Mr. Nyang

First, let me do some house keeping - my name is Burama and not uncle Burama. Not a big deal but next time I prefer to be reference by my name

You made good counter arguments. Hopefully Gambia will have the opportunity weigh all these views and positions and adopt one that best serve their interest

You seem to suggest that “The REMOVAL/REPLACEMENT of Yahya is the agenda or should be. My proposal is about institutionalizing democracy. For me Yahya is a problem but NOT THE PROBLEM. Because we are looking at the problem differently, naturally we will draw different conclusions. This is partly why I argued to have a discuss to adopt a name definition of the problem from where we do SWOT. You seem to think thats a worthless exercise after 20 years - but me and you have different problems. An indication there exist differences.

More importantly you failed to state clearly how do we remove Yahya. The home based opposition you mentioned couldn’t do it the last 20 years. You still carry hope they will? Am also suspicious you don’t seem to have a role for yourself in the equation - how so?

What is National Democracy Vision……….please reference my draft 'The Working Paper’. The subject of that document is the kind of fight I think worth fight

The composition of The National Face - can be all those living in Gambia or outside or a combination. The SWOT should inform us what will likely work better. Again you have to understand am coming from what I defined as the problem. If you see Yahya as the problem naturally your answer is to get rid of him. I see a deep and societal problems

Couple or 3 times in the body - you state you and I  know (meaning me & you)…….not sure how do you know I also know. I don’t think that’s a good way making a case.

My challenge to you - TELL US DO WE REMOVE YAHYA? WHAT ROLE DO YOU ENVISION FOR YOURSELF IN THAT PROPOSED PLAN?

