My brother Pierre,
For goodness stop writing "lice"! Knowing what those terrible parasites are,
I get the shivers whenever you write their name instead of "lies".
I think I am beginning to understand where you are coming from with all this
venom. I suspect you are really prejudiced against Senegalese, and if you
are, that takes the sting out of your arguements. But please be informed
that your month's stay in Senegal does not qualify you to make sweeping
generalisations about that country and people. We have always criticized
Europeans for vacationing in Africa and pretending to be experts on the
whole continent. You should not allow yourself to fall into the same trap.
Pierre, it is indeed not my business to defend Senegalese attitudes here,
but when it comes to the Gambia and Senegal, you have consistently been so
belicose, that You need to be shown some of the fallacies in your
assertions.
Firstly, I have already stated that you may have stayed in Dakar Yoff for a
month, but that does not qualify you to be an expert on Senegalese attitudes
towards Gambians in particular. You may have met individuals who are
themselves misfits in Senegalese society and are therefore not
representative of mainstream Senegalese attitudes. You are wrong just as a
Senegalese who meets a Gambiam muslim youth at a bar in downtown Serrekunda,
and concludes that all Gambian muslim youths drink alcohol.
Secondly, you have always been very loud in citing the bad turns in the
history of Senegal's relations with some of her neighbours. For instance
Mauritania and Guinea Bissau. Let me inform you that you are talking about
from 1958 to 2004. I am taking you back to the history of the shortlived
Federation of The Soudan. If you should brouse over the relevant history of
this period, you will realise that the unfortunate incidents that you wish
us to accept as evidence of bad neighbourliness on the side of Senegal, are
too few and far between to give credibility to your position.
Thirdly, you still use the unfortunate incident at last year's  football
match to direct attacks at the Senegalese. I wish to respectfully remind you
that the GFA has written to the relevant CAF authority, and we are all
anxiously awaiting that authority's findings and follow-up action. The
incident between Senegalese and Gambian football fans cannot be used to draw
conclusions about the whole history of relations between the two countries.
We are peoples who share a lot. It should therefore be unfortunate, if we
allow an insult to our common history and identity, like the criminal Berlin
Conference of 1884/5, to forever determind the destiny of our relations.
Fourthly, you have always insisted that Senegalese must respect Gambians.
This may emanate from some complex you have evolved along the way towards
Senegalese. I am sure those  who have interacted with them more intimately
and at higher levels than you and I, do not share your very negative
perception. I have lived amongst them longer than you, and I cant remember
ever having been treated with disrespect. If anything, they were very caring
and loving towards me. .
Pierre, those of us who opposed the SeneGambia confederation signed between
Presidents Sir Dawada Jawara and Abdou Diouf, did so because of the rather
opportunistic circumstances that led to it, and not because we hate Senegal
and Senegalese. Knowing your prowess as a student of history, I am sadden by
your pessimistic view on the future of SeneGambia. Your rethorics seems to
be virtually void of any sense of a "Greater Africa", and you imply nothing
other than parochial and fragmented nationalism. Our history and geography
renders us a common destiny with Senegal, thus suffice it to say that it
would be more productive, if we indulge in critical reappraisals of our
relations, rather than allowing our thoughts to be wrap by venomous
sentimentalities.
Omar Joof.


>From: Pierre Gomez <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: BINNEH'S IDEA OF A SENEGAMBIA
>Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2004 01:41:20 -0500
>
>Whether you know it today or not, Gambians have opposed A Senegambia under
>colonialism, under Jawara and today, we remained opposed to it. We do not
>care about what those who married in Senegal (such as Binneh) think.
>Personally, i have families in Grand Yoff in Dakar. I spend about a month
>there in 1992. I was there in 1993 and 1998. But this makes no difference
>about my feelings. These arrogant neighbours can only get along with liars
>like Binneh. Senegal does not get along with Mauraitania and Guinea Bissau.
>They have never got along  with gambia and this could be seen when they
>colsed the border since Jawara's regime. I hope they will get along with
>liars like Binneh and his master Ams Jallow.
>
>We do not need to go far to explain our rocky reletions with arrogant
>Senegal. In the recent football match, Senegal as usual paraded the streets
>of Banjul like the lions they called themselves. While Gambians cheered
>them with respect, they interpreted this our generous cheers as a show of
>cowardice. Para-military gave them all the protection they needed to stay
>in banjul. When the Gambians went for the return leg in Senegal, it was a
>different thing. My brother who was in the GPTC bus convoy claimed that
>they were intimidated on several places as they made the long ride to
>Dakar. In Senegal, their intimidators became bolder and bolder. In side the
>stadium, they began receiving rocks and cans from all directions as they
>returened the same stones, the security forces began beating them up. See
>how Binneh's people are behaving.
>
>Well, Gambians don't take that much. My brother claimed that when they got
>to the custom post at the border, they descended and headed towards the
>senegalese office. All officers on duty fled leaving the boys to teach
>these arrogant brothers some lessen for the wolves. Computers werte all
>smashed and valuable items taken away before the place was set on fire.
>Binneh, you may not have heard this. In Gambian today, Gambians can talk
>all they want and no senegalese can intercept. even the nations cup matches
>are so low keyed that one gets the feeling that there are no Senegalses in
>the country.
>
>Binneh, you can go back to Dakar and live there, but no Gambain will want
>to see a ball head coughing in Dakar, and spitting on our heads in Banjul.
>Impossible.
>Good neighbours must respect each other. Binneh, Senegal is using you to
>fabricate lice just like they used Lt. Jammeh, Lt Jarju and Lt. Bah to come
>and attack Kartong. Tune up boy. I know for certain, that you will soon
>disappear into the thin air like Ebou Colley.
>
>Liars live for 1000 days but Truth remains for ever.
>
>PG
>
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