Sister Jabou, Dr. Saine:
If all of us in the opposition were to agree all the time on what strategy
to use, half if not 99% of us will become insignificant for the 1% can speak
for us always. We can't have a one pronged approach to what we want for
Gambia or how to get it. Accepting the branch is one thing, what we do with
the half we are holding could be totally different for any one of us but the
anticipated end result is the same. We are to keep rallying our efforts to
make sure that the message we send out there resonates with the suffering
masses that it becomes the anthem for the next generation of conscientious
objectors . To say that what's transpired recently (electing of the B of K)
is tragic is to beg the question. Wonders never cease!
Soffie
-----Original Message-----
From: Abdoulaye Saine [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
<mailto:[mailto:[log in to unmask]]>
Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2001 4:55 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: AN OLIVE BRANCH/ Dr Saine
Jabou:
I try not to take differences of opinion between reasonable
people who mean well,
personally. The issues we grapple with could lead
reasonable people to disagree.
All the arguments made for and against acceptance of the
Olive Branch have merit
and limitations. No perfect solutions exist here. It does
not make these
strategies right or wrong, in my view. It is a matter of
preference and what is
practical. The strategies are two sides of the same coin
and I subscribe to both,
depending on what is at hand.
This is a time for reflection/ introspection as to where we
went wrong and what we
must do to remedy it. Be it inflated voter rolls and/ or
insufficient financial
support from overseas Gambians. We need to restrategize.
We were way off
regarding the election results and the opposition could have
done better with our
assistance.
The post-election analysis of The Point Newspaper, posted by
Malamin Johnson said
it all, we overseas Gambians contributed a measly $2000.00.
We could do better.
Abdoulaye
Jabou Joh wrote:
> Abdoulaye Saine,
>
> I sincerely hope that you did not take my "enough already"
comment at the end
> of my response to you as being directed at you personally.
That was an
> expression of my frustration over this whole issue. Your
intentions are fine
> indeed, it is just that i do not share this enthusiasm
simply because i
> believe you will find no meaningful cooperation from the
Jammeh camp, and
> their sincerity is at best questionable.
> Like others have said, those who believe that the ycan
dialogue with these
> paople can go ahead, but I do not really believe it will
be a fruitful
> exercise.
>
> Regards,
> Jabou Joh
>
> In a message dated 10/22/2001 4:14:37 PM Central Daylight
Time,
> [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> writes:
> >
> > G-L Community & (Jabou Joh, Katim Touray, Fatou
Jahumpa-Ceesay):
> >
> > I believe that the offer of an OLIVE BRANCH from Jammeh
to the Gambia-L, if
> > done
> > genuinely and in the spirit of reconciliation, should be
accepted.
> > Acceptance of
> > the Olive Branch is yet another triumph for and
recognition of G-L as
> > another
> > "estate", so to speak, to be reckoned with. Acceptance
would be another
> > opportunity to have our views heard and represented in
our national
> > debates. That
> > is, another foot in the door to "speak truth to power."
(Yet, if the spate
> > of
> > reported arrests are confirmed, it raises troubling
questions. I hope its
> > mandate to rule for the next five years, engenders more
confidence in the
> > APRC
> > and in so doing, halt its repressive trend).
> >
> > Acceptance of the Olive Branch, does not mean giving up
or softening the
> > demands
> > we have for the regime but a potential avenue to
influence policy. It is
> > an
> > opportunity we should not dismiss, but a platform we can
use to further our
> > goals
> > for a better Gambia. This is what counts, in the end.
> >
> > Many vexing issues persist and perhaps by addressing the
"relatively" easy
> > issues,( few easy issues) we can later address the more
difficult ones. It
> > is a
> > question of strategy. I do not believe, and I pray I am
proved wrong, that
> > this
> > regime would investigate the alleged murders of Korro
Ceesay or take
> > responsibility for the slaughter of our children on
April 10 & 11. But we
> > can
> > engage them into releasing all political prisoners etc.
with the help of
> > others. The ball is in their court and let us try them
and see if they
> > indeed
> > mean what they say. Thanks.
> >
> > Abdoulaye
> >
> >
> >
> > Jabou Joh wrote:
> >
> > > Dear F,
> > >
> > > Since you say that all or most of the things I have
listed in my post are
> > > distorted, and since you must have the correct
version, perhaps you can
> > > enlighten us as to what the actual facts are and what
is distorted.
