GAMBIA-L Archives

The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List

GAMBIA-L@LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG

Options: Use Forum View

Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
Essa Sey <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 29 May 2000 05:26:09 -0700
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (65 lines)
Prior to reading my art.please brush off any prejudice and at the same time remember that;"pure thought is thought without desire". The desire that derails most of those who oppose gvts.in africa including some on this list is the eagerness of wanting  to see such gvts.go away by all means! Some of you have already been hooked by that desire to a point where they always say "Jammeh and his cohorts(ha!)" should go by all means.Thats wishful thinking.Isn't it? Thats what you desire.Isn't it? But allah knows best.

Some how or the other that desire can prove futile in return if we do not listen to each other.you maybe over ambitious,angry and eventually cause a dead lock between you and us (the gvt.you oppose).IF BOTH SIDES ARE OBSESSED WHO WILL LISTEN TO THE OTHER? My art.will be divided into sub headings in order for it to give clearer interpretation of what i intend to share with all

herein.

A) THE ROLE OF THE GAMBIA GVT.IN THE CASAMANCE cum G/BISSAU DIPLOMACY

A summary of the situation that led to the current crises in Bissau worths revisiting in this regard.We can all remember that a civil war erupted in G/Bissau folllowing a rift that protruded between Mané and X Pre.Nino Vierra(the latter is currently on assylum in portugal).Prior to that sudden dark episode which blanketed G/Bissau the same misinterpretations and 'rumour-printing machines' that are at work again, misled Mr. Nino Vierra and indeed have succeeeded to land him into a 'NO-WIN' situation,he's now at the mercy of the colonialists he and his old friend Mané were fighting against.

What is more disgraceful than that? Even those who were opposing Mr Vierra wouldn't want to see him in that embarassing arena.Come what may he was their president and more importantly their fellow citizen.Mr Vierra was penetrated by very powerful(offcourse)unfounded versions from some,thus he blindly accepted the option they provided and then DEMONISED Mané as an arms dealer,a coup-plotter etc etc...From the onset the Gambia gvt's stand was to draw Mr Vierra's attention to the fact that it wasn't wise to antagonise Mané or be infuenced to do so because the latter was his old time 'copain' and the best option was to make the peace without hesitation.

Especially a man who was his closest comrade during the Amilcar Cabral era,when all of them were fighting against colonialism for thirteen good years!

As the saying goes:"one sparrow cannot make spring" in the beginning both parties were calmed down. Unfortunately other quarters were at work to counter Dr.Jobe's mission thus things became bitter again and the 'gladiator style' rose  beyond control because during that period Nigeria was fully engaged in war torn S/leone

Accusations flared like wild fire,the senegalese army was defeated and embarassed.This latest attack led to the burning down of the French dilomatic mission in Bissau.What was more horrendous than that scenario? Was that NOT enough a leson for senegal to know that militarily they weren't equipped enough to solve the probblem and moreso the military option was uncalled for.Resorting to military options has always proven unsuccessful in similar situations!!!

Based on the above the the gambia gvt and the president in particular gave orders to the gambian contingent ( who were transitting at Dakar sea-port) not to go ahead inBissau until when the fighting stopped, Our gvt's stand was to send soldiers to Bissau for peace-keeping but not for fighting a war in favor or against neither party.This was the mandate given by majority of  the parliament in Banjul.However,some members of the opposition didn't concur with that idea for certain reasons which is also to be expected, as far as democracy is concerned.

At the time i was the one assigned by Amb Jagne to be representing the gambia at the troop contributors meeting of UN security council(this body was mostly composed of  people with some military background from different diplomatic missions who were members of the security council).

Without doubt during those briefings (at the time) issues related to the Senegalo-Bissau crises were addressed accordingly like kosovo,lebanon etc etc.

It was at this time that Amb Jagne was identified by some member states to be the head of a group that was called "the friends of Guinea Bissau".This goup was strongly recognised by UN SG Mr Kofi Anan and it also received the blessings of counties like Portugal,UK,USA,Fance,China,Russia etc.

Amb Jagne with the backing of his team delivered the goods and you can call Amb Cabral of G/Bissau(at their un mission) to verify.Infact because of those tireless efforts he eventually became the closest friend of The Gambian mission there.The same or even closer relations existed between our mission and the sengalese Amb Mr Ibra Deguen Kâ he's the senegalese amb at the un you can call him to verify if you so wish.

It was after all these 'démarches' that Mr. Nino Vierra and Mr Mané accepted to travel to Banjul for a

reconciliatory meeting.That was a sorrowful meeting and both parties shed tears(Vierra and Mané)

you can verify thsi with their representative in Banjulor the director of poltical afffairs DOS foreign affairs Banjul.I have taken this task to share not to rebutt any ones statements on line but rather to

give account of the side of a story that i believe you have the right to be informed about and i was also among the players at the UN (more to come in my next art.)Please no yelling or spanking until

when i finish the story then onwards we can debate it in a matured way.After all peace in our sub-region is what all of us are yearning for. PLEASE NO OPPOSITION BUT DIPLOMACY NOW.....

Hamjatta and co i do invite your comments because even whereas we disagree in certain instances

i should we should share the cake of responsibilty at times.My next topics are:1) the u-turn by vierra, 2) Casamance...The gambia gvt must be part of the the solution...'mowing in the wilderness'

3) Gambia,Guinea Bissau-Libya taboo as seen by some.











---------------------------------
Do You Yahoo!?
Kick off your party with Yahoo! Invites.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

ATOM RSS1 RSS2