Ebou,
You wrote: "I read your last memo to Musa with some inadvertent amusement."
What is amusing about what you have read? I have not found your postings to
be very amusing. I have been taking them seriously, and I hope from now
onwards you will take my postings seriously.
Political parties have to have strategic and tactical objectives. The
ultimately objective of every political party is to have the mandate to
exercise direction and control over the affairs of a country through making
policies. This can be done by relying on the consent of the people. One may
also impose a mandate on the people by relying on the use of arms to take
over the machinery of government.
The tactical objectives of those who wish to rely on the consent of the
people to determine their manner of government is to commit themselves to
putting pressure on a government to ensure that there is free and fair
election. Where a government obstructs the holding of free and fair
elections and seek to impose its will on the people, it will ultimately
alienate the people and will have to bow down to pressure or leave room for
undemocratic means of overthrowing through coup d'etat or rebellions.
It has been made abundantly clear that PDOIS is committed to getting to
political office by winning the consent of the people. It has, therefore,
chosen to work to enlighten and organise the people to the best of its
ability to ensure that they are able to express their consent freely and
assert their will freely. We did so during the Jawara regime knowing fully
well that the task was not a one day one, but a life long duty. When the
coup d'etat occurred, the task became even greater. How to get people who
have taken over by force of arms to hand power back to the people is a
Herculean task for which there is no recipe.
However, we are still more than ever convinced that the only way to
eventually do away with tyranny is through the enlightenment and
organisation of the people. We are committed to this task in addition to
other momentary tasks we have to perform as and when the situation demands.
In our view, no mature and enlightened human being can be dominated. We want
each Gambian to become so mature and enlightened that he or she would not
allow anyone to subject him or her to any form of intimidation. This is the
ultimate guarantee against any form of imposition of tyranny.
In the process of working towards that goal, PDOIS has to come face to face
with violations of rights and obstacles to free and fair elections. When
that happens, we reserve the right to utilise petitions and go as far as to
even boycott elections if that is the only way to deal with the obstacles.
This is our clear position.
On the issue of the unity of the opposition, we have indicated very clearly
that the first round of voting provides political parties with an
opportunity to test their level of support among the people; that where the
vast majority of people are opposed to a government and there is the 50%
requirement to win on the first ballot, it is absolutely not possible for
any unpopular government to win an election on the first ballot. In that
respect, the first ballot serves as a means to measure the weight of support
of different political parties. In the second round of voting, coalitions
are forged based on the strategic and tactical interest of different
political parties. This is what had taken place in Senegal where Niasse and
Djibo Ka participated in the presidential election in the first round and
then decided to ally with either presidential candidates. PDOIS' position
is, therefore, very clear.
Recently, a crisis occurred in Basse. This was followed by a consultative
meeting organised by the IEC to break a new political path. After this
meeting, UDP was denied permits. We considered this to be unacceptable. We,
therefore, were bound in principle not to hold rallies until the spirit of
the consultative body was respected. We also proceeded to petition those in
authority to do something about it.
In our memorandum to Musa Jeng, we simply reported that UDP have been issued
with a permit and they have held their meeting; that as usual, they are
trying to win the mandate of the people at the expense of other political
parties, and PDOIS is no exception. This is normal in any multi-party
situation. We mentioned that the UDP leader has even called on his
supporters to obey the laws of the country. We are simply reporting the
developments so that people like Musa will see how unconducive it is for
PDOIS to call for mass demonstrations and civil disobedience at this very
moment. This is very simply for anybody to understand; yet you wrote: "If
you at anytime believe that the UDP have returned to "politics as usual",
don't you then think it is your DUTY to lead a better example instead of
following them?"
Ebou! Ebou!! what example do you want us to give at this stage? You want us
to call on the UDP supporters, in particular, and the Gambian people, in
general, to go on a mass demonstration and engage in civil disobedience at
this stage? If this is what you mean, you would be qualified to be called an
"agent provocateur".
In short, we would certainly be the laughing stock of The Gambia to make
such calls at this very juncture when those who we were giving solidarity to
were advising their own supporters to abide by the laws of the land, and not
to bow down to any provocation.
