Says Lawyer Ousainou Darboe
Veteran Lawyer and opposition leader, Ousainou Darboe, has said the Gambia government is using the homosexuality debate to divert the attention of Gambians from more pressing issues and that withdrawal from EU negotiations will have adverse ramifications for the country.
In an interview with The Standard at his Banjul chambers yesterday, he enunciated: “I am not sure whether the statement I heard from the Minister of Foreign Affairs is a complete withdrawal from negotiations with the EU. If I understand him well he was saying that they will not discuss homosexual issues with EU. I was taken aback by that statement. The Gambia is a secular society. It is a secular state. It is not a state that operates on Islamic law and principles. It is not an Islamic state. I think the government, and President Jammeh in particular, are trying to use Islamic values to divert people’s attention from the problems of the country. After all, I know for a fact that those who profess belief in the Christian religion are against homosexuality so they cannot say we are against this because it is against our values as Muslims. Are they saying that this is condoned by the Christians? I know that the main Christian churches are up in arms against homosexuality. So, I want to advise The Gambia Government to be very circumspect in the statements they make. They should not try to create a situation where the focus is on one particular religious grouping.
“When did homosexuality become an issue in this country? It had never been an issue in this country. I had never heard of any people of the same sex wanting to get married or co-habiting in The Gambia? The government’s obsession with this homosexuality is a tactic to divert people’s attention from the endemic problems confronting the nation. We see that everyday poverty is on the increase. People’s standard of living and earning capacities are on the decline. We have things that we need in schools and hospitals. All this talk about free education are all glossy statements that are not supported by any tangible facts. If Jammeh is indeed criminalising homosexuality for moral reasons why has he not criminalised prostitution? Jammeh is known for making ill-considered, extemporaneous statements. Things just come to his mind and he just utters them without proper consideration. I think a head of state should be very, very careful in making his statements because whatever he says can be regarded as government policy. In The Gambia here government policies are seen as law when they have not even been enacted.”
He added: “I think the withdrawal from EU negotiations will be most disastrous if we have to strain our relations with such valuable development partners. That will be very unfortunate. After all, the EU are not saying that ‘come and let’s discuss the issue of homosexuality’ but about human rights in general. The EU wants us to discuss prison conditions. We are all prime candidates for Mile 2 because we are seeing ministers going to Mile 2 either at the remand wing or as convicted prisoners. You have judicial officers of the highest echelons who were detained. We have seen the director of prisons himself even detained there. Human rights should be the concern of everybody because we should put ourselves in the shoes of those people in Mile 2. I went to Mile 2 when I was given a conducted tour of the facility by the government in search of Kanyiba Kanyi and at that time the remand wing was in a very terrible condition. This happened at the time when the six journalists were in detention and it was a horrible sight.”
By Sainey Darboe (Standard Newspaper)
Ends
Excellent take Mr Darboe. Everyone is perplexed at Jammeh’s madness.
Diversion is an understatement. Outright bullshit by Jammeh. Well said Mr Lawyer Darbo
“We are all prime candidates for Mile 2 because we are seeing ministers going to Mile 2 either at the remand wing or as convicted prisoners. You have judicial officers of the highest echelons who were detained. We have seen the director of prisons himself even detained there. Human rights should be the concern of everybody because we should put ourselves in the shoes of those people in Mile 2. I went to Mile 2 when I was given a conducted tour of the facility by the government in search of Kanyiba Kanyi and at that time the remand wing was in a very terrible condition. This happened at the time when the six journalists were in detention and it was a horrible sight.”
Nothing to add. Just anyone is now a candidate at mile 2, only Dida Halake got a police headquarters detention.
This interview was out on hellogambia last week and here is my take; Darboe said “So, I want to advise The Gambia Government to be very circumspect in the statements they make. They should not try to create a situation where the focus is on one particular religious grouping.” Everytime Darboe comes up with an interview his line of comments are always based on advises to Jammeh. If so is his position as an opposition leader, he should rather take an advisory appointment with Jammeh.
I know I am going to be chastize by his supporters but none can dispel this truth.
If Darboe want us to take more seriously he should start using words like: irresponsible, unacceptable, irrational,unlawful, distasteful, delusional and childlish etc…
Being on the ground we know if he uses words like: bandit, criminal, thief, liar and rapist, he will go to Miles2.
After 20 years of softies it high time to be thougher, Gambians are suffering daily.
@Suntou: “… only Dida Halake got a police headquarters detention.”
Ha, Ha, Ha! Suntou, I even had a BED at the Police HQ – Freedomnewspaper published the photo of my camp-bed at Banjul Police HQ some years back. I think President Jammeh must have realized he had Ethiopian Royalty on his hands.
Joke aside Suntou, it is a terrible situation. Mile 2 should be CLOSED down and erased forever.
Jammeh always trying to divert Gambian people attention from issue that matter most. This is how he is able to ruled for twenty years now.
I do not understand what’s the fuss about homosexuality as if it is the only religiously prescribed deed left to be rooted out from The Gambia. Far from it.
Almost all the forbidden things mentioned in the Qur’an are found in Gambia. For example, alcohol and gambling/lottery are prescribed in the Quran thus “O ye who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, (dedication of) stones, and (divination by) arrows, are an abomination,- of Satan’s handwork: eschew such (abomination), that ye may prosper.”
Yet we have brewery, lottery, casinos and brothels in the country. It will be curious to know what’s the Sheikh’s take on these. Should the supreme Islamic council be more concerned about these than prosecuting/persecuting people who simply don’t celebrate Eid for whatever reason?