Ousman,
Making references like "they met in my own compound" was some kind of
miraculous art that, even those of us who have been branded as "high school"
drop outs,could decode very easily.I read your piece like someone nibbling a
ripe paw-paw fruit. It was superb!
You see Ous,i believe in what one old man told me
in Banjul, the last time i went there ie: in wollof he said to me:" Chi sunu
politik amna aiye Gambian yu-hamut kumun kinyu ham moi kinyu meen"-Literally
meaning:In politics some Gambians do not know who is able,what they know is
the one they are used to.
No wonder MAYBE that is why Halifa has now reduced his interventions,which
indeed is a big handicap for this forum. Atleast apart from the
effervescence that exists between people like me,u and the others,Halifa was
the only authentic politician from the core of the political arena in the
Gambia who was engaing us here.Now my assupmtion is that; when the guy saw
more of bias,personal and ridiculous attacks coming from people he respected
and thought are matured he stayed cool-as the English saying goes"silence
could be the medecine for fools". What do we expect? Ofcourse the guy will
stay "lukewarm" towards the forum.However,these are assumptions that do not
represent Halifa's stand at all!
You see at this crucial time we are obliged by reality to at least try
and bury our egos and listen to the politicians themselves speak or engage
us(the gambians).As far as i am concerned whether you people vote or not
you're equally important because most of you here are the breadwinners of
their families back home, (who can indeed to an extent influence some people
to either vote for or against any party for that matter).SO POLITICALLY YOU
ARE OFCOURSE VERY IMPORTANT.
EVEN THE KREMLIN NOWADAYS,is engaging its citizens on the net with maturity!
My perception prior to sending this article(ie:in the past) was to take on
some of you personally to let you know that we can also be that "sulky" and
i must admit, after a thorough reflection i BLAMED MYSELF FOR EVEN HAVING
ATTEMPTED to exchange words with some along those lines,in the first place.
SO MY APOLOGIES GO TO ANYONE I MIGHT HAVE OFFENDED PERSONALLY AND SO DO I
FORGIVE ANYONE WHO IN RETURN OFFENDED ME,I am not better than William
Jefferson Clinton who apologised to the whole of America for having done
wrong.The wrong i did here is;for me to have counterattacked some
provocative stories.As far as i did it personally,whether i was saying the
truth or not my duty is to stay on the high side and talk about something
that concerns the day to day running of our beloved country. I AM CONFIDENT
THAT THE APRC WILL WIN "INSHA ALLAH" THEREFORE,its better for one to learn
having a thick skin right from this date!
LETS SHOW THE WORLD THAT WE ARE AN AFRICAN COUNTRY WITH DIFFERENCE PERIOD.
Some overzealous opponents of the APRC will say "slay the Yahya stooges!
slay them!" yes those are wishes,but wishes that can stain the 'white cloth
of politics'....
An assumption:What of if Dibba decides to join the APRC are you going to
advocate for him being slayed?
Do you remember when Hamat Bah went to the state house to congratulate
Jammeh,following the 96 election's victory? After Bah's visit so many people
within the opposition from top to bottom accused him of leading a hidden
branch of the APRC.I even heard people say that Bah's deposit was paid by
Yahya.So what of if that Bah who "belonged" to Yahya, decides to join the
APRC is he also to be slayed?
Other rumours went on to say that PDOIS was being sponsored by the labour
party...So if the deputy British High commissioner in Banjul was at YMCA
hall does that mean,the labour party switching over or he was doing his
normal functions as an envoy? If the latter is your answer then that is
challengeable based on provisions in the Vienna Convention though.NO WONDER
KNOWING THE RUMOUR PRINTING MACHINES THEY CREATED THAT IS WHY OJ JUMPED AND
SAID THEY WERE NOT THERE TO SUPPORT...
Don't you think if others bend too low like some of you do,they can also add
1+1 and get two(realistically),however,(gambial-L-istically),sometimes when
speaking against Jammeh 1+1 maybe equals to x.
There were telephone calls to congratulate the newly crowned leader of the
PPP/UDP alliance,is it? Yes our people also received calls that said that
some seat holders in the UDP are contemplating on moving to the NCP or
become independent candidates! Did u hear that sirs?
Let us not slay each other lets attempt to stay near each other and talk to
each other.STOP THIS UNNECESSARY ARROGANCE BY SAYING YES: "THESE ARE
CRIMINALS,etc that you won't talk to no!there is no criminal in a political
campaign! we have "framed" chargesheets but not realistic
ones.
It is Dibba's position to bow out please respect it!It is Halifa's position
to be principle-centered and not leader-centered,please respect it! It is
GPP 's position to be a moderator etc...please respect it! It is Hamat Bah's
position to decide who to join or what to do when he
returns,therefore,whatever he decides,please respect it! PDP is not yet
strong and they want to do things in their own way,please respect it! THE
HARDEST FOR SOME OF YOU IS TO ACCEPT IS FOR THE APRC TO STAY IN
POWER,HOWEVER WHEN THE GAMBIAN PEOPLE CHOOSE SO ,PLEASE RESPECT IT!
A symbiosis of all these "respects" hereabove can never produce a bad end
result.
