> Yus,
>
> I can see that people are trying to put words into my mouth, or twist what i
> have been saying.  You wrote:
>
> "your point about striving for better with regard to moving forward with a
> better party simply does not hold.  This, unless you are trying to tell us
> that the APRC is a better party our country than the PPP.."
>
> Now when and where did i say that PDOIS or any other party was a better
> party? I did say that the peoposal put forth by Halifa Sallah was the way
> forward, and it is a sound and inclusive one indeed. Please read what i have
> written again.
>
> The points I made were that this alliance should have made every effort to
> include everyone, and i never said it should not have included the PPP. What
> i said and will repeat is that the PPP is using this occasion to get back
> into politics, when what they should have done is merely be helpers of this
> process, and the way that the UDP went off to form an allinace with the PPP
> leaving all other parties out does not suggest that the PPP is in this
> alliance merely to be elder statesmen who are extening a helping hand to the
> other parties to unseat Jammeh. They owe it   to the Gambian people infact
> to
> play no more than the role of helpers instead of dividers, and if this was
> the role they were really playing, then they would have adviced the UDP to
> make every effort to bring the others to this meeting no matter what
> obstacles were presented by whom.
>
> After all of this was done, those organizing this could come away as people
> of integrity, while those who dragged their feet then would have to bear the
> consequences. This did not happen, and I think that what these people did is
> actually fall prey to Yaya Jammeh's strategy. He knew the PPP was eager to
> return, and would charge full ahead if any chance was given.
>
> Regarding the Jawara regime, there are allegations by some Gambians that at
> least one of them gave the order to kill after the attempted coup of 1981,
> and others say that there are mass graves, but that is not my burden to
> prove
> here. That is for a court of law. There are also people who allege turture
> a the hands of the Jawara regime after 1981, but hey, it is Africa, and
> anything goes, so long as personal agendas are fulfilled.
> is that the Jawara regime had 30
> years and not much to show for it other that corruption and nepotism. Why
> is it ok to replace one regime for another that has already shown us what
> they are made of?

> The divide in the opposition is not a good thing any way you look at it, and
> saying this is not synonimous with all of the irrelevant issues being
> brought
> into this discussion. Stating the facts regarding the PPP's hunger to return
> to power, and the shamboes that was made of this alliance has absolutely
> nothing to do with giving credence to this present regime is utter
> simplistic
> nonsense. It is as much nonsense as saying that it is OK for the PPP to
> fanangle it's way back into power because they were at least better than the
> APRC. Why do we have to have either of these entities when they have already
> demonstated what they are aboput all too plainly.

What lends credence to this current regime and solidifies their chances of
staying on our backs is the fact that all of these supposedly well meaning
people have contributed to a rift in the coalition.

>
> Let us concentrate on the issues and not use this occasion to score points
> for whatever reason.If we all focus on the essence of what is said, then we
> will be able to challenge our future leaders to deliver a much more
> effective,  accountable and competent government than that of the PPP or the
> APRC. We do not have to go back into the frying pan from the fire Yus, and
> this is the point.
>
> Jabou Joh
>
> In a message dated 8/27/2001 3:50:21 PM Central Daylight Time, [log in to unmask]
> writes:
>
>
> > Jabou:
> >
> > With all due respect to you, I never intended to come across as arrogant
> and
> > pompous, as you stated in your response to my post.  The point was not to
> > mute or demean your contribution, but instead to show that these negative
> > utterances against the PPP are unfounded.  IMO, these are comments being
> > thrown around by detractors (insidious ones at that) within our midst who,
> > because of the fear of a complete Alliance, will do anything to tarnish
> the
> > image of the Alliance as presently comprised.
> >
> > You might ask why I call these people detractors?  Well, all one has to do
> > is
> > to examine then compare the legacies each of the two regimes which have
> > ruled; i.e., that of the PPP vis a vis that of the APRC.  Once one does
> > this,
> > your point about striving for better with regard to moving forward with a
> > better party simply does not hold.  This, unless you are trying to tell us
> > that the APRC is a better party our country than the PPP..
> >
> > I strongly believe that the PPP's reign is better than what we have there
> > now.  A strong pointer is the human rights record of the PPP during their
> > reign.  Given, there were less economic opportunities back then (regional
> > movements, globalization, etc., has been responsible for increased
> > opportunities now), but the PPP did not engage in murder, harassment,
> > hijacking of the judiciary, etc., etc., all hallmarks of the present
> regime.
> >
> > In this light, I find it quite bit baffling that you say Jawara's regime
> > murdered people.  Jabou, with all due respect again, could you kindly let
> us
> > know who Jawara's regime murdered?  When thinking about your answers to my
> > question, remember that we are talking about state sanctioned murders here
> > and not incidental deaths.  The PPP did not have a state sanctioned body
> > that
> > roused people from their sleep and beat them senseless because they were
> > part
> > of the opposition or media.  This is why I could not help but chuckle
> when I
> > read Adama Gaye's amateurish piece in W. Africa magazine, which I do plan
> to
> > address in a few days. This is all propaganda which the Jammeh regime has
> > spouted all along.
> >
> > Regardless of the pros and cons of the PPP, this movement -- so to speak
> --
> > was planned with the intention of forming an Alliance with enough clout to
> > remove the present regime.  No one calculated that Decree 89 would be
> > repealed thus allowing all banned former Opposition parties such as the
> PPP
> > and NCP to come back into the fold.  But, given the clout of these former
> > parties, it was wise for the UDP to attempt to include them in the fold...
> >
> > OK, the Alliance did not materialize like we wanted it to.  However,
> > spreading spurious claims that the PPP is trying to hijack its way back to
> > power and also equating the horrible APRC regime's legacy to that of the
> > PPP,
> > gives more credence to the ruling regime and at the same time undermines
> the
> > Alliance as presently comprised.
> >
> >
> > Instead of pointing fingers, we should concentrate on working on the
> > modalities of putting together a more wide ranging Alliance which will
> > unseat
> > Jammeh.  This is what we were working towards, not the PPP, UDP, NCP or
> > Party
> > of Infidels for that matter..
> >
> > --------------------
>
>
>
>

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