A retired Gambian-born United States military officer has written to the sub-regional bloc, Ecowas, to carefully look into the current political situation unfolding in the Gambia.
Sergeant Major (Rtd) Ebrima Manneh, who retired from the United States army after more than two decades of service with honor, is gravely concerned with current political events in The Gambia, including the alleged attempted coup, the arrest, and detention of opposition figure, Momodou Sabally among others burning issues.
In a letter to the Ecowas commission seen by Alkamba Times, Manneh said:
” I am a naturalized US citizen originally from Gambia. I am writing to allude to the current situation in the Gambia, the report “attempted or foiled coup.” The incident is not clear to the general public due to the current regime’s failure to be transparent and accountable to the people. While coups have been denounced throughout the world as anti-democratic and against the people’s will. The governing body of the ECOWAS must look into the determinants that, unfortunately, lead to such undemocratic actions.”
The former Top US Army officer further writes: ” ECOWAS and other international governing bodies must look into the problems and challenges with governance on the continent. The Gambia, in particular, endured 22 years of dictatorship. However, with the commitment and sacrifice of the people supported by the international community, the country significantly ended dictatorship to witness the reemergence of traits of dictatorship because of the failure to overcome the “legacies of dictatorship.”
” I request that ECOWAS pays closer attention to governance in the Gambia, including other essential missions of the body. The concept of people of the prevalence of dictatorial tendencies in government is signified by the regime recycling the enablers and active participants of the old regime, suppressing fundamental freedoms such as freedom of speech and assembly, and stifling dissent by fabricating, targeting, scapegoating, and arresting innocent citizens for pointing out the failures and breach of trust of the current regime evident in the rampant corruption, and inability to deliver to the people.”
According to Manneh, ECOWAS and other governing bodies need to intervene and address the governance problem in Africa, which is the root cause of most situations.
” Therefore, we ask for the release of Mr. Momodou Sabally, the National Campaign manager for the United Democratic Party (UDP), the party that has undeniably sacrificed to end dictatorship in the Gambia.”
