Dr. Jaiteh, thanks for your response about Yusupha Jow’s status. I did NOT
mean in my ‘polite’ request to you (List Managers) to insinuate that you are
‘required to explain’ your actions. I asked you before jumping the gun
because I realized that not even Yusupha Jow knew what happened to his
subscription. Having seen your response, I must tell you that I am most
disappointed in the people that orchestrated this bizarre and dictatorial
action. I do NOT want to believe that the whole of List Management
subscribed to this decision. You people (those that subscribed to removing
Yusupha Jow) call yourselves educated, living in free societies, and then
turn around and take such ludicrous decisions.
When will you get it into your heads that you CANNOT decree ‘decency’ on a
forum like this? In Yusupha Jow’s case, that is exactly what you are trying
to do. This man wrote a simple statement that is open to several
interpretations. In my neck of the woods, as Yusupha pointed out, what he
said could translate to ‘waiting in vain’. It could also translate to what
Tombong sent us. Remember that Yusupha can no longer send messages to G_L.
The last we heard from Yusupha, it was Tombong who sent the message. Are you
guys now going to ‘delist’ Tombong for sending to ‘decent folks’ on G_L a
message that Yusupha Jow sent him privately? Is that NOT the point after
all? List Management is CENSORING G_L to ensure that people do NOT send
‘indecent material’. Now, Tombong just sent us material that is more graphic
than what purportedly caused you to ‘delist’ Yusupha. I hope you are going
to report soon that Tombong has already been ‘delisted’ for first of all
sending a message from a ‘delisted’ person (contrary to already published
G_L rules); secondly, Tombong should be ‘delisted’ for sending ‘pornographic
material’ on G_L.
I CANNOT believe that List Management took away Yusupha Jow’s rights in
order to apease Fatoumatta Jahumpa. That is why I concluded above that the
only way I can rationalize your action is to say that you are trying to
protect your own definition of decency on G_L. Fatoumatta Jahumpa has gone
on the campaign trail in Banjul and said a lot of nasty things against
Ousainou Darboe and his parents. Things I will NOT even repeat in this
forum. When she did that, some in the Opposition were in turn told nasty
things about Jahumpa and her parents. To this day, I have NOT read such
character assassinations against Jahumpa on any medium. Neither have I heard
Ousainou Darboe or his supporters calling for Jahumpa be gagged. See, it is
our detractors that describe us as dictators that are in fact dictatorial.
Darboe did what law-abiding and liberal citizens would do. He set the ball
rolling to sue Jahumpa in court. Waa Juwara did the same thing in the past.
Despite all the insults that have been heaped on me and Hamjatta and Ebrima
Ceesay, none of us have advocated that people be ‘delisted’, like Tombong
came whining to List Management.
I intervene knowing full well that Yusupha himself did NOT want me to
intervene on his behalf. I feel that it is very wrong to disregard all the
fine postings this brilliant Gambian has contributed to G_L over the years
and just pick one phrase from his posting, misinterpret the statement and
then ostracize him. I find List Management’s decision very unfair,
vindictive and dictatorial. I have been made even sadder by the sheer fact
that List Management sought to banish Yusupha in the same category as vermin
like Hasanatou Barry. Remember, the woman did NOT only say disparaging
things about people, she deliberately lied about a matter that takes Muslims
to Hell. Even at that Hamjatta did NOT say that the woman ought to be
‘delisted’. You start going that route, you are embarked on a slippery
slope. The next you know the whole of List Management will be ‘delisted’ one
way or the other. People will either be scared to say a word because they do
NOT want to be misinterpreted, or they will say something and List
Management will ‘delist’ them for being ‘indecent’. This CENSORSHIP is no
different than Yaya ‘deporting’ journalists that do NOT toe the government’s
line.
I do NOT seek here to make you overturn your irrational decision. All I seek
is to state for the record that I vehemently oppose the decision and also
point out the absurdity in this decision (‘delisting’ Yusupha) if I am right
that Tombong has NOT been ‘delisted’. ‘Delisting’ Yusupha and leaving
Tombong on the List makes no sense to me if what you want to do is police
‘decency’ on the G_L. Tombong (and NOT Yusupha) just sent us a more graphic
material. What is there to tell us that Tombong will use better judgment
next time and not send us more pornographic material from another source?
Don’t get me wrong though. Although I will NOT fight for my opponents to be
‘enlisted’, I will NEVER resort to such dictatorial tactics as gagging them
by ‘delisting’ them. People should be thick-skinned enough and comfortable
with themselves enough NOT to be bothered by certain words that are said
about them on G_L. Saying on G_L something that is a LIE can NEVER make that
statement become the TRUTH. I hope the people that seek to brand Yusupha in
this way are comfortable with what they are doing and they are NOT just
succumbing to the wishes of the faint-hearted in this forum. This decision
showed that when the going got tough, List Management lost it. Dictatorship
took over List Management.
Yusupha, if you are still hooked up, I want to let you know that you might
have been ‘delisted’, but you are NOT ostracized. No matter what transpired
between you and some of us, you will always be seen as someone that
contributed tremendously to this struggle in the best way you know how. We
will NOT disregard your more than five hundred postings and judge you by
this one. You are a huge asset to our country and the pride and joy of many
Gambians. If any of us was judged at his/her worst moments, none of us will
pass muster. I encourage you to continue contributing to the struggle. Your
contributions do NOT have to be restricted to postings on G_L.
KB
>From: "Malanding S. Jaiteh" <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Attn: List Managers -- Yusupha Jow
>Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2001 16:45:57 -0400
>
>Kebba,
>Please be informed that the Managers are not required to explain their
>actions to anyone other than those whose accounts are affected. As of
>Thursday both [log in to unmask] and [log in to unmask] are set to recieve mail
>only.
>That means that they can receive g-l mail but cannot send mail to the list.
>
>Thank you.
>
>Malanading
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Dampha Kebba" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2001 12:43 PM
>Subject: Attn: List Managers -- Yusupha Jow
>
>
> > I would be very grateful if any of the List Managers can help clarify
>the
> > situation with Yusupha Jow's subscription on G_L. I hope this is NOT an
> > attempt to appease the APRC camp on the expulsion of one of their own.
>Till
> > we hear from List Management, I will hold onto my other comments. Thank
>you
> > in advance.
> > KB
> >
> >
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