(PART ONE)
We have been focusing on politics with the sole objective to document the significant political events of the past. This we hope would enable the readers to have the glimpse of the past and make our own analysis so as to enable us shape the collective destiny of our country on a proper democratic dispensation.

In the last edition, we have dealt with the letter of response from Mr. Halifa Sallah turning down the offer of a cabinet post in the new military government.
Let us continue from where we stopped.
The Press Conference called by the Chairman of the Armed Forces Ruling Council, Lt Yahya Jammeh raised many issues of fundamental importance. According to Foroyaa, it raised issues such as the status of the overthrown president if he was to return; the relation between the Gambia and Senegal under his government and the reaction of the international donor community to the coup.
Press conference, the paper said requires a balancing act. Sometimes journalists may even wish to put words into one’s mouth. Needless to say, historians rely on the answers given to such questions to examine whether promises and actions have matched. Apparently, the paper opined that Mr. Jammeh needed more tact in answering the question of the attitude of donors to his government. Defiance they said is necessary sometimes, but it must be based on a realistic foundation. It is important for him to realise that the point they have raised that there would be many conditionalities, which only tact and concrete promises of returning the country to a democratically elected government could enable him to paddle the waves of conditionalities.
Let us follow this most interesting Press Conference by the coup leaders.
Mr. Malick Jeng: (Press Officer): Chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council and Head of State, members of the Council, members of the press, we are gathered here in the Cabinet Room at State House for a press conference with the Chairman of the Armed forces Provisional Ruling Council, Lieutenant Yaya Jammeh. This is the first press conference of the Chairman and we would now like to invite His Excellency to make a statement which would be followed by questions from the press.
Lt. Jammeh: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, members of the press, fellow Gambians, in my capacity as the chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council, we invited the press, both local and international, to let the nation and the international community know the reasons why a new government is in place here in the Republic of the Gambia. Based on our assessment of the situation in the country for the past 30 years, knowing the amount of injustices, the amount of corruption that have been going on in the country, which only benefited a few members of the Gambian community at the detriment of the masses of the people of the Gambia, and knowing that this so-called democratic system that was in progress was not in favour of the masses of the people, we decided to take charge of the destiny of our dear motherland, bearing in mind that we are soldiers; we are soldiers with a difference in the sense that we are not here to set up a dictatorship; we are not here to micro-manage the civil service or the running of the country. But we are here to join hands with patriotic Gambians to rectify the situation and make sure that the country is developed in the interest of all and that being the case, we want accountability for all Gambians in whatever they do and in whichever capacity they are doing it. We have set up a government that is broadly based in order to address the situation in the country for the benefit of all. Thank you.
Mr. Malick Jeng: Following the statement by the Chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council, I would now like to invite members of the press to come forward, identify themselves and agencies they represent and put forward their questions.
Fatoumata Ceesay, Freelance/Daily Observer: Your Excellency, can you tell us whether you are going to continue the previous works that have started, for example, there was a commission of enquiry on the GCU in which the Gambian people were very interested. We would like to know what your impressions are about it; whether it will continue or not.
Lt. Jammeh: Talking of a commission of enquiry, as I said earlier on, we are here to set up a system of accountability, and setting up a commission of enquiry alone is not enough; but a commission of enquiry which is impartial, that will produce a report in time so that appropriate action will be taken. We will make sure that we set up better commissions of enquiry to account for all the assets of the nation that have been looted.
Mr. Momodou Musa Secka, Daily Observer: Your Excellency, it is indeed agreeable that you have lofty goals and noble objectives in toppling the previous government, especially where corruption is concerned, which was the headlines of many national and international newspapers. However, military governments in Africa do not have a track record of fulfilling the lofty ideals for which they seized power, instead what happens the people experience more suffering, more often far worse than before. This is because the military rule with guns, the people remain helpless victims of military and suppression. I hope this will not happen in this country and taking into consideration the unique record in which you have toppled this government, could you give us the guarantee that this will not happen in this country?
