Hi Pasamba,
          I can not help but to sincerely agree with you entirely.There are
people here think PDOIS is a reserve party for the other political
parties.These people are not doing justice to themselves and the entire
Gambian population.But time will be the best judge.


>From: Pasamba Jow <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Taking Stock
>Date: Sat, 12 Aug 2000 03:58:34 GMT
>
>Hi Buhary,
>You deserve commendation for a well written piece.I was not infact  going
>to
>engage in this debate ,but it is always difficult to sit back and listen to
>people make unconstructive and unsincere attacks on P.D.O.I.S.
>I am a P.D.O.I.S supporter who truely believes in their policies.I am of
>the
>fact that P.D.O.I.S is the only viable party to free the Gambia from both
>economic and political ruins  we find ourselves today.P.D.O.I.S has always
>being consistent with its stance against any form of domination of the
>Gambian people.To accuse them of being soft or to be bought by THE FACIST
>is
>outright nonsense.
>When OUSAINOU DARBO was supporting YAYA'S revolution ,taking pictures with
>him ,Sidia and Halifa were challenging decree no.4, when the .P.P.P
>MINISTERS were clowning and showing allegiance to JAMMEH,P.D.O.I.S was
>battling with the A. F .P.R.C for the respect of fundamental rights and
>freedom.When SHERIFF DIBBA decided to go on a political leave HALIFA and
>SIDIA were getting ready to be arrested ,an arrest which SHERIFF DIBBA
>praised calling P.D.O.I.S trouble makers.
>I am always not supprise by such unfair,unfounded and outrageous
>accussations of P.D.O.I.S.I would take this opportunity to show you how
>people have habbit of spreading rumors .After the student massacre on April
>10 ,i called halifa to suggest that he should visit the U.S.A in order to
>address some of the burning issues of the day.I called the organizers of
>the
>A.L.D to suggest the coming of HALIFA ,an idea of which they welcomed.I
>told
>them that they donot have to spend a dime ,that three P.D.O.I.S supporters
>myself included will finance his trip,only to hear people saying that
>HALIFA'S trip
>was financed by jammeh.Let us keep speaking the truth and working for a
>free
>and democratic GAMBIA.We need a Gambia of the people and not of
>leaders,aGambia that will guarantee her citizens liberty ,dignity and
>prosperity.
>PEACE
>PASAMBA JOW COACH
>>From: momodou olly-mboge <[log in to unmask]>
>>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
>><[log in to unmask]>
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Re: Taking Stock
>>Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 11:49:37 GMT
>>
>>Hi Buharry,
>>
>>I concur to the sentiments you raised in this reply to Hamjatta.  We
>>reserve
>>the right to express our appreciation to whoever we feel is right in the
>>political arena in Gambia.  I pride myself in commending people who i
>>think
>>are sincere and constructive. My endeavour in this world is to learn from
>>others to help me be a better person.    Those of us, to use Hamjatta's
>>words who are 'openly and nakedly PDOIS biased' seem to be more tolerant
>>in
>>our debate with others. However, i appreciate the fact that all
>>politicians
>>are to be kept on their toes.
>>
>>Lately, this forum has degenerated to name calling.  I am yet to see any
>>politician in the Gambia who is willing to engage people as Halifa is
>>doing.
>>We might not belong to the esoteric circle of the Bamba Layes  and co. but
>>we know from our small bearings how to make an informed choice.
>>
>>To all PDOIS cynics, thank you for keeping the 'Great Leader' and his
>>disciples(of which i am one) on our toes.
>>
>>Buharry, thank you once again for a brilliant piece.
>>
>>Greetings,
>>
>>Mboge
>>
>>P.S.  I will keep you posted for the up coming debate between (Hamjatta
>>and
>>HAlifa)
>>
>>>From: MOMODOU BUHARRY GASSAMA <[log in to unmask]>
>>>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
>>><[log in to unmask]>
>>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>>Subject: Re: Taking Stock
>>>Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 04:17:54 +0200
>>>
>>>Hi Hamjatta!
>>>                   When you wrote "over to you gentlemen", I assumed as
>>>one
>>>of those who has recently praised Halifa and co. that your invitation
>>>included me. Before going to the issues you raised, I don't think there
>>>is
>>>anything wrong with expressing one's appreciation of the personalities
>>>behind PDOIS and the personal sacrifices they have made for our country.