Do you remember our old song at school? Ie:"Row!row!row your boat gently
down the stream merrily,merrily,merrily,merrily down we go up the
stream...." This was a primary school song that i believe embedds a lot.Here
the boat is the Gambia and those rowing are me,you and everybody.
My last idea to you is:in politics its better to take the
white (wash and brush) style, and change the colour of the stones before the
day of celebrations,rather the (axe's style) because you will end up
splitting all stones and then litter the dirt all over for no reason.
Where ever smiles cannot win the confidence of others i do not think
scratching and yelling will also gain something.DO NOT COUNTER THREATS AND
FABRICATIONS WITH THREATS OR IMMATURE CONCLUSIONS,COUNTER THEM WITH
OBSERVATIONS AND OBJECTIVE RECOMMENDATIONS,DO NOT RELY ON RUMOURS TO
JUDGE,RELY ON FACTS TO JUDGE.
SOMEONE HEREIN ALWAYS SAYS; THIS IS A WAR! NO!I YEROMAMA PULORI GALO HAAWA
CHALLENGE THAT!I SAY THIS IS LAW AND NOT WAR! The law i am refering to is
"the voice of the people" period!Laws are amendable but humanbeings are not
to be amended they are to be EDUCATED.Education is not only swallowing
paragraphs it entails,experience,as well. So this IS NOT!
horse-trading,instead i will call it "jaws-trading".
Please pay heed to what one Mr.Sambou said ie:lets listen to the politicians
themselves speak now, at least.
I do not support Sambou's camp but i support his appeal as per my "citation"
hereabove.
YEROMAMA PULORI GALOHAAWA.
>From: Ousman Jallow Bojang <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: PPP/UDP alliance ONLY.
>Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2001 01:12:55 EDT
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>
>Reading all the comments on the List since the announcement of the breaking
>news of the opposition not able to come together, I can't help it but
>waking
>up to the realities on the ground.
>A lot of exchanges transpired here in favor of a forged opposition alliance
>for so long now, and here the day comes empty. It is clear that some of us
>have been sitting on the fence and our reasons were ignored or blasted as
>lip
>services. And now the fact that only two of the parties joined the UDP,
>this
>is seen as a victory. What is going on in some people's mind is certainly a
>great naivety. May be in denial too. It is clear that there are so many
>things that needed to be done to move our country beyond such politics.
>I cannot imagine having people like Lamin Jabang, Landing Jallow Sonko and
>Jawara trying to come back by joining a party like the UDP. I fear what the
>repercussions of such might be. How could the people of Gambia not move
>forward, but back forty years?
>I hope the Gambian voters come to realize that we need to move forward and
>not one step forward and two steps backwards. It is great to have the ban
>lifted, but certain people like those PPP stalwarts need to be ashamed of
>themselves trying to come back in the arena. I guess this just proves to
>all
>why the UDP was accused of sleeping with the PPP.
>This is why I am not surprised that the PPP and the UDP connived to
>nominate
>Darboe. Where has democracy been? These people who were present at that
>meeting, were not representing their party grassroots; for they have not
>met
>them for almost a decade. Therefore, why could they not have a congress and
>have the people vote. Oh yes, I can hear some crying that there is no time,
>but why would a limited time be the excuse for forcing on the opposition
>members?
>What qualifies Jabang, OJ, Sonko and all those former members of parliament
>to represent the PPP voter from Basse? I guess that is democracy.
>No wonder Sheriff Dibba bowed out. Anyone who knows the formation of the
>UDP
>under the PPP umbrella to bring Jawara back will not be able to join the
>alliance hence his 30+ rule was the worst some of us witnessed. Dibba is
>not
>only a very good politician but his seat in parliament is guaranteed. I
>have
>no doubt that he has some malaise in him too, and may be will not be the
>best
>leader. I am not sure he went into that meeting to join any alliance. I
>think
>he did to show face, and he already has his plans laid.
>The APRC is going to win this presidential elections big. Mr. Dibba is a
>very
>good friend of my family, and I have been honored to meet him before, but
>the
>NCP is not capable of winning. The Gambian people have been thought by the
>PPP that it is a Mandingo party. They have a lot of work to do to convince
>the voters differently.
>The PDP lead by my own brother-in-law, and formed in my own household
>cannot
>even win a single constituency. This party was formed because there was a
>fall out between the ranks of the NCP, and I still remember their first
>meetings in Brikama in my own compound. They might end up joining the
>alliance for they will do anything to show to the people they are alive
>too.
>NRP lead by Hamat Bah who I have a lot of respect for after meeting him
>several times and talking to him is not a presidential winning party
>either.
>PDOIS's record speaks for herself. And I guess they know that more than any
>one might.
>And the PPP/UDP alliance will even lose more than they gained last
>elections.
>They have now shown their true colors to the Gambian voters and probably
>not
>the Gambia-L, but they are doomed for failure.
>I am here by predicting a big win for the APRC and an inauguration for
>Jammeh
>as the president. I am making an early call to all Gambians to respect the
>results of a fair ballot. I hope the nation will be able to go through this
>despite some calls for people in the streets, to know that we have a lot
>more
>at stake than this. Our nation need all her people and who ever the mandate
>is given to by the Gambian voters need to be respected.
>Thank God that I never voted or have a voters card. If I were not
>abstaining
>this elections, the choice is very clear.
>
>Ousman Jallow Bojang.
>
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