Waa Juwara was arrested on several occasions and tortured (Photo Slide: Kibaaro News) |
The leader of the opposition National Democratic
Action Movement (NDAM), Mr Waa Juwara is no longer sure if he is an opposition.
He has worked with the Jammeh-led Government as an
opposition since 2009 when he became governor of Lower River Region and later
Minister of Local Government and Lands.
On the eve of President Jammeh’s 19th
Anniversary of the July 22 Coup, Juwara told The Voice: “We will be able to
keep it cool and be able to contribute in one way or the other to make sure
that Gambia is still intact.”
“That is why we talk about development, you cannot
talk about development in actual fact when there is no peace and stability
which we have enjoyed for a good measure,” he said on Sunday, July 21.
Read
on…
How
do you see the 19 years rule of the APRC Government as an opposition?
Am not sure whether I am an opposition to say, but
just a Gambian and really we have to be objective and evaluate on what has
transpired, it is the most important thing.
We have seen what actually happened in our
sub-region, to most of the countries where some sort of transformation has
taken place. We have seen what happen in Liberia, Sierra Leone and most of our
close neighbours - that is why we should
thank God that we are spared of the kinds of disturbances that have happened in
these countries.
I think we should pray to God and thank him for providing
that leadership for us. If I have my own apprehension at the time, because what
had happen to our neighbours is really bad, our country may also go the same
way, but today we are very grateful and thankful to God.
What I am saying to Gambian people as a whole is
that we will able to keep it cool and be able to contribute in one way or the
other to make sure that Gambia is still intact. That is why we talk about
development; you cannot talk about development in actual fact when there is no
peace and stability which we have enjoyed for a good measure.
The records show that the development achievements
are very impressive. Looking at it from every angle be it infrastructure,
education and development in general, a lot have been achieved.
I think that also contributed to the stability of
the country because he (President Jammeh) was very sincere and committed and
was not just there to cater his own net, but was here to do whatever possible
to the enhancement of the development of the country, which was an agenda that
he was pushing.
Of course we have our limitations as a third world
and small country and with limited resources, but what have been achieved so
far is really commendable.
Which
area(s) do you think a lot of progress has been registered?
Basically, let’s look at education. If you look at
education, the progress that is made is really significant, let’s focus on the
School system, the high schools that are in the country - with good quality and
better standards.
There is hardly any region that doesn’t have a high
school and of course primary education is almost accessible to every child
across the country. This is something very important and commendable.
And something we think was out of reach to the
average Gambian is a University. I know all the difficulties people faced to
have access to university education which was available only outside the
country.
Now young people have access to it at home which is
a big achievement by The Gambia Government.
I think this is very commendable and we are all
proud of that. Gambians use to go to Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Ghana, Europe or
America under very tedious conditions just to acquire university education. Now
we have it in this country, we are all proud of it.
What
do you think about the country’s human rights record?
We have our problem and really this has been the
same across the board in the whole of Africa - where we have new countries
coming up before they can stand on their own. We have a long way to go. What
does democracy means? Multiparty, isn’t it, the rule of law?
And really we have to accept the facts, if you can
have colonialism, where was all the human rights? Others can come colonised
you, we have seen what has happened in our own history; we know about the slave
trade, we know how we suffered under colonialism.
This is a process and every mission should be given
a new way to see how we process this. It cannot be overnight in fact those who
colonised us who talking about democracy they know, they were not doing
democracy.
Even countries that champion democracy have
problems. This is human problem we have to accept. And look you cannot change
that and say look you are less than human being because your democracy is not
standard and we are on the right point.
We have had our own multiparty elections since this
22 July and more improvements have taken place.
Am not saying the human right records of The Gambia
is the best but let them think what they (the West) were not able to do they
can make us do.
When you come to the question of EU-Gambia relationship,
things are taking course and I welcome it. We had a very long relationship and
I think we should exploit it to the maximum. We must dialogue over it, trash
out things we should do. It is all about consensus and you cannot have
consensus without dialogue.
And in dialogue that’s why you have fair play – and
I think that the recent developments (return to talks) are very welcome.
What
can the opposition do?
I think the opposition in this country will be able
to do what they can. I want to make it very clear that there was no foul play
against the opposition for them not to have existed.
President Jammeh and his government have not
repressed the opposition out of existence. And I think that really that it will
be unfair to say the opposition is not functioning as fully as it should be.
In fact, he is open to the opposition and had work
with them. I am a typical example.
The problem in this country is not the leadership of
the internal opposition per se, we had our drawbacks, and we have our squabbles
and our differences here and there. The problem with the opposition in The
Gambia is that they don’t have the resources needed to effectively run their
political parties.
And those who are mentors outside have just been
talking, they have not been acting. If they really want democracy and a vibrant
opposition in this country, all these people in the diaspora who pretend to be
in opposition - if they could commit themselves to pay 25 Dollars per-month - the opposition of this country would be on
its foot and would have done effectively. But they just talk and don’t do
anything.
There is no support externally, materially to the
opposition in this country. The problem is not party A or party B – the
drawback is that they don’t have the resources to function as effectively as
they should.
And I think
there is some element of hypocrisy with those in the diaspora who pretend to
know all the problems in this country and they are the only people who can
solve these problems. They are no commitment it is just empty talk. There is no
commitment. Gambians in the diaspora in Europe in America all across the world
who say they are oppose to the regime have not been effective because they have
not been able to make their contributions.
If the Gambia is not worth for you $25 a month then
I don’t think there is anything worthy. They are just like bystanders who are
just clapping and they are not just part of the whole system – this is the
problem of the opposition in this country.
It is not because president Jammeh is oppressive; it
is not because he does not want a functioning opposition in this country.
Absolutely, there are no restrictions whatsoever for these parties (opposition)
not to have function.
Are
you going to continue with your party, NDAM?
Well, for me, I have reached a state where I think I
have numerous ways of making my contribution. Change is not for individuals, it
is for the public, the general public.
I have been able to make my own contributions in a
small way – I have to pick up a government job and I think that this is my
honest contribution.
Do
you think there is a cause to celebrate the July 22 Coup?
Of course there is a cause to celebrate. The July 22
revolution has brought a lot of development to this country, thus the focus,
the nationalism and the level of our commitment. I really commend him
(President Jammeh) and I think that we should also be able to do our own part.
No one man can develop a whole country; it has to be
all hands on deck. I really sometimes pity him for some of the disappointments
he is been getting from people that he trusted.
Finally, what is your last word?
My last word I to say Mr President I congratulate
you. In my wildest of dreams I never thought he will be there for this long –
and it has happened. Gambians have enjoyed a measure of development
unprecedented in their history with tolerance and peace.
I also thank him for providing the young people with
the basics to participate in national development. He is a role model for young
people.
Finally, I urge all Gambians to work together
towards national development.
- Source: The Voice Newspaper, Serrekunda, The Gambia
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