Lt. Jammeh: Well, it is wrong to judge our government by the records of previous military governments, in the sense that this is a military government with a difference. It is composed of patriotic Gambians. We are not here to enrich ourselves. We are not here to live flamboyant lifestyles, and looking at the composition of the government that should send a signal that we mean an equitable distribution of the national assets; one getting what you have sweated for and we are assuring the public that we are not here to breed on the back of somebody’s neck. We are here to accept ideas and criticisms and that our government will be open to criticisms and at anytime you are free to see us, criticize us where we are wrong and contribute where you can contribute. We are not serving ourselves. Remember, every one of us, as Gambians, must serve the interest of the Gambia. Whoever is appointed is not serving the military government but is appointed to serve the interest of the Gambian people.
Deyda Hydara, the Point: the outgoing government recently put in place an impressive and very comprehensive plan of action aimed at alleviating poverty in general and improving the lot of Gambian masses in particular. In the same vein, that same government recently conducted far-reaching negotiations with the Bretton Wood institutions. I would like to know if your administration is going to pursue the same objectives within the stipulated programmes?
Lt. Jammeh: Well, the stipulated programmes you mentioned were instituted by the overthrown government. We are coming in with our own programme that will not only be there to impress the people but that will yield results for the entire people to benefit. We are not here to fool Gambians by giving them bogus programmes that will never be implemented.
Mam Sait Ceesay, Freelance: the former government recently abolished the death penalty. What is your thinking on this issue?
Lt. Jammeh: As I said before, we are not here to kill anybody and the nature in which we took power, I think, can concretize the idea that we are not here for bloodshed. We avoid the death penalty as much as every Gambian. We are not brutes from the army coming to kill anybody. We will make sure that a judiciary system is in place and it is the duty of all Gambians to decide whether or not they want the death penalty in force or not and let nobody fear because we are not going to set any military tribunal. That is why we only suspended the constitution but the judiciary is not suspended. All due process of law will take place without the interference of the constitution.
An Unidentified Senegalese Journalist: you know, Mr. President that President Jawara is now in Senegal. He has sought refuge in Senegal and I understand you had telephone discussion with President Abdou Diouf. I would like to know what your reaction is as regards the state of President Jawara and his entourage in Senegal.
Lt. Jammeh: You may be aware or not that we had a discussion with the deposed President Jawara as to his status and we made it clear to him; we gave him the assurance that he is free to come home as a citizen, a private citizen and not interfere with our programme and he should abide by the rule, law and order and go about his business as a private citizen and we are giving the assurance to the people behind him that if they wish to come home they are free to come home. But if anybody is accused of or is suspected of wrong doing, the due process of law will take place.
Concerning his stay in Senegal, this is a government that believes in African unity and we and Senegal are the same. If he opted to stay in Senegal, as he has done, he is at home. So we have no problem with that. We have discussed at length with our brother, President of the Republic of Senegal and we have thrashed that out. We offered him our assurances, even to the American Embassy and American Government that he is free to come. We will not harass him; we will not humiliate him. If he wants us to assist him in security wise, we will do so; but he opted to go to Senegal. So, he is at home.
Senegalese Journalist (Unidentified): Mr. President, it is a fact that military regimes when they take over power promise to organise elections and hand over power to civilians. Can you give us assurance, that is, to the Africans and the Gambian people, in general, that your regime will not be the same; that it is not here to stay in power and that you will be handing over to the civilians very soon?
Lt. Jammeh: Well, to answer your question, I have to ask you a question. Let him look at the manner we took over and the composition of the government and you would know whether this is a power hungry group of military officers who have come to power, or a group of military officers with a noble goal for the interest of the nation that have come to power.
Senegalese Journalist (Unidentified): I think I will return the question to you. I would simply like to know when the democratic process will return to the Gambia and the new political parties that are going to be on the political platform.
Lt. Jammeh: Well, as regards democratic process, the fact that this is a military government does not mean that the democratic process is dead. The democratic process is still in progress. That is why the majority of posts will be occupied by civilians and as soon as an acceptable constitution is in place that is acceptable to all Gambians and that will ensure that whoever is in power is not at liberty to squander the resources of the state and go away … free, then we will hand over power to whoever is elected. I am not talking of timetable here but the process of bringing in a new constitution would start immediately.
See next edition as we surge forward into issues that follow the post coup period.