GQ,
You may not be a Gambian but most of your analysis of the situation is
valid. Really, Gambia is, in general, a nation of pacifists. We talk, talk
and talk. When we really come to putting word to action, we back out.
My disappointment of the NADD leadership still at large, was echoed when Mr.
Ousainou Darboe, talking to VOA, failed even to make the existence of NADD
known to the interviewers, referring to Halifa Sallah as the PDOIS leader,
OJ as belonging to the PPP and Hamat Bad as the NRP leader. It's no surprise
to me that they have resorted to whta they are best at, namely, talking,
talking and talking. It is very sad if NADD is allowed to be crippled by
Jammeh's tricks and by the leadreship's lack will to engage the tyrant.
Alhaji
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ginny Quick" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, November 21, 2005 2:05 AM
Subject: Time's Up?
Hello, all, I'll preface this by saying that it's possible that I don't
know everything that's going on in The Gambia, regarding the recent arrest
of some of the opposition members of the NADD coalition, and I just wanted
to give a disclaimer before I expressed my thoughts, that it's possible that
there are things going on, on the ground, which I, or maybe most of us, do
not know about, as yet. So, having said that, here are my observations.
I've seen some of the press releases / statements coming from the, as
of now, the non-arrested NADD members, and I have to say, that I'm
disappointed. They seem to once again be going the "diplomatic route" or
the "legal route" by trying to use the legal system in The Gambia, and
sending out letters and statements asking Jammeh and the Gambian government
for the release of Halifah Sallah, Hamat Bah, and Omar Jallow.
My first response on reading some of the statements which, for the most
part said, "we demand the release of...", my first thought was "we demand
the release of... or what?" They can demand the release of the other
members of NADD all they want, but if they think that Jammeh is actually
going to listen to them, they are sorely mistaken. He probably laughed at
them, tore the letter up, and went on about his day.
The thing is, I wonder if Jammeh knew that this was exactly what the
opposition was going to do, just issue little press releases and statements
which will have no affect than to just make them look silly and weaken their
support.
I don't know what the other opposition members who are still free as of
now should be doing. Maybe they should actually put conditions on what
would happen if their fellow coalition members are not released like
yesterday. Maybe calling for countrywide demonstrations wouldn't be such a
bad idea.
But does anyone want to do that? I guess it's safe to issue statements
and press releases, because that maybe will protect you, maybe keep you from
getting hurt or killed, but then maybe you can still act like you're doing
something.
It seems to be getting to the point that Gambians who wish to unseat
Jammeh and restore the rule of law in The Gambia are actually going to have
to work for it! Jammeh isn't going to just get up and walk away! It's
going to take a fight to unseat him. And I'd go so far as to say that this
might be a struggle that Gambians may have to actually fight, and yes, die
for. that may be a painful reality, but it may be a reality nonetheless.
If the opposition is just going to roll over and play dead over an
event like the arrest of Sallah, Bah, and Jallow, we might as well just
forget about 2006. Because the opposition is going to be so ineffective
then.
The thing is, all the meetings and press statements aren't going to be
helping the members of NADD who are currently arrested. How many statements
and meetings does it take to put in a plan of action for eventualities like
this? How many statements and meetings does it take to say "enough is
enough"? Why didn't NADD plan for this? Surely they knew that Jammeh would
try something like this!
Why does the opposition in The Gambia seem to always be one step behind
Jammeh, and always "reacting to him" rather than being proactive? Why do
they always have to be "nice guys" and handle Jammeh with kid gloves? Are
they afraid?
I'm just getting this sinking feeling, that time is running out!
Something should have been done and said on Tuesday when this happened!
It's Sunday! 5 days after this happened! Five Days! What is the
opposition waiting for?! For all of them to be arrested or killed and their
bodies stuffed in pit latrines, as I've heard / read has happened to some
others that Jammeh is responsible for killing! What are these guys waiting
for?! For the courts?! They think they're going to use the legal system,
or what is a farce of a legal system in The Gambia, and wait for so-called
justice to take it's so-called course!? When they know already, or at least
we do, that there is no justice in The Gambia, so long as Jammeh is at the
helm of things?
Maybe there are things going on that I don't know about. I sure hope
so anyway! Because time is quickly running out for the opposition to act.
But sadly, if they haven't even gotten around to naming a flag bearer yet,
which is something they should have done a long time ago, then sadly, it
seems to me, that they are not going to be able to react as swiftly as they
should be to this latest attempt by Jammeh to neutralize the opposition,
which sadly, seems to have worked.
For some people's assertions that Jammeh is unintelligent,
semi-literate, etc., he sure knows how to break up the opposition, and to
terrorize at least some Gambians into supporting him. He at least has the
intelligence to do that.
I feel frustrated, sad, angry, maybe demoralized? And I'm not even
Gambian. I can only imagine how NADD's supporters must be feeling. Or
maybe I can't, I don't know. But I can only guess how I'd be feeling as the
every day Gambian NADD supporter on the streets of Serekunda, Basse, Banjul,
or wherever in The Gambia. I'd feel let down, disappointed, angry.
But anyway... What do I know anyway? Maybe I should just stick to "my
own issues" since "I have no right to comment on Gambian politics" as
someone told me once. And that "because you're not Gambian, you'd never
understand anyway", and maybe that's my problem. Maybe I'm just too
American or something. But I do understand oppression, I do understand
brutalization and abuse. I do understand extrajudicial killings and
extrajudicial detention of political opponents or those deemed to be
"undermining state security". And I do understand that you can only be
pushed so far before you're going to react and push back. The question is,
how long is it going to take for Gambians to react and "push back". How
much do Gambians have to suffer before "enough is enough"? How many
murders? How much economic hardship and inflation? How much hiring and
firing and cabinet reshuffling? How much insecurity? How much inaccess to
even basic health-care while the wife of the President gets to go to the US
to give birth? While women in the Gambia are in danger of dying during
childbirth, and their family members are in danger of dying, simply because
they don't have access to basic health-care? How much, when most Gambians
are haivng trouble putting food on the table, yet President Jammeh just got
himself a new jet? And that is the question. How much will be enough? How
much will be too much? And if people are waiting on God / Allah to "fix
things", it is said that God will not change a condition of a people until
they change their own souls. So God will Inshallah, help you, but you've
got to take the initiative. God just doesn't drop things into people's
laps. Sure, we should rely on God / Allah, but as the saying goes, "Rely on
Allah, but tether your camel".
And I think I should go now. I'm not sure what else to say.
Ginny
Visit my blog at:
http://quickgm28.blogs.com/ginnys_thoughts_and_thing/
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