Dear Mr Editor

Gambians must know one thing; what we fear of Yahya Jammeh is what he fears of us! We fear if we go out he will send his soldiers to kill us. But there is another truth; Jammeh fears us going out in the first place. For Jammeh can only rule a peaceful Gambia. If it is chaotic; he has no chance. So those who call for peace only wants to prolong Jammeh's tyranny. Jammeh will kill but only a few Gambians; and the few he kills will die for the liberty of many. So, I say lets go out and effect People’s Revolution in the Gambia. As our merciful lord had decreed upon our beloved prophet, Mohammed (PBUH): "fight till oppression is no more".

There is no doubt that the APRC leadership and their fellowship will be keen to stress the need for all to accept the election results of 24 November 2011. They said it is imperative that we should maintain peace & security in the Gambia, as Jammeh would threaten: “I will never compromise peace and security of the Gambia”. For that reason, they said we should accept the results as they are and move on forward; the typical Gambian way of resolving issues of this nature. Otherwise, they would threaten the military will kill us. Some will go as far as reminding us of what happened in the student demonstrations of 2000. They will brag that nothing had happened after that carnage and nothing will happen if repeated this year from the International community.

Speaking from my heart, I say the year 2011 belongs to a different epoch from the year 2000, with regards to international communities’ reactions to state violation of its citizens basic human rights. We have seen it in Ivory Coast, Libya, Egypt, etc. Gambia is not and cannot be an exception in this year of all.

It is the international convention that the Gambian people have a right to be able to elect their leader in a free and fair election, without fear of intimidation or fraud. If they are denied of that right; it is also the international convention that they have a right to be able to go out and express their views in the public arena without fear of intimidation or persecution. If they are denied of these rights, then it is the duty of the international community to protect the Gambian citizens.

Besides, what is not told to the Gambian citizens is the level of international support they are having from the international community against the Jammeh regime. A year ago, in 2010, Amnesty International, the world’s most acclaimed international organisation for monitoring and campaigning against human rights violations worldwide, reported the Gambia as a country where only fear rules. Since then Amnesty has been campaigning the rights of the Gambian people’s cause internationally. And on Every 22 July celebrations by Yahya Jammeh's government,  Amnesty International has organised demonstrations at Gambian embassies worldwide to express the plight of the Gambian people. Amnesty will no doubt join Gambians any day and time to oppose the oppression of the Jammeh regime. It is further worth noting that there is no president or government in the west, who is not aware of the Amnesty International and their influence.

The Gambia’s election of 24 November 2011, has been declared unfair by ECOWAS well before the Gambians cast their votes. Even the AU seems to be saying the same thing but differently. The main opposition block has now called the same election bogus and fraudulent. What is left is for Gambians to exercise their next fundamental human rights and express their revolts in the public arena against this fraudulent election. If they are denied of that fundamental right, then the international community will be obliged to step in and protect the Gambian people.

Surely, Gambia deserves better and ‘enough is enough’! Those who think individually and selfishly will encourage us to just accept the election results and move on. These people are concerned about their own self interest of living in peace in the Gambia. They are not concerned about the lack of peace and security to those who will become victims of Jammeh and his violent security forces in the next five years. Many will be singled out by Jammeh in the coming months and years for their association with the opposition. The lucky ones will be fired from their employment, the unlucky ones will be arbitrary arrested, detained and tortured or killed.

What Gambians must be advised is that Jammeh is not an empty head. He is well aware of the fact that killing demonstrators is not acceptable in the international community. He is aware of the international outcry against Dadis Camara; Laurent Mbagbo; etc. He is also aware of what happened to Colonel Khaddafi. However, Jammeh is aware that to capture citizens and individually file bogus charges against them in order to justify their torture or killing do not attract much adverse international reactions.

For this reason, Gambians must be advised that, those who believe that if they do not take part in any demonstrations against this election results will secure their peace and security in the Gambia in the next 5 years; they are assuring themselves at peril. The security and peace of every Gambian rests at the mercy of Yahya Jammeh. If anyone is unlucky to be reported to him as being an opposition supporter, they risked losing their job, getting arbitrary arrested, detained and even killed. The modus operandi of Jammeh's regime has always been consistent. The status quo demands every Gambian to consider the peace and security of their fellow citizens. The fight against Jammeh is in every Gambian’s interest and business.

Baba Jobe would not have died today if we had acted as one against Jammeh in 2006. Sergeant Illo Jallow would not have died if we had acted as one in 2006. Lang Tombong and co would not have been imprisoned if we had acted as one in 2006. Today has ushered in another opportunity to effect change to the status quo; a change we can call ‘The People’s Revolutions’. Just like the Libyan, the Egyptians, Tunisians, etc. We might be different in race and ethnicity to them, but joined by cause and necessity; the need for human dignity and freedom from one man’s dynasty.

There can be no better time for our people’s revolution than now; now that we have the world in agreement that we were robbed of our right of choice by our internationally acclaimed tyrant. We should fear nor death as a cause to accept oppression. Our merciful Lord stated in the Holy Quran “oppression is worst than death”………

The least we can all to do is to speak out in condemnation of this Jammeh regime. Silence will only legitimise their stolen mandate from our people!