Sidibeh and Johnson, thanks for your comments regarding the fund and the
proposed coalition for the opposition. Sidibeh, you are right on the money
for stating that this is not a mere ceremony to throw in a few Dollars. The
opposition is invited for the July 4 conference to come and share with us
their vision for a future Gambia. APRC is invited to tell us what they have
done for us before, currently, and in the future. All this is going to take
place on Friday, July 4. Then on Saturday, that's when your good self,
Malamin, moi, and all that are interested in seeing the opposition come
together would have a face to face on the money we intend to collect for
them and what we want to see them do. I am talking about concrete actions,
not fluff. Contrary to some proposals that are floating around, we are not,
and I repeat, WE ARE NOT going to let the opposition leaders come here and
huddle up amongst themselves on this or that. They can do that in the
Gambia and do not need to fly thousands of miles to get acquainted with each
other. I think that should be made perfectly clear to all and sundry. We,
the people are going to request certain things we want them to incorporate
in their common platform and to also listen to their ideas.
We do not intend to repeat any of the circus that transpired in the run-up
to the last presidential elections. All the opposition leaders are
perfectly aware of what's going on, on-line. They cannot come here and
begin to defer us to their congress or other delaying schemes. Delaying
tactics are not going to be tolerated from none. I say this in reference to
our past.
Regarding the MRDG document, we have not yet heard from the group in
question and I will defer to them to advise us. In the mean time, what we
can do is to come up with a list of challenges we want them to include in
their well thought out program, such as: the right to vote by diasporans in
the coming elections; revising the current constitution to include certain
safeguards for a more democratic society; seriously challenging the IEC for
any missteps; campaign strategy; addressing the corruption issue in the
country; taking the government on, on the oil deals/scams, etc. We cannot
wait until 2006 to start our fight. We (the opposition and all Gambians
that want meaningful change) have to work hard from now until the elections.
We cannot entrust this process in the hands of a few and I plead that
folks invite themselves in this process and not wait to be invited.
Chi Jaama
Joe Sambou
>From: Momodou S Sidibeh <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Save The Gambia Fund - Update
>Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2003 15:04:13 +0200
>
>Brother Malamin Johnson,
>
>Yes, indeed a good number of diasporan Gambians on mailing lists seem to be
>enthusiastic about the Save The Gambia Fund. But I am afraid, we should
>insist on a blueprint partly because coalitions everywhere arrange
>themselves around some concrete issues. (Sister Jabou Joh has just
>adequately demonstrated that).
>
>It will serve us well if the MRDG document you mentioned is recycled. But
>even if we are not 80,000 strong the fact that many have put up money for a
>coalition that is yet to exist is sufficient testimony for the desire for
>change.
>
>Cheers,
>Momodou S Sidibeh
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Malamin Johnson" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Monday, June 09, 2003 11:20 PM
>Subject: Re: Save The Gambia Fund - Update
>
>
> > Brother Sidibeh:
> >
> > The issue(s) you raised below are very important and should / will be
> > addressed sooner rather than later. I believe Joe alluded to the MRDG
> > proposal distributed to opposition parties during the 2001 elections (
>see
> > joe's e-mail below). If I recall correctly, that document was very
> > comprehensive. It addressed a majority of issues most of us would like
>to
> > see in a united coalition to ouster Jammeh. We can add some safeguards
>to
> > that document with permission from the authors and present it to all
> > opposition parties to use as a starting point of discussion.
> >
> > I attended the symposium in Maryland 2/3 weeks ago and this issue was
>put to
> > Ousainou Mbenga NDAM rep. My understanding was his party has 12 issues
>it
> > already has toward discussion geared to coalesing with opposition
>parties. I
> > believe In Atlanta this issue will be raised when all or most of the
> > opposition parties are expected to attend.
> >
> > I think we should be the driving force behind this coalition. If our
> > collective power is goes unoticed, the same thing that happened 2001
>will
> > happen again in 2006. The truth is if we voted in 2001, Yahya would have
> > relocated to Morroco. There is good news though, OJ was quoted as saying
>by
> > the independent newspaper today say that the 80,000 Gambians in the
>diaspora
> > will and should be given the right to cast their votes in 2006. This
>shows
> > to me that our potential is being recognized by the parties on the
>ground.
