Fabakary Tombong-Jatta, the interim leader of the opposition Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) has slammed the government’s White Paper, describing it as ‘lopsided and selective justice.’
“Our position is very clear. “We’re saying that the government revisit its decision in the government White Paper to ensure that justice for all is done and not lopsided and peripheral treatment of people by a government that supposed to serve all of us. So that’s what we’re saying,” Mr. Jatta said during a press conference at his Tallinding residence on Wednesday.
The Commission of Inquiry was established in 2017 by the Barrow government with a view to investigating the financial dealings of former President Yahya Jammeh, his close associates and family members. The 1600 page document was submitted to President Barrow in March 2019.
The president earlier said he was going to implement the full recommendations of the commission with due diligence. Surprisingly, the government recently released what they called White Paper and accepted the commission’s recommendation for some.
As to whether the APRC will challenge the government’s White Paper in court, F.T.J., as he is widely called added: “We do things step by step. We just don’t jump to conclusion. Notwithstanding, with the little information we have about the commission’s report, we are going to write to the government.”
“We will take a step depending on the outcome we have with the government. If the next step require going to court, then it’s fine. If the next step means we will take to the streets and protest against the government, then it’s fine for us. Whatever it takes, we are going to do it but within the law,” he told journalists.
Mr. Jatta admitted that the former ruling APRC government had weaknesses during the Jammeh tenure. However, he was quick to add that even the Barrow government has some weaknesses too, while citing Haruna Jatta’s case, Faraba Bantang case and the many death cases as examples that happened in the country.
Despite confessions of alleged ‘junglars’ having carried out killings among others in the country during the former regime, F.T.J., said all what they were saying is from a third party.
“Did they tell you that Yahya Jammeh told them to do it or through a third party?, he enquired. “In fact, some of them were saying my boss said and Yahya Jammeh said and somebody says. So, if an order is given and it’s illegal you are not to carry out illegal orders. Orders carried out must be legal and backed by laws.”
The APRC leader emphatically made it clear that the party’s is not part of the so-called three years ‘Jotna movement’ neither the five years.
“At the time this pledges were made, it was not made to us but it was made to other political parties that voted them into power. What I do know is that the three years is not a legal binding document. If President Barrow decides to go for five years, we can tell him that he is not honest and that he does not keep his promise.”
