Hi Lamin,
The intellectual property thing was just a joke and had nothing
embedded. I appreciated the humorous attempt to get me out in the open
and thus took it as it was meant. However that humorous side of LJD was
something new for me and I thought I'd throw a joke saying that you
kind of borrowed the style from a brother here.
About Jawara, I'd agree with many of your characterisations of his
regime such as incompetence, nepotism, mismanagement, mediocrity etc.
Since you downgraded "executive vandalism", I don't think we have
disagreements there. The only part I still have reservations with is
the part where you insinuated tyranny and fear of Jawara. If we are
fair to Jawara, I believe tyranny and fear are the last things that
should be associated with the man and his rule. The man was a democrat
as president. Because of his long rule, people were tired of the same
system and had nothing to compare it to. I am among those who were
critical of Jawara. I used to write letters to the Senegambia Sun
criticising him and his government. However, being a bit older and
wiser now and having something to compare his rule to, I'll give the
man credit for his democratic credentials.
I'll try to put up some videos about Jawara by the weekend. In one of
the documentaries, even opposition candidates were praising the
fairness of the elections.
You wrote:
"... the contention is not that they are incapable of reasoning, only
that they supported Dawda Jawara irrespective of any reality that was
staring them in the face."
I know you were just trying to argue for the protection of the masses.
I just thought I'd poke you. However, supporting incumbents regardless
of reality was not and is not unique to the Gambian masses. Even in the
US, the Democrats have had a monopoly of the black vote despite the
realities facing black people there. In the developing world, what you
describe is the norm. I wrote a piece ages ago titled "The Politicians
and the "Badola"" lamenting among other things this
fact.
Have a good day.
Buharry.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Buharry
Sorry for delay in response, and now that the temperature appears to
stabilise on the L, I am happy to take a very brief crack at your
queries.
I wish to acknowledge your foray into copyright, and the fun aspect of
that project apart, be assured I appreciate the serious message
embedded in your intellectual property reference. I missed your
'presence', and hence the humorous attempt to drag you away from your
busy schedule if only for a brief spell.
About Dawda Jawara, I simply ask that you ponder whether anyone in the
security and legal establishment today is likely to come near the GPU-
7, much less arrest and prosecute them for fabricated "sedition", and
"criminal defamation" charges, without the Professor's personal
authorisation.
It is my contention that the Professor merely amplified the blueprint
of mis-governance that was put in place by the government of Dawda
Jawara, whether from conducting clearly unfair elections,
marginalising alternative political voices, or refusing to introduce
and entrench institutionalism in public life. In other words,
'institutionalising' a culture of public lawlessness! Culture is the
key my friend, and the prevailing culture in Dawda Jawara's government
was what led to the collapse, and total erasure of any worthwhile
memory from that era of our national history.
If vandalism is too much for you, I am happy to substitute it with
plunder, executive plunder, that is. I merely remind you of GCDBank,
Agric Dev Bank, NTC, GPMB, Cooperative Union, Gambia Airways, each a
profitable parastatal enterprise that went south without any
consequences whatsoever. Vandalism or plunder, the outcome remains the
same, and it all happened under Dawda Jawara's watch. GUC barely
managed, and survived only because of its nature. GAMTEL was a
monopoly, and even there, it could not manage to provide personal lines
in nearby communities like Sukuta. Consequently, I wrote extensively
against Dawda Jawara's government before its overthrow, and I do not
miss that government for a day.
Consequent upon the diffused nature of power in the Jawara era,
nepotism was more widespread than some analysts may be willing to
accept. The political leadership was not in full control of the
technocratic leadership, and neither were willing, or able, to
effectively control the leadership of parastatal institutions. It was
therefore a free for all who were able to indulge in nepotism as they
pleased. Some of our colleagues here may be operatives in the Jawara
government heartlands, and I am happy to hear their version of events.
As to your average Gambian in Sareh Lamin, the contention is not that
they are incapable of reasoning, only that they supported Dawda Jawara
irrespective of any reality that was staring them in the face. It is
not a crime to embrace irrationality, and that was the reason I
counselled that even those who were knee-deep in that lifestyle of
denial should be left alone. I would hate to see the unlettered take my
hero to the cleaners! Always be alert
to the lettered person's blind spot of treating the unlettered as less
smart, as education, and, or, formal certification, may have only
tangential bearing on the ways of the world.
