MOSE, I wish to associate my self with your analysis, it is coherent honest
and impregnated with the truth, I wish we all approach this whole coalition
question in this manner then there would not have been any conflicts or
contradictions. But the reality remains that some people are just dishonest
and would always blame others instead of taking time to reflect on their own
actions. The Gambia is at a cross-roads hence it requires all of us
advocating for the greater good to embark on the same slippery slope.
Instead of castigating one another we should be engaging in regular honest
dialogue in other to formulate a programme of action that would be
acceptable to  all participants hecnce, inclusive.

The people have declared thier wish it is now incumbent upon the politicians
to forge an agreement that would bind all the parties. Nontheless if the
whole thing did not materialise we should just move on and ensure the
inergrity of the whole electoral process to allow the verdict to reflect the
wishes of the electorate. Failure to do this will only lead to bitterness
and recreminations which is uncalled for. Of course there are people whose
political affiliations are known hence we must learn to respect each others
positions an that is the beauty of democracy, through such varied positions
would emerge fruitful discussion such as yours which can only help to
forster democracy and goodwill. We should issue a challenge to the parties
to return for further negotiations any any one who emerged as the choosen
leader would be endorsed and given all the support warranted. Failure to
convene and brainstorm would just pronounce the dead to the efforts to forge
a coalition. I hope when this is the case Pdois would be spared the blame
for their position is very clear to anyone of intergrity, they havent at any
point in time denounce such an alliance in fact au contraire they have
supported it in principle and have even gone further to table a proposal as
to what they think should happen. I hope we will move forward and stop
accusing innocent people for being the cause of any failure


>From: Musa Jeng <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Frustrating Political reality
>Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2001 22:07:33 -0400
>
>As the opportunity for an Alliance started to look like a reality, hope
>for a new Gambia towards a constitutional democracy was becoming a
>reality. But for the past 7 days, I have been woken up from that
>beautiful dream. The story of Ralph Nader, the Green Party liberal
>candidate who denied us the Presidency, is going to be a replay come
>October 2001 in the Gambia. God forbid!
>
>This of course can be avoided, but it is going to take political
>maturity, sense of fairness, political realism and a viable political
>strategy. A political Alliance can still be put together, but for that
>to happen the protagonists need to focus on how to effectively bring
>about that reality.  The political reality is that the only way a new
>Gambia can be created come October 2001 is through the formation of an
>Opposition Alliance. It is also a political reality that the October
>2001 election is not a referendum of who should be the next President,
>but a referendum on dictatorship or constitutional democracy. An
>Alliance victory will bring about a new Gambia on a new path to law and
>order, and justice for all. I would like to take this opportunity to
>talk to the protagonists in this unfolding drama, Mr. Sidia Jatta, Mr.
>Ousainou Darboe, Mr. Hamat Bah and Mr.S.M. Dibba.
>
>SM.Dibba,
>
>Gambia politics has always been your life, and you have contributed and
>dedicated all your life to it, and it would be very unfair to question
>your commitment and your believe, or to even doubt that you have what it
>takes to lead the Alliance. You are a political heavy weight and whether
>you become President or not, you will always be regarded as someone who
>has contributed immensely to the political landscape of this country.
>Gambian History cannot be written without you being one of the main
>characters. Gambia is at a crossroad, and we need a formidable
>Opposition Alliance to bring about constitutional democracy that we have
>never had. And for that to happen we need to elect a candidate that have
>been active recently for the past seven years, and also with a very good
>chance of electability. It is not about whom is more qualify; it is
>about the safe strategy to win come October 2001. The Alliance cannot
>win without you, but now is not the time to settle old scores because
>ultimately the country you always loved will pay a heavy price. When
>your epithet is written you will not want to be remembered as the person
>that contributed to Gambia becoming a pariah nation like Sierra Leone or
>Liberia? Gambia under Jammeh for another five years is too much of a
>risk to take. The Jammeh take over was something most of us supported,
>but that Jammeh revolution we all yearned for is long gone and we are
>stuck on a dangerous path.
