Halifa Sallah,
Thank you for your response. I quote you "We still believe that you do not
know what exactly happened between Gambisara and Numuyel nor do you fully
comprehend what happened after the Chamoi bridge. We still insist that the
matter has become a legal one and it will be most unfair to the UDP to dwell
on the substance".
With due respect Mr. Sallah, from the day of the attack, we had an avalanche
of credible reports by members of this reputable forum and from other
international news organizations. My opinion then, was based on those
reports
as well as reports by some of my personal sources about the incident. I have
never heard you refuting the credibility of a single report at that time. So
to assert that "I do not know what exactly happened between Gambisara and
Numuyel nor do I fully comprehend what happened after the Chamoi bridge" is
a great misrepresentation of reality.
Mr. Sallah, I must hasten to tell you that any personal memorandum you may
want to send to me will only be admissible in public domain. If I can get
you onboard with that suggestion then send it to me right away.You should
remember the beginning of this debate, it erupted when I expressed my
concern about lack of condemnation by your party so inorder to clear all
doubts about my claim I would like to share any related memo to the issue
with the forum.
You said, "When our Central Committee met, Sidia Jatta was mandated to raise
the issue with his colleagues in the National Assembly so that a meeting of
the committee responsible for the welfare of National Assembly Members would
be convened and the Secretary of State for national Assembly affairs to be
contacted to immediately work for the release of the member of the National
assembly, failing which he would have recommended to be mandated as
Secretary to the Parliamentary Association to alert all Parliamentary
Associations they are affiliated with so that immediate action would be
taken to call for the release of the National Assembly Member".
" We could tell you what happened to this initiative, but that would
implicate others. You may write to Mr. Kemeseng Jammeh and ask him what
happened to this initiative".
Halifa, I totally disagree with your argument that commenting on the case
will be unfair to the UDP because of the legal implications that may have.
It is common all around the world to discuss the merit of a case that is in
court without necessarily influencing the outcome. But what is important in
the first place is whether the case against the UDP and 24 others has any
basis,they act in self defense and I hope the prosecutors will see it in
that light. Again how will talking implicate others when you are suggesting
for Kemeseng Jammeh divulge to me the initiative that was followed. Who will
it
exactly implicate? Is it national Assembly members, NIA officials, human
rights organizations or civilians? I don't think there is any legitimate
fear for any body because that is within their moral obligation to speak
against injustice by demanding the release of a detainee/detainees,
especially bearing in mind the circumstances surrounding the case.
Halifa,I appreciate the fact thatsomeone is sleeping in your office 24 hours
is a nice thing but failing to add your voice to an that attack has
disappointed many Gambians.I see your activism not going far enough with
this administration as you
were before 1994.
Mori kebba Jammeh
----- Original Message -----
From: foroyaa <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, July 13, 2000 2:23 PM
Subject: Re: THE UDP LEADER AND 24 OTHERS
> Mori Kebba,
>
> I have just been reminded that your memorandum was printed and left on my
> desk for response. Accept my apology for not responding earlier than now.
>
> Thank you very much for the generous words. There would not have been any
> need to respond since you are simply expressing an opinion. However, we
see
> a genuine desire for dialogue. In that light, it is necessary to clarify
> certain things so that they will not be the subject of any misconception.
>
> You wrote: "I believe you will agree with me that my debate is not based
on
> political innuendo as you have stated earlier and I do not intend to drag
> you on to make any statement because that opportunity has come and gone
when
> your party was mute condemning the violence. I stand by my statement that
> there are three opposition parties in the Gambia -NRP, PDOIS and UDP."
>
> Your comment is not a fair one. We still believe that you do not know what
> exactly happened between Gambisara and Numuyel nor do you fully comprehend
> what happened after the Chamoi bridge. We still insist that the matter has
> become a legal one and it will be most unfair to the UDP to dwell on the
> substance. I would not mind sending you a personal memorandum to explain
the
> substance and leave you to analyse whether we should take the approach
that
> you expect us to take.
>
> Furthermore, you wrote: "We do not need official declaration by the UDP
> about what I said. The events clearly spoke for themselves about what is
in
> the government's mind regarding the UDP. Why has the UDP been a constant
> thorn in the flesh of this administration? I am surely not an official
> member of the UDP but the persistent injustice they have been facing daily
> is purely political because
> of continuous revelations of misdeeds of the government in the
> administration of our country."
>
> Again, this is an opinion. PDOIS could also claim that it is more
consistent
> in exposing the whole system which prevails in The Gambia today. We hope
you
> will visit our website when it starts. We hope all the parties will do the
> same thing. Then people will be able to judge for themselves which parties
> are engaged in thorough exposure of what is happening in the country, and
> which parties are engaged in sensationalism. We will leave that to you to
> decide.
