Ebrima, thanks again for an excellent posting. I agree entirely with your
source. I will certainly defer to his opinion about the TV. I was not there.
I agree that even if the TV is just going to reach a few people, opposition
candidates should still gain access to it. What elated me most about the
posting was your source's refutation of Manneh's piece with solid facts. We
must not allow any unjustified legitimization of this illegal and callous
regime.
KB


>From: Ebrima Ceesay <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Attn: Mr. Lamin Manneh PF
>Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2000 16:15:48 GMT
>
>Lamin Manneh:
>
>The e-mail below came from one of my sources in the Gambia. It is a
>response
>to your reaction to a posting he, my source, sent just the other day.
>Please, take note that I am sending my source's e-mail unedited.
>
>Ebrima Ceesay
>
>____________________________________________________________________
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Attn: Mr. Lamin Manneh PF
>>
>>
>>Ebrima,
>>I am not in the habit of responding to comments on the information
>>provided
>>to you from either me or any of your other sources except when a genuine
>>question/clarification is posed/sought by members. In this case, I am
>>making an exception to the reaction of Mr. Lamin Manneh PF who is
>>obviously
>>associated with the IEC in one form or another. I must say that I
>>appreciate his description of the system put in place that is supposed to
>>ensure a transparent and fair election. Anybody familiar with IEC, as I
>>am,
>>is very well aware of the mechanism. But, as KB said in his reaction to
>>the
>>piece, vote rigging doesn't start and end on election day by counting the
>>votes. The pre-registration period, voter eligibility, registration,
>>access
>>to the people through political campaigns by Political Parties, absence of
>>political intimidation and thuggery: these are all important elements to
>>having a free and fair elections. Even access to radio and television
>>should be guaranteed although KB doesn't see this as terribly important
>>because of the lack of access to electricity and television to a majority
>>of Gambians. Advertising executives will tell you that despite the
>>presence
>>of radio and television and now the internet, word of mouth advertising is
>>still an effective ammunition in their armoury.To illustrate the point,
>>the
>>day Hamat Bah came on Television during the 1996 campaign, the impact of
>>his performance was felt all the way to Fatoto. Hamat Bah's TV performance
>>is still considered by many to be the turning point in the campaign with a
>>positive impact on the voters. Hamat Bah could attribute his own victory,
>>in part, to the message he delivered to the voters during his TV
>>appearance. So, KB, while I agree that the impact of television is not as
>>great as in the West, it has an important role to play in a free and
>>democratic Gambia. Think about it. Why did the AFPRC/APRC deny the
>>Opposition further access to the TV and Radio immediately after Hamat
>>Bah's
>>address? The entire Banjul and environs were talking about Hamat Bah's TV
>>statement.
>>Mr. Jassey-Conteh has in fact responded adequately to Mr. Manneh's claims.
>>When a gun is pointed at the Chairman of the IEC to announce the figures
>>provided to him from State House where was Mr. Manneh?  Contrary to
>>Manneh's claim that the system in place makes it impossible to cheat, I
>>think it's being naive. No system on earth is full-proof when it comes to
>>unpopular and corrupt Governments; they will find ways to cheat unless the
>>Opposition is determined and united to ensure no "hanky panky".
>>Delaying election dates prescribed by the Constitution is also another
>>form
>>of vote rigging and that is what is going on currently. The National
>>Assembly is yet to declare the dates for the much-delayed Municipal
>>elections. Barely three weeks ago the APRC Majority leader and the IEC
>>were
>>at it over who has the authority to pronounce on the dates of the
>>elections. Maybe, Mr. Lamin Manneh can enlighten us on this very important
>>matter. In my book, these delays constitute vote rigging. Yes, you can rig
>>votes even before votes are cast. So, Mr Lamin Manneh, please, be reminded
>>that reality.
>>Mr. Manneh also spoke of the way the fax technician at GAMTEL was
>>instructed to hide all original result sheets and keep copies for the
>>office and that all AAROs and forty-odd AROs provided specimen signature
>>to
>>the logistic adviser from the UK for verification. Mr. Manneh, do you know
>>why the UK, USA and the EU considered the 1996 elections as not being free
>>and fair? Did you ever ask yourself that simple question?  Well, let me
>>tell you this: the logistics adviser reported the shenanigans going on
>>between the GAMTEL fax technician and State House, not to mention the
>>physical threats to civilian voters and politicians by the military. For
>>your information, the technician had these results surrendered to State
>>House where the figures were altered and returned and the bogus figures
>>announced. Yes 450 (APRC) plus 50 (UDP) equals 500 but also 400 (UDP)plus
>>100 (AFRC) also equals 500. Both tally nicely with the ballot tokens
>>RECEIVED. Yahya and Yankuba may be uneducated but they can do simple
>>addition and subtraction.Why did the then PIEC Chairman refuse initially
>>to
>>announce those figures which he knew were tampered with at State House via
>>GAMTEL until a gun was placed to his head before he succumbed to the
>>military boys?
>>Ebrima, tell Mr. Lamin Manneh that there are more than one way to skin a
>>cat. Unless the Opposition is vigilant, the elections will be rigged. It
>>was done before and there is no reason why these misfits would not try
>>again; this time around though the consequences will be insurmountable
>>even
>>for Yahya Jammeh and his thugs. This is for
>>Elhajj Mustapha: Alhagie Tabora Manneh has residences in several villages
>>in Niumi. The body of Mr Foday Makalo, according to Kanteh, is buried in
>>"Niumi" which could be Barra or Buniadu or in one of his other properties.
>>Sorry for the error; I was referring to Tabora's main shop address which
>>is
>>in Barra. There are people on the ground looking into the matter.
>>Ex-Commissioner Kanteh and a collaborator of his in Dakar will be
>>revealing
>>additional vital information on the Foday Makalo murder and other matters.
>>
>>
>
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