Lest I forgot, we are on middle ground regarding heroism.
LJDarbo
--- On Mon, 27/7/09, Momodou Buharry Gassama <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
From: Momodou Buharry Gassama <m.gassama@telia..com>
Subject: RE: [>-<] A PERSPECTIVE FROM 1994; THE REVOLUTION THAT LEFT
THE TRACKS
To: [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask]
Date: Monday, 27 July, 2009, 2:23 AM
[ This e-mail is posted to Gambia|Post e-Gathering by Momodou Buharry
Gassama <[log in to unmask]> ]
Hi Lamin,
I have not had time to go through my posts and thus missed the post in
which you wrote trying to poke me out into the open. I know you were
not serious with your assumption regarding the average Gambian thing
in
the context you put it and as such, i just laughed it off. Since
Jabou,
my PDOIS sister, didn't come out with guns blazing in my defence, you
know it was not serious. Kinda seriously though, I recognized the
poking style and it was definitely not yours. As a lawyer, you know
about copyright stuff. Be careful before the owner of that style gets
ideas about getting some Pounds from you assuming he registered the
style with the relevant authorities.
Per your enquiry about my whereabouts, "suma loho dafa hawa jaapa" but
I do sometimes browse through the mountain of mail, and posts from my
heroes such as yourself I do read. That is how I saw this current
topic. It was well written and exciting as attested to by others
before
me. I however wondered whether you were talking about the same D.K.
Jawara as the one I know. Jawara and words such as tyranny, feared,
executive vandalism together in any sentence? I think I have to post
some videos to reacquaint you with Jawara. But then 15 years is a long
time to reflect. Would you still describe him as colourfully today?
Thanks.
Buharry.
BTW, are those unlettered bulk without rational basis for their
support
for Jawara's government the same as the average Gambian of today
walking around in Sareh Lamin?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LJD:
"...fraudulent ?democratic? tyranny Fifteen year""
"Ordinary Gambians, especially the unlettered bulk whose support for
Jawara?s government had no rational basis..."
"He finally arrived at the ultimate destiny of his nepotic, corrupt,
and incompetent administration: the trash-hip of history. Dawda Jawara?
s absolute control over the reins of power made him more feared than
respected...."
We are not nostalgic for an era and a government that visited
executive
vandalism on the Gambian people
----Original Message----
From: [log in to unmask]
Date: 2009-07-26 16:20
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Subj: RE: [>-<] A PERSPECTIVE FROM 1994; THE REVOLUTION THAT
LEFT
THE TRACKS
YJ
I love you too, and like my hero Joe Sambou, you are one Gambian I am
pleased to have encountered on cyberspace. Your sincerity is a winner
with me, your ecumenism notwithstanding. What value do you think a
Juwara, or Gomez, adds to the opposition?
I know my new-found friend is scratching his head, and saying 'this
idiot LJD' at my 'hero'
reference. He is wrong on Joe, and also wrong that I missed my "mono".
I wonder how he came to know my obsession with 'mono', but thanks to
his pet discipline of capitalism, I am able to buy finely processed
'mono' at the Upton Park market in London.. Far better than the sand-
invaded 'mono kulos' my mother occasionally sends from Gunjur.
If I didn't know better, I would have thought Junkung was my mother,
but what he says is more gratifying coming from a stranger. I thank
him
for his confidence and I intend, God willing,to continue doing my part
in addressing the unbelievably deteriorating state of our public life.
About UGAMA, you blew the chance of a face to face discussion when you
aborted your transit via London recently. Please be assured my concern
lies more in the potential for duplication and redundancy, i.e., the
real issue of how you interface with STGDP, and UDP New York, than
anything else. I probably did not communicate that effectively at the
time!
As Karim, and Suntou were of no help in your "JAMBUR 4, NO CASE TO
ANSWER" query, I was the one holding the placard. Gainako is likely to
receive a written argument on their behalf by tomorrow, God willing.
