Demba, I concur Gambia needs both leadership and citizen revolution but we equally lack both.
From: [log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: RE: [G_L] In sympathy with PDOIS and FOROYAA’s approach in things Gambian
Date: Sun, 1 Dec 2013 21:02:37 -0500
Mboge,
I can equally remember welcoming and hailing PDOIS' emergency in Gambia's political system from it's inception. Though I have never been affiliated with PDOIS or any political party but I remember faithfully reading foroyaa and looking forward to the next publication. They have been a refreshment in the Gambian political message and system.
You have highlighted many points in this article that has been loosely discussed by many but should be the main theme of conversation among the Gambian loving Diaspora's. Your last paragraph summed it all up. Like you, I also believed that meaningful change in the Gambia will undisputedly take place within the borders of the Gambia by the oppressed Gambians who is fed up and come to the conclusion that enough is enough and they don't want to endure anymore oppression.
Thanks for a great and enlightening read.
Khaleel
Date: Sun, 1 Dec 2013 23:41:36 +0000
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [G_L] In sympathy with PDOIS and FOROYAA’s approach in things Gambian
To: [log in to unmask]
In sympathy with PDOIS and FOROYAA’s
approach in things Gambian
By Momodou Olly Mboge, Norway
Where
can I start? Well, I acknowledged PDOIS
as the kind of political organisation I would have joined if I were to commit
myself to any political party structure at the very moment it appeared on the
Gambian political terrain. I have been
attracted to the 'discourse' pioneered by PDOIS's Sam Sarr and Halifa Sallah
the first time I was given a publication by a Koto who was an early member of
the party. The publication dealt with
the now defunct 'Senegambia Confederation'.
This was in 1985 during or after the Zone 2 football tournament. Prior, I was lucky enough to have been among
the Maths (I was among the dullest)students taught by Sam Sarr at GHS who was
always busy in trying to augment the welfare of the underprivileged students
whilst making sure every student regardless of status equally got the best
education they deserved. I was as well a keen follower of Halifa
Sallah's radio programmes with broadcaster Alhaji Assan Njie of the then Radio
Gambia. The programme was very
popular. The kind of rapport between
Alaji Assan Njie and Halifa mesmerized all listeners whilst at the same time
educating us about our society's sociology.
When Sedia Jatta published his resignation letter and join the PDOIS
party, I thought 'woow' now Gambia has a real political alternative to Jawara's
PPP. Sedia’s letter was a masterpiece. I became an avid reader of Foroyaa, which I
use to get from my Koto, and when I was able to afford one, I would of course
purchase a copy from vendors. I use to
buy the paper from MR Jones who use to stand by the Education Department near
McCarthy Square in Banjul. I was very
disappointed when I heard Jones 'jumped' ship and joined the APRC. Now he is history.
Anyway, PDOIS at the time became the party all the
youth wanted listen to. The Jawara
regime did all it could to destroy the party. The PPP supporters of SereKunda
East ferociously attacked Halifa Sallah where
he stood against their candidate. They
did it in the nastiest and most derogatory manner one can imagine. In addition, I remember that captivating
moment when Sam Sarr challenged President Jawara on Radio Gambia and if I am
not mistaken it was something about the Senegambia Confederation. All those who were listening to Radio Gambia
knew Jawara was not happy with Sam Sarr’s line of questioning. Following this
confrontation with the then president Foroyaa was excluded from all news
conferences that were held at the State House.
During
the 1987 elections, PDOIS was able to present only five candidates. At
LatriKunda German, Adama Bah the Hotelier was the candidate if I remember
well. I voted for the PDOIS for
parliament and NCP for the Presidency since the PDOIS had no presidential
candidate. Some of us who had voting
cards were illegally (21 years was the legal age to vote) registered by the ruling
regime's members in the hope of getting our votes. THE
PARTY'S PROGRAMME AND its PRACTICAL DEVELOPMENTAL INITIATIVES WERE the main attractions to me. It is, as it was unusual
for a political party in the Gambia to have a newspaper to spread its message and
to open schools to educate the poor as well as virtually running a social
clinic where people come for help. It is also
through reading PDOIS writings I started to understand the functions of state
institutions and what the purpose of a nation state’s constitution was. I was
as I am still attracted to PDOIS because they use dialogue and conversation to
communicate their position.
They have
stated since their inception that they will only be part of a government that is
in the real sense the choice of the people.
