Pathology on dictatorship: Professor Saine re-examines Jammeh’s Gambia

By AMADOU MANJANG

Professor Abdoulie Saine, Gambian academic lecturing at Miami University in Ohio, USA has said that state institutions and organs were used by former president Yahya Jammeh as his home.

Testifying before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission (TRRC) on Tuesday January 21, 2020, Saine described the personality and policies of the former president Yahya Jammeh in his dealing with state institutions and organs.

In his second day before the TRRC, Saine re-examined the 22 years of dictatorship under former President Yahya Jammeh in an approach described by some as an erudite pathology on the system innovated to rule ruthlessly.

According to him, the dictator used financial institutions like ATM card as monies are to be disposed when requested.

“He transformed financial institution into his ATM,” he said.

Financial institution under Jammeh’s watch
He said Jammeh had comprehensive and aggressive socio-economic policies plans, adding that his policies exacerbated the economic problems he inherited.

He said Jammeh took the mandate and functions of financial institutions which in effects become the state.

He said the former Gambian leader used these institutions as development aids and money attached to be disposed when he requested it.

These financial institutions are the Gambian Revenue Authority, Central Bank of The Gambia, Social Security and Housing Financial Cooperation among others.

In the Janneh Commission reports that looked into his financial dealings and his close associates found him worth one billion dollars which he loot the state of.

The professor said Jammeh took away all the functions of state organs into economic spree, everything become his house, from the central bank to GRA.

Jammeh and his favoritism policy
The witness said Jammeh “Jolanised” the civil service, therefore, given more opportunities to the Jolas than any ethnic group.

He said this “affirmative action” to favor the Jola tribe was a good policy because the Jolas were marginalized by the People’s Progressive Party government; yet it was overdone.

He said civil service was “Jolanised” through promotion and increasingly sent them for studies.

“Increasingly, he promoted Jolas, he send many Jolas for further studies,” he said.

Jammeh’s impact on Gambian socio-economic right
He said Jammeh spending of millions of dollars on luxury, fleet of cars, plane, beautiful houses and parties drove the country into poverty.

He said the money could have otherwise been utilized to improved maternal health, nutrition program or even builds a library for the University of The Gambia.

He said the Jammeh’s corruption made youth and women to suffer severe human right violation because corruption has immediate effect on the socio-economic development of the citizen.

“Each misappropriated dalasi is a dalasi that could have otherwise provided the immediate needs of Gambians,” he stated.

In his own leeway former President Jammeh’s corruption indirectly killed children and adult who could not have access to medical care, food and proper education.

“Jammeh robbed the nation of well trained people and then potential employment of the population,” he said.

GRTS in the claw of Jammeh
He indicated that Jammeh used the state owned broadcaster, Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS) as his platform to spread his ideas and to control the narrative in the country.

He said that GRTS was a propaganda institution in the hand of Jammeh, adding that it was used to promote him only.

“He used GRTS to promote his political agenda and his party,” he asserted.

He added that GRTS convinced the Gambians that he had supernatural power to cure HIV/AIDS, infertility, hypertension among others, but many of his patient died.

Anything for power
He said Jammeh was centered on how to survive and maintain his grip of power.

“He thought about himself and his survival.’

He further added that Jammeh surrounded himself with men and women that would do everything for him, just to remain in good term with him.

“He became numb to different human lives and suffering, he allegedly drunk himself into loophole and watching his tortured victims whilst other being slowly put to death.”

He said Jammeh did all these brutal things for power.

Light skin girls and women in the eyes of Jammeh
Jammeh onetime proclaimed that women and girls that bleach their skins should be arrested, but according the Saine, Jammeh loves to have affairs with light skin women and girls.

“Ironically Jammeh loves women who have light skins.”

He further stated that Jammeh proclaimed things he couldn’t sustain, adding that it was violation of women’s right in his proclamation that women that bleach be arrested.

“This is a violation of right. I think women have the right to do their body what they want.”

However, Jammeh has been accused of rape by his victims in the like of Toufah.

Saine said Jammeh rapped girls he could never have an affairs with, if he wasn’t a president using power.

“He plot girls and women as he wishes,’ he said.