>
> Notwithstanding, we agree with you that as an opposition party we will
> contribute our quota in ensuring that when change comes from the ballot,
it
> is accepted.
>
> You indicated that: "In order to discourage political ambushes henceforth
> every peace loving individual including PDOIS as a political party must
> condemn all
> forms of political violence. Silence will not only encourage it but
escalate
> it further. If your party's position is known on political ambushes and
> mid-night kidnappings perhaps people who do it will calculate the public
> reaction and think again,that effort must be led by the opposition."
>
> Morri Kebba, what you are implying is far from the reality. PDOIS is not
> silent on political violence, ambushes or whatever name we give them.
PDOIS
> is an activist party. That is its difference with all the parties in this
> country. Someone sleeps in our office. We are operating almost 24 hours a
> day. Our telephone is a hot line and we maintain contact with every single
> person or their families who is subjected to this type of violence. When
the
> UDP delegation was in the Basse Police Station, we reported to Gambia-L
what
> was happening in Basse and Banjul at the same time. When they were being
> transported from Basse to Banjul, we monitored the process. We were in
touch
> with the delegation left behind after the departure of those charged. We
> never abandoned them until they reached their respective homes. We do more
> than we publish, Morri Kebba.
>
> Take the question you have raised: ".... were you not aware of the arrest
of
> a UDP national assembly member for Kiang East ? for allegedly expressing
his
> opinion about the tragic deaths. At the same time following that incident
> you wrote an open letter on behalf of your party expressing your general
> concern of the crisis therefore I don't think there has been any better
> occasion than this to do what is a right thing to do."
>
> Yes, we were most aware, Morri Kebba, and we were in close touch with his
> family. We did more than that.
>
> When our Central Committee met, Sidia Jatta was mandated to raise the
issue
> with his colleagues in the National Assembly so that a meeting of the
> committee responsible for the welfare of National Assembly Members would
be
> convened and the Secretary of State for national Assembly affairs to be
> contacted to immediately work for the release of the member of the
National
> assembly, failing which he would have recommended to be mandated as
> Secretary to the Parliamentary Association to alert all Parliamentary
> Associations they are affiliated with so that immediate action would be
> taken to call for the release of the National Assembly Member.
>
> We could tell you what happened to this initiative, but that would
implicate
> others. You may write to Mr Kemeseng Jammeh and ask him what happened to
> this initiative.
>
> You see, Morri Kebba, we do not just write. Every arrest you see in this
> society, know that we are spending day and night going up and down to
ensure
> that sanity prevails.
>
> We hope things are getting a bit clearer. Notwithstanding, you may pose
more
> concerns for further explanation.
>
> Greetings.
>
> Halifa Sallah.
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Mori Kebba Jammeh <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 05, 2000 11:34 PM
> Subject: Re: THE UDP LEADER AND 24 OTHERS
>
>
> > Mr. Sallah,
> >
> > Thank you for your response about my personal opinion on the
> > political situation in our country. First and foremost, I am happy to
> > commend your party leader for his generosity to Wuli constituency as
well
> as
> > his brilliant argument in parliament on issues which are very important
to
> > Gambian people. I also seize this opportunity to personally thank you
for
> a
> > recent declaration by you that about the possibility of liaison with
> other
> > parties should a runoff be necessary. I commend you for that and I hope
> > other opposition will followsuit. Whilst I agree with you on that I
think
> we
> > should not count on that possibility too much instead we could look into
> the
> > possibilities of a united opposition now rather than later
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
>
> To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
> Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
>
Mori
----- Original Message -----
From: foroyaa <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, July 13, 2000 2:23 PM
Subject: Re: THE UDP LEADER AND 24 OTHERS
> Mori Kebba,
>
> I have just been reminded that your memorandum was printed and left on my
> desk for response. Accept my apology for not responding earlier than now.
>
> Thank you very much for the generous words. There would not have been any
> need to respond since you are simply expressing an opinion. However, we
see
> a genuine desire for dialogue. In that light, it is necessary to clarify
> certain things so that they will not be the subject of any misconception.
>
> You wrote: "I believe you will agree with me that my debate is not based
on
> political innuendo as you have stated earlier and I do not intend to drag
> you on to make any statement because that opportunity has come and gone
when
> your party was mute condemning the violence. I stand by my statement that
> there are three opposition parties in the Gambia -NRP, PDOIS and UDP."
