Karamba:

Your comments are appreciated and timely.  I would like to suggest, however, that
the Position Paper be seen as part of a larger package which also included the
petitions, letter writing campaigns, demonstrations and various conferences held
in the US and UK.  In the end, (by no means of our doing alone) we succeeded in
having (a) relatively "free and fair" elections; (b) the repeal of Decree 89; (3)
"more" relative access to government controlled media; (4) a relatively "united"
opposition with some funds, little as it was.  These were by no means unqualified
successes, but baby steps toward our goals.

The thinking that posits "winning everything or nothing," "do or die" may not be
useful or practical.  And as we all witnessed in The Gambia last week, politics
is messy, fitful, often violent and with few undisputed winners.  This is the
reality.  And short of an all out conflict, one shifts/changes strategies, finds
oneself in bed with strange fellows and in the end, cut deals and go home half
content.

Thanks for your perspective.

Abdoulaye



[log in to unmask] wrote:

> A couple years ago , a comprehensive document proposing a framework of
> engagement between the government and it's political opponents was circulated
> on the list. It was a moderate approach  that encompassed a very basic set of
> requests to improve the overall political and governance environment. Fully
> implimented, the document envisoned a vibrant dialogue among all interested
> parties, from the established political parties, civil society to diaspora
> Gambians within the context of full and participatory democracy. The
> principal author (DR Saine) took the time to also incorporate into the
> document a roadmap to achieving  the stipulated goals. While I  agreed with
> everything the document espoused and was appreciative of the efforts of it's
> proponents, I did not believe the government of Yahya Jammeh could be
> constructively engaged on the very crucial issues of responsible governance,
> human rights and the rule of law. A government that is essentially composed
> of your garden variety thugs and murderers is by nature anathema to the very
> same things  most list members would like to see addressed. I did not then
> nor do I now believe we can or should engage them. Their nature is in
> permanent conflict with the things we wish for our nation and it's people.
> These are the wrong people with the wrong temprement  that would bring
> nothing but misery , abuse and disrepute to our people. Electoral politics as
> it is currently conifgured and practiced in our country will not bring about
> the necessary changes we want. All we will get from this regime will be lies
> , death and destruction. No nation has successfully rid itself of a ruthless
> tyranny by either cuddling them or attempting to reason with them . It just
> doesn't happen. My personal view is we must see this regime for what it
> really is  and confront it as a mortal enemy that is determined to destroy
> our country.
>  Karamba
>
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