It is only through peaceful democratic changes that PDOIS will ever be
in power. THUS AS FAR AS I AM CONCERN
PDOIS HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR WITH THEIR POSITION AND I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY
PEOPLE EXPECT PDOIS TO DO THEIR BIDDING. I MUST ADD THAT ACTIONS SUCH AS THAT OF DUGA MUST
NOT BE CONDEMNED BY PDOIS or anyone else. I UNDERSTAND,
IT WAS BECAUSE OF MANY YEARS of a RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A DUGA MEMBER AND THE
PDOIS FOLK THAT PROMPTED an opinion from the senior member of PDOIS. I still think the criticism could have been
made differently.
In
countries where people take to the streets and confront a government, that is
abusing its power such as was the case of WADE’s Senegal or the so-called 'Arab
Spring’ countries, political parties never lead in the way, they always pursue
the political solution. For example in Senegal,
the youths said enough is enough and took the initiative to take on the Wade
government head-on. Some set fire to
themselves in the streets and died whilst many fought running battles with the
police and other security structures for change to happen. Human Rights
organisations were vocal in condemning the excesses of the regime and some
rights activists such as Alioune Tine were beaten seriously but stayed on to
finish the fight.
Youths
and other groups in the SENEGALESE
DIASPORA WORKED WITH GROUPS OF THEIR CHOICE TO EFFECT CHANGE. SOME in the DIASPORA WHO WERE COMMITTED AND
WERE READY TO BE MAIMED, IMPRISONED OR DIE FOR THEIR COUNTRY WENT BACK HOME AND
JOINED THE FRONTLINE IN the FIGHT FOR WADE to go. They
did not spend their time condemning politicians and others for not doing what
they would not do. ORDINARY PEOPLE TOOK THE LEAD AND THE POLITICIANS HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO
GIVE THEM SUPPORT. A political
solution came into being when the whole Senegalese nation including religious
leaders and other stakeholders realize that the country was going down if WADE
DIDN'T GO. The opposition joined forces during the second round of voting in
April 2012 and the rest is history. It
is the ordinary PEOPLE WHO WOULD
SPONTANEOUSLY PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE WHEN THE CRITICAL MOMENT COMES and
POLITICIANS will not PROMPT them.
I have been hearing people talking about the
South Africa experience in comparison with Gambia. The comparison is wrong in my view. The ANC and some of the major groups in SA in
the late eighties and nineties were less confrontational. Actually, one can safely say that it was the
youths following the 1976 SOWETO
UPRISING and influenced by BIKO's militant BLACK CONSCIOUSNESS message that made South Africa ungovernable in
the eighties onwards. A political solution eventually had be found. One must understand the ANC philosophy, which
obtained during the time it took power in 1994 was non-confrontational and it
is this that justified its elite to shamefully attempt to makeWinnie MANDELA
the villain because she was with the youth.
Anyway, I have digressed. Like
any of us, the PDOIS people are human beings and sometimes they make mistakes
in communicating their message. The PDOIS party must be persistently challenged
and be able to endure such in good faith.
I have no doubt they are up to the task.
That
said the PDOIS critics must criticise in good faith. Given the recent flood of insults in the name
of criticism one is inclined to believe this would not be the case. I wonder how in the name of disagreeing with
a party’s position, one will outlandishly call its members and leaders
names. I am still trying to understand
why the persistent lies and innuendoes.
Furthermore, I am still unable to comprehend the wretched excuses put
forward when the critics’ accusations and insinuations are given attention by the
slandered. IT IS EVEN RATHER MORE SHAMEFUL TO SEE disgraced HUSTLERS AND FORMER
ENABLERS WHO HELPED JAMMEH CONSOLIDATE HIS GRIP BEING APPLAUDED for their
pretentious heroism and the trashy CARICATURING
of opposition leaders on the ground.
If
the critics OF THE OPPOSITION PARTIES LIVING
IN THE DIASPORA who themselves were abused by the regime in The Gambia are honest
given the soundings of their rhetoric, why are they not on the ground leading
by example. Are these so-called very angry Gambia loving self-stroking heroes
and heroines ready to walk the walk and go to the Gambia where it really
matters to be maimed, imprisoned and murdered in the hope of hastening the exit
of the CRIMINAL JAMMEH. Are our female diaspora critics ready to be
Gambia’s Aline Sitoe Diatta who fought oppression and HAD TO BE imprisoned outside of Senegal by the French? Will our Gambian Steve Biko’s or Chris Hani’s
(gallant men who died because they refused to abdicate their responsibilities
to others) stand-up and be willing to die so that their people could be free? UNLESS
AND UNTIL WE ARE REAL TO OURSELVES, NO AMOUNT of self-stroking delusional
heroism and gloating over some ill-perceived timidity or selfishness of the
opposition leaders on the ground in the Gambia will bring about Jammeh’s
immediate exit. In the interim, I salute
the great men and women of the opposition against Jammeh both at home and
abroad who are doing what they could without disparaging other peoples genuine
efforts to bring real democracy to Gambia.
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