> > >
> > > No F, I did not present a one sided view. You see, on
one side is the
> > Jammeh
> > > government and everything that has transpired since
they came to power,
> > and
> > > which as I stated is clearly documented by both the
U.S State Department
> > in
> > > their annual report on human rights, as well as
Amnesty International and
> > > other human rights organizations as well as recorded
for posterity in the
> > > hearts and minds of those Gambians whose loved ones
are the victims of
> > these
> > > atorcities,soperhaps all of these entities are also
just fabricating
> > things.
> > >
> > > The way to address the murder allegations for instance
F, is to
> > investigate
> > > these cases and hold a trial for the whole World to
see, and i cannot
> > imagine
> > > why an innocent well meaning government where freedom
reigns as you
> > assure us
> > > sister, would not want to do that, can you?
Especially if faced with the
> > > twisted misinformation peddled on the L, surely, the
government would
> > want to
> > > vindicate themselves in the eyes of the World, and
have everything to
> > gain by
> > > so doing.
> > >
> > > If not, then an easy way would be to hold a press
conference and give the
> > > World the details backed by concrete evidence to show
that all of the
> > > allegations as listed are distorted, and to give the
true untwisted
> > accounts.
> > >
> > > All that transpired on the L was that there were
ongoing, rampant human
> > > rights violations and unchecked looting of our economy
and we registered
> > our
> > > outrage as citizens and disseminated this information
to the World. End
> > of
> > > story. This is the way we know how to fight back, and
an effective weapon
> > it
> > > is indeed as all of you know very well, otherwise you
would not give the
> > L
> > > any attention if it were as insignificant and as
unrealiable a source as
> > you
> > > say. if however we are liers who twist the truth, all
you have to is
> > govern
> > > in a transparent manner and ingnore us.
> > >
> > > Now if the Jammeh government can step forward and
first, render an
> > > explanation as to why these allegations have never
been satisfactorily
> > > addressed, and then either conduct investigations to
prove the
> > controrary to
> > > what is being alleged to us and the rest of the World,
or provide the
> > > necesary evidence to prove that we have fabricated
these allegations or
> > > twisted them, then the burden of proof rests on the
Jammeh government and
> > > ONLY THEY need to do a retrospective .
> > >
> > > We are merely citizens who are outraged by the
injustices we are
> > witnessing
> > > while being told that we are lying. I for one would
love to be proven
> > wrong
> > > because frankly speaking, these things constitute our
worse nightmares
> > that
> > > we never envisioned happening in our country.
> > >
> > > You have listed the usual infrastructure citations as
parameters of
> > progress
> > > under the Jammeh government, and the fact that he did
win the elections.
> > > The things you list as achievements, namely,
hospitals, schools, roads,
> > > airport, women-empowerment, bridges, girls' education,
freedom of speech,
> > > freedom of newspapers, etc. etc. etc are the day to
day business that
> > any
> > > government conducts on behalf of it's citizenry, it is
harldy the
> > parameters
> > > by which major achievements are measured, nor can
these be used as
> > > justification for the ongoing trampling of the rights
f the people at
> > every
> > > turn and the looting of our national resources.
> > > They are services paid for with the hard earned taxes
paid by the
> > people,
> > > and since this goverment partakes of a majority of
these monies for their
> > > personal pleasure and enrichment above and beyond what
is allowable as
> > > espenses in the service of government, i am glad that
some of it has been
> > > actually put to good use for the people.
> > >
> > > You reported that your President has entended an olive
branch to the
> > people,
> > > our challenge is for him to come forward and addres
the issues we raised
> > as a
> > > gesture that he means what he said. That is all, so
why are you upset
> > when we
> > > ask for this fi your offer was genuine?
> > >
> > > Even as i write this, i have just received an email as
below:
> > >
> > > quote
> > >
> > > Jabou,
> > >
> > > I would like to thank you for your posting. I'd sent a
private mail to
> > > Elhajj complimenting him on his response to Fatoumatta
Jahumpa and his
> > > frankness when the news came from the BBC's Focus on
Africa that arrests
> > > have commenced. One Mohammed Sillah who heads a
> > > Coalition of Human Rights organisations in The Gambia
was interviewed and
> > he
> > > was bitterly complaining about these arrests which are
being done by both
> > > the NIA and July 22 thugs. They visited Waa Juwara's
premises yesterday,
> > > according to Mr. Sillah, and vandalised his house.
