UNANSWERED QUESTIONS THAT KEEP SURFACING WILL THE GOVERNMENT MAKE ITSELF ACCOUNTABLE?

Since then many readers have been asking Foroyaa questions about the incident and these questions keep surfacing over and over again. The following are some of the questions that readers keep asking: 1. Was there any casualty on the side of Government? The official statement said nothing about this. 2. How many persons have been arrested in relation to the incident? Readers say that they have only heard rumours or read in the newspapers about arrests and detentions but do not know the extent of these arrests and detentions. 3. How many of the arrestees have been released? 4. How many of these arrestees are members of the army? Some readers say that President Jammeh has indicated that members of the armed forces of The Gambia are not involved in the armed attack and would therefore like to seek clarification on rumours of members of the armed forces being arrested. 5. Have relatives been having access to their loved ones in the army since the December 30 incident? Is it true that some relatives have received gifts from their loved ones without being able to see them since the December 30 incident? Some relatives have not heard from their loved ones since the incident? Readers want clarification. 6. Why are relatives of suspects arrested? The constitution calls for an accountable government. It says in the preamble, “This Constitution provides for us a fundamental Law, which affirms our commitment to freedom, justice, probity and accountability.” Furthermore, the constitution wants the government to derive its strength from the people and not to oppress them. It stipulates in section 1 subsection (2): “The Sovereignty of The Gambia resides in the people of The Gambia from whom all organs of government derive their authority and in whose name and for whose welfare and prosperity the powers of government are to be exercised in accordance with this Constitution.” Hence to persist in arresting people without due process of law does not make a government strong, it can only undermine its credibility. Any semblance of strength of such government can only be short-lived.]]>