>>>That is a prerogative we are within our rights to enjoy. I for one am
>>>truly
>>>impressed by Halifa and co. and I take pride in making it known. In fact,
>>>you impress me and I have made it known on a number of occasions on this
>>>list and the first time I made it known was during your first debate with
>>>none other than Halifa. I had and still have the prerogative to declare
>>>that Halifa, you and anyone else impress me. Declaring such is in my
>>>opinion a better alternative to what we have seen lately on the L.
>>>
>>>             That aside, you wrote: "Indeed, writer after writer merely
>>>stresses the point the Geat Leader, Halifa himself, makes in his missives
>>>to the Jammeh since the April murders. They claim there is no credible
>>>alternative to the Great Leader sitting in his Churchill's Town HQs
>>>penning
>>>letters which implore the dictator to have a rethink on his strangle hold
>>>on the Gambian people and advocating that elections [even if as their
>>>deliverance are being muddled by throw-away threats by the gov't which
>>>cast
>>>question marks over them ever taking place] and the political process are
>>>t! he only viable options existing to the Gambian people to deal with
>>>Jammeh."
>>>
>>>      Maybe other writers claimed that there is no other option to Halifa
>>>penning letters. I can therefore not comment on that because I don't
>>>agree
>>>with the statement. As to whether the political process is the only
>>>viable
>>>option, I feel that the political process coupled with continuous
>>>internal
>>>and external pressure is a much better alternative than the repeated
>>>calls
>>>for violent means of bringing about change. Whereas change that is
>>>brought
>>>about politically can offer tested leaders who have had a chance to
>>>explain
>>>their policies and programs to the people, change that is brought about
>>>by
>>>violent and sudden means offers a Russian roulette alternative. It is
>>>granted that there is a possibility that such a change of government can
>>>be
>>>effectively and efficiently executed without loss of life and destruction
>>>of property and that such a change can produce a leader who has the
>>>interests of the nation at heart. However, the dangers associated with
>>>that
>>>method are plenty and cannot be ignored. Something can always go wrong
>>>even
>>>with the most carefully planned operation and the result can be
>>>devastating
>>>for our country. Another risk, given that the people executing such
>>>operations can be any Tom, Dick or Harry, is that we might have someone
>>>who
>>>is worse than Yaya. Much, much, much worse. What do we do then? Pray that
>>>someone else violently removes him? Isn't that akin to creating a coup
>>>industry whereby anyone with guts and the blessings of a marabout can
>>>attempt to overthrow a government? What are the implications of such an
>>>industry on the stability and security of our country? Another risk is
>>>that
>>>people propagating for a violent change of government might be doing so
>>>out
>>>of a wish to revenge personal wrongs meted out by the government or by
>>>Yaya. Instead of "praying" Yaya to "Tan" (just joking) and getting on
>>>with
>>>it, they might use the Gambian people as pawns in an endeavour that could
>>>go wrong with horrendous consequences. What would happen if such people
>>>succeed? Would they kill and imprison everyone associated with Yaya? Is
>>>that good for the continuity of our country as a viable entity? Even
>>>though
>>>the political option is not the panacea to The Gambia's ills or even a
>>>likely solution, the risks associated with the violent option are many.
>>>(On
>>>a less related note, acquire IP tracing software and trace some of the IP
>>>addresses of some of the people propagating violent change in The Gambia
>>>and claiming to be in The Gambia, "on the ground", "in the this" or "in
>>>the
>>>that" and you'll be really surprised when you see some writing from
>>>Russia,
>>>England, US etc.)
>>>
>>>             You also wrote: "If as these Alumni of PDOIS/Foroyaa are
>>>gloating about the success or inevitability of success of the strategy of
>>>their party, surely it's about time one takes them to task and ask them
>>>to
>>>empirically state how the aforesaid strategy has made any concrete
>>>difference since the gruesome murders of April 10 and 11. It is time we
>>>ask
>>>ourselves what is working or practically workable as we struggle with the
>>>dictator."