Shyngle Nyassi was also
> >
> > > attacked and his two children abducted;thank God, they
were released. It
> > was
> > > not clear from the interview whether they were harmed
or not. According
> > to
> > > the same interview, the thugs were out in the Kombos
insulting
> > mandingoes,
> > > harrassing them for not voting for Yahya. This is
untrue. Infact, if
> > > anything, it was Yahya who benefitted more than any of
the Presidential
> > > candidates in the predominantly mandingo
constituencies. Why inject
> > tribal
> > > politics into an election already won by Yahya?
> > >
> > > end quote.
> > >
> > > So my dear sister, we are merely outlining for you and
your president the
> > > things he has to do to convince the World that his
administration has
> > indeed
> > > turned over a new leaf, instead of engaging in just
another cat amd mouse
> > > game of empty words, and as the World is already
witnessing, you are
> > already
> > > coming back and accusing the members of the L as
twisters of logic after
> > your
> > > post promising an olive branch and addresing the
issues raised, and the
> > > machinery of thuggery is already at work to continue
to unleash fear,
> > terror
> > > and retribution on the people even before the dust
settles on this newly
> > > elected administration that put on such a grande show
for the eyes of the
> > > international community.
> > > Please prove us wrong, and deliver on the promises
that no one forced
> > your
> > > president to make, that is all we are asking.
> > >
> > > Jabou Joh
> > >
> > > In a message dated 10/21/2001 4:06:18 PM Central
Daylight Time,
> > [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> > > writes:
> > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Sister Jabou et al,
> > > >
> > > > National Reconciliation means two Opposing sides
re-examining where
> > they
> > > > went wrong, doing extensive introspection and coming
up with
> > conclusions as
> > > > to where they went wrong. In your case, you are
abrograting wrong only
> > to
> > > > one side. By refusing to acknowledge that you have
been seriously off
> > > > tangent on Gambia-L, you make me wonder if you
understand what it means
> > for
> > > > the President to be re-elected with the tremendous
amount of odds that
> > some
> > > > of you stacked up against his chances.
> > > >
> > > > My sister, I will only urge you and others like you
on Gambia-L to
> > analyse
> > > > the Elections Results where the nearest opponent to
my beloved leader
> > > > lagged at least 20% behind in number of votes casts.
If all what you
> > listed
> > > > down in your email below is true(virtually ALL of it
is distorted),
> > then
> > > > something must be wrong with Gambians to re-elect
the President. Since
> > I
> > > > know that nothing is wrong with Gambians today, I am
going to conclude
> > that
> > > > something is seriously wrong with you and others who
refuse to do
> > > > introspection and are insisting on peddling the
distorted analysis.
> > > >
> > > > To those questioning the credibility of the
President's 20% lead
> > victory, I
> > > > urge you and others to visit the Jammeh2001 website
and listen to the
> > > > telephone conversation words of Sheriff Dibba and
Ousainou Darboe at:-
> > > >
> > > > http://www.jammeh2001.org/telecongrats/index.html
<http://www.jammeh2001.org/telecongrats/index.html>
> > > >
> > > > Keep in mind that Sheriff Dibba is a veteran in
Gambian Politics.
> > > >
> > > > If I start to list down all the reasons why the
people of the Gambia
> > > > refused to buy into tribalism and resisted all the
tremendous pressure
> > > > placed on them from external forces and went ahead
to re-elect
> > President
> > > > Jammeh, I will not go to bed tonight. And I really
have to take a rest.
> > > >
> > > > So, I will leave those of you with a conscience to
ponder with your
> > inner
> > > > souls about the hospitals, schools, roads, airport,
women-empowerment,
> > > > bridges, girls' education, freedom of speech,
freedom of newspapers,
> > etc.
> > > > etc. etc. that all happened in seven years. I will
leave you with the
> > > > glowing World reports that show increase in the
Socio-Economic Indices.
> > I
> > > > will leave you to compare the Human Rights Agencies
reports on The
> > Gambia
> > > > with others in the subregion. The President is not
perfect and he is
> > > > currently doing introspection on himself and the
last seven years. But
> > > > those who continue to act as if they were right all
along and pointing
> > > > fingers at the people of the Gambia as fools and
morons should remember
> > > > that four fingers are pointing right back at them.
> > > >
> > > > Good Night,
> > > > Fatou.
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
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> > >
> > >
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