Thanks Buharry, and I join you in your call for NRP to also stand up against
this lawlessness.
KB


>From: MOMODOU BUHARRY GASSAMA <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Police Refuse To Give Us Permit For Meetings
>Date: Mon, 24 Jul 2000 15:29:16 +0200
>
>Hi Kebba!
>                  While agreeing with most of what you said in this
>posting,
>I would like to buttress your argument that the opposition parties should
>refuse to participate in the coming elections if the playing field is not
>level. The other parties should not take comfort in the fact that
>conditions
>have not yet been laid on them because the campaign has not started in
>earnest. I am glad that PDOIS has reacted and I hope NRP will follow suit.
>Thanks.
>
>Buharry.
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Dampha Kebba <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Saturday, July 22, 2000 8:52 PM
>Subject: Re: Police Refuse To Give Us Permit For Meetings
>
>
> > Saul and Comrade, am glad about your contributions on the above topic.
>It
>is
> > always with reluctance that I speak on such issues. To me, this is a
>very
> > serious issue; coming in the immediate aftermath of reports that UDP
> > supporters were attacked by July 22nd members in Brikama, and one of the
>UDP
> > supporters was in coma. If the trend is not clear to the naked eyes of
> > elections proponents, then God help us. Ebrima Ceesay puts it best by
>saying
> > that Yaya is the one soliciting trouble for himself. What are people
>waiting
> > for to be really outraged? For Yaya to murder Ousainou Darboe and ban
>his
> > party? For Yaya to dissolve parliament, suspend the Constitution and
>declare
> > another state of emergency? When I read Ousainou Darboe's reaction to
>the
> > letter from Sankung (the IGP), I detected the cries of a man who is fast
> > realizing the hopeless of the battle political parties are fighting in
> > Gambia today. Sankung was in effect telling Darboe that they can
>NOLONGER
> > hold political rallies. NEVER EVER. I am reproducing Sankung's letter
>here
> > for people that missed the first one and the one from Kabir. Pay
>particular
> > attention to Sankung's second reason for denying them permission to hold
>the
> > rally:
> >
> >
> > "I am directed to inform you that your application has not been approved
>due
> > to the fact that:
> >
> > a) The UDP have been violating the conditions attached to the approved
> > permits.
> >
> > b) From the police view, UDP political rallies always violate conditions
>of
> > the Public Order Act, by using abusive words on government authorities
>or
> > individuals within the government.
> >
> > There is already an alleged criminal charge for murder against the party
> > leader Mr. Ousainou Darboe and 24 others and the case is before the High
> > Court.
> >
> > The application for a permit for the use of public address system at
>mass
> > rally at the Sixth Junction near to Serrekunda Primary slated for
>Saturday
> > 15th July 2000 will not be considered  until you are prepared to comply
>with
> > the conditions attached to permits as stipulated under the Public Order
>Act.
> >
> > Sorry for any inconveniencies it may cause. Signed: The Inspector
>General
>of
> > police."
> >
> > So, as of now, political parties cannot use abusive words against Yaya
>and
> > his gang? What is this? Do people still seriously think that Yaya and
>his
> > gang are interested in democracy? What words can you use to describe
>Yaya
> > and his cohorts? What would you advise Darboe to do under the
>circumstances?
> > Go sing Yaya's praises? Instead of holding rallies, to canvass door to
>door
> > and talk to people in their bedrooms where NIA agents will not hear
>them?
>If
> > this is not a clear violation of Darboe's freedom of speech, then what
>is?
> > In my humble opinion, none of the above advise would be sound advise to
> > Darboe. What Yaya and Co are doing right now and what Sankung's letter
> > represents, is the biggest threat to our society. Yet very few people
>are
> > speaking out against that. Instead, they attack people with genuine
> > intentions to rid us of this tyranny. Participation in elections under
>these
> > circumstances should be critically assessed. If one cannot reach ones
> > constituents to spread ones message, then I dare say that one should not
> > participate in the elections. We repeat, participation in the elections
>will
> > only further legitimize Yaya. Maybe, had Darboe and Co boycotted the
> > previous elections, both Yaya and Guie would be left out of the OAU
>Summit.
