Comrades:

This is a sucker to me.  A constitution already implemented! If this is the case, then we are not trying to be inclusive. How can a constitution be implemented without input from those that are requested to contribute?  This is really a sucker.

I standby to call for its withdrawal and advocate that we call a meeting to ask citizens for their input.  I hope Dr. Saine  replies.  Why such a rush?  What happened to participatory democracy?  I am really saddened by such a move.

This will smell trouble for the opposition if we cannot have democracy in formulating issues that face us.

Naphiyo,
Comrade ML Jassey-Conteh
-------Original Message-------
From: Momodou S Sidibeh <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: 08/17/03 04:52 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Opposition Coalition/ let us organize!!!

>
> Sister Jabou Joh,

I have been quite busy during the past few days and had not been able to
respond to a number of issues of interest on the L, one of which is Mr.
Jassey-Conteh's invitation to start fund-raising.

When Abdoulaye Saine posted the Constitution of the Save the Gambia Fund,
I understood that it was not a finished document, that there was room for
ammendments. That was my reason for advancing suggestions, which were
perhaps fortunately, ignored.

You have spoken for me. I have no wish whatsoever to be party to such an
obviously skewed process. Had I known what I now know, I would myself have
advocated for an alternative.
I salute you for helping us see beyond the mundane and obvious.

Momodou S Sidibeh

----- Original Message -----
From: <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, August 17, 2003 12:12 AM
Subject: Re: Opposition Coalition/ let us organize!!!