LJDarbo
--- On Sat, 25/7/09, Y Jallow <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
From: Y Jallow <ygainako@hotmail..com>
Subject: RE: [>-<] A PERSPECTIVE FROM 1994; THE REVOLUTION THAT LEFT
THE TRACKS
To: "aa1gambiapost mailing" <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Saturday, 25 July, 2009, 3:19 AM
#yiv1565706798 .hmmessage P
{
margin:0px;padding:0px;}
#yiv1565706798 {
font-size:10pt;font-family:Verdana;}
Now the UGAMA issue comes to mind.....how come he didn't see its
wisdom
then?
Jokes aside, well said Junkungba! I honestly share your thoughts. One
got to have a practical approach to things. I also agree with you that
the piece deserve wider circulation. In as much as a humble LJD
wouldn't like us to comment this way, but we can help pass the message
around.
Thanks bro LJD...and this pen of yours must frequent its ink.
yj
There is no god but Allah (SWT) and Muhammad (SAW) is His messenger.
Fear and Worship only Allah alone!
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 2009 06:33:36 -0700
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [>-<] A PERSPECTIVE FROM 1994; THE REVOLUTION THAT LEFT
THE TRACKS
To: [log in to unmask]
Lawyer Lamin J.
My respect and admiration for your integrity continues to rise
everytime I read your posting. You are truly one gifted personality
and
I pray that God shower you with good health and long life so that
Gambia and the world can continue to benefit from your scholarship.
You
are true scholar, my friend!
Your piece below written 15 solid years ago seems as if you just wrote
it today. It is so prophetic. I hope the Daily Observer will extract
it
from here and publish it again tomorrow.
Keep writing, my brother!
Junkung-ba
--- On Fri, 7/24/09, Lamin Darbo <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
From: Lamin Darbo <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: [>-<] A PERSPECTIVE FROM 1994; THE REVOLUTION THAT LEFT THE
TRACKS
To: "Gambia Post" <[log in to unmask]>, "The Gambia and
related-issues mailing list" <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Friday, July 24, 2009, 5:35 AM
An acquantance from a European country kindly sent my article below
and
suggested it be reposted as published in the Daily Observer fifteen
years ago, if only as a reminder of our justified dissapointment
with
the 1994 'revolution' of His Excellency, Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr
Yahya Jammeh.
It remains my contention that July 22 represents a valid continuation
of our national conversation, and that a forceful change of government
is not per se unconstitutional. I do not think many are likely to
mourn
the passing of our current regime regardless how it came about.
Please read on
.......................................................................................................................................
DAILY OBSERVER, MONDAY, AUGUST 1, 1994
COMMENTARY
We salute you! Albeit Cautiously
Dear members of the provisional council:
As an international media blitz focused world attention on the tragedy
of a million Rwandan refugees in camps in Zaire over the weekend of
July 22, Gambians at home and abroad were captivated by the unfolding
of the most profound event in our national affairs: the declaration of
a military takeover July 23. Even for those Gambians who foresaw
military government in our public life, the crisis that started Friday
and culminated in a takeover Saturday may have come as a surprise.
As the sketchy details of conditions in The Gambia were taking shapes
in the media, some of us took informal polls of Gambians in the United
States, Canada, and the Western Europe, eliciting their views on the
overthrow of the fraudulent ?democratic? tyranny of Dawda Jawara. I
even made a few calls to The Gambia for the domestic perspective. To a
person, the verdict was unanimous: we are happy and grateful, but???
Without doubt, you are the men of the hour, symbols of heroism to at
least 90 percent of all Gambians. The question mark is over the
future.
And the future is what we must address because therein lies our
collective destiny.
In light of the track record of military regimes in other African
countries, the near unanimous but qualified support is understandable.
We would hate to see our parents, families, friends, and any Gambians
for that matter flee the country in fear for their lives. Death would
be preferable to countenancing such a spectacle. To solidify your
position and keep the country together, you must avoid the adoption of
the modus operandi of military governments in Africa. More
fundamentally, you cannot afford to create martyrs. And vindictiveness
must not be a part of the new order of national affairs. Memories last
forever, and if bitter, they become a factor in the calculus of daily
events, escalating the potential for tragedy on a constant basis.
Ordinary Gambians, especially the unlettered bulk whose support for
Jawara?s government had no rational basis, must be left alone. Only
those public servants whose conduct clearly triggers the response of
our laws
may be fair targets for investigation.
