Mr Makaveli,

Thank you very much for seeing it as worth while to engage me in a
constructive dialogue. Do not hesitate to raise any question of concern any
time you deem it necessary. Let us now proceed to your questions:

1. WHEN IS ENOUGH JUST NOT ENOUGH?

This is simple, Makaveli. It is when the vast majority of people do not
consider it absolutely necessary to do everything that is necessary to show
that enough is enough. Do you understand what I mean?

You may feel that it is enough, meaning that you will do anything necessary,
even engaging in an uprising, to remove a government. However, if the vast
majority of people do not feel that way you cannot possibly impose your own
level of dissatisfaction and decisiveness on them.

Yes, Makaveli, I cannot speak for other political parties, but I can say
that PDOIS, as an opposition party, is hearing many voices including your
own. We have heard the voices of people like Makaveli indicating that enough
is enough, and there should be an immediate uprising to change the
situation. However, we are also hearing voices of different interest groups
in Gambian society. The poor farmers are the most oppressed, but they do not
constitute a monolithic group in thinking. Some of them have been induced
and others intimidated for years. They are not only political animals. They
are also social animals. They do not only listen to the calls of political
figures. They listen to the calls of their family heads, their religious
leaders, their community leaders and so on and so forth.

Hence, your society is a very complex society with people having different
interest and strivings. All these factors influence their thinking. This
sometimes lead them to even support what does not serve their interest or
resign to situations and feel that nothing is worth dying for.

Some farmers become supporters of the ruling party; others support the
opposition. In fact confrontation in politics do not often occur at the top
level. It is usually the supporters who engage in these confrontations. As
with the farmers so it is with the workers, the women and others at the
middle and upper echelon of society.

Hence, it is clear, Makaveli, that you do not have the whole of Gambian
society on one side and the executive and his instruments of coercion on the
other side where the only task before the opposition is to march in front
and move towards the citadel of the executive with the whole society behind.

The reality is that political loyalties are divided. The masses are at
different levels and the fundamental task that opposition parties have is to
carry on work among the masses in order to be able to win them more and more
on their side so as to guarantee their support for change.

What is evident in Gambian society is that although many see the need for
change, many people are also praying for peace. We are hearing the voice of
change, but we are also hearing the voices praying for peace. If we are to
articulate the voices of the majority, therefore, it could simply be coined
in this simple phrase: PEACEFUL CHANGE.

I hope you understand that leadership simply means the articulation of the
aspirations of a people and the projection of ways through which those
aspirations can be achieved. I hope I have answered question no. 1.

Greetings.

Halifa

NB: I am seated to answer the rest of the questions. Early morning
engagements prevented me from replying earlier. I will send the rest as soon
as they are ready.


----- Original Message -----
From: Mr Makaveli <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2000 3:52 AM
Subject: 10 Questions To Halifa


> Mr Sallah,
>
> Knowing that time may not allow you to respond to every issue,I
nonetheless
> would like to cease a moment or two from your busy work load and see if
you
> could elaborate your views on issues of concern to me and am sure to many
> Gambians

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