Buharry, thanks for your response again and your contributions. First of
all, I join you and Kabir and respectfully urge that the ball be set rolling
to try and do our little part to show solidarity with George in both words
and deeds. The April 10 and 11 massacre bank accounts can be used to deposit
funds. Your pieces on transitional justices were not missed by us. I also
hope that the politicians back home took heed of that. We respect the rule
of law. I said we would blow people's brains out. When I said that I thought
I was even being charitable to these animals. Sentence of death by firing
squad should be reserved for brave soldiers that lost a war. What we have
here are cowards that go behind people's backs in large numbers and
terrorize individual citizens. So am beginning to change my mind. I will try
and convince some of my associates that we should perhaps hang them like the
cowardly Nazis after Nuremburg. But let me assure you that we will not stoop
to the level of these vermin and execute people summarily. Having said that,
we will not let them escape with impunity in the name of trying to maintain
a farcical unity. Structures will be put in place to address the criminal
behavior these people have been engaged in since 1994. Everyone will be
punished for their crimes just like they would be punished if Halifa Sallah
or Ousainou Darboe were to win an election. If either gentlemen were to
become president and let Yaya off on the massacre of our children (not to
mention other heinous crimes) they would be evicted out of office by the
ordinary Gambians in the street. So I do not see why it is a problem to
punish these criminals after a violent takeover. Buharry, in 1994 I publicly
denounced the setting up of commissions of inquiry to seize people's assets.
It was a principled stance. I still maintain that stand. I do not believe
that kangaroo courts should be set up to usurp the powers of regular courts.
So rest assured that I will never partake in a scheme to summarily seize
people's properties, let alone their lives. If courts have to work around
the clock, they will do so in order to mete justice on the criminals
unfortunate enough to escape when we make our move.
Buharry, I share your fear about the wide array of groups that have a bounty
over Yaya's head. Yaya made himself a marked man by blocking all avenues to
a peaceful change. What should citizens do? Stay aloof and ignore the
soldiers? Pretend that we can use democratic means to get rid of Yaya? To me
the most logical alternative is to engage the people that can realistically
get rid of Yaya, work with them to ensure that there is a peaceful take over
and continue to work with them to ensure that democracy and rule of law is
restored in our country. I believe that if we put our heads together, we can
do it. It is defeatist to look at past problems and predict a gloomy future
and quit trying. Why can't we try and make our next ruler be someone like
Nelson Mandela instead of Yaya? We should work together to ensure that the
next transitional president should be someone that can go in there and then
leave for the good of the country. We cannot achieve that if we arrogantly
dismiss the soldiers and distrust them. What we will get from such
condescending behavior is another Yaya. A soldier with a big inferiority
complex. A soldier that will be forced to act out to try and gain respect. A
soldier that will steal millions of dollars and still feel like a 'badola'.
We have very decent soldiers with excellent educational backgrounds and
impeccable family backgrounds. People that love our country like you and me.
Some of these people are not power hungry thugs. But they have the potential
of being such if they are alienated by the civilian population. There is no
place for condescension in this struggle. Baseless cynicism also should not
rear its ugly head here.
You are right that we are faced with a serious dilemma in the country. As I
opined before, we should each try and contribute positively to the agendas
we believe in. In our contributions, we should try and avoid knocking other
agendas to the benefit of Yaya. Buharry, do not buy into Yaya's childish
propaganda and fear that there is going to be a civil war when Yaya is
removed from office through violent means or otherwise. Those people
surrounding Yaya are not more loyal to him than people were to Jawara (who
fed them for thirty years). When push comes to shove, you will see these
cowards running for cover with their tails between their legs. We already
got that part figured. To us, that is now a none issue. If you predict civil
war if the soldiers take over, why can't you predict the same if Sallah or
Darboe takes over? Do you tell Darboe or Sallah to stop campaigning because
if they win Yaya in an election the July 22 Movement members are going to
plunge the country into turmoil? We should not allow these people to
blackmail us. Thanks again for your important contributions.
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: Taking Stock
>Date: Fri, 11 Aug 2000 15:19:16 +0200
>
>Hi Kebba!
>  I thank you for the brotherly advice and wish to convey to you that your
>decision to comment on my mail is welcome as we are both concerned with the
>well-being of our country despite our different methods. It is however
>through dialogue that we can educate each other.
>You wrote:
>
>"Something eye-catching in your piece was your attempt to paint a dismal
>picture about the removal of Yaya by violent means. For example, although
>you conceded that the transition can go smoothly, you lamented about the
>fact that we might want to kill Yaya and everyone associated with him (out
>of revenge). Nothing wrong with that fear on your side, but I do not think
>it is fair for you to predict such a gloomy future for us when you
>deliberately refrained from discussing with us what our plans for the
>future
>after Yaya entailed. We tried to set the parameters and debate about our
>plans during the transition. You decided not to partake in that exercise
>for
>reasons best known to you. I believe it would then be very irresponsible
>for
>you now to speculate about what we are going to do; especially if your
>speculation is aimed at scaring off ordinary Gambians and portraying us as
>villains."
>
>I did not attempt to paint a dismal picture. I discussed the dangers
>associated with the violent method. I even accepted the fact that such an
>operation can be carried out without damage.  That is a possibility.
>Another
>possibility is that it can go wrong with dire consequences. Even where it
>succeeds it can become a destabilising industry. I am glad that you accept
>that the fear of such a possibility is justifiable.
>I did not direct what I wrote at your group per se as you are not the only
>one on the L calling for a violent overthrow of the government and there
>might even be people within The Gambia who are also considering the
>possibility. That is a wide list with a correspondingly wide list of
>motives, abilities etc. I am not therefore speculating as to what your
>particular group will do but what is a possibility.
>
>Even though I did not directly participate in the debate as to what your
>particular
>group would do if you succeed in your endeavour, some of my postings as you
>alluded to in an earlier correspondence, indirectly tackle issues that will
>be relevant. Do you remember the "Transitional Justice" series I sent? I
>sent them when some were talking about taking this person and that person
>when the government is overthrown to the stadium and blowing their brains
>out. I did that because I realised that I can only write my views on the
>methods of change and what I feel is the better option for our country.
>That
>will not stop others who are determined to do otherwise. If those people
>take the chance and succeed and do whatever they like, they might plunge
>the
>country into a deeper crisis.
>
>Regarding Halifa's statement, I cannot say that it is different from what
>you have been saying. Maybe he can clarify. The state of our country is
>getting more worrying and it is very difficult to say what the best thing
>to
>do is as both the peaceful and violent methods are fraught with
>difficulties. The peaceful means is fraught with difficulties as it is
>increasingly becoming difficult to ask people to exercise restraint when
>new
>and unjustifiable acts of barbarism are perpetrated everyday. The violent
>means is laden with difficulties in that it can plunge our country into
>further crisis. We are therefore in a very serious dilemma.
>
>We have something in common in that I am neither a politician nor an
>aspiring one. Have a good day and thanks again for the advice.
>
>Buharry.
>
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