Pierre, I could not agree with you more on the root cause of this crisis.
Economics and politics are the root cause.  This crisis just happened to
sprout during a football game, but it could have been sparked by something
as understandable as a traffic accident.  Folks on both sides have to be
responsible in their language and tone in the days ahead, for the situation
is very volatile.  However, arrogance and vengence will not cut it.  Both
economies are a mess and both stand to loose big time and it serves both to
address the underlying (real cause) reasons for this unwarranted outburst.

Chi Jaama

Joe Sambou


>From: omar joof <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: The Senegambian Football Crisis and its Implications (Forward)
>Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2003 20:18:25 +0000
>
>Folks,
>I must confess that I agree with most of what my brother and friend Pierre
>Gomez has indicated in his write-up. Infact the two of us discussed these
>issues a couple of weeks ago as a result of some recent ugly developments
>in
>the ties between The Gambia and Senegal. However, I most respecfully beg to
>defer with my brother Pierre, in his assertion that politics and economics
>have nothing to do with the recent debacle between citizens of the two
>countries. Perhaps this is a genuine Gambian perspective, but does it not
>have characteristics reminiscent of Canadian attitudes towards Americans?
>Or
>even Irish attitudes towards the English?
>Throughout the fourty year rule of the socialist party in Senegal,
>development had been centred around the state. Some deliberate projections
>were made in establishing agro-based industries.These industries needed
>some
>breathing space to perhaps catch up in growth and eventually compete
>effectively on the international scene.The Gambia during this period was
>liberalising its economy and developing re-export trade. This posed
>challenges to the Senegalese which they were at great pains to live with.
>And it must be noted that even though the socialist are out of power,
>organised labour is still so powerful in Senegal that the Democratic Party
>is bound to move about carefully in its policy of liberalisation. This
>leads
>me to the specific issue of why its no problem to take goods into The
>Gambia
>from Senegal, but one faces a big problem in the reverse. Goods available
>in
>The Gambia can effectively compete with goods from Senegal because in the
>vast majority of cases, the former are of better quality. On the other hand
>if the Senegalese allow a free flow of goods available in The Gambia across
>their boarders, their products would loss market. This would have adverse
>effects on employment and you can imagine what the powerful unions will
>resort to.
>The most difficult political issue in Senegal for many years has been the
>Southern Senegal rebellion( or struggle for independence according to the
>MFDC). It is obvious that the way the Gambia finely splits Senegal into two
>geographically, makes the concept of " A Republic of Cassamance" an
>attractive option. Honestly speaking, there are many Gambians( like my
>brother Pierre), who would give a sigh of relief, perhaps without realising
>it, if Senegal should break into two countries. I am very positive that
>many
>senegalese and the majority in their government are distrustful of the
>Jammeh regime's mediation role in the Cassamance crisis. One particular
>episode was deliberately belaboured in the Senegalese media, which could
>only have accentuated their government's distrust of President Jammeh and
>his government. This was during the last meeting of the MFDC in Banjul,
>when
>at one point the two factions which had emerged in the movement could not
>come to terms. The Senegalese media emphasized that President Jammeh(a
>Jola), Secretary of State Ousman Badjie(a Jola), GNA Chief of Staff Babucar
>Jatta(a Jola), National Guards Commander Momodou Badjie (a Jola), got
>together with the leadership of the MFDC (all Jola), spoke in Jola and
>resolved the differences.
>It is obvious that both governments have their syndicates of thugs through
>political party affiliations.What we saw at the Leopold Sedar Senghore
>Stadium and environs in Dakar on Saturday June 7th and in Serrekunda and
>other places on Sunday June 8th 2003, bear the trademarks of such thugs.
>For a way forward it is sad to note that presently , there are no bilateral
>instutions in place to promote mutual co-existence and eventual integration
