well said brother Halifa
--- foroyaa <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Ebou Colley,
>
> I can understand the position expressed in your memorandum of 17 June.
>
> Frankly speaking, you took me by surprise. You explained in your first
> correspondence that you understood what I was getting at after some
> clarification. That was sufficient. What is important in communication is to
> understand each other. However, you went further to complain about the style
> of writing. I explained that the letter was addressed to the Chief Justice
> and copied to the L for information.
>
> I really did not understand the source of the cynicism. I now understand
> your feelings. What is important for all of us to bear in mind is that we
> are not dealing with an ordinary matter. Students were murdered. We cannot
> simply condemn the murder, full stop. Something has to be done. You
> constantly move away from talking about the murder to talk about a change of
> government. We want a change of government; that is why we have an
> opposition party. However, to change a government has ways and means. How to
> handle the murder of the students also has ways and means. It is left to the
> political parties in this country and all Gambians to determine the most
> effective ways and means of changing a government. We can debate on such
> issues. We are, in fact, going to open up a website to deal with any issues
> regarding our party and ways and means of transforming The Gambia.
>
> The point at issue is how to handle the murder of the students. Each Gambian
> has an opinion and should share that opinion with others to see how it can
> receive support so that it can be actualised, irrespective of party
> affiliation or political inclination. As far as we were concerned, when the
> incident occurred, and representatives of the State gave their position, we
> were the first to refute the position of attributing the deaths to firing by
> released common criminals. Our journalists were among the first Gambians,
> who were not students or security men, to go before the Coroner to explain
> that the shooting came from the direction of the Police Intervention Unit
> Camp. We have written letters to ensure that there is some action to deal
> with the situation. We worked hard to deal with the situation of those who
> were arrested and detained, and opened up a hot line for parents to lodge
> complaints, while we took measures to facilitate release. We visited
> families of the death, maintained contacts with them to answer any issue
> they raised. We are still visiting those at the hospital; and are still
> maintaining our links with all the families.
>
> We called for a Coroner's Inquest because the cause of deaths was in
> dispute. The Coroner also has power to expose offences committed by known or
> unknown persons. We saw that there was a delay in knowing what the Coroner
> reported or explanation of some sort, and decided to write a letter to the
> person who should have proper custody of the report. What have we done
> wrong?
>
> Even if we had written something that is winding, the most that should have
> been done is to ask us to explain ourselves clearly, which we would humbly
> do because we write to be understood.
>
> The State has also established a Commission of Inquiry. A debate arose
> regarding the extent of the terms of reference of the Commission. We again
> looked in the proper place to find out the content of the terms of
> reference, and found that the Gazette had not been published. We called for
> its publication, which has now enabled us to do a review. All Gambians now
> have access to the legal document they can review and pass their own
> judgment. This is all we have been trying to do, just to facilitate the
> process. We did not establish a Commission. It is the State which
> established a Commission. Our duty is to express our concerns and find out
> how the Commission will conclude. It is left for the Commission to earn the
> confidence of the Gambian people based on how it is going to conclude.
>
> We are all waiting to know the conclusion. Some have already passed their
> judgment that the whole exercise is useless. That is their prerogative. Some
> feel that many issues are being clarified and are willing to wait for the
> final outcome. That is their prerogative. Others feel that other steps can
> be taken that would be more effective. We say that we are open to all
> suggestions and would give our support to anything effective and
> practicable.
>
> When the issue of private prosecutor came, we even contacted the Attorney
> General's Chambers to find out how the issue regarding the appointment of
> private prosecutors in Ebrima Barry's case is going. We will contact the Bar
> Association on Monday to find out whether what we were told regarding the
> cost is accurate before publishing it. This is how we are proceeding.
> Wherever we can facilitate something, we do do so. Ultimately, it is the
> State which must render accounts for its actions and the measures utilised
> to attain them.
>
> Our schedule is very tight Ebou, and we are trying to do thousand and one
> things at the same time. It would be most helpful if we are not drawn into
> exchanges which do not help to build up the respect that we should have for
> each other. We can have differences and still respect each other.
>
> You have mentioned that we may not even be receiving replies to our letters.
> We are receiving replies to our letters. When we challenged the Codes of
> Conduct for students as draconian, we did receive a reply from The Gambia
> Teachers' Union taking exception from the Codes of Conduct and did receive a
> reply from the Secretary of State for Education indicating that there will
> be a review. When we wrote to the President's Office to say that the
> propaganda against the students should be stopped and that investigation
> should precede any statements from that office, we did receive a reply
> assuring that investigation will be done. We do not make publicity of these
> replies because of our conviction that it is action that should speak for
> the State. We take the replies as mere acts of courtesy. This is why we have
> not been publishing them.
>
> Some people have to be the social workers of this nation while we work for
> change to come, if the people are convinced and determined to bring it.
>
> Finally, I did raise issues regarding calling on the people to use force,
> just to contain your use of words that are not helping very much to bring us
> together to decide what we want for our nation. People do not just rise up
> and change governments. There are many factors which determine that.
>
> At this moment, what we see happening is the UDP going on tour to attack the
> regime from all angles. We are also going on tour. Political parties are
> very active in the country and each is trying to prove to the people that
> the APRC Government is not fit to govern this country. You people can add
> your voices and monies to the parties of your choices and strengthen them so
> that we go beyond crying foul and remove the APRC Government from office.
>
> There is nothing that we cannot say in this country, as long as we have the
> facts. So people should not feel that Jammeh is a Goliath waiting for a
> David to remove him from office. If you have any information that is
> factual, forward it to us and we will popularise it among the Gambian
> people. We believe we are doing our part. Each should be allowed to do his
> or her own part. Each party should try to convince the Gambian people that
> they can do better than the APRC. Each Gambian should support what one
> believes to be a better alternative. Then there will be no reasons for
> antagonistic contradictions. No hard feelings.
>
> Greetings.
>
> Halifa Sallah.
>
>
> From: ebou colly <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Saturday, June 17, 2000 5:26 AM
> Subject: Re: CORONER'S INQUEST AND COMMISSION OF INQUIRY (fOROYA)
>
>
> > Re: CORONER'S INQUEST AND THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY
> > (Foroye)
> >
> >
> >
> > My dear Mr. Sallah,
> >
> > I must first state that when I made my observations on
> > your letter I certainly did not do it with any hard
> > feelings. I have no doubt that you were once again
>
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=====
Alan Mbooj
NEVER CRINGE, CROUCH OR CRAWL
RAISE YOUR HEAD AND STAND TALL.
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