> >
> > In the meantime, we should start investing some funds NOW to kick start
>our
> > cause. One more thing of note here, this is the first time in Gambia's
> > political history this number of concerned Gambian abroad are making
>their
> > weight felt be all parties in the country. We don't have a blueprint to
> > follow. But our concern for our country and our love for our people, and
> > desire to eradicate terror, coruption, injustice, maladministration,
> > embezzlement, etc etc will be our guiding compass.
> >
> > This my two cents
> >
> > Regards,
> > MJohnson
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > >From: Momodou S Sidibeh <[log in to unmask]>
> > >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
> > ><[log in to unmask]>
> > >To: [log in to unmask]
> > >Subject: Re: Save The Gambia Fund - Update
> > >Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2003 23:01:16 +0200
> > >
> > >Brothers Malamin and Joe,
> > >
> > >Your points are well taken. I dont know, but for me this Save The
>Gambia
> > >Fund is not a little matter of throwing down a few dollars for
>ceremony.
> > >The whole idea of Saving the Gambia from its current decadence by
> > >supporting a coalition of opposition political forces at the next
>elections
> > >three years hence is perhaps the biggest and most serious idea to
>emerge
> > >from concerned Gambians on the Internet. It has been a couple of months
> > >since the draft constitution was posted here and I have not read a
>single
> > >mail that questioned its purpose.
> > >
> > >Nevertheless, I do not think a project with a purpose so bold and
> > >christened with a mission so historic should rest on a foundation of
>mere
> > >opposition to the Jammeh regime. The Coalition must arm itself with a
> > >minimal programme that can translate into a reasonably democratic and
> > >progressive platform that most of us, if not all, can readily
>sympathise
> > >with, where outright support proves lacking. At a minimum, we need to
> > >define what kind of a regime we want to replace this one with?
> > >
> > >My one dalasi opinion (for whatever its worth) is that the draft
> > >resolution needs to be beefed up with a vision of what the coalition
>should
> > >look like. It should then be normal, in terms of organisation-building
>at
> > >the very least, to expect material support from people who have
>declared
> > >spiritual interest in the project. Once again, thanks to you all for
>the
> > >work you are doing.
> > >
> > >Cheers,
> > >Momodou S Sidibeh
> > >
> > >
> > >From: "Malamin Johnson" <[log in to unmask]>
> > >To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > >Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2003 10:56 PM
> > >Subject: Re: Save The Gambia Fund - Update
> > >
> > >
> > > > Nice work Joe. From the latest update i see few individuals who
>pledged
> > >yet
> > > > have not send in their contributions yet. I appeal to all those who
>made
> > >the
> > > > pledge including my very self, please be timely with your
>investments.
> > >Don't
> > > > play catch up with your monthly investments because would/could be
>seen
> > >as
> > > > lack of passion for this cause.
> > > >
> > > > Please don't read anything into this email other than what it is -
>Just
> > >an
> > > > appeal or encouragement.
> > > >
> > > > Regards,
> > > > MJohnson
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > >From: Joe Sambou <[log in to unmask]>
> > > > >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
> > > > ><[log in to unmask]>
> > > > >To: [log in to unmask]
> > > > >Subject: Save The Gambia Fund - Update
> > > > >Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2003 19:33:18 +0000
> > > > >
> > > > >All, below is our latest update for the Save The Gambia Fund. We
>are
> > > > >making
> > > > >progress and I encourage everyone to participate. You can send
>your
> > > > >pledges/contributions to Joe Sambou 8046 S Kimbark Ave., Chicago,
>IL
> > >60619.
> > > > >Please help us spread the word. See the following URLs
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >http://www.africanculture.dk/gambia/Save_the_Gambia_fund_contributions.pdf
> > > > >
> > > > >and
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >http://www.africanculture.dk/gambia/Save_the_Gambia_fund_contributions.xls
> > > > >
> > > > >Chi Jaama
> > > > >
> > > > >Joe Sambou
> > > > >
> > > > >_________________________________________________________________
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