Dawda Jawara was a captain who lost his bearings, and the ship of
state
he disastrously piloted was destined to run aground. He finally
arrived
at the ultimate destiny of his nepotic, corrupt, and incompetent
administration: the trash-hip of history. Dawda Jawara?s absolute
control over the reins of power made him more feared than respected.
You have the right to expect loyalty from your closet advisers, but
they must not be fearful to the extent of endorsing all your policies
regardless of their merits. You must be open-minded and receptive to
ideas different from yours.
We are not nostalgic for an era and a government that visited
executive
vandalism on the Gambian people. But we also refuse to be sentimental
and complacent about the present. Your place in history will entirely
depend on how you utilise the awe-inspiring instruments of government
at your disposal.
After a fraud lasting three decades, the populace may be prone to the
syndrome of unrealistic expectations that are almost always integral
to
forceful government transitions in Africa. Your task is to communicate
in effective but realistic terms, and to refuse to feed the frenzy of
utopian sentimentalism during your honeymoon with the Gambian people.
This, however, is not to suggest that you shy away from engaging the
practical challenge of nation building. And nation building
necessarily
involves national reconciliation. In light of the manner you ascended
power, certain constituencies may feel alienated. Your task is to
reassure everyone, and not make anyone desperate through fear for
personal safety. And even if private property is seized pending
further
investigation, I strongly recommend that a final determination of
forfeiture be adjudicated before the tribunals of justice in The
Gambia. In similar vein, and notwithstanding the suspension of the
Constitution, the Cabinet members of the overthrown government must be
accorded due process commensurate with the basic tenets of justice.
The families of those former cabinet members, whether among the Jawara
asylum party in Senegal, or other parts of the world, must not be used
as bargaining chips. They are not even vicariously responsible for the
untoward conduct of their spouses and/or parents. Although our first
successful national encounter with a forceful displacement of
government, the experience of other countries should provide cogent
instruction in our attempt to fashion a strategy of national unity in
the aftermath of such an earthshaking event.. The overthrow of the
Jawara government was bloodless and we challenge you to keep your
administration bloodless. This means no hostages, no summary trials,
and absolutely no executions.
Lieutenant Jammeh?s interview with the BBC and his comments regarding
the plight of the ?little man on the street?, coupled with his
statement concerning civilian involvement in the council, are
encouraging.
As you make appointments to the cabinet and other policy-level
positions, you are well advised to draw from a talent pool untainted
with the cancerous corruption and indiscipline of the Jawara
government. This should effectively exclude all the past and recent
high-level officials in that administration who involuntary left
office. Certainly no cabinet member as of July 22 should be included
in
your government, although reports reaching us indicate otherwise. From
a national security perspective, such an appointment may be unwise
considering the person?s key role in the Jawara government for over a
decade.
A watcher of the Gambian political scene said that we should approach
events in our homeland with ?cautions optimism?. For now, we salute
you, albeit cautiously, for ending a three-decade fraud that
emasculated the Gambia. Everyone I contacted simultaneously endorsed
the overthrow of the Jawara government, and expressed uneasiness with
a
permanent military regime in The Gambia. I strongly recommend that you
seriously consider and communicate to the Gambian people a timetable
for a return to civilian rule in the country.
Excuse my concern but my civic duties dictate that I express my
thoughts on a condition of first impression in my country. The stakes
are too high, and sink or swim, we are in it together as Gambians. For
17 years, I have followed every major political event in Africa and
the
world. I have seen governments, civilian and military, engineer and
nurture atrocities of mind-boggling dimensions on the people whose
welfare they are supposed to protect. I have also seen the silent
killers, the governmental equivalents of high blood pressure, arrest
the hopes, and drown the dreams, of generations of their youthful
citizens. Jawara belongs in the latter. Governmental crime has
different formulations, but after the enervating trials of the Jawara
fraud, Gambians may have no patience left to tolerate an assault on
their material and spiritual heritage.
May God bless The Gambia and Gambians in this hour of trial!
Lamin J Darbo
The University of
Tennessee College of law
3700 Sutherland
Avenue, Knoxville,
TN 379191, U.S.A.
(Tel: 615558 7034)
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