Saul,
    I want to contribute to this theme of fairness - Jammeh being referee and
player at the same time - regarding Halifa/PDOIS vis-a-vis.
    During the presidential campaign of 1996, every presidential candidate
was allocated with some half an hour of party political broadcast. When the
opposition parties had their chance to broadcast, all save the PDOIS mounted
stinging attacks on Jammeh and how things are rapidly deteriorating under
him. Infact Hamat Bah's attack was more memorable and laconic. Some have it
that he was even spitting on the camera because of the amount of words he was
using in a second and the rapidness they were flying at the camera. There was
even a joke that used to make the rounds in my vous, that after finishing
that broadcast, he downed 2 litres of coke!!! And for daring to say it the
way it should be said, Messrs. Darboe and Bah were banned from the public
media by none other than Jammeh. It was the only party political broadcast
they were ever to make for that campaign. Ah! This was supposed to be the era
of the Independent Electoral Commission. I mean the toothless and muscleless
IEC. Even they could not restore normalcy when Jammeh intervened for there
was no doubt as to who is the boss here. And what happened to the PDOIS
double act of Sidia and Halifa? Well, for sticking their necks out of
attacking Jammeh's record, they were duly rewarded with uninterrupted party
political broadcast for the rest of the campaign. Is it any wonder then
Halifa that kept being offered cabinet positions by Jammeh? Jammeh is not
that daft. He knows who the enemies and the allies are. He knows who are
sympathetic and who have an axe to grind.
    I could hardly believe what was unfolding in front of me. Here are the
duo who in 1992 memorably went to Radio Gambia to tell the whole nation how
it was with Jawara. Even thumping the microphone which was grubby and shabby
and passionately telling the staff of Radio that they have not fared well and
they should rise up against tyranny. I listened intently to that whole
broadcast even recording it. Electrified by the intensity and passion in
Halifa's voice. I was smitten and in love with Halifa. I hero worshipped this
guy. Fanatically, I defended him against all forms of smear that his
detractors were peddling. Staying glued to every word he uttered. His words
were music. Whilst my peers were busy with what latest Dancehall tunes were
out, I was out there getting more PDOIS seminar tapes and relistening to that
memorable Radio Gambia party political broadcast. I believe the last time I
saw the tape it was amongst my stuff in my old room or my cousin must have
nicked it by now since he is also a die hard PDOIS supporter and always
begging for that tape.
    Fast forward to 1996 and listen to the duo of Sidia and Halifa on Gambia
TV. All these guys were saying was how they will build/buy trawlers, butter
factories and things to that effect. [no wonder Dominic "Vision2020" Mendy
mocked their vision as 'the trawler economy'] Forget about the passion and
eloquence we all used to associate with Halifa. Forget about attacking the
undesirability of Jammeh; of how Jammeh is staging a scam; how unfree and
unfair the whole process was. All there was for me to see and hear was in
silhouetted bleary image, drab and monotonous voices yammering about the
economy this and foreign policy that. It was a far cry from the Halifa I
knew. My heart sank then and knew my hero has betrayed The People. Now I
understand Cherie Blair's agony when Shirley Williams defected from the
Labour party to the SDP in the early 80's. I knew from then that I would
attack this former hero of mine one day. But then I was in an emotional
turmoil; undecided, undirected and without clarity. But now Saul, we have
struck a chord here. I have studied M'Lud Halifa for more than seven years
and know when he is in the light and when he is in the dark.
    As I keep repeating to him, the bluff is about to be called and the game
soon will be over.
Good Morning

Hamjatta Kanteh

hkanteh

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