>
> Your comment is not a fair one. We still believe that you do not know what
> exactly happened between Gambisara and Numuyel nor do you fully comprehend
> what happened after the Chamoi bridge. We still insist that the matter has
> become a legal one and it will be most unfair to the UDP to dwell on the
> substance. I would not mind sending you a personal memorandum to explain
the
> substance and leave you to analyse whether we should take the approach
that
> you expect us to take.
>
> Furthermore, you wrote: "We do not need official declaration by the UDP
> about what I said. The events clearly spoke for themselves about what is
in
> the government's mind regarding the UDP. Why has the UDP been a constant
> thorn in the flesh of this administration? I am surely not an official
> member of the UDP but the persistent injustice they have been facing daily
> is purely political because
> of continuous revelations of misdeeds of the government in the
> administration of our country."
>
> Again, this is an opinion. PDOIS could also claim that it is more
consistent
> in exposing the whole system which prevails in The Gambia today. We hope
you
> will visit our website when it starts. We hope all the parties will do the
> same thing. Then people will be able to judge for themselves which parties
> are engaged in thorough exposure of what is happening in the country, and
> which parties are engaged in sensationalism. We will leave that to you to
> decide.
>
> Notwithstanding, we agree with you that as an opposition party we will
> contribute our quota in ensuring that when change comes from the ballot,
it
> is accepted.
>
> You indicated that: "In order to discourage political ambushes henceforth
> every peace loving individual including PDOIS as a political party must
> condemn all
> forms of political violence. Silence will not only encourage it but
escalate
> it further. If your party's position is known on political ambushes and
> mid-night kidnappings perhaps people who do it will calculate the public
> reaction and think again,that effort must be led by the opposition."
>
> Morri Kebba, what you are implying is far from the reality. PDOIS is not
> silent on political violence, ambushes or whatever name we give them.
PDOIS
> is an activist party. That is its difference with all the parties in this
> country. Someone sleeps in our office. We are operating almost 24 hours a
> day. Our telephone is a hot line and we maintain contact with every single
> person or their families who is subjected to this type of violence. When
the
> UDP delegation was in the Basse Police Station, we reported to Gambia-L
what
> was happening in Basse and Banjul at the same time. When they were being
> transported from Basse to Banjul, we monitored the process. We were in
touch
> with the delegation left behind after the departure of those charged. We
> never abandoned them until they reached their respective homes. We do more
> than we publish, Morri Kebba.
>
> Take the question you have raised: ".... were you not aware of the arrest
of
> a UDP national assembly member for Kiang East ? for allegedly expressing
his
> opinion about the tragic deaths. At the same time following that incident
> you wrote an open letter on behalf of your party expressing your general
> concern of the crisis therefore I don't think there has been any better
> occasion than this to do what is a right thing to do."
>
> Yes, we were most aware, Morri Kebba, and we were in close touch with his
> family. We did more than that.
>
> When our Central Committee met, Sidia Jatta was mandated to raise the
issue
> with his colleagues in the National Assembly so that a meeting of the
> committee responsible for the welfare of National Assembly Members would
be
> convened and the Secretary of State for national Assembly affairs to be
> contacted to immediately work for the release of the member of the
National
> assembly, failing which he would have recommended to be mandated as
> Secretary to the Parliamentary Association to alert all Parliamentary
> Associations they are affiliated with so that immediate action would be
> taken to call for the release of the National Assembly Member.
>
> We could tell you what happened to this initiative, but that would
implicate
> others. You may write to Mr Kemeseng Jammeh and ask him what happened to
> this initiative.
>
> You see, Morri Kebba, we do not just write. Every arrest you see in this
> society, know that we are spending day and night going up and down to
ensure
> that sanity prevails.
>
> We hope things are getting a bit clearer. Notwithstanding, you may pose
more
> concerns for further explanation.
>
> Greetings.
>
> Halifa Sallah.
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Mori Kebba Jammeh <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 05, 2000 11:34 PM
> Subject: Re: THE UDP LEADER AND 24 OTHERS
>
>
> > Mr. Sallah,
> >
> > Thank you for your response about my personal opinion on the
> > political situation in our country. First and foremost, I am happy to
> > commend your party leader for his generosity to Wuli constituency as
well
> as
> > his brilliant argument in parliament on issues which are very important
to
> > Gambian people. I also seize this opportunity to personally thank you
for
> a
> > recent declaration by you that about the possibility of liaison with
> other
> > parties should a runoff be necessary. I commend you for that and I hope
> > other opposition will followsuit. Whilst I agree with you on that I
think
> we
> > should not count on that possibility too much instead we could look into
> the
> > possibilities of a united opposition now rather than later
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
>
> To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
> Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