> Brother Laye Bamba,
>
> I agree with you wholeheartedly that having different  factions in this
> affiar, or factions in regards to any effort we undertake to take us
forward is not
> ideal.
> Infact, George Sarr can tell you that I had a very heavy heart when an
> alternate list was first set up because I felt that this would be
divisive.
>
> However, I was part of the Coalition funds list that was set up after I
> called Joe Sambou on the telephone to discuss the issue of the fund and
the lack of
> response to enquiries by interested Gambians. It was then that he
informed me
> that a list had already been formed, and that I can ask George Sarr to
add me
> to the list.  I did that with the impression that it would be one that
all
> interested parties would be invited to join.
>
> Prior to that, someone had asked me if he can nominate me to be part of
the
> committees they were going to organize, and I told them I would be glad
to be
> part of a committee but again, I assumed that the organization would be
> inclusive of all Gambians who want to participate, and that these
committees would be
> how all participants would be organized into different focus groups.
However,
> this individual later infored me that he had submitted names of people
he had
> nominated, including mine, but that these were over-ruled by some
people, and
> a list was then set up i guess by these same  people.
> After being informed of this, it was with trepidation that I added my
name to
> the list, but I did it anyway because I believed that no one had the
right to
> eliminate any Gambians who have interest to participate in this matter,
and i
> did not want to assume any negative thoughts before joining the group.
>
> After my name was added to the list, a  non Gambian who is part of the
group
> advocated that only  those who pay into the fund should be allowed into
the
> group, and that all over the World, it is the people who control the
money that
> make the decisions,  and this is a direct quote. George Sarr and Haruna
Darboe
> objected to this view, and so did I although I had not said a word prior
to
> this because of the hostile atmosphere on the list. George Sarr also
indicated
> that the only criterion for joining should be that one is Gambian,  and
that
> he would delist himself if the prevailing opinion is to exclude Gambians
based
> on payment into the fund.
>
> Then it was advocated that a vote be taken on the matter and it came out
that
> the majority of the handful in the group agreed that only those who have
paid
> into the fund should be allowed to join.
>  After that,  one member demanded the names on the list so they can
"remove
> those who do not belong there" and there was further commentary that no
one who
> had failed to pay into the fund will be allowed to make any decisions
here,
> plus a few unsavory remarks i would rather not go into.
> Haruna Darboe was delisted and I am not sure who else was, but I frankly
> expected that I would be delisted too since I had not paid into the
fund.
>
> Then it was further advocated that the list be closed from accepting any
more
> members even though to my count, there were no more than 12 peopl at
most on
> the list. It was at this point that I decided it was time  to bow out
and i
> sent an email to the list explaining my reason for leaving. I never
received one
> single comment from anyone informing me that there was any effort under
way
> to open the list to all Gambians, although to be fair, you Laye, had
written an
> email to the list advocating that  payment into the fund  should not be
the
> criterion for joining the list.
> Mr Gaye sent me an email later saying that they had a problem with one
> individual who was belligerant and so this was the individual that they
did not want
> on the list.
> I repeated my position regardign the criteria they had adopted and which
i
> cannot be party to.
> It is a fact that there has  been enquiries on G-L, by interested
Gambians
> regarding the effort under way, and  to which no one has responded.
Infact I
> can say that we have been completely ignored, and  I wrote an email to
this
> effect,  and no commentary from anyone followed.
>
> I do understand that Joe Sambou has been dealing with bereavements in
his
> family, and my heart truely goes out to him and his extended family, but
others
> could have responded because I am sure they saw the enquiries and
comments just
> like you saw this one and have responded to it. However, no one
responded to
> give any explanation in an effort that is a Gambian effort, ,not a
private
> affair. You have said you are organizing the effort, but I think that
should have
> included extending an open invitation to Gambians who are interested, or
at
> least giving an update of any efforts under way to include everyone in
thsi
> effort, especially when people have taken the time to send enquiries ot
this
> list.
>
> The focus of the list when I left was not an inclusive list and that was
the
> majority opinion and since I do not want to be part of any effort that
> excludes Gambians especially in the determination of our destiny, I had
no choice but
> ot leave. Todate, I have not seen any effort by any of the people on the
list
> I left to  respond to any enquiries, provide an updates, respond to any
> opinions or extend any invitations to have their compatriots join them
in this
> effort.
>
> Therefore, i decided that since we cannot afford to be spectators and
since
> we do not have to limit ourselves to the decision of others in this
matter, we
> had no choice but to start to organize ourselves and not set any
limitations
> on  criteria for Gambians to participate in this effort because the very
> essence of the effort is to have Gambians be participants in the
political decision
> making process, and that infact, this is the very begining of a model
for
> that.
>
> Sidibeh, Conteh and others, as well as myself had simply expressed our
> opinion that we need to confer as a general body first and do our part
towards what
> it takes to make  a coalition a reality first,  and that this takes the
> involvement of all Gambians. The group you are part of disagreed, making
payment
> into the fund the only croiterion for joining the list and failed to
respond to
> enquiries from their compatriots.
>
> If there is an effort underway by the already organized group on the
list
> that has been set up, and for  which the criteria for  participation is
simply
> that one is a Gambian and nothing else, then I welcome it wholeheartedly
 and