Thanks for sharing your views

Burama


On Mar 14, 2014, at 9:34 PM, Modou Nyang <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Uncle Burama,
> It is a debt of promise on me to come back to this topic. I thank you for your patience. Just to let you know I did juggle with the thought of how to go about responding to your proposal or bullet point action items. My interest in this is how we can converge at some point and agree to what needs to be done practically to remove Yaya and build democracy in the Gambia. Finally, I decided to make it easy for myself by narrowing the discussion and concentrating on the main points raised. 
> 
> First of all, uncle Burama, you talked about the importance of a SWOT analysis to ascertain our strength and weaknesses amongst those of us who have taken a differing position to those that side with the Professor in Banjul. This analytical exercise is very important but it is my view that after two decades of plotting and planning against the professor even with little success, we are not short of knowledge of our strength, weaknesses, opportunities and as wells as the threats lurking large and ready to annihilate us once and for all. It is my belief that we already know our station in this long and strenuous battle. As a segment of the Gambian population opposed to Yaya’s ways and means of governance, we know what we are capable of and what our limitations are, and both the opportunities available to us and the dangers to those opportunities as well. 
> 
> Looking at this further, you will agree with me that the very reason behind the call for opposition party alliances is as a result of their weakness when singly contrasted against Yaya’s APRC party. This weakness of the opposition parties is manifested in multiple fields and forms. Structural weaknesses coupled with meager or non-existent financial resources are a major malady plaguing the opposition parties just as the dearth of available, experienced and willing personnel, not to mention the limited intellectual and technical knowhow vital for the effective running of such type of organization. 
> 
> Therefore, my conclusion on this aspect is that the opposition parties – the most organized groups among the plethora of anti Yaya groupings, are so weak to the extent that they find it very hard to operate effectively as they would have wished. There are no other groups within the Gambia that are close to the level of the organizational and public support base as the opposition parties. We can buttress this fact by highlighting the total absence of a single dissenting voice within the Gambia other than those we occasionally get from opposition party officials, offering differing views to that of Yaya and his cohorts. I am inclined to single out the Gambia Press Union out of that fold but even then, we all know the limitations and the dynamics that limits the GPU to its traditional and professional responsibility to journalists alone. Every other remaining group that would worth a mention is stationed outside the shores of the Gambia and away from the reach and bounds of the Professor. 
> 
> Uncle Burama, this now takes me to your phase one proposal. (Readers may refer to the document as shared here by Burama Jammeh) You are proposing the putting together of a “Comprehensive National Vision”, to my understanding, by a body or organization that will be stationed outside of the shores of the Gambia and peopled by Gambians living outside of the Gambia. And here I am forced to pause and ask this question: what sort of a National Vision could a group of people converging abroad propound on the behalf of a people? Under whose mandate and representation? I am not convinced that it is the Gambian people that would be represented in such a gathering that would give it a carte blanche to proclaim a “national vision”. This fact poses a grave difficulty and limit to the kind of organization that you are advocating for. This scenario then places us in the situation of an organization like CORDEG. And if a conference in the manner of your calling is to be held we are only going to be presented with a like body with the only possible differences to be in their composition, agenda and other less significant issues. But on the main, and this is what is most significant, such a body will only be an organization that will operate outside of the Gambia and lacking, in the significant sense of it, the legal and legitimate mantra to speaking on the behalf of the Gambian people. I know this is controversial but it is besides my main concern, yet good enough to put to check or restraint that language as captured in Phase 2 of your proposal – the setting up of a “National Face of The Struggle.”  To cut it short and lay this point to rest, let me just say that a “national Face of the struggle” can and will only be home-based if it is ever to be taken seriously and capable of delivering the desired goods. 
> 
> Now, I take it that your proposed national conference will be similar to what has already happened and has led to the creation of CORDEG. Logistics and agendas might have been different but on the main an organization would have been borne out of it just like we have in CORDEG. The direction and or agenda of the organization might also be different which is also important but based on what you’ve shared with us in the proposed plan, this body which might be CORDEG for the sake of visualization to help our discussion, would “formulate project/program proposal that will be sold to the International community for funding”. Uncle Burama, both me and you know that the “international community” are always ready and available to meet groups and even individuals who have something to say about a country especially one that is seen to be tyrannical and undemocratic. But whether overtly or covertly these meetings are just that, meetings, funds might be provided to fund travels and other logistics. But after all, such an organization and its representatives unless they find themselves on the ground if not opting to rely on the use of the force of arms to effect change, to organize and agitate for change through legitimate means, the whole exercise leads to naught. 
> 
> Essentially, uncle Burama, you must be aware that those forming governments, once they gain the mandate to lead and govern, they signify the legitimate entity in the eyes of the people including the “international community”. This fact is arguable because this supposed sovereign status, respect and recognition is sometimes flouted but understandably, we might agree even without saying it out loud, that we know the conditions that result to the disregarding or flouting of such established protocols by the very “international community”. The relation between Yaya and the EU presents a good example to cite here. Even after Yaya’s smearing of its name in Banjul, the EU would still commit to disbursing funds to Banjul (against the wishes of anti Yaya activist) after prior threats to cut such an important line of benefit to Yaya and people. This is enough lessons for us on some of the dynamics of inter-governmental relations and protocols. On the other hand and this is very important, among the plethora of anti Yaya and his government, opposition party supporters included as well as other activists, there is hardly a uniformity of vision (vision as implying ways and means to an aim).  Hence the problem of having a singularity of vision is going to present another difficulty and limit even if the body that emerged out of the proposed conference – say CORDEG, comes with its own as agreed to by those who formed it. 
