Mr. Jeng:
Your summation of facts and independence in analytical review
of events in The Gambian are worth commending on. You have
indeed earned respect from me, and I hope the rest of the gang
is willing to fully take heart of your review.
I want to conclude by thanking you. I hope we have more individuals
like you. The Gambia is our country. We cannot afford to take an
agency approach in dealing with facts. Whether or not we subscribe
to a choice of candidate for the opposition, we must understand that
we have more at stake than our own individual interests.
Our ability to compromise and meet halfway will yield us understanding,
truth and fair-dealing.
Naphiyo,
Comrade ML Jassey-Conteh
Greensboro, NC/Kombo East Constituency
Original Message:
-----------------
From: Haruna Darbo [log in to unmask]
Date: Sun, 2 Sep 2001 21:16:15 +0000
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Is Bloodshed Avoidable?
<html><div style='background-color:'><DIV>
<P>Well said Musa. It is time to pause, reflect, and constructively critisize.</P>
<P>Haruna.<BR><BR></P></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>From: Musa Jeng <[log in to unmask]>
<DIV></DIV>>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]>
<DIV></DIV>>To: [log in to unmask]
<DIV></DIV>>Subject: Is Bloodshed Avoidable?
<DIV></DIV>>Date: Tue, 28 Aug 2001 22:54:48 -0400
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>With the long Atlanta commute on a daily basis, it has become an ideal
<DIV></DIV>>time to do lots of reflection, These days, although far away from home,
<DIV></DIV>>there is a preoccupation with the political situation in the country.
<DIV></DIV>>Terrible as it may sound, and rather convenient to us living in the
<DIV></DIV>>Diaspora, bloodshed is unavoidable. And it is part of the reality, and
<DIV></DIV>>may be the price to be paid to bring an end to the Jammeh nightmare. My
<DIV></DIV>>former classmate, Koro Ceesay, the children of the April 10 massacre has
<DIV></DIV>>already paid this expensive price, and many of the Soldiers that become
<DIV></DIV>>cannon fodder for the bringing about, or sustaining of this illegitimate
<DIV></DIV>>government.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>The solace and the consolation are the creation of a government of
<DIV></DIV>>National Unity. This is an opportunity to introduce and put together the
<DIV></DIV>>foundation for constitutional democracy. An Alliance victory will shake
<DIV></DIV>>up all form of political domination and no single party or people will
<DIV></DIV>>runaway with the new political reality, and a new political life would
<DIV></DIV>>be breath into the system. Such a government of national unity would
<DIV></DIV>>freeze any propensity for vindictiveness, retaliatory tendencies, and
<DIV></DIV>>instead would create a country of laws where the rights of all Gambians
<DIV></DIV>>would be protected.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>The other political dynamic is that the APRC government cannot even
<DIV></DIV>>fathom the possibility of loosing this election, and would do whatever
<DIV></DIV>>it takes to hang on to this imaginary power. It is perceived as a life
<DIV></DIV>>and death situation, and would take more than going to the pools on
<DIV></DIV>>Election Day to unseat the APRC government. This mindset is a recipe for
<DIV></DIV>>bloodshed, breakdown of civil society, chaos and lawlessness. Such dire
<DIV></DIV>>situation has already begun, the attempt by the Justice secretary to use
<DIV></DIV>>a technicality to disenfranchise the Gambian voter, and if that fails,
<DIV></DIV>>they will up the ante and eventually a breakdown of civil engagement.
<DIV></DIV>>Bloodshed, chaos and civil war is a very likely scenario, and contrary
<DIV></DIV>>to the notion that “Deka bi dafa am nyan”, maybe now is one of those
<DIV></DIV>>times that we really need that notion to materialize.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>This grave situation of bloodshed, death and lawlessness can be avoided
<DIV></DIV>>by the action of these principal players:
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>The IEC (Gabriel Roberts)
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>I am not the least professing to know the Man, Mr.Roberts, but can only
<DIV></DIV>>have an opinion base on decisions and positions taken in the past. Mr.
<DIV></DIV>>Roberts is one of the architect of this Electoral commission, and the
<DIV></DIV>>fact that he accepted this job offer after Mr.Johnson was removed from
<DIV></DIV>>the position without due process, tells one a lot about the man.
<DIV></DIV>>Mr.Roberts came from the Aku heritage- a people that contributed a lot
<DIV></DIV>>to what is considered Gambia as a nation. The Akus are known as
<DIV></DIV>>religious, hardworking, honest, well mannered and very principled. Their
<DIV></DIV>>human capital investment in the Gambia forms the foundation of whatever
<DIV></DIV>>civil service or governance the country can strive on. It is time for
<DIV></DIV>>Mr.Roberts to epitomize that Aku spirit that our country needs dearly.