>>>
>>>      It is empirically impossible to measure whether PDOIS' strategy
>>>vis-à-vis the April massacre has had some effect just as it is
>>>empirically
>>>impossible to determine if it didn't have an effect. Why? Because even if
>>>one were to institute a study, the available variables would render
>>>coming
>>>to a conclusion practically impossible due to, among other reasons, the
>>>multi-pronged reaction and handling of the massacre. That aside, one can
>>>see that the total and universal condemnation, including but not limited
>>>to
>>>PDOIS' approach, has had an effect no matter how small. Yaya could have
>>>reacted when he came back from Cuba in his usual fashion and picked up
>>>the
>>>line of his officials, which so infuriated the Gambian people. He didn't.
>>>A
>>>commission was instituted. That also is an indication of the effect the
>>>pressures had. The Government's fear in releasing the Coroner's Report
>>>also
>>>indicates a fear of the reaction of the people assuming that the report
>>>is
>>>damning. I am not saying that all this is the panacea to the issue of the
>>>April massacre. It might even be counter-productive to the desire to get
>>>to
>>>the truth but at least giving in to the pressures levied by among others,
>>>PDOIS, is an indication of the effect that penning letters at Churchill's
>>>Town or strongly condemning brutal acts from Oxford can have. The letters
>>>of PDOIS and the actions of others made it possible for the ban on the
>>>UDP
>>>to hold rallies to be lifted. That also is testimony, no matter how
>>>small,
>>>that the PDOIS strategy is having an effect.
>>>
>>>             On the issue of the political parties staging civil
>>>disobedience measures, maybe all the political parties can give you an
>>>answer. I personally respect the decisions of the parties to either
>>>engage
>>>in such or not, given that they are more in tune with the realities on
>>>the
>>>ground than I am. I respect the fact that such a move is a strategic one
>>>that has to consider timing,practicability, risk not only to one's self
>>>but
>>>also to supporters, resources and a host of other variables and has to be
>>>done after the parties feel that they do not have any other option.
>>>Whilst
>>>I can see the benefits of such a move, I can also see risks involved
>>>which
>>>include giving Yaya the opportunity to declare a state of emergency,
>>>rounding up all the political leaders and indefinitely postponing the
>>>elections. It has happened in other countries.
>>>
>>>      Hamjatta, I have tried to deal with the issues you raised. I
>>>however
>>>have some questions for you if you don't mind, given that you wrote: "It
>>>is
>>>time we ask ourselves what is working or practically workable as we
>>>struggle with the dictator." The questions are:
>>>
>>>   1.. What has been your strategy since the April massacre as a
>>>concerned
>>>citizen to ensure that justice is served?
>>>   2.. How is it different from PDOIS'?
>>>   3.. How have you implemented the strategy or how do you intend to
>>>implement the strategy?
>>>   4.. Can you guarantee or at least gauge whether the results of your
>>>strategy will have a higher success rate than PDOIS'?
>>>   5.. What do you base such predictions or pronouncements on?
>>>   6.. What alternative approach can you proffer to deal with the current
>>>political impasse in The Gambia given that PDOIS' approach is not, in
>>>your
>>>opinion, working?
>>>   7.. How do you intend to institute your alternative?
>>>   8.. What do you expect PDOIS and the other political parties to do in
>>>the meantime?
>>>   9.. Given that you feel that the political process is not a workable
>>>alternative, do you believe that the only available or workable option
>>>would be a violent overthrow of the Government?
>>>   10.. When? What if that is not possible in the next one, two, five,
>>>ten
>>>years?
>>>   11.. Should the political parties stop all operations and wait for the
>>>alternative you propose or do you believe that they are obliged under the
>>>Constitution of The Gambia and their own to propagate by lawful means
>>>their
>>>beliefs?
>>>      Sorry for the long list of questions. Anyway, The Gambia is in a
>>>quagmire and I don't think that PDOIS or their supporters claim to have
>>>the
>>>universal remedy for the country's woes. What they claim is to have small
>>>steps which are pursued through pressure be it in the form of letters or
>>>otherwise. PDOIS and their supporters are however not the only people to
>>>have a claim to The Gambia. If the other stakeholders, in the form of
>>>political parties and concerned citizens, contribute in their small ways
>>>a
>>>cure will eventually be found when all adds up. Thank you and have a good
>>>evening.
>>>
>>>
>>>                                                         Buharry.
>>>
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