The cycle ended when, in 1994, a gallant young officer and his comrades came
to the rescue of Gambians. This Alliance of Patriotic Gambians have come
re-orientate us from the hopelessness and despair we all lived in. Forwards
ever, backwards never. The revolution is here to stay and will be
consolidated. "Taal bu yalla taal, sannichi matta gainne faye ko. Li, taal
bu yalla taal la!".

Have a good day, Gassa.


>From: Jabou Joh <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Jawara -Come-back?when will the cycle end???????????
>Date: Fri, 3 Aug 2001 09:08:35 EDT
>
>Sanusi & Bakary,
>
>I am also truely amazed that this notion to bring Jawara back as a
>presidential candidate has even surfaced at all. It goes to show you that
>when it comes to Gambian politics, many of us do not have the political
>maturity to comprehend what the aim of a political system should be. We are
>not able to assess candidates according to their past performances and make
>the necessary changes to move forward as a country and as a people. It is
>abundantly clear that people make their choices of who to support based
>purely on opportunism and what they can get out of it, as opposed to
>examining their record of performance.
>
>Unfortunately for Africa, politically, we have evolved into a people who
>choose our political allegiances for the above reasons, and the future is
>equally as bleak because we are raising generation after generation of
>young
>people who watch this scenario and also come to believe that you lend
>political support to politicians for what you can personally get out of it.
>
>Even in this struggle of ours to unseat this brutal regime that is always
>polishing it's cunning tactics of  pretending to be a respectable, fair and
>democratic government, and where one thought that all of us alike were
>motivated by a sense of justice and a love for our people and country
>alone,
>one can see factions fall off as we go along.
>
>It is becoming evident that some have been contributing to this effort
>because they want the Jawara camp to come back so they can continue their
>life of priviledge, or perhaps acquire one as a reward for assisting that
>particular cause.
>Others have a totally different agenda with similar allegiances to yet
>other
>political camps but nevertheless towards the same end.
>
>Yet another group who are sincere in their pursuit for justice are also
>motivated by other things that are becoming clear. They are in it for what
>they think they can ultimately get as a reward, and the game playing and
>attempts to be the first to do this or that, and even the gathering of
>other
>people's ideas and rushing to stake a claim to it are all going on.
>
>How sad for Gambia and for Africa, because we the people are ultimately the
>loosers. We are led by people who do not seem to realize that a democracy
>is
>not the same thing as a monarchy, and they hold on using all manner of
>tactics one can possibly think of, and even ones you never dreamed
>possible,
>and they leave only against their will.
>
>In the instances where these same people have been at it for decades
>without
>any meaningful progress in terms of quality of life and other achievements
>that are manifest as progress for their countries, and which any
>respectable
>and competent government's performance can be measured by, they still
>strive
>to come back, and there are people who support them in this venture.
>
>It is indeed very sad that the lust for power seems to be the motivating
>factor in all of the instances I have cited here. The charater of those who
>aspire to lead us is what ultimately determines whether Africa will have
>competent and dedicated leaders who are motivated by the right things, and
>not a lust for power. The fact that there are all sorts of game playing
>even
>in the factions that claim to be motivated by high ideals kills any hope of
>any kind of meaningful change for us anytime soon. One can clearly envision
>that even this group of high idealists will be at each other's throats were
>they t oibe in positions of power tomorrow. This is a very bleak prediction
>for us.
>
>We have not learned any lessons despite 30 years of corruption, nepotism
>and
>favouritism in the Jawara regime, and seven years of brutality, human
>rights
>abuses and a vittual destruction of our reputation as a respectable country
>by people who engage in all sorts of disreputable ventures to make money,
>and
>who use our meager national coffers as their own investment portfolio.
>
>Even as all this has occurred and continues ot unfold, we have people
>standing by on the sidelines, ready to take their turn at continuing the
>same
>practices. Oh Africa, when will you have sons and daughters who are
>motivated
>by the high ideals we need to rescue us from all of this endless greed and
>lust for power fueled by total disregard for all the reasons leaders are
>chosen to work towards.
>
>Jabou Joh
>In a message dated 8/3/2001 3:59:04 AM Central Daylight Time,
>[log in to unmask] writes:
>
> >
> >
> > Bakary
> >
> > Well done, You have definitely made my day. I hate to
> > say it but it appears some of our comrades in the
> > opposition camp are trying to advocate for Jawara's
> > return as Presidential Candidate for the October
> > Elections. The truth of the matter is that the Old man
> > ruled ther Gambia for thirty years. Of those thirty
> > years, so much has happened. Rather than us focusing
> > on those brave Second Republician Politicians-the
> > Darboes, Jattas. Sallahs and the Bah, we seem to be
> > looking on to Jawara as a saviour for our redemption.
> > Moreover, most of us fail to realise that Jawara has
> > been absent from the scene for almost 7 years and  any
> > attempt to give him that mantle to lead the opposition
> > coalition would be suicidal. Believe me, Jawara is
> > seen by many as a moderate, but the reality is the
> > average Gambian believe that his return to politics
> > would be suicidal.
> > The only suggestion for us now is to draw up a
> > strategy for coalition against Yahya Jammeh. I would
> > propose that the Coalition should be lead by someone
> > who played little or no part in the last PPP
> > government. This is my take, any other proposals, I am
> > happy to discuss.
> >
> > Have a wonderful day.
> >
> >
>
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