Gambia-L:


I should like to thank all those who have written privately to me, as well
as those on the List who have been asking about my whereabouts of late.
Thank you for your concerns about my absence from Gambia-L.

I have to reassure you that I am well, but that the pressures of my academic
work have meant that I have been unable to follow the Gambia L for over six
weeks now.

It would be my dear wish to follow the List on a daily basis, but the
realities of being a full time research student and needing to keep up with
my family life have made it almost impossible.

This Easter vacation has given me some free time and the opportunity to
check my E-mails – more than 500 of them, and I am still in the process of
reading them and catching up on Gambia-related issues.

My mind is always on the Gambian struggle, and I have to express my deep
appreciation to the indefatigable Kebba Dampha, to Hamjatta Kanteh, to Ebou
Colley, to Ansumana Kujabi, to Jabou Joh, to Lameen Barrow, to Prof. Assan
and to Saul Khan for keeping the struggle alive and kicking.  I should also
like to thank Joe Sambou and Dr Saine for their contributions, direction and
guidance.

As for myself:  well,  I should like to be contributing on a regular basis
to the Gambia L, as well as passing on information from my many sources
close to the heart of the Gambia government.  However, given my current work
commitments and tight academic schedule, this is not yet feasible.  Those
who are engaged in full time, post-graduate research will confirm the
pressures !!

As for my sources, I am happy to say that they are all fine, and that they
understand that I have had time constraints recently. We have spoken
together and have now decided that because this is such a crucial period in
the history of The Gambia, I shall resume forwarding their messages to the
List, not on a daily basis as in the past, but at least regularly once each
week (unless dramatic events unfold at home).

Apart from my sources, there are also many concerned Gambians and friends of
The Gambia who have, in the past,  sent me invaluable information and news
on the regime at home.  My doors are always open to these people, and they
are always welcome to send messages for me to forward to the Gambia L.

Could I ask these people to copy messages both to my Hotmail Account and to
my e-mail address at school ( [log in to unmask]) so that I do not overlook
them.

Now that elections in The Gambia are fast approaching, we need to be
focusing on the pragmatics of change in our country.  We need to be looking
at how we can work to unseat Jammeh from the presidency, and what practical
steps need to be taken to ensure our success.

To this end, I have decided to work directly with The Gambia’s Development
Partners, with Political Parties directly on the ground, and with other
concerned Gambian groups in the Diaspora in order to expedite the necessary
changes in our dear country.

All our debates (no matter how important it is to engage in discussion and
debate) have now got to be followed through with direct action.

I spoke recently with a member of one of the Opposition parties in The
Gambia, and he says that although the idea of a United Opposition (or
Coalition) has been talked about, so far the practicalities of making it
happen have not arisen. The modalities have not been thrashed out.  It seems
to me to be acutely critical to start work on these at the first
opportunity.

In Senegal, the Opposition alliance that was formed in the second round of
the elections, proved initially successful, but in recent weeks, Prime
Minister Niasse has been dismissed by President Wade and the alliance is
under some strain.

Similarly, in Ghana, the Opposition alliance again formed in the second
electoral rounds, proved successful.  However, there are already some
accusations that the new Ghanaian government is pro-Ashanti, or pro-Akan,
and cracks in the alliance are becoming discernible.  I do have to say
however, that Elizabeth Ohene, the former Deputy Editor in Chief of the
BBC’s Focus on Africa programme, who is now the Minister for Media Relations
in Ghana, is neither Ashanti nor Fanti, but from the Ebe tribe.

The idea of a United Opposition in The Gambia is an excellent one, but it
does have to be well thought through, well documented and agreed.  It is
crucial that those of us calling for Coalition in order to unseat Jammeh and
the APRC, should spend time thinking and planning for the HOWs of making a
workable and strong alliance.  We need to be able to quell the fears of
those who are suspicious of alliance in order to persuade them to join one
wholeheartedly.

I feel it to be my bounden duty as a concerned Gambian, to contribute as
fully as possible to the struggle for democracy in The Gambia.  Therefore,
over the next bit of time, I shall be working on a document – a manifesto –
a blue print for a United Opposition, which will spell out the modalities,
both pre AND post election.

My aim will be to have a draft document prepared by the end of this month,
which I shall submit to Opposition Parties in The Gambia, as well as to the
Gambia L.  I shall welcome constructive comments and suggestions before
submitting a final version.

I am absolutely convinced that we have to initiate alliance in the very near
future, if we are to have success in our aim of overthrowing Jammeh and his
regime through the ballot boxes.

Reading through postings on the Gambia-L, as well as private mails, I have
been amazed at some of the messages I have read, which raise doubts about
the reasons for my recent silence on the Gambia-List.  I have to assure all
those who have written to me, or contacted me by telephone, thinking that I
had been scared off the List by pro-Jammeh elements, that nothing could be
further from the truth !!

Those who know me well, will know that this would NEVER be the case.


I am sending my best greetings to all my friends and colleagues on Gambia-L.


Ebrima Ceesay
Birmingham, UK


PS:  Brother George Sarr:

In going through my e-mails, I read that you had been hospitalised some time
ago.  I send you belated get well greetings, and am pleased to know that you
are making a good recovery.  I hope to see you in person in your neck of the
woods before the end of the year !


Brother Buharry:

I send you my belated and heart-felt condolences on the sudden death of Anna
Secka in London, UK.  Please convey my sympathies to her husband Adama
Crooks and son, small Yusupha.

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