By Binta Jaiteh
Honorable Sedia Jatta, lawmaker for Wuli West has opposed the signing of Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and said that it is like a joke to him and it has no purpose.
He said this when members of the assembly were debating on the bill adding that they prefer independence in poverty.
He said: “I am unhappy because all those poor and weak have ratified and signed China has not ratified India has a nuclear weapon and did not sign neither ratified. We are not signing anything because we have no weapon because we don’t boil crime and we not colonizing anyone so why should we sign since it has purpose. Independence and sovereignty are vital to any political entities that call itself a nation and any nation that is incapable of itself is a weak nation. As far as am concern we call ourselves sovereign country and we always go to them. I am surprised by the minister saying Gambia will benefit from various capacity building on what bases will we benefit today we should talk about the development of our country.”
He added that: “we are the eyes and voice of African continent and we must go out of the high dependency and slavery. They are tricking us we have nothing to sign.”
Sheikh Omar Faye, defense minister urge the assembly to consider this bill since The Gambia has signed the Test-Ban Treaty in April 2003 in assurance of article (2) paragraph on the treaty for nuclear weapon. He added that declaration of the Gambia armed forces that it has never owned process or control nuclear expulsive weapon program prior to the entry of this treat.
Notwithstanding article (1a) of the treaty does not owe or possess any nuclear weapons or other nuclear weapon devices; article (1g) of the treaty there are no nuclear weapon or other expulsive devices in its territory or any place under its jurisdiction.
He noted that: “cognizant of the fact that it damages and cause not only to human life’s but also to the environment. The effects of nuclear radiation will take years and the effects can destroy the unborn generation. The Gambia will not allow any importation of nuclear expulsive weapons it is worthy to note that Gambia is the only country in West Africa and among four countries that has not ratified this treaty. Once the treaty is sign, The Gambia like other signatories will benefit from various capacity buildings like workshops, seminars, and conferences.”
He explained that, this is about international best practices and is not about thinking because we don’t have to wait for things to happen; we are now going to a different space having first defense policy with security strategy.
“Basically, I want us to think beyond the ideology of union and western powers to build the future of the young generation who will build capacity to be call scientist.185 Counties have signed 170 have ratified 11 have not signed 26 in total have not ratified so Gambia will now decide whether to be part of the 185 or the 11 but the best thing is to sign for the purpose of building our young Gambians to compete internationally,” he added.
