Hi folks,

First, I would like to express my sincere thanks to Tombong for sending an
update on the results of his investigations since he returned to The Gambia.
It is only by hearing "the other side" that we can call this a dialog.
Please keep it coming.

My own take on Tombong's posting revolves around a few issues.  First, he
said:

> The Secretary of Sate for
> the Interior denied the fact that the armed forces used live bullets. The
> Commission of Enquiry that will be set up to investigate this event will
> verify this.

I find the above statement either at best confusing, and at worst indicating
that the Sec. of State for the Interior is out of his mind by denying a
"fact."  So which is which, Tombong.  Please tell us whether the above was a
typo, or a statement of the state of the mental health of our Sec. of State
of the Interior.

Furthermore, Tombong said:

>
> Radio 1 FM, Sud FM and even GRTS Radio did not help the situation with
their
> phone-in programmes. Instead they added fuel to the fire and their action
> has caused more havoc than good. In such a chaotic situation, having a
phone
> in programme for every side to be venting their anger was not a good idea.
> All sorts of things, insults, misinformation, you named it were being said
> over the air and that was why they were all ordered to stop the phone-in
> programmes by the security. This was a justified action by the security.
>

While I agree that the atmosphere that existed in the aftermath of the
killings might have been highly charged, and exploitable, I would also add
that it would have been more proper for the Government to request they be
allowed on these talk shows to have their side of the story heard.  The idea
that the best way to end the problems caused by the talk programs was to
stop the programs was totally wrong.  As far as I'm concerned, these talk
programs are an extension of our freedoms and rights.  Furthermore, these
rights are natural, and for this reason not some feeding bottle that the
governement can pull from our mouths when they think we've had enough.

To his credit, Tombong showed a lot of bravery, and candor here:

> The students had a justified reason to demonstrate, however it went beyond
> their control when other non-students joined in. The security was ill
> prepared and overwhelmed and as a result they too over reacted.
>

And I'll add that the above is the kind of talk that makes a person great.
Please keep up the honesty.

Tombong's analysis of the President's reaction to the killings and GAMSU
went thus:

> The President is saddened and mad about the whole incident both the
handling
> of it by the security forces and the manner GAMSU went about it. The
critics
> could say any thing about President Jammeh, however he has done more for
> Gambian youths than any leader ever did, from the colonial masters to
> Jawara. The President practically formed GAMSU. He encouraged them by
> providing funds for their various activities such as their rounds around
the
> country to recruit and sensitise the students; he bought them computers
for
> their office; gave them a super VHS camera, ordered a new Toyota van
> (coaster) for them, and his is helping them to have their own telecentres
> (2) so that they will have a permanent flow of revenue. These are just a
few
> of the things he did for GAMSU. The President has built schools, a
> University and many other tertiary  institutions since he came to power.
> Gambian youths have more access to education now than any other time in
the
> history of The Gambia. To call him names and suggest otherwise is very
> unfair.
>

I find the above statements sounding like we have a very patroniziing
President.  It is that same old yarn we're heard so many times about how
grateful we should feel for this or that leader for doing this or that for
us.  Will someone please tell Tombong, and Mr. President that he, the
President, like everyother employee of the Gambian government, is our
SERVANT.  They accepted the jobs or, in the case of the President,
self-appointed themselves.  So why should we feel grateful for their doing
what's their duty?

Second, I find it interesting that Tombong suggests that the fact that
President Jammeh had done all those wonderful deeds for the students should
have made them a little less ungrateful.  How soon we forget; or how easy it
is to miss the very obvious issues.  I think we all remember that it was the
very army that former President Jawara built that overthrew him.  That army
included Mr. Jammeh, and I'm sure he too benefitted from all those vehicles,
houses, salaries, and other resources that were diverted from urgent needed
national priorities just to keep an army happy.  We all know what happened.
The lesson here for President Jammeh, and all of us, is that history is just
repeating itself, because Mr. Jammeh has, in my opinion, failed to learn
from it.

I would also like to say that the killings of last week are especially sad
in light of the fact that President Jammeh himself is in power today because
of demonstrations that Gambian soldiers started in 1994.  If they had been
accorded the same treatment that President Jammeh's troops accorded the
GAMSU demonstration, he would not be here today feel oh so sad about the
whole thing.

I found the press release from the Attorney General and Secretary of State
for Justice very encouraging, given that it expresses what might be a
sincere part on his part to see a proper investigation of this whole thing.
However, I would like to say that he faces an uphill battle for the simple
reason that the Jammeh government has shown such high-handedness and
arrogance, that many people simply don't think they have it in them to
tolerate a process that will find them culpable.  Time will tell ...

And finally, I would like to say a BIG THANK YOU! to Dr. Madiba Saidy for
sending in his apologies to Tombong and the list for insults he'd hurled at
Tombong.  I hope we all draw lessons from that unfortunate incident, and
emulate Dr. Saidy in courage.  By the way, Tombong had earlier complained
that list managers had been silent as some subscribers had insulted him.  I
would like to say that it was the other day I categorically mentioned that
insults on the list are not tolerable, and indeed, I specifically mentioned
the case of Dr. Saidy.  As someone who has been insulted endlessly on the
list, and in private e-mail messages, I understand and feel Tombong's
concerns.  So he can rest assured that while there will always be the odd
one once in a while, every effort will be made to ensure a healthy and clean
atmosphere for a dialog between us.

Have a great weekend everyone, and best wishes in your endeavors.

Katim


>

>
>
>
>
> PEACE
>
> Tombong
>
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
>
> To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
> Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
>

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html

----------------------------------------------------------------------------