> > It is not just Darboe. But everyone that thinks that our salvation lies
>with
> > the ballot box should speak out against this continued lawlessness and
> > ensure that there is a level playing field for the next elections.
>Sankung's
> > casual letter to Darboe where the former apologizes to the latter for
>any
> > "inconveniencies" the letter may cause, says more than meet the eye.
>Darboe
> > recognizes that this letter has the potential of spelling disaster for
>our
> > country. The government wants to disenfranchise Darboe. What did we say
>a
> > long time ago about the bogus murder charges? Yes, it was just meant to
> > silence Darboe. But we also said something else previously, and that is,
>if
> > the law does not provide redress for people, people take the law into
>their
> > own hands. These are the laws of nature, not things we are making up. So
> > Sankung should apologize to the whole Gambian population for the kind of
> > trouble such letters and policies can bring. The inconvenience to Darboe
>and
> > UDP is nothing compared to the potential repercussions of this letter.
>If
> > Yaya wants to create an environment whereby we are not free to exercise
>our
> > God given rights, then it is only natural for people to stand up and say
> > enough is enough and take the law into their own hands. As Darboe
>eloquently
> > said, this is still an illegal government no matter how you slice it.
>They
> > are willing to stay in power by all means necessary. We should forget
>about
> > this unilateral disarmament business and take them on. Again, the
>problem
>is
> > Yaya and the people helping him to perpetuate himself in power. Not us.
>If
> > people do not want anarchy and chaos to CONTINUE (because it is already
> > existing in the society) they should take Yaya on and force him to
>respect
> > the rule of law. People always make the mistake of predicting anarchy
>and
> > chaos and scaring ordinary Gambians off, when they should be
>concentrating
> > on the CURRENT CHAOS. Yaya is already killing people, abducting people,
> > forbidding politicians from reaching their supporters etc etc. Do you
> > counsel that we still leave him there in order to avoid another Sierra
>Leone
> > or Liberia? This is a perverse argument. In the first place, we should
>not
> > settle for a Gambia in the state Yaya has put it. We should also not aim
>for
> > a situation that would be similar to what is currently happening in
>Sierra
> > Leone. We assure you that genuine people are working tirelessly to meet
>this
> > noble goal i.e. have a "Yaya-less" Gambia that will not be similar to
> > Liberia or Sierra Leone.
> > We urge politicians to doggedly pursue the government and challenge all
>the
> > brutal and illegal postures of this government. Before legitimizing the
>Yaya
> > regime, politicians should ensure that there is a level playing field.
> > Continue to showcase the brutality of this government and help us
>isolate
> > them further. Yaya's days are numbered.
> > I would not even waste my time on Sedat Jobe this time. The shameless
>duo
>of
> > Jobe and Taal are beyond repair. They have landed themselves in a List I
> > would not wish any Gambian to be on at this stage of the struggle. When
>we
> > catch up with them, they will wish they never heard the name Yaya
>before.
> > Taal invoked the same childish mumbo jumbo two months ago when
>Commonwealth
> > officials were talking about monitoring elections in Gambia. This was
>also
> > the same time that Jobe was lying to Wade telling the latter that Yaya
>was
> > not arming the Casamance rebels. At that time, they heard from us. These
> > people are the laughing stock of the decent Gambian people and our
>friends.
> > When we catch up with them though, it will not be a laughing matter.
>Even
>if
> > Sedat Jobe resigns today, he will not be saved. He already crossed the
>line.
> > Just like you cannot "unring" a bell, this man is gone.
> > KB
> >
> >
> >
> > ________________________________________________________________________
> > Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com
> >
> >
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