Lamin,
Given recent developments with regards to the Gambian
diaspora in an attempt to organize and create a structure that can
respond to the challenging political issues in the Gambia, I would like
to reiterate certain points that can be fundamental to this effort.
First, the organization and structure of any Diaspora response to the
political challenges in the Gambia must be in the capacity of a Civil
Society Organization, whose function is to compliment the efforts of the
political parties on the ground, as well as help to guide a political
discourse that will foster understanding and greater cooperation between
the political parties.
To this end, political parties should not be part of any Diaspora
structure, since the role of political parties and Civil Society
Organizations are complimentary, and each have their functions within
the political infrastructure and democratic dispensation. They can
compliment each other but cannot be part of each other. The functions of
Civil Society Organizations should be more encompassing, deliberative
and engaging, and should be impartial and non conforming to any partisan
considerations.
In view of the above, any apex Diaspora entity that seek to represent
the interest and aspirations of the wider and diverse diaspora
community, must continue to reach out, include and maintain groups and
individuals in an effort to consolidate a genuine and credible diaspora
representation.
Since CORDEG has emerged to position itself to garner the credibility to
represent the diverse interest and aspirations of the diaspora
community, this must be reflected in the composition and diversity of
its organizational structure. To continue with this evolving process:
1. I would urge the group to first and foremost divorce all political
parties from its governing and organizational structure. The group
should purposefully serve as a Civil Society Organization. And as far as
political parties are concerned it should serve an intermediary role in
helping to create consensus and the enabling environment that can foster
greater unity and dialogue.
2. It should help to bring all the political parties back to the "Group
of Six" or whatever the number is, and use that platform to guide a
national approach to all opposition issues and challenges.
3. It should strive to reconcile the vexing issues with other groups
with respect to an overall apex Diaspora group representation, with the
ultimate objective of having one entity and one voice that represents
the interest and aspirations of the diaspora community.
These are some of my thoughts on this issue.
Rene
-----Original Message-----
From: Lamin Darbo <[log in to unmask]>
To: GAMBIA-L <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sun, Feb 9, 2014 2:50 am
Subject: Re: [G_L] LJD on CORDEG
Burama
I am following your thoughts on the way forward for Gambian public life,
and as to what should replace Professor Jammeh, you and I and almost all
our colleagues here and elsewhere appear to be on the same page. I am in
no doubt a devoted united opposition front can eject the Professor from
power. My understanding was that STGDP thought so too, and it was so
engaged from as far back as 2003 or thereabouts.
Below are extracts from a piece entitled "A Case for Coalition" in
2004. We didn't have a coalition for 2006 but I was told my views
mirrored those of the principal unity broker of the day, STGDP
****You and I are on the same page here:
"...We entertain nonaivety that hammering a coalition would not present
special problems ofintense agony. That notwithstanding, we firmly
believe that those who aspire todirect the destiny of a nation must be
mature and pragmatic enough toappreciate and navigate the bottlenecks
inherent to a project of such giganticand critical import. Trapped as we
are under a totalitarian dictatorship in anation without viable
institutions, your challenge is akin to that of America’sfounding
fathers, those architects of statehood who carved the world’s
mostdistinguished jurisdiction out of extremely acute conditions. Their
enduringlegacy is not the phenomenal and extraordinary material
prosperity of theUnited States, but the creation of a nation of laws,
and a land of liberty..."
****Our distinguished GON Editor and interviewer Demba Baldeh and I are
on the same page here because he likes to peep into the thoughts of
those he calls "subject matter experts". In "A Case for Coalition", I
referred to them as "sector-based knowledgeable Gambians". Same thing I
think
"... We challengeyou to think through your election agenda and market
your manifesto to a peopleripe for persuasion. The suffering majority of
Gambians are solidly in theopposition camp, and that gain must be
maintained and nurtured over the next 24months. To assume that
conditions of general hardship and insecuritymeans your mission is
universally appreciated will constitute amonumental misjudgement. As
part of a manifesto preparation, it may beadvisable to consult
sector-based knowledgeable Gambians on their visionregarding some key
aspects of our national life: education; agriculture;health; trade;
public works; local government; tourism; and the judiciary..."