>between the two countries. The two embassies are irrelevant because our
>realities demand something better than just that. The removal of the
>Senegalo-gambia permanent Secretariat and the death of her successor
>Senegambia confederation through the crucibles of political opportunism and
>parochial nationalism, have left our peoples without meanful institutions
>to
>take care of their common interests.Our current realities demand the
>immediate creation of such  institutions.
>I am as good a patriot as my brother Pierre Gomez,but it is very important
>that we try to deal with the entire background which led to the unfortunate
>incidence of June 7th and 8th. A broader perspective will always be a
>better
>one for us, particularly in terms of arriving at just and viable
>conclusions.
>Omar Joof.
>
>
>>From: Momodou Buharry Gassama <[log in to unmask]>
>>Reply-To: Momodou Buharry Gassama <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Re: The Senegambian Football Crisis and its Implications
>>(Forward)
>>Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2003 21:58:32 +0200
>>
>>Hi!
>>   I received this message from a Pierre Gomez who asked me to forward
>>it to the L.
>>
>>'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
>>
>>I agree with you my brother. But take it from me that the problems
>>between the two sister countries, is the sole making of Senegal.
>>Senegal has over the years looked low on Gambians and have in many
>>instances regarded us second class citizens in our country because we
>>want to speak their own dialect, dance or listen to their music, etc.,
>>etc. During the years following their occupation of the Gambia,
>>brutality and immorality was the order of the day. They raided police
>>stations and tortured policemen on duty; they took married women to
>>mosques to have sex with them in religious places. Gambian travelers
>>in transit through Senegal have over the years witnessed endless cases
>>of pilferage and extortion. Equally, those who travel by land were not
>>spared. You cannot travel with even a packet of cigarette from the
>>Gambia to Senegal because they will seize it. But buying the commodity
>>from Senegal and bringing it to the Gambia is not a crime. You have
>>also read about cases ! of Senegalese security crossing into the
>>Gambia to arrest or physically assault anybody with impunity.
>>
>>The aggregate sum of these provocations have reach their climax.
>>Consequently, the ordinary Gambian was left with no option but to come
>>out in this magnificant way to reply violence for violence. To be
>>honest with you, my anger against these provocative neighbors got to a
>>head during the 1992 African Cup of Nations. During that time, there
>>was widespread violence in urban centers because Gambians were
>>supporting Cameroon when they knock Senegal out in the second round.
>>In the finals of that year, Gambians supported Ghana, but Senegal
>>supported French speaking Ivory Coast.
>>
>>My brother, belief me, the reason for the rise of tempers has nothing
>>to do with economics or politics, but the fact that Gambians ran out
>>of patience. We played Senegal earlier and they were protected
>>gallantly by our security forces. Why were the Senegalese forces
>>beating up Gambians instead of separating the two sides. The simple
>>reason was Gambia made a gallant comeback into the game with a crucial
>>goal, which reduced the tally to 2-1. This was greeted with an uproar
>>of support by Gambian fans. It was from this point according to Seyfo
>>Soli, that the Senegalese hooligans and security forces began beating
>>up Gambian fans to silence them.
>>
>>My brother, Senegalese fans are notorious for this type of behaviour.
>>Anytime they are scored a goal, they will resort to tensions. Let me
>>give you an example: During the semi-final match of CAN 2000,
>>Senegalese players matched out of the field when Nigerian goal poacher
>>Julius Agaohuwae (excuse me for spelling) scored and equaliser at the
>>75th minute. At exactly the same time in Dakar, the hooligans went on
>>the rampage ransacking Nigerian businesses. In short, as far as
>>Senegal is concern, no one must score them when they are leading or
>>else trouble.
>>
>>Take it from me, this is not an economic or political matter, Gambians
>>are merely fed up and are simply out to give the Lions the food they
>>like most "Violence".
>>
>>Pierre Gomez,  A concerned Gambian
>>
>>PLEASE POST IT IN GAMBIA-L
>>
>>Have a nice Day Brother Barry.
>>
>>
>>
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