> 
> Therefore, uncle Burama, as a segment of the Gambian population both home and abroad that are opposed to Yaya and his government, we hold to differing visions as to how to go about executing a plan to get rid of Yaya. There are multiple of visions and missions in this our struggle, hence, I will argue, that at this moment what is viable is for a us to converge at a point and agree to a limited plan of removing Yaya and render the field to an open and equal contest by any and all interested, and leave the formulation of a national vision to them. 
> 
> Uncle Burama, I am in agreement with you on phase3 regarding mobilization and sensitization of diaspora Gambians as well as the “international community” on the plight and condition of our national governance. Demonstrations and protestations to show our displeasure and other actions are also tangible points. 
> 
> On phases 4and 5, with the opposition parties aside, we are sure to conclude that any memoranda and or communiqué will not be welcomed in either Banjul or its representative houses abroad. Or on the other hand, our letters may be received and even acknowledged and that is it. Maybe i will have to sight examples to convince you on this. First, take our laws as an example. Our constitution can be referred to as a communiqué or vision plan submitted before Yaya and he swore to adhere to its language and conform to its vision. Take this other example, the communiqué between Yaya’s party and the opposition parties in 2006 that was brokered by Obasanjo. We all know how Yaya has disregarded those two undertakings he had appended his signature and agreed to adhere to. Therefore, there is no indication that it will be different next time even so when the protagonists are an organization based outside of the Gambia. It is important to note here that I am conscious of your concept of political “leverage” and agree that such a potent tool is required in dealing with situations and individuals in the fashion of Yaya. But I do not think that we can attain such a desirous position in the fashion you are proposing or even if it will it is only for the long haul. I will share in my conclusion what I think will put us in that position in a rather much quicker and effective way. 
> 
> Phase7 of the proposal is reliant on a conditional clause but even then like I mentioned above, we only have the opposition parties to partner with in Banjul in our struggle against Yaya and his government. And Phase9 is dependent upon the success of prior agendas hence is inconsequential. On Phase 10, I must say, is a great way to morph an organization and refocus its lenses on a lasting cause and agenda. 
> 
> Uncle Burama, in conclusion I will reiterate and expand on why I say that our best way at this moment is to limit our plans to removing Yaya and setting the field open while leaving the task of envisioning a mission to the emergent representatives that will sprung out of such open and free contest. Because, any other organization other than the home-based opposition parties that is invested in the interest of effecting change in Banjul will either have to find its way to the ground in Banjul and legally conduct its affairs to attain its aim, or else seek the route of forcibly and violently achieving it wishes. There is also another option and that is for such organizations like the one you are envisioning and similar in fashion to CORDEG, the role of facilitating, negotiating and mediating with the ground forces and that is what is what is tenable at the moment. 
> 
> “How do we bring down Yaya”, you have fervently and insistently asked uncle Burama. My answer is this. Because the opposition parties are the only viable forces on the ground that have the legitimate power to organize and agitate for change in the Gambia as I have highlighted above; that opposing organizations based abroad would have to set shop on the ground and do as the existing opposition parties are now doing or possibly a little bit more and different if they are ever to be able to bring the change they clamoring for; that these organizations are not willing or even able to use force or violent means to remove Yaya; then the only viable option is to side and strengthen the available forces – the opposition parties, by helping and facilitating their combination of resources and power to confront Yaya. Yes, uncle Burama only through the combined force of the anti Yaya camp – the opposition parties and those of us outside the Gambia, would we be able to gather the much sought after and needed political leverage that you and us all, are fervently clamoring for. You might argue that the union of opposition forces is not the means to an end in our democratization efforts and desires and you will be right about that. But equally, you may not be oblivious of the reason why even after a number of failures to arrive at an acceptable formula for such union most of us are still basing our hopes more on such a plan as our surest means to toppling the professor. One of the major reason and arguably so, could be because we are yet to attain a full or total opposition alliance. The closest we have been in that project was when we had NADD. 
> 
> Now, why do I think an all opposition alliance working in partnership with diaspora Gambians is what will present us the political leverage we so desire? To cite examples I can bring up the period of NADD. It was the political leverage of the allied forces of the opposition that brought the influence of the Commonwealth thorough former Nigerian president Obasanjo, to go to Banjul to simmer tensions between Yaya and the opposition. That was political leverage and it was lost after the split of NADD. Going by this analogy, one can tell how such a power and leverage could have been utilized to force Yaya on the table to talk on every important issue ranging from electoral reform to the decoupling of the ruling party and its use and reliance on state material and resources. Uncle Burama, this is authentic political leverage and its power could be extended to the level of rendering the country ungovernable as well as the use of the right of self-defense whenever Yaya trampled upon their rights. This is authentic political leverage I repeat, and it is the way we need to go and remove Yaya and build democracy. It is only then that the morphing of the type of your organization will pick up and make it its agenda that never again will another Yaya be bred into our public life. 
> 
> Thank you.
> Nyang
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