The New York Chapter of the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) have described 2008 as a difficult year for Gambians who believe in democracy and the rule of law.
In their New Year message, the party said over the past year, President Yahya Jammeh undermined the Gambian constitution by ordering the arrest ordering the arrest and disappearance of opponents of his dictatorial regime like Kanyiba Kanyi a supporter of the UDP, who was arrested on September 18th, 2006 to date without trial or release and Journalist Chief Ebrima Manneh of the Daily Observer.
They added that the year also 'witnessed a serious hostility on the Gambia judiciary system by the summary dismissal of high Court Judges Mr. B.Y. Camara and Haddy Roche for intimidation purpose.
Below we reproduce the full text of the press release.
The UDP wishes to take this opportunity to wish all Gambians and friends of The Gambia a happy 2009 year.
Year 2008 has been a difficult year for Gambians who believe in democracy and the rule of law.The year 2008 President Jammeh went on undermining the constitution by ordering the arrest and disappearance of opponents of his dictatorial regime like Kanyiba Kanyi a supporter of the UDP and employee of CCF who was arrested on September 18th, 2006 to date without trial or release and a Journalist Chief Ebrima Manneh of the Daily Observer.
On June 5th, 2007, Hon. Justice Ms Sanji M. Monageng of the High Court of The Gambia ordered;
1. The Director General of the National intelligence Agency, the Inspector General of Police and the Attorney General to produce the body of Mr. Kanyiba Kanyi to Court on June 7th, 2007 but it is a well known fact that the law is only respected when it's favor the APRC regime.
The year 2008, witnessed a serious hostility on the Gambia judiciary system by the summary dismissal of high Court Judges Mr. B.Y. Camara and Haddy Roche for intimidation purpose.
The year 2008, witnessed the revelation of a rampant corruption scandal at the Gambian Embassy in Washington DC and to date neither the Auditor General nor the Accountant General has issued a word concerning the allegation and no action has been taken. Gambians want the Washington DC Embassy to be audited and the report be made public, in the absence of that one would be left to believe that the allegation is positive and the APRC regime has a case to answer to the Gambian people.
In the history of The Gambia, year 2008 has been the year when the United Nations launched an investigation on the Gambian Government for alleged massacre of 50 West African Nationals and the investigation is still on. Gambians deserve to know about this serious matter.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, once said "The abandonment-even the postponement-of the process of justice is an affront to those who obey the law and a betrayal of those who rely on the law for their protection; it is a call for the use of force in revenge and, therefore, a bankruptcy of peace."
We wish all a happy new year.
Signed:
UDP Secretariat.
