{"id":444177,"date":"2011-06-20T08:13:07","date_gmt":"2011-06-20T08:13:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/06\/20\/where-the-envoys-caught-in-tambacounda-kukois-men-no-politics-of-destabilization\/"},"modified":"2011-06-20T08:13:07","modified_gmt":"2011-06-20T08:13:07","slug":"where-the-envoys-caught-in-tambacounda-kukois-men-no-politics-of-destabilization","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/06\/20\/where-the-envoys-caught-in-tambacounda-kukois-men-no-politics-of-destabilization\/","title":{"rendered":"Where the Envoys Caught in Tambacounda Kukoi’s Men? No Politics of Destabilization!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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FOROYAA Newspaper<\/a> (Serrekunda)<\/p>\n

Suwaibou Touray<\/p>\n

17 June 2011<\/p>\n

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We have been focusing on politics in this column with the objective to document the contemporary history of the Gambia and to help our readers appraise themselves with the happenings of the past. We are now covering issues that culminated during the coup period of 1994. This we hope will go a long way in helping us have a better understanding of the evolution of politics in the Gambia as well as help forge a future genuine democratic dispensation for our homeland.<\/p>\n

In our last edition we brought forth the remarks made by former president Jawara who campaigned against the 1996 Draft Constitution as well as Foroyaa’s response on the comments.<\/p>\n

In this edition, we shall focus on the Kukoi rumour that he was about to distabilise the Gambia and Foroyaa’s investigation in Senegal.<\/p>\n

Let us continue from where we stopped.<\/p>\n

By June 12, 1996, while the Gambians were anxious for a smooth implementation of the transition programme to civilian democratic rule, rumours were rife in town that two envoys of Kukoi were arrested at Tamba Kunda in Senegal. The rumour was so intense that Foroyaa decided to conduct investigations in Senegal and elsewhere to check into the authenticity of a release by Agence de presse Senegalese which release had been covered by Senegalese papers like Wal Fadjri and Sud Quotidien.<\/p>\n

According to Foroyaa, it was indicated that the week prior to 12 June, 1996, rumours, which had not been officially confirmed, held that two envoys of Kukoi allegedly coming from Liberia with a mission to purchase arms from Tambacounda, were arrested.<\/p>\n

According to the release, the two envoys were set up; that an informer exposed them. The Paper said it was also alleged that a plan was said to have been set up by the security forces who pretended to be arms dealers; that the two alleged envoys were later arrested as they tried to purchase arms.<\/p>\n

The release still alleged that upon questioning, the two alleged envoys indicated that there were two personalities in Tambacounda who were trying to forge a link between Kukoi and Yahya Jammeh; that their instruction was that if Chairman Jammeh refused to accept the link they should use the weapons to attack his forces.<\/p>\n

The release further went on to add that another group of strange characters was arrested in Misera, Senegal; that their arrest allegedly indicated the presence of envoys of Kukoi.<\/p>\n

The question that then arose was, how should all this information be seen?<\/p>\n

First and foremost, the paper said the papers never published the names and pictures of the alleged envoys of Kukoi; that this means that they were far away from first hand information. It opined that they were relying mainly on hearsay evidence; that no respectable paper would rely on such evidence to confirm the truth of a story.<\/p>\n

FOROYAA asserted that it was not giving much weight to the release. However, it said it would utilise the information as a basis for further investigation.<\/p>\n

The paper advised that what should be borne in mind by the Gambian people was that we lived in the era of information explosion. Information, it said is being utilized for all purposes. The Gambian nation, the paper said was in a critical state and what we needed then was a smooth implementation of the transition programme.<\/p>\n

The paper informed that it has written over and over that no group of Gambians had the monopoly over the instruments of violence; that there were many trained and armed Gambians in many parts of the world; that even some of Charles Taylor’s bodyguards were Gambians; that if we transformed The Gambia into a war theatre we would end up with so many fighting factions that this nation of 1,038,145 inhabitants would disintegrate and many would pack their clothes and leave for unknown destinations.<\/p>\n

“It is fortunate that the country has remained stable up to this period. This is no time for despair. This is no time for the politics of destabilization. This is no time to sow seeds of uncertainty in the Gambian people. This is the time for each Gambian to ask himself or herself the question:<\/p>\n

Am I part of the problem or part of the solution?” asked the paper.<\/p>\n

Foroyaa further charged that those who are part of the problem are the unworthy sons and daughters of the country. It said those who were part of the solution were the worthy sons and daughters of the country.<\/p>\n

The paper insisted that the Kukoi rumour was yet to have foundation and urged readers to take it as a rumour and let us prepare ourselves to shape a Second Republic which could be the pride of Africa. It said this is the noble mission history has bestowed on the Gambian people and let us not throw away this great opportunity.<\/p>\n

Break Through In The Kukoi Story<\/p>\n

However, during the people tour by Chairman Jammeh at Salikene, a high level Senegalese delegation did met Chairman Jammeh at Salikene.<\/p>\n

This has intensified the rumour, making many people to wonder what they went to do there.<\/p>\n

Hence, it was further speculated that Kukoi was about to launch an attack, but was caught in Senegal and that the envoys had come to talk to Jammeh about the developments.<\/p>\n

Foroyaa posited that any alert of security threat must be accompanied by security measures to respond to the threat. It added that the fact of the matter was that after the Senegalese left, Chairman Jammeh did not return to Banjul; that he continued with his tour. The paper argued that there was no troop reinforcement. Hence, it said from their own perception, nothing was said that could have led to security threat at least even if it was said, it was not believed.<\/p>\n

ON THE RUMOUR ABOUT KUKOI’S ENVOYS<\/p>\n

Foroyaa informed that their investigation revealed that when Agence de presse Senegalaise published the rumour, a certain man by the name of Famara did contact them to deny the story, claiming that he was in a position to know the truth.<\/p>\n

Hence, it argued that even though they had confirmed from first hand information that arrests were made at Tambacounda, there was evidence indicating that such men were not Kukoi’s envoys. The paper said the comments which were said to have been made by one Famara indicated that there was no desire on the part of Kukoi to attack Jammeh’s Government; that the rumour in the Senegalese press was conceived by the said Famara as something that could create problems for Kukoi’s supporters in The Gambia; that he wanted a press release issued on his behalf to clarify issues.<\/p>\n

THE LESSON<\/p>\n

FOROYAA wrote that it could safely assert that the people arrested in the Tambacounda incident were not Kukoi’s envoys; that Kukoi or his envoys were not arrested in Senegal for making attempt to destabilize the Jammeh Government; that there was an envoy of Kukoi by the name of Famara who could not be under arrest since he could even call on a press agency in Senegal to request for clarification of position.<\/p>\n

SPECULATION<\/p>\n

The paper however opined that it was still not inconceivable that Kukoi had made appearances in Senegal. However, it argued that this could only be possible without being arrested if the good offices of the Senegalese Government were being sought to enable him to come back to live in The Gambia. It asserted that this was mere speculation.<\/p>\n

“It is the Senegalese and Gambian Governments who could explain why a delegation was sent by the Senegalese Government to meet Jammeh in Salikene”, insisted Foroyaa.<\/p>\n

The Paper promised to contact the Ministry of External Affairs and the Senegalese High Commission for further clarification and expressed hope that journalists in Senegal would take the same posture so as to clarify issues; that they preferred to first publish what they know for the authorities to read before contacting them for further clarification.<\/p>\n

See next edition as we follow the transition process from military to civilian rule in 1996.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

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Continued here:
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