****And finally I share the extract below with STGDP and those persuaded
that a fully united front can do the job
".... As the political temperature inthe country rises over this year
and next – and it must definitely will – andas the heat pervades Jammehs
several abodes, it is not inconceivable for thetyrant to put out feelers
for vacating office in exchange for immunity fromprosecution. In that
eventuality, it is incumbent upon you as national leadersto take a
longer and broader view of state security and act accordingly. Youneed
not fret over the despot’s crimes once he is ready to head for exile.
If, on theother hand, his rantings are anything to go by, the road to
2006 will bringtragedy and sorrow to a people battered by official
criminality in public life.As the struggle to liberate The Gambia enters
its most critical phase, yourrole as party and coalition leaders may
expose you to ultimate danger. You musttherefore educate the people on
the strategy of mass demonstrations as a potentmethod of political
dialogue should government embarked on lawlessness andextra judicial
killings in the run up to the election.
To state incategorical terms, once a coalition party leader is killed,
the people mustcome out in their hundreds of thousands to neutralise the
thuggish securityforces and drive Dr Jammeh and his oppressive regime
out of power. This mustconstitute the key strategic alternative to the
election itself. Countries suchas Romania, Serbia, Georgia, and Haiti
are eminent forerunners in this genrefor political change. Their people
countered executive lawlessness and ejectedtheir brutal and yet cowardly
dictators by the sheer force of their numbers.The Gambia is ripe for
such a revolution in light of the extra judicialkillings, the arson
attacks, widespread economic hardship, and general statecriminality
which are made routine features of our national life by Dr Jammehand his
thugs..."
****I think your ideas are quite attractive Burama, but many may view
them as too deliberative and time is clearly not on our side. Your
methodology may give too much time to your Jammeh brother when the hurt
is approaching near unbearable. I hope you are not buying time for him.
How much was your fee? Just kidding!
LJDarbo
On Saturday, 8 February 2014, 10:08, Burama Jammeh
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Mr. Darbo
Thanks!
Not claiming any ownership. You’re so far the closest to the diagnoses I
have made and arguing on for sometimes.
However were we still differ is you seem to think a united opposition
can defeat Yahya while I don’t think so. He will still use the “
all-means” to so-call defeat them.
Here I suggested amassing “Political Leverage" through some
organization(s) of Gambians that will forced Yahya to a political
negotiation at a table where things like constitutional reforms,
electoral laws and management reforms, governance
rearrangement/decentralization, etc - (i.e. A Democratic Republic Agenda
and not the narrow election for new president). This is neither easy
and/or short term undertaking but very practical and did not overly put
any citizen in the cross-fires of the dictator. More importantly we can
all play a role based on our expertise and as well deem by our
compatriots (no out sourcing of the solution while one is under safe
shelters in UK and/or USA).
Again I may have been clumsy with my language but I am also not
impressed with the level organization of political parties and/or
leaders but I never faulted them our failures as if i their problem than
mine or any other Gambia. In fact most of them have already paid a heavy
price that I did not.
Bro…………………say it louder…..and keep repeating it!
Good signs in this exchange and my hope is this crowd grow>
Regards
Burama
On Feb 8, 2014, at 2:41 AM, Lamin Darbo
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Thanks guys for your thoughtful reactions
As for Karim, I think you answered your own query. In The Gambia, what
we have is not governance but brutal power play. As they say, no
politician presides over his own destruction and in a free and fair
contest, Karim can defeat the Professor with only a month of unfettered
campaigning. The point is that there will be no "widening of democratic
space such as electoral reforms, constitution reforms including
independent and transparent IEC" as long as Professor Jammeh remains
President. I think you answered your foregoing by accurately stating
that "the dictator have control all means", including all the police
power of the state.
