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Mr. Dudu Kassa Jatta, a youth leader of the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) is our Discourse guest this week.
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"I was arrested and detained over 23 times; nastily tortured; my manhood tied on my thigh with electric wire and electrocuted," he told The Discourse.
Finally, UDP was able to secure a permit to hold rally. Why do you think the government gave-in?
I think the government has pressure, especially when our campaign manager, Femi Peters was imprisoned. We have been applying but they denied us. Government herself knows that does not favour them.
Isn’t it rather late because the election is near and you need to do a lot within a short span of time?
Government was applying political delaying tactics. They don’t want the people to be aware of what is happening. It is only UDP that can reveal lots of the wrong doings within government circles. The government knows if we are given the chance we will always deliver.
Are you sure come 2011 UDP can challenge the ruling party?
Yes, I told you UDP is the only party that can challenge Yahya Jammeh. And it is only UDP that can remove Yahya Jammeh from the seat. That is why they have been denying us permits.
But have you done enough to win the elections?
Yes we did enough to win the election. But the opposition needs to form a united front.
…are you implying that UDP cannot do it alone?
No! UDP can make it alone, but we needed a united opposition. Gambians want all opposition parties to come together.
Do you think this would be possible having tried before and failed?
Yes! I was part of NADD. But I am the first person to resign because there was a crisis of leadership going on within. When I realised that I resigned.
And your party followed suite?
My party leader is a true, genuine person. There was someone who was creating confusion and that person later fell-out.
Who is this person?
You know the person better that I do. There is only one opposition leader, who was part of NADD and now joined APRC.
How do you want the opposition to unite?
It depends on leaders when they talk. We at the grassroots will support them. Politicians have been arrested. If the opposition parties unite, this would end. And for certain Jammeh will go. It’s very easy. It does not require a lot of campaigning. People know what is going on.
We [UDP] are the strongest. But you have good opposition leaders. All we need to do is to come together, direct Gambians towards one objective which is to get rid of Jammeh.
The leaders should talk and who forms the majority should be supported. UDP is the main opposition, so others should follow us.
Are you dictating to them?
There is no dictation. As far as UDP is concerned and I know UDP can make it. But we want a concrete opposition party.
Darboe has recognized the importance of rural people’s participation in the coming elections. What are you doing in this area?
UDP is a party with so many branches. We have our executive members, women’s wing, and youth wing among others. We are all the time functioning. The last time we made a tour in the Kombos. So, we never sit for a second and we are always on the ground. They have been denying us permits otherwise they know what we are capable of doing.
But the Interior minister says the state denied you permits because it did not have enough police personnel to provide you with security…?
That is a big joke. When the ruling party is holding rallies they have enough. That is misleading. They have enough personnel to provide us with security, but they have never and will never do it.
It’s a pity in The Gambia. No one’s life is safe; there is no justice, no liberty, no human rights since Yahya Jammeh took over.
Opposition members are joining the ruling party en mass. Why?
No UDP supporter has ever moved to APRC. I have never seen any. Rather it is APRC joining UDP. Thank God the media was there during our previous rally and covered it.
The Gambia has been experiencing voter apathy in all its previous elections. Some say most of those that do not vote are opposition supporters. Is it that you (the opposition) is not doing enough to convince your people to cast their votes?
That voter apathy is because we are not able to unite. That is why I told you the opposition needs to come together. And that will happen because I do go round the country talking to the people; I do research in politics. Gambians are saying now it is enough for Yahya Jammeh.
What is your take on Femi Peter’s imprisonment?
There is no justice in Femi Peter’s imprisonment. Femi is a perfect gentleman, hardworking and truthful. There are other motivations behind his imprisonment but not the rally. It is all politically motivated. They should have arrested our party leader and not Femi. Government should free Femi Peters. Every Gambian should be concerned with Femi Peter’s imprisonment. There is no justice in it. They cannot silence the opposition.
The Gambia’s problem is not individual but national.
In your opinion how responsive is the government of the day to plight of. the people of The Gambia?
Very bad! All those infrastructural developments are debts which Gambians will pay. The present government is acting as if it is from one man’s pocket. It is not impressive to me in any way. They should not boast of that. We can do it better than them. Gambians are not enjoying anything.
In other countries the opposition has some of its activities funded by government. Is that the case here?
No. we don’t even have access to the public media. GRTS is 85 percent on President Jammeh, 10 percent on adverts and 5 percent on …
IEC is going biometric in 2011. This would help resolve problems, especially reports of foreigners infiltrating and voting?
IEC is the worst. They are not even independent. The commission was selected by president Jammeh.
What motivated you to become a politician?
I liked politics since I was a child. If you belief in something, you should continue doing it. That is why I am doing it. As soldiers say ‘no retreat no surrender’. No one can make me silent. Even if my throat is cut-off, I will speak before dying.
The Current regime has carved a bad name for itself of being intolerant to the opposition. Can you share with us your experience as a politician?
I have been arrested and detained at NIA over 23 times. I was tortured, very very nasty tortures, which I will never forget in my life. I was stripped naked; they tied my manhood, and electrocuted me. I have received death threats. My younger brother Rambo Jatta was arrested and detained for two years. At one point I was arrested together with 8 members of my family. Among them were minors. But I am a genuine politician. No body can silence me. I am a dead man working in the streets.
Have you been ever tried after these arrests?
We were accused of disturbing APRC militants. We were arraigned at Kanifing Magistrates’ court. The case dragged on for two years, and was thrown out because it was politically motivated.
What would be your advice on the countdown to 2010?
I am appealing to all Gambians to yearn for opposition unity. Let us come together, work together, come under one umbrella and fight the APRC. It is enough for Jammeh. Let us now say bye-bye to Jammeh. And let all Gambians register and vote.
Posted By: article on May 19, 2010 11:09AM Category: Discourse
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