> will be happy to be part of it. Also, such a group needs to be announced
so that
> all who are interested can feel free to join, or at least, an update or
> comment provided to give an indication that the goodwill to work
together is there.
> Otherwise, this is a time to have all Gambians take part in this
decision,
> and we do not have to waste time waiting for anyone to reach a decison
to give
> us the permission to do so.
>
> From what I gathered in my brief presence in the already formed list,
coupled
> with the lack of response, I felt that we simply cannot afford to be
> spectators in this matter and so if there is no response, then I shall
appeal to those
> who share my view that this is a matter we need to decide together to
join
> hands and move forward because to my knowledge, there was no appointment
of
> representatives to speak for the Gambians in the disapora. My position
is that we
> cannot be expected to sit on the sidelines while a few people decide if
all
> Gambians should have a voice in this matter, nor do we have to lobby
people to
> allow Gambians open access to this process. Marginalization of people by
a
> selected few is the cause of our problems and we cannot allow this ot
happen
> anymore if we are to accomplish our goals.
>
> However, people have a right to determine the area of focus for groups
they
> form, and if the already established list is for those who have
contributed to
> the fund, then that is fine, and  i felt that the rest of us will have
to
> proceed along a more inclusive line.
>
> In my email to the list before I left, I stated that the last thing that
we
> need is to have any signs of dissent in this effort because that will
only
> serve the interest of those who would like to see thsi effort fail, and
I did not
> want to do anything to show any sign of dissent.
>  However,  the lack of response to enquiries, and the fear that this may
end
> up disrupting this entire effort  left me no choice but to decide to
appeal to
> those who share my view to come together and work towards making this
the
> collective proccess it should be.
> Again, if there is a genuine effort underway to have open participation
by
> all Gambians, it will be my pleasure to join it, as I am sure it will
also be
> the pleasure of others who are very interested. However,  it is
important to
> note that this is not a process where any Gambian has to have the
permission of
> any other Gambian, or to fulfil any condition set by anyone else to
> praticipate. It is our birthright as Gambians to be involved in
something too important
> to let fall to senseless discord.
>
> If this effort fails, we would have failed ourselves and those who are
> counting on this effort to move us forward, and nothing is more
important than that
> fact, and it is important to remember that and focus our efforts towards
that
> alone and we will not let anything else make this fail.
>
> It is time we set aside our personal egos and get down to the business
of
> what is really important and we cannot loose sight of that or waste time
to
> convince those who want to own this process and exclude their
compatriots for
> whatever reason. I cannot imagine anything more important  in this
effort than
> encouraging full participation by all, otherwise, we would have missed
the point
> altogether.
>
>
> Jabou Joh
>
> In a message dated 8/16/03 1:41:40 PM Central Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask]
> writes:>
> >
> > <<"I appeal to all those who are concerned and want to participate in
this
> > effort to send me a private email so that we can discuss how organize
> > ourselves and how to move forward. Once we have something concrete in
> > place, we can then move on to the business of raising funds.">>
> >
> > Sis Jabou:
> >
> > Why do you think that a duplication of efforts, that have long been
started
> > and is already well underway, is the best solution to a difference in
view
> > points, principles and ideologies? I don't see your appealing for
others to
> > join you in forming another 'compin' to "discuss how organize
ourselves and
> > how to move forward.." as nothing more than duplicating, or perhaps
> > antagonizing - albeit unintentionally - wh
> > at has already been put in place.
> > I urge you to add your effort in making that august body become one
that
> > will encompass as many different view points and ideologies as it
possibly
> > can. You seem to have very little patience in that regard.
> >
> > The logical answer to feeling 'left out' from a body is not always the
> > formation of a 'rival' body to the dicatates of what YOU think that
body
> > ought to be. Especially where the aims and objectives are the same, as
in
> > this case.
> >
> > I see no difference in what you claim to abhor so much - political
hegemony
> > by a few.
> >
> > Like you, I have expressed my opinion in contrast to the notion that
only
> > those who have actually "put their money where their mouth is" ought
to be
> > part of the list-serve that is set up for discussion, which I am
currently
> > running. But there seem to be the wisdon of majority in that regard so
far.
> > Unlike you though, I did not opt out and advoca
> > te for another 'compin' just
> > because my view point does not seem to be considered. I see that as a
> > weakness in character.
> >
> > You have more to contribute as a member of the group with differing
> > opinions than one that stands to seek for a group that may be
antagonizing
> > the efforts of the existing group, even if that is not the intent. We
> > should learn to tolerate differences in opinion and strive to work
together
> > no matter what those differences might be.
> >
> > On another note, I will not hold brief for Joe and others to whom
questions
> > were directed, but I am in a position to say that efforts are in place
to
> > answer some of the concerns raised here and Gambia-post. Joe, God
bless the
> > bro, have had a couple of bereavements in his family in the past weeks
and
> > as such, has been unable to attend to some of the issues. I urge all
to
> > take it a little bit easy on the castigations and exercise a wee bit
> > patience for now.
> > We must take note that there is a thin line between
> > opinions and allegations, especially where there are no facts to back
> > opinions.
> >
> > With all heads and hearts in one place, we can accomplish much more
than we
> > expect.
> >
> >
> > -BambaLaye
> >
> > "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that
> > matter."
> > -M.L King Jr.
> >
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