<DIV></DIV>>Pardon me, if anybody feels uncomfortable of the tribal angle, but it is
<DIV></DIV>>necessary to put things in its proper perspective.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Mr.Roberts, you would be doing injustice to a whole nation, to your
<DIV></DIV>>heritage and your self by compromising your integrity that will result
<DIV></DIV>>to bloodshed, chaos and lawlessness. Sir, you have a job to do and it is
<DIV></DIV>>a moral imperative to do it freely fairly and accordance to the laws
<DIV></DIV>>that you pioneered. If at anytime, whether it is from the government of
<DIV></DIV>>the day, Opposition, or some pressure force that rendered you impotent
<DIV></DIV>>to perform your job, please do the right thing. Do not be a participant
<DIV></DIV>>to a sham that can really create bloodshed.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>The Aprc:
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Most Gambians do not believe that the APRC government is interested in
<DIV></DIV>>conducting free and fair elections. Technicalities have been used in the
<DIV></DIV>>past, and have started to show its ugly head to disenfranchise the
<DIV></DIV>>Gambian voter. Logistical remedies-disallowing on the spot counting and
<DIV></DIV>>the tactic of intimidation are tools to be used to hang on to power at
<DIV></DIV>>all cost. This will be a recipe for bloodshed and lawlessness. The APRC
<DIV></DIV>>has ruled for seven years and has a record to run on. Take your message
<DIV></DIV>>to the Gambian people and let them be the final arbiter. Gambians have
<DIV></DIV>>witnessed a thirty-year rule under a PPP government, have witnessed a
<DIV></DIV>>second republic under an APRC government, and have gotten to know all
<DIV></DIV>>the different political parties; maybe they should be given a chance to
<DIV></DIV>>determine the direction this country should take. Nobody has the right
<DIV></DIV>>to use intimidation, lies, deceit and eventually bloodshed to affect
<DIV></DIV>>that sacred right.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>The Opposition:
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>You are the hope that will take us to the promise land. There is a
<DIV></DIV>>feeling that if elections are held freely and fairly you will win. It is
<DIV></DIV>>also a fact that Opposition plays a vital and responsible role in the
<DIV></DIV>>political process, in fact a partner with government to conduct free and
<DIV></DIV>>fair elections. Just because you are bent on removing the present status
<DIV></DIV>>quo and you have the moral argument somehow gives you the right to win
<DIV></DIV>>at all cost. The people are the final arbiter, and if they have spoken
<DIV></DIV>>to maintain the present status quo, then it is your duty to go the extra
<DIV></DIV>>mile to be a partner in bringing about the business of governing. A
<DIV></DIV>>sitting government is bound to enjoy the position of incumbency, and
<DIV></DIV>>that cannot be used as a justification to cru foul and create chaos and
<DIV></DIV>>lawlessness. It is also incumbent upon you to fight to the end to make
<DIV></DIV>>sure the wishes of the people are reflected come election day. It is
<DIV></DIV>>imperative to do whatever it takes not to be part of a sham that will
<DIV></DIV>>disenfranchise the Gambian voter.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>GNA:
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>The security apparatus are the ultimate professional group equipped to
<DIV></DIV>>protect the Gambia from any form of break down of civil society. Your
<DIV></DIV>>allegiance should be to the Gambian people and to maintain and protect
<DIV></DIV>>lives. Bloodshed, civil strife and lawlessness are a direct failure of
<DIV></DIV>>your responsibility. A repetition of the April 10 massacre only
<DIV></DIV>>reaffirmed the reality that GNA is an enemy of the Gasmbian people. You
<DIV></DIV>>have the key in making sure that elections are conducted freely and
<DIV></DIV>>fairly. Without your presence of taking sides, all the players will play
<DIV></DIV>>according to the rules. You participated in removing a democratically
<DIV></DIV>>elected government, and for seven years sit unconcern while the rights
<DIV></DIV>>of Gambians are been trampled upon. The new political reality is that
<DIV></DIV>>bloodshed and lost of lives are a reality come October. If you allow
<DIV></DIV>>your Organization to be manipulated or used to disenfranchise the wishes
<DIV></DIV>>of the Gambian people, then you have failed in your responsibilities.
<DIV></DIV>>Bloodshed, breakdown of civil society and lawlessness can be avoided, if
<DIV></DIV>>you act professionally.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Folks, like you, I understand the naivete to some of the assumptions
<DIV></DIV>>been made above. But these are the assumptions and safeguards that can
<DIV></DIV>>bring about free and fair elections, and ultimately a constitutional
<DIV></DIV>>democracy. Each of the aforementioned players has to do its utmost best
<DIV></DIV>>to uphold what is expected from them. If any of the players straddles,
<DIV></DIV>>bloodshed will be unavoidable consequence.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Musa Jeng
<DIV></DIV>>
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