Buharry,

I've read the comments/sentiments expressed in your piece, which is
reproduced further below, and I must say that I found them quite
instructive. Thanks for the posting for it was very useful and informatory.

I am also not doubting the hard facts contained in "Ebou Colley's" piece at
all, but I, for one, am also uncomfortable with the tribal aspect of his
useful posting.

Anyway, if Gambians feel that tribalism is a legitimate problem/concern that
ought be addressed headlong, then I am ready to open my ears and listen.

Gambia-L, I must, however, say that detecting the literary hand and mind of
a MR X (his real name is withheld by me) in "Ebou Colley's" posting, I had
to do some serious checks - at the weekend - on the posting (not just on the
IP number, but using other methods as well).

And, consequently, I came to the conclusion that the person I suspected to
have written the piece must have authored it.

Having come to that conclusion, I am now taking VERY SERIOUSLY, the
information contained in "Ebou Colley's" piece, except that like Buharry
Gassama, my former classmate, I am also a little bit disturbed by the tribal
aspect of this "wonderful" posting, to borrow words from Ous Bojang.

Having said that, I am now publicly challenging you ("Ebou Colley") to use
your REAL name on Gambia L, so that people WILL take what you have got to
say/write about Jammeh and his army, very seriously, because you definitely
were an INSIDER.

"Ebou Colley", I believe you have a lot to contribute to the Gambian debate,
but, in my honest view, it would help the debate if you use your genuine
name so that, as I stated earlier, people would take you seriously.

By the way, I also have some pertinent questions for you, relating to your
fall out with the Jammeh regime, and would be very grateful if you could
give me the real reasons behind your departure from this regime.

I have also written a chapter on how the Jammeh coup was actually planned,
but there is still a confusion in terms of who actually authored the first
broadcast of the coup, on Radio One FM, owned by George Christenson.

Did you have a hand in it, or, in other word, did you write the speech?
Also, did you have any thing to do with planning of the coup? Is it true
that you hid the original speech that Jammeh was supposed to use over Radio
Gambia, on the first day of the coup, to announce the take over?

Furthermore, on the second day of the coup, I was at State House, and
noticed that Jammeh and Co were consulting you a lot, but a few days later,
you were arrested and detained at the Mile two prisons?

Would you tell Gambia L what, in reality, led to your dismissal and
subsequent detention? Who actually ordered for your arrest? Was it to do
with Sabally, or Jammeh himself?

Furthermore, I have seen two lists containing ten names of those who
actually planned the coup (not those who executed the coup), and I must say
that in both lists, your name had featured. My question then is: Were you
one of the architects of the coup?

You are also accused of being the one who wrote Jammeh's first speech on
policy, broadcast on Radio Gambia, on the third day of the coup; is this
true? I interviewed former US ambassador to the Gambia Andrew Winter and his
Political and Visa Officer at the time, James Knight, on whether or not the
USA had a hand in the coup and they made their position on the take over
very clear to me.

But from your perspective, could I ask you, to the best of your knowledge,
whether or not the USA had a hand in the Jammeh coup?

Some months before the coup, in my capacity as a journalist, I and some
international human right lawyers had the privilege to visit the inside of
both Mile 2 and Jeshwang prisons; and to tell you the truth, we were shocked
by the appalling conditions of these two prisons at the time.

Could I, therefore, ask you about the conditions of the Mile 2 prison at the
time you were there? Also, I have done some thorough research on what I'll
call the marriage of circumstances between Captain Edward Singhatey and Mr
Jammeh, and I've come to the conclusion that they'll never fall apart,
because they desperately need each other. Do you buy this?

I could share my observations on the two if you wish. But, as for you, do
you envisage a fall out between Jammeh and Singhatey?

"Ebou Colley", I presume you wouldn't have much information on the November
11, 1994 alleged coup plot, since you were still in jail I believe, but what
do you really know, as a fact, about the attack by those "rebels" on the
Farafenni military barracks in 1996?

By the way, was Yankuba Touray one of those who planned the Jammeh coup, or
was he invited? Anyway, I know at the time of the Jammeh coup, he was based
in Farafenni.

"Ebou Colley", the reason why I've asked about Yankuba's role is because I
have got conflicting reports on Yankuba's role in the coup and would
therefore be very grateful if you could tell me what you know on the issue.

Also, on the first day of the coup, who actually opened the armoury? Did
Captain Mamat Cham have the keys to the armoury at the time of the coup?

"Ebou Colley", I have so many questions for you, but I am in a hurry, so I
have to go. But do expect more questions from me.

Finally, I again challenge you to use your real name so as to give
credibility to what you have got to say on the Gambian debate. I believe
your voice is quite significant vis-a-vis the Gambian debate and, as such,
you owe it to Gambians and posterity, to make your contribution to debate ON
THE RECORD, and not off the record if you know what I mean.

"Ebou Colley", I must apologise unreservedly in advance if you find my
posting offensive or distasteful.

Ousman Bojang, I read your comments on the topic of democracy and the points
you made were valuable. Keep it up!

Ebrima Ceesay,
Birmingham, UK.




>From: MOMODOU BUHARRY GASSAMA <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Another Dubious Coup Plot in The Gambia
>Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2000 17:33:01 +0100
>
>Hi!
>     The issue of underlining the tribalist undertones of Ebou Colley's
>posting has nothing to do with the "keep it safe business". It is neither a
>run for cover nor an attempt to use "code words" to run away from tribalist
>realities back home. The issues raised by Ebou if true, given that his
>information sounds real "insider", are issues that should concern us all.
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