>
>Mr. Darboe,
>
>Even though, I always believed that Gambia could only move forward with
>a real future after the APRC era, I have always had my scepticism with
>the UDP party. I was one of the victims with the held view that UDP is
>the party of the disgruntled PPP people who are very much interested in
>coming back for the big payback. Gambia cannot go back to the PPP yeste
>year, and as the new slogan from the –L, Gambia needs to go forward.
>After I met you personally in Atlanta, I came to know Darboe the Man,
>who is driven by his commitment to Justice. The bottom line is, you are
>definitely the best person who can lead the Alliance to victory. It is
>also a political reality that the PPP party can play a major role in
>contributing to this victory.  But strategically, you cannot embrace the
>PPP party at the expense of all the other parties; even the perception
>of it can bring about the old rivalries that you personally have nothing
>to do with it. Mr. Darboe, now is the time to lead. You go and sit down
>with each of the players and look them right in the eye and tell them
>why you think you are the best person to lead the Alliance, and what it
>would actually mean for their individual party platforms and proposals.
>You personally need to remove all these so-called handlers with lots of
>political baggage and engage SM Dibba, PDOIS, and NRP. Sir, if you
>cannot convince these three people, please tell me how do you expect to
>convince a million electorate. Sir, now is the time to take charge, and
>avoid perceptions that can be strategically disadvantageous.
>
>PDOIS
>
>This is my party, and I have no illusion that PDOIS is not fighting for
>the leadership slot. They are interested in message, substance, and what
>Mr.Sallah calls the enlightening and empowering of the people. Meeting
>Mr.Sallah this summer in Washington DC  “Up and Close” gave me an
>opportunity to see the Man, the message, and that was what I attempted
>to put forward when I wrote the piece to the –L couple of months ago. I
>found it very troubling when I read some of the unfair attacks Hamjatta
>likes to level against Halifa, and inasmuch as I agree with Hamjatta’s
>ultimate suggestion for a united Alliance, he is dead wrong in his
>characterization of Halifa and PDOIS. But PDOIS needs to be very careful
>with this one, although PDOIS has a true message, but perception can be
>very powerful and can ultimately become the truth. PDOIS cannot be seen
>as the Party that was not only soft on Jammeh for the last seven years
>but also contributed to their re-election. It is a fact that a PDOIS
>party platform cannot be implemented in a Jammeh administration, but can
>definitely have a chance in the next Administration. I have also read
>PDOIS’s latest proposal for the Opposition Alliance, and it can be a
>starting point, although I have a problem with the idea of bringing a
>new person to lead the Alliance. Mr.Sallah, I sat with you at the back
>of an SUV for over an hour, and some of this drama unfolding was touched
>on. Whatever reservation you have with the proposed Alliance, and I am
>absolutely sure it is not a fight for a PDOIS person to be on the
>leadership slot, but pragmatism should be paramount. At this juncture it
>makes sense for Darboe to lead because he is the best candidate that has
>a chance to win with the support of all the other political partys. This
>is at least a safe bet for the creation of a constitutional democracy
>for a new Gambia. It is a reality in the Gambia that any aware and
>honest Gambian knows that, our party, PDOIS is the true party with the
>message, the honesty, the commitment that can ultimately bring about the
>Gambia that all our neighbors in the sub-region will emulate.  But at
>this critical juncture, our effort should be directed to the removal of
>the APRC government. Whatever needs to be done to make happen should be
>the crux of all the strategy.
>
>Gentlemen, Gambia needs you now than ever, and now are not the time to
>straddle. Let us as quickly find a common ground that is at least
>acceptable to all for the formation of the Opposition Alliance. Let us
>do that for the sake of the children that lost their lives in the April
>10 massacre.
>
>Musa Jeng
>
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