Thank you very much Sister Jabou for your latest post you couldn't have said
it better . I for one feared  the worst from those waiting for this moment
not to  get Yahya out but to regain some glory lost .May Allah protect our
people .
Luntang

----- Original Message -----
From: Jabou Joh <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, August 03, 2001 3:08 PM
Subject: Re: Jawara -Come-back?when will the cycle end???????????


> 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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