I remember when I was a student at Howard University, the Liberian students
mobilised the members of the African society to hold a demonstration against
Tolbert who was invited to give an address at the University. We were given
responsibility to organise those present. I remembered someone coming in a
state of fury calling on the students to march into the hall to disrupt the
meeting. When I confronted him, and called on those present to maintain
their discipline he eventually disappeared. These are the people you call
"agent provocateur", and you are beginning to sound like them.
I hope you will reflect on the relationship. You have been given due respect
and you should abandon outrageous propositions if you want to be taken
seriously.
Relying on the developments that have taken place in the case of the UDP and
GAMSU, we tried to intimate to Musa that it would be ridiculous for us to
call for civil disobedience at this stage; that such actions become
necessary when all other lawful actions fail. You claimed that I should
revisit this theory. What is there to revisit?
One does not need much intelligence to know that it is futile to kill an ant
with a sledge hammer. Civil disobedience is obviously a matter of last
resort. This is when it becomes noble to walk into prison knowing that your
heart beats in unison with the heart beat of every person who is honest and
just.
Your final thesis is very interesting. You wrote: "Finally Mr Sallah, on a
personal note, I have a lot of respect for you. I believe you choose to be
a political leader out of a deep conviction and love of the Gambia. What is
going on in the Gambia is terribly wrong. You have tried the road of the
loyal opposition many many times no avail. If you believe that it is your
duty to just follow what another political party is doing as you clearly
stated in your last memo, your struggle although highly noble needs to be
seriously revisited."
Ebou, what is the line of loyal opposition? What do you want us to do other
than what we are doing now? You mentioned that some honest, competent and
honourable politicians are barred from participating in the political
process. To you, those people are great leaders. When they were banned,
their members decided to even join other political parties and stood for
election for those political parties. The present Minority Leader and the
Member for Bakau are clear examples. They did not call on the people for
mass demonstrations and civil disobedience, even though they claimed to have
majority support. They did not call on other political parties for
solidarity after taking a stand. Now, you want PDOIS to take a stand on
their behalf while they sit and wait to reap the benefits. Is this
leadership? Are you not beginning to sound like an "agent provocateur"? What
respect and support would PDOIS gain by boycotting elections on behalf of
parties whose members decided to join other opposition parties and stand as
candidates? What support will PDOIS have by calling on the masses to engage
in civil disobedience on behalf of those political parties when their own
leaders failed to take the streets? There is a different between bravery and
stupidity, heroism and naivety.
Ebou, you have not played the role of loyal opposition. You claimed that you
led a group of mercenaries to attack Kanilai. Why didn't you go all the way?
Is it not clear that wrong tactics always lead to disastrous consequences?
This is all the more so when the lives and properties of people are
involved.
Finally, on a more personal note, I must ask you, Ebou, when did you start
considering the Jammeh regime as "a tyranny which dominated the people
through a coup d'etat, and to borrow your language, has reduced the people
to mere 'spectators' and 'pawns'." We remember taking up issue with you
when you referred to Jammeh as "hoot boo saman" and that constitutions are
alien to Africa.
I am glad that you are now committed to the establishment of "a valid
constitution that guarantees the supremacy of the people's mandate." We hope
that since that is what you are committed to, you will support the political
party of your choice in The Gambia that can give the type of resolute
leadership you aspire and appreciate the little effort that we are doing to
attain the same purpose. Leave us to do what we think is right and blame us
when you find our actions to harm the interest of the people, and don't
blame us for not doing what you think is right.
Greetings.
Halifa Sallah.
----- Original Message -----
From: Ebou Jallow <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, August 08, 2000 12:45 AM
Subject: Attn: Mr. Halifa Sallah
> Mr Sallah,
> I read your last memo to Musa with some inadvertent amusement. Although I
> submit to the current UDP initiatives for reconciliation, I have very
> serious reservations on your drive to paint a picture of 'nomalcy' in the
> political climate. If you at anytime believe that the UDP have returned to
> "politics as usual", don't you then think it is your DUTY to lead a better
> example instead of following them?
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