Hi Halifa!
               It is fine for you to tackle the issues you think you should
tackle. I do not see your comments as an intrusion because at the end of the
day, it is you and your party that are on trial here. Thank you for your
advice and for your and your party's sober policies. Whilst others might
condemn you, there are others who are impressed with your work, both past
and present, who shall at the risk of being termed programmed fanatics
continue to use our prerogative of expressing appreciation of people who
impress us. Thanks.

Buharry.
----- Original Message -----
From: foroyaa <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, August 22, 2000 12:44 PM
Subject: Re: Buharry's Questions


> Buharry,
>
> I must begin by apologising for the intrusion. You have every right to
> continue your exchanges with Hamjatta. It is a healthy intellectual
> exercise. Moreover, Bamba Laye had cautioned me not to engage in such
> intrusions.
>
> Notwithstanding, PDOIS is a concern party and I had thought that my
posture
> had clarified our position. Any person is free to examine our strategies
and
> tactics and make a critical appraisal of what we claim against what we are
> doing.
>
> Hamjatta wants to give the impression that he is a critic and that we are
> not tolerant of his criticisms. This is not a fact. Hamjatta is not only a
> critic. He takes the posture of a prosecutor who indicts and a judge who
> passes judgment. And what is unfortunate about this is that his indictment
> of PDOIS is mostly based on fiction rather than facts. Consequently, his
> judgment is largely based not on evidence adduced but his mental
creations.
>
> My fear is that if this is transformed into a pure intellectual exercise,
we
> will miss the essence of the whole endeavour.  The main point at issue is
to
> work out strategies and tactics for the liberation and development of our
> people.
>
> PDOIS' strategic objectives are very clear and they have been posted for
> everyone to read. The various tactics we are willing to employ as dictated
> by time and circumstances have also been elaborated. Those who agree with
> this should be willing to devote their physical and mental energies, as
well
> as their material resources to ensure that we achieve our tactical and
> strategic objectives. Those who disagree should proceed to devote their
> mental and physical energies, as well as their material resources to
further
> other strategies and tactical objectives. The objective, therefore, should
> be clarify issues and not to win an argument.
>
> I have not read any posting yet in the L quoting what we have said
regarding
> our strategic and tactical objectives and subjecting them to critical
> review. It is only Hamjatta who seems to have befogged the issues in his
> last posting. I wish I could have received your permission to address his
> posting in a short and concise manner so that the clarity of vision which
we
> hope has been evinced in my last posting would be maintained so that what
is
> to be done will be clear to all of us, at least from the perspective of
> PDOIS. It is, however, your prerogative to pursue your own design.
>
> If you subject Hamjatta's last posting into careful evaluation, all he is
> saying is that all members of society must be mobilised through agitation
to
> remove Jammeh. To help him to understand that bringing people together is
a
> quantitative process leading to a qualitative state. And to fully grasp
that
> civil society is not only on the side of the opposition but also on the
side
> of the ruling party, I posed two questions in my posting on strategy and
> tactics, that is, what led the students into the streets? What barred the
> tens of thousands of people who voted for Darboe from marching to Basse
> Police Station to ensure his release?
>
> Hamjatta does not explain how the civil society groups could all be
brought
> together under the political movement. He naively believes that simple
> agitation by leaders of the political movement could ensure the unity he
> calls for to effect the change he dreams of. This is why I am becoming
more
> and more amazed by Hamjatta's demagogy.
>
> I must conclude by adding that there is no need to try to convince
Hamjatta
> that you are not programmed and that you are not a fanatic. I really do
not
> know you personally. At least I cannot remember having a personal
> relationship with you, even if it happens that we have met. However, I
know
> Hamjatta personally. He knows the type of people we are; that the type of
> intellectual tradition that we have promoted in The Gambia is to shatter
all
> mystification of knowledge and knowledge givers.
>
> Many people who are now writing in the L have never had any direct
> relationship with us and we are hoping that through our website we will be
> able to engage people abroad in a more constructive and elaborate manner.
>
> It is rather strange that Hamjatta, who had once shown appreciation for
the
> little work we are doing would, now accuses others who show appreciation
of
> being programmed fanatics. We wonder who programmed them and how. We also
> wonder what he is trying to achieve by dwelling on such platitudes.
>
> Pardon me for any interruption of your own mental processes to deal with
the
> issues posted to you.
>
> Greetings.
>
> Halifa.
>
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