HALIFA:
You will recall that our first encounter wasn't very pleasant but we managed
to quench the fires. I have tried to keep up with your postings and casual
debates with list members with keen interest
To say HALIFA LACKS "ORATORIAL" SKILS is BOGUS!
To say "HALIFA DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO SELL HALIFA'S POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES" is
BOGUS!
To say "HALIFA IS A MASKED SHADOW LURKING IN THE KANILAI WOODLANDS" is
BOGUS!
And To say "HALIFA FAIL NA" is ABSOLUTE BOGUS!
I want to commend you for all your efforts in bringing the true light of
democracy in The Gambia, as well as pioneering the power of intellectual
capabilities to most young gambians. You have shun amongst your peers
generations above and under. Keep the good faith working!
I have to say that if I was in your position, and having mustered all kinds
of scrutiny from basically everybody, I would either choose to dedicate my
life to the struggle (REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME) or succumb myself to being
one of Jammeh's cronies. You have given a lot of your life to The Gambian
people in fairness, but the rewards are still not substantial enough to
many. Perhaps below par.
I challenge you to step it up in this new millenium. Reduce the level of
diplomacy with this regime. Remember your party is not a newspaper journal.
Use me/us/all to face up to these cohorts. When you see the truth, report
the truth, not the marginal truth. The opposition will only feel opposed if
there is some form of threat or barrier in their way. Unless one is
threatened, one need not to care.
Again, I applaud you for your continued hard work and look forward to that
day when all of us come together as one for "THE COMMON GOOD."
Until next time, it's
Essa
>From: foroyaa <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Reply To Halifa
>Date: Thu, 6 Jul 2000 16:50:05 +0100
>
>Hamjatta,
>
>Thank you for the clarification. This is certainly not the time to talk
>about who should head an alliance. This is the time for each political
>party
>to intensify its efforts to put its programme before the people so as to
>win
>their support. Those who support these parties should intensify the
>material
>resources they give to such parties so that they will be able to carry on
>their political work.
>
>We hope those who truly want change will not only express their desire in
>words, but also give their support in deed to the political parties of
>their
>choice.
>
>On the issue of the APRC political fortunes and when to strike a bargain to
>go into an alliance, you claimed that I have projected some
>inconsistencies.
>There are no inconsistencies.
>
>You wrote: "This self-confidence runs very contrary to the self-doubt that
>was inherent in your proclamation on Radio 1FM that if Jammeh/Darbo doesn't
>get an out right 50% of the votes cast, you would get into an alliance with
>other players during the second round."
>
>I have never made such a statement. You know that I will not make such a
>statement about Jammeh and Darboe. It has not been our political pattern to
>read the minds of the Gambian people. What I have said is that the first
>round of voting is generally the tool through which political parties
>determine their strengths; that alliances are usually forged in a second
>round of voting. In my posting to you, I even went further to mention that
>even in Senegal other parties tested their strengths before forging
>alliances in a second round.
>
>Your suggestion, however, that an alliance should be forged now is noted.
>Again, I must emphasise that each Gambian should not only give verbal
>support to the political party of their choice. It is now time to give
>material resources to each of the political parties. As far as PDOIS is
>concerned, whatever support is given will be transformed into petrol,
>cassettes, bicycles, other reading materials for the party workers to go
>about to enlighten people. It will certainly not be utilised to mobilise
>praise-singers and kill bulls, cook food, beat the drums and sing praises
>to
>party leaders. As we always say, we prefer never to occupy positions of
>leadership if the only way to get there is to use inducement or
>intimidation. We prefer to rely on the enlightened will of the people to
>occupy any institution of representation. Whoever is supporting PDOIS would
>need to do so on that premise. We do not claim that we have greater
>popularity than any party in The Gambia. We, however, have confidence that
>we are being listened to, and we are intensifying our campaign among the
>people.
>
>You quoted the following: "The current alarm being generated that without
>opposition parties becoming one at this very moment change will be illusive
>is something I find to be working in the interest of the APRC. What you
>people are actually saying is that the government is a popular one, and
>that
>no single opposition party can challenge it." You then gave the impression
>that this is an indication of self-confidence which runs contrary to other
>pronouncements reflecting self-doubt.
>
>Frankly speaking, I have not made expression indicating self-confidence or
>self-doubt. The statement was designed to expose the contradiction in the
>claims of some that Jammeh's regime is hated by most Gambians and their
>demand for opposition parties to become one party, if they are not to allow
>Jammeh to win the day.
>
>The conclusion I drew is that each political party in the country is alive
>and is trying to reach the people; that we should not under-estimate their
>potential to bring about change; that instead of an alarm, those outside
>should become more involved in giving support to the party of their choice.
>It is not a question of self-confidence or overconfidence. It is simply
>preventing Gambians from becoming too preoccupied with calls for a single
>opposition party rather than a call for the intensification of the work of
>the different opposition parties to win the support of the people. This is
>the real task.
>
>Lastly, I appreciate you understanding that we do criticise both the past
>and the present. What I do not agree with is your impression that we
>compare
>Jammeh to Jawara each time Jammeh breaks every law of the land. In fact,
>you
>even mentioned in your last posting a comparison between July 1981 and the
>students' demonstrations. You know that this was not a fair statement.
>
>The cold-blooded murder of unarmed students has never been equated with any
>crime. And you everyone knows the position we took when it occurred. We
>know
>when to take a firm stand, and when to take any other reasonably
>justifiable
>stand. Our position on the students is still clear and there is nowhere we
>have mentioned 1981 incident when dealing with students. However, I did not
>dwell on this in response to your last posting. However, I did not see any
>need for a debate where we agree on essence. All of us cannot have the same
>strategies and tactics of how to handle the situation in the country. The
>reason why all these writings are being done is simply to create a climate
>of understanding so that each of us will be free to do what the dictates of
>conscience permit and leave the people to be the best judge who can serve
>their interest at any given time.
>
>Notwithstanding, your interventions are appreciated, even though I do not
>understand what is meant by low risk criticisms of the government.
>
>We hope you will have chance to visit our website once it is established.
>We
>will leave you to be the judge of what we are saying and doing. We do not
>think that most of you are fully in touch with what we are saying and
>doing.
>We hope to bridge that gap very soon.
>
>Greetings.
>
>Halifa.
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Hamjatta Kanteh <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Wednesday, July 05, 2000 10:39 AM
>Subject: Reply To Halifa
>
>
> > Halifa,
> > Many thanks as usual for your charming memo. Before proceeding on to
>the
> >
>
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