By: Kemo Kanyi
Madi Jobarteh, the founder of the Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice, stated that Dr. MamadouTangara, The Gambia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, did not manifest the qualities to represent The Gambia in the international organisation like the Commonwealth.
Jobarteh led a campaign against Dr. Tangara’s bid for the Commonwealth secretary-general position earlier this month.
‘’We want to uphold the dignity of The Gambia that she should be represented by her best sons and daughters. That means those who are to hold public offices must uphold the Constitution and the principle of the rule of law to protect the human rights of Gambians. It’s evident that Tangara and other enablers of Yahya Jammeh do not represent or manifest those qualities. So, to allow someone like Tangara to represent The Gambia, I think that’s so unpatriotic,’’ stated the prominent human rights activist on Coffee Time with Peter Gomez on Tuesday.
He pointed out that all patriotic Gambians shall make sure whoever represents the country is someone who deserves it and can uphold the dignity and integrity of The Gambia by standing with the people of the country and serve the best interest of the Gambian people.
‘’Certainly, we want a Gambian to represent us in such capacity but the question is: Which Gambian? I do not think Gambia deserves someone like Tangara to represent us. We want a Gambian who is fit and proper, a Gambian with dignity and integrity to represent us,’’ he argued.
Mr. Jobarteh clarified that his campaign against Tangara did not just come out of spite but was based on his records.
‘’There was a dictatorship in this country, and dictators everywhere in the world have close collaborators who show them the way, prepare them the way and so forth. Dictatorship, like democratic governance, is a governance system and a power structure founded on pillars. The key pillars in such structure would be the Cabinet. These people are not just ordinary citizens. They are the primary decision and policy-makers. Dr. Tangara and many of his kinds whether ministers, parliamentarians, ambassadors or security chiefs aided and abetted Jammeh to flout our Constitution, flout our sovereignty and dignity,’’ Madi stated.
The rights activist stated that Mr. Tangara did not only fail to resign or speak against dictatorship but he went actively to support, justify, defend and legitimise the Jammeh regime. Madi said Tangara is equally culprit as Jammeh.