As for "mass demonstrations", the reality can paralyse even those
Gambians with the bravest personal constitution. The Gambia is not the
USA, not the UK, not any Western European country. The Professor is
Assad, Mubarak, Ghadaffi and rulers of that ilk, meaning he will counter
"demonstrators with life bullets". We are therefore faced with the mouse
community's dilemma of who to "bell the cat". Herein the reason why I do
not refer to those on the ground as cowards.
As far as I am concerned, my only issue with the opposition leadership
is the failure to craft a united front, and that is why my advocacy is
so restricted. Unless I am personally on the ground, I won't call anyone
a coward. I won't even insinuate it from the safer shores of the UK. A
proper united front can take on the Professor and win, electorally, and
even on the streets.
LJDarbo
On Saturday, 8 February 2014, 2:40, dbaldeh
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
I think CORDEG can only blame itself for the leak. In a 24hr news
cycle you can only sit on information for so long. Even the Whitehouse
does have leaks! Infornation sharing is definitely one area CORDEG needs
to improve.
On LJD's concerns they need to take heed as well. There is a high risk
of failure when a body like CORDEG's success and mode of operation is
associated with an individual leadership. We Gambians tend to wash our
hands off an organization once a leader is selected. This put
unrealistic expectation on the leader. Am certain if highly competent
people like Dr. Saine is given the support his committee needs he can
craft policies and programs that can yield incredible results for our
struggle.
The fear of CORDEG becoming a dominant political force has been
expressed by some members of the opposition as Lamin alluded to. It is
therefore critical that CORDEG's neutral stand and policy objectives be
spelled out clearly as a broker and mobilizer of Diaspora Gambians to
gather resources and support a politically viable force. They have to
overcome some of the mistrust from the opposition leadership if they are
to be effective as a mobilizing force.
Thanks
Demba
From my Android phone on T-Mobile. The first nationwide 4G network.
-------- Original message --------From: Musa Jeng
<[log in to unmask]> Date: 02/07/2014 5:47 PM (GMT-08:00) To:
[log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [G_L] LJD on CORDEG A very
important distinction, and will allay whatever fears the opposition has
as correctly highlighted in Lamin's piece.
Thank you Kejau
From: "kejau" <[log in to unmask]>To:
[log in to unmask]: Friday, February 7, 2014 8:21:05
AMSubject: Re: [G_L] LJD on CORDEG
Thanks Yero.
LJD is erudite as usual. Always a pleasure to read.
CORDEG is not declaring a leader of the diapora struggle, though, but
only a chairperson of the executive of the committee. The leak was also
not as a result of cronyism at least not of cordeg but by a mole and it
was condemned by members as peemature and unfortunate.
Cordeg infact has not concluded the voting process as such hence the
release was regretable and unprofessional.
Be rest assured your concerns will be taken on board and are infact the
xoncrrns
Sent from Samsung Mobile
-------- Original message --------From: abdoukarim sanneh
<[log in to unmask]> Date: 07/02/2014 09:55 (GMT+01:00)
To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [G_L] LJD on CORDEG Yero
thanks for sharing the piece. It is a good observation and the points
raised are open for debate. My question to Lamin is how long can the
diaspora organisations continue to facilitate the political process and
in our case is it working for us? Lamin is talking about the opposition
in the ground but have they put any strategies which making impact for
widing democratic space such as electoral reforms, constitution reforms
including independent and transparent IEC? Are the political parties
even democratic? Are they not existing by names? I have not been
following CORDEG and others of recently but ineffective opposition
politics is the case the emergence of types of civil organisations. We
have opposition politicians who form parties and want to be leaders but
the dictator have control all means for. They don't want to change
strategies, they want to listen, they have created divided memberships
and many are not tolerant to criticism.We have a long way to go with
Yahya Jammeh if the language is not change to mass demonstration for
political reform. Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2014 19:12:27 -0600From:
[log in to unmask]: LJD on CORDEGTo:
[log in to unmask]http://gainako.com/?p=4170 Best, Yero.
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