EBRIMA: It is an absolute excitement for me to see you back. WELCOME BACK! And this is the best time to welcome you: On Easter Sunday and in the Week in which every Gambian all over the World remembers April 10-11 brutal massacre of our beloved Children. To that end, Ebrima, Welcome Back to the Struggle; and very many thanks for exposing K.B. JOBE(Mr. Bye 4 now) Ansumana Kujabi >From: Ebrima Ceesay <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: Where is Ebrima Ceesay? >Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2001 17:37:58 -0000 > >Gambia-L: > > >I should like to thank all those who have written privately to me, as well >as those on the List who have been asking about my whereabouts of late. >Thank you for your concerns about my absence from Gambia-L. > >I have to reassure you that I am well, but that the pressures of my >academic >work have meant that I have been unable to follow the Gambia L for over six >weeks now. > >It would be my dear wish to follow the List on a daily basis, but the >realities of being a full time research student and needing to keep up with >my family life have made it almost impossible. > >This Easter vacation has given me some free time and the opportunity to >check my E-mails – more than 500 of them, and I am still in the process of >reading them and catching up on Gambia-related issues. > >My mind is always on the Gambian struggle, and I have to express my deep >appreciation to the indefatigable Kebba Dampha, to Hamjatta Kanteh, to Ebou >Colley, to Ansumana Kujabi, to Jabou Joh, to Lameen Barrow, to Prof. Assan >and to Saul Khan for keeping the struggle alive and kicking. I should also >like to thank Joe Sambou and Dr Saine for their contributions, direction >and >guidance. > >As for myself: well, I should like to be contributing on a regular basis >to the Gambia L, as well as passing on information from my many sources >close to the heart of the Gambia government. However, given my current >work >commitments and tight academic schedule, this is not yet feasible. Those >who are engaged in full time, post-graduate research will confirm the >pressures !! > >As for my sources, I am happy to say that they are all fine, and that they >understand that I have had time constraints recently. We have spoken >together and have now decided that because this is such a crucial period in >the history of The Gambia, I shall resume forwarding their messages to the >List, not on a daily basis as in the past, but at least regularly once each >week (unless dramatic events unfold at home). > >Apart from my sources, there are also many concerned Gambians and friends >of >The Gambia who have, in the past, sent me invaluable information and news >on the regime at home. My doors are always open to these people, and they >are always welcome to send messages for me to forward to the Gambia L. > >Could I ask these people to copy messages both to my Hotmail Account and to >my e-mail address at school ( [log in to unmask]) so that I do not overlook >them. > >Now that elections in The Gambia are fast approaching, we need to be >focusing on the pragmatics of change in our country. We need to be looking >at how we can work to unseat Jammeh from the presidency, and what practical >steps need to be taken to ensure our success. > >To this end, I have decided to work directly with The Gambia’s Development >Partners, with Political Parties directly on the ground, and with other >concerned Gambian groups in the Diaspora in order to expedite the necessary >changes in our dear country. > >All our debates (no matter how important it is to engage in discussion and >debate) have now got to be followed through with direct action. > >I spoke recently with a member of one of the Opposition parties in The >Gambia, and he says that although the idea of a United Opposition (or >Coalition) has been talked about, so far the practicalities of making it >happen have not arisen. The modalities have not been thrashed out. It >seems >to me to be acutely critical to start work on these at the first >opportunity. > >In Senegal, the Opposition alliance that was formed in the second round of >the elections, proved initially successful, but in recent weeks, Prime >Minister Niasse has been dismissed by President Wade and the alliance is >under some strain. > >Similarly, in Ghana, the Opposition alliance again formed in the second >electoral rounds, proved successful. However, there are already some >accusations that the new Ghanaian government is pro-Ashanti, or pro-Akan, >and cracks in the alliance are becoming discernible. I do have to say >however, that Elizabeth Ohene, the former Deputy Editor in Chief of the >BBC’s Focus on Africa programme, who is now the Minister for Media >Relations >in Ghana, is neither Ashanti nor Fanti, but from the Ebe tribe. > >The idea of a United Opposition in The Gambia is an excellent one, but it >does have to be well thought through, well documented and agreed. It is >crucial that those of us calling for Coalition in order to unseat Jammeh >and >the APRC, should spend time thinking and planning for the HOWs of making a >workable and strong alliance. We need to be able to quell the fears of >those who are suspicious of alliance in order to persuade them to join one >wholeheartedly. > >I feel it to be my bounden duty as a concerned Gambian, to contribute as >fully as possible to the struggle for democracy in The Gambia. Therefore, >over the next bit of time, I shall be working on a document – a manifesto – >a blue print for a United Opposition, which will spell out the modalities, >both pre AND post election. > >My aim will be to have a draft document prepared by the end of this month, >which I shall submit to Opposition Parties in The Gambia, as well as to the >Gambia L. I shall welcome constructive comments and suggestions before >submitting a final version. > >I am absolutely convinced that we have to initiate alliance in the very >near >future, if we are to have success in our aim of overthrowing Jammeh and his >regime through the ballot boxes. > >Reading through postings on the Gambia-L, as well as private mails, I have >been amazed at some of the messages I have read, which raise doubts about >the reasons for my recent silence on the Gambia-List. I have to assure all >those who have written to me, or contacted me by telephone, thinking that I >had been scared off the List by pro-Jammeh elements, that nothing could be >further from the truth !! > >Those who know me well, will know that this would NEVER be the case. > > >I am sending my best greetings to all my friends and colleagues on >Gambia-L. > > >Ebrima Ceesay >Birmingham, UK > > >PS: Brother George Sarr: > >In going through my e-mails, I read that you had been hospitalised some >time >ago. I send you belated get well greetings, and am pleased to know that >you >are making a good recovery. I hope to see you in person in your neck of >the >woods before the end of the year ! > > >Brother Buharry: > >I send you my belated and heart-felt condolences on the sudden death of >Anna >Secka in London, UK. Please convey my sympathies to her husband Adama >Crooks and son, small Yusupha. > >_________________________________________________________________________ >Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L >Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >You may also send subscription requests to >[log in to unmask] >if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your >full name and e-mail address. >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask] if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------