----- Forwarded Message -----
From: "Joe Sambou" <[log in to unmask]>
To: "Gambia Post" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, June 5, 2009 10:34:11 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: RE: [>-<] Call in Information: Phone Conference (Saturday June 6th @1pm EST) Regarding The Upcoming Summit
Banka, thanks for your efforts.
Joe
Date: Thu, 4 Jun 2009 18:09:04 -0700
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [>-<] Call in Information: Phone Conference (Saturday June 6th @1pm EST) Regarding The Upcoming Summit
To: [log in to unmask]
Phone Conference Date: Saturday, June 6th
Time: 1PM Est. Time
Number: 712-432-1100 Code: 447690
Expected Duration of Meeting: 1hr30mins.
Questions? Please call: 678-457-8777, 404-824-0219, 502-319-3767 Or send Email To: [log in to unmask]
As you may recall on May 12 th , a letter regarding the upcoming summit, scheduled during the July 4 th weekend gathering in Atlanta , was sent out to specific individuals as well as pertinent organizations. The individuals that were targeted include dedicated participants in various facets of past and present Gambian politics and the consistently vocal members of the online forums who have been diligent in keeping up with current events in the Gambia and are well versed in Gambian politics. It was with great anticipation and excitement that STGDP sent an invitation to everyone hoping for numerous responses to our “Call for Action” to participate in the summit, titled: “Building a Cohesive Voice to Effect Positive Change in The Gambia .” We anticipated that given the alarming state of Gambian affairs and the constant discussions on the online fora, such a consensus building effort for the diverse voices/ideas of the Diaspora will be well received. Unfortunately, the response was very low. There has been a constant, un-yielding debate witnessed online from many fronts, indicating the need for such a unified Diasporan force to provide a concerted effort aimed at changing the current failed governance system in our beloved country.
We are sending a second “Call for Action” to all of you asking that you re-evaluate the significance of this opportunity to ensure that your opinions/ideas are included in the strategic plan for a unified solution. We call you to once again put words into action and take the next crucial step of participating in the upcoming summit by making the choice today to join us in Atlanta. We kindly ask the readership to communicate your decision to participate by this coming Thursday, June 4th via the email address supplied or by merely stating your commitment on this public forum . We hope that your exemplary effort of coming forward will ignite others to do the same. The success of our collaborative efforts depends on all of us choosing to be present at such events and meaningfully participating in the strategic planning process .
STGDP members want to ensure an effective facilitation of the meeting that will allow the best possible experience and enough time to address the important issues or concerns folks may have. Thus, to accommodate those who have additional questions or wish to share their ideas or concerns about this event in advance, we invite you to join STGDP on a phone conference regarding the summit on Saturday, June 6 th @ 1 pm (EST), (The call-in number will be published on this online forum on the evening of Thursday, June 4 th ).
We thank you for your un-wavering commitment to the fight for a better Gambia; and hope that at such a critical juncture in our nation’s history, you will once again demonstrate your dedication. We look forward to seeing you at the summit.
Sincerely,
STGDP
Dear All,
STGDP, in the spirit of togetherness, would like to invite all groups, political parties, independents, civic groups and interested individuals to a summit to be held in Atlanta , Georgia , during the 2009 July Fourth celebrations. The theme of the summit: Building a Cohesive Voice to Effect Positive Change in The Gambia . We welcome individuals and groups who would like to participate on this panel and present their ideas on how to achieve a political solution to the Gambian problem by 2011. All interested parties should send their requests to [log in to unmask] or call 404-824-0219 / 678-457-8777 .
The request should include the name of the individual or group, contact phone number, a brief (one paragraph) summary of the idea(s) you will be presenting, include viable solutions on how to accomplish them by 2011. In addition, we welcome suggestions, support and involvement in the planning of such an event from all groups irrespective of your politics or partisanship as long as you are hungry for change in our country. If you do not desire to submit in written form but have ideas you would like to share, please do not hesitate to call any of the numbers above. The ultimate goal of the summit is to discuss different proposals and together develop a consensus plan that we can use to help bring a political solution and an end to tyranny in our country.
Fellow Gambians, our country is left under the mercy of a dictator who is drunk with power, and has little respect for human rights or life itself and be rest assured that the worst is yet to come.
Unfortunately, there are no civic groups, or effective opposition parties to challenge the inhumanity our people are subjected to, not to mention press freedom to raise the civil rights abuses of the people.
Under such a dire situation in our country, the voice of the Diaspora is indeed a relevant constituency that should play a major role in bringing sanity to the Gambia and give an effective voice to the voiceless. Our role in this struggle is crucial and demands the committed participation of all of us. We cannot afford to be divided if we expect to have any chance of bringing an end to an entrenched dictator. The building of an effective voice in the Diaspora starts with DIALOGUE, finding common ground, disagreeing without becoming disagreeable, and ultimately agreeing to a solid plan which represents our cohesive voice which can be leveraged to bring about positive change.
Let’s restore the dignity, pride and cheerfulness that earned Gambia the title: The Smiling Coast Of Africa .
STGDP
Summit Organizing Committee
PS: Time and venue details coming soon
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