm. He defended our family in court and did his best to get us a good outcome even though some of our family are APRC.
A true gentleman. Good advice sir. Always your fans.
With the power behind Darboe. If He is power hungry he would have cause massive unrest. Even security officers secretly like Darboe.
You are spot on Fatim Banjul. Lawyer Darboe is peace lover and a gentleman.
You are right to say that had he wanted he could create HAVOC by disrupting the country’s peace but the man loves the Gambia and will not fall on PROVOCATIONS from a hater and crimininal mercenary bent on taking our beloved country to a civil war path.
Gambians however will finish Jammeh this year whether Yahya Jammeh likes it or not. It is a matter of survival and an end to UNCERTAINTY in our daily lives. We have enough of being bullied and harassed for 22 years.
Organising a school-girls beauty contest is graver than ‘exploitation’ in my opinion. It is quite ignorant and abusive and non Muslim, if one cares. Not much seems to matter in the country right now. It is a very very seriuos crisis.