My brother Pierre,
As a Pan-Africanist and Africanist, I mean to stand by every statement I
have ever made pertaining to all Africans and African countries. According
to michael Todaro (Economic Development,8th edition pg72), Nigeria in the
year 2000, had a population of 127 million which was more than the combined
populations of the other fifteen countries in west Africa put together. One
in every five Sub-Saharan Africans is a Nigerian, thus to understand the
development predicament of our continent since indepedent, Nigeria has
indeed become an interesting country for study as far as I am concerned.
The devilish contributions of dictators like Bukasa, Idi Amin and Sani
Abacha, will continually be referred to as a way of sending signals to our
current dictators that they are not invincible and indispensable. Like their
predecessors, they are bound to go down the same thorny road of history.
Once more your position on my criticism of brutal Abacha, is revealing
indeed. Perhaps more than anything, it reflects your capacity to sympathize
with dictator Yaya Jammeh, who attended Abacha's funeral and cried like a
baby. Even though I cannot celebrate the death of any person, I would very
well celebrate the end of all dictatorships including that of your friend
Yaya Jammeh.
Pierre, you know very well that from all perspectives, I am closer to Yaya
Jammeh than you and most of the people posing as his supporters on this
list server. But my soul is not and will never be out for sale. Let me
inform you that I have been brought up to believe in the truth; live by the
truth; and die defending the truth. Yaya Jammeh is my brother and
compatriot, thus when he blunders, I am duty bound to stand against him.
Pierre, You very well know my attitude towards hypocritical christians and
muslims. I am indeed surprised that you even ventured to quote the Bible in
your response to my reply to your write-up. Your being a christian does not
mean your knowledge on the Bible surpasses mine. But I can only say that I
am not the least impressed by your selective quotations from the Bible. I
still stand by my celebration of the end of all brutal dictatorships.
You have written about Nigeria's Technical Assistance Programme to the
Gambia. Well this has been around since the first Republic. We earnestly
believe that there is always need to revisit such programmes and see what
benefits our countries get from them. The Nigerian taxe payers money going
into them is not the over riding issue here, the issue is what benefits the
Gambia, as a nation, gets from them. You have even referred to Nigeria's
facility for lifting crude oil to the Gambia. This is one of the most
controversal issues in our relations, and I am surprised that you are abled
to treat it in such positive tones.
With regard our previous referrence to judges who served the
Banbangida/Abacha dictatorships as mercenaries, I wish to inform you that I
mean to stand by our statement. We deplore without reservations, wrongs done
to our Nigerian brothers and sisters by these dictators. After serving
dictatorships in Nigeria, is it not worrying that they(the judges) are in
the Gambia serving a regime which is without doubt a dictatorship?And if by
being critical of their brutal records I stand to incure the anger of some
of my Nigerian brothers and sisters, so be it. We dont compromise the truth
for anything!
I am glad that you referred to my comrade Waa Juwara's personal attitude
towards Yaya Jammeh. I have consistently expressed similar sentiments
towards dictator Jammeh in this forum. My opposition to the A(F)PRC regime
is not based on personal sentiments, instead, it is based on solid
principles. And with regard the issues between us, Yaya has always been
wrong and I have always been right. I have no doubt that if he is a person
of honour, he must be very worried about meeting me some day. We do not hate
him; but we hate the brutal system he presides over!
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: Re: BINNEH'S IDEA OF A SENEGAMBIA/Pierre/Omar
>Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2004 02:35:15 -0500
>
>Dear Omar,
>
>There was no doubt that i got pissed off by Binneh's fabrications and as
>such fell trapped by the language of crude thinkers. My statements about
>Senegal were unwarranted and undesirable. I can give no excuse for what i
>did, knowing fully well its remifications. Notwithstandingly, i wish to
>tender my sincere apology to all Senegalese people whereever they may be,
>and by extension, all Gambians who felt badly hurt by my reckless remarks.
>This is from the bottom of my heart, i mean it. I am very very sorry.
>
>Omar, bad language must not be excused. In this direction therefore, i
>appeal to you to equally withdraw your sweeping remarks against Nigerian
>Judges. Your remarks were not only felt by members of the Judiciary, but by
>the humble Nigerian Teachers, shoe doctors, medical doctors, students and
>all other Nigerians. Nigeria is undoubtedly our leading partner in
>development. They are in Education, Health, Judiciary, etc. Agim was very
>displeased when he read you attack in the Independent. Even Belgore whom
>you tried to single out would not be happy with your unkind tone. He merely
>got out of it by circumstance because you emphasise that he is still a
>mercenary. I know he does not see himself as one though. You call people
>who are offering technical assistant "mercenaries"? Oh my God. The salaries
>of most of them is paid by Nigerian Government. The Gambia govt pays their
>allowances.
>
>Moreover, Nigeria is the country that is giving us free oil. However, due
>to our corrupt leadership (first and second republic conbined), the
>ordinary Gambian did not feel the impact of this laudable gesture.
>
>Omar, you also call the death of their president timely. Very sad indeed.
>As a christain, i see his death as tragic. No matter what a person is, his
>death must be seen as a tragic loss. Infact, the Bible tells us christains
>that everyone has sinned. I know if Yaya dies today, you will again call it
>timely. I don't think your leader Waa would call it that. In fact he stated
>that he does not hate yaya. Everyone deserve some respect when they are
>called by the Almighty. We must not jubilate and call it timely.
>
>Whether lice or lies, they symbolise the same dark side of a picture. If
>you can boldly tell me not to use that, My brother, what is stopping you
>from telling Ams that "Bastard" is uncivilized and uncalled for. How we can
>always leave some people untouch and jump on others at the slightest
>chance. This is a wonderful world.
>
>Good Night
>PG
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: omar joof
>Sent: 2/3/2004 11:14:31 AM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: BINNEH'S IDEA OF A SENEGAMBIA/Pierre
>
> > 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
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >Outgoing mail is Virus Scanned byNorman Data Defense. Inbound Spam
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