Mose,
I respectfully disagree with your views here, and would get back to you later in the day. I am on the rush
now, and could not send you a full reply. Nobody can trumpet here that what these people did not do for
thirty good years, will be fulfilled in a year. We have passed the era of saying, that ONLY few individuals
can make us achieve our goals, just as the wollof saying goes ( "DOGOH DOGOH" ). We have brilliant Gambian
out there, who are far more capable, clean and honest to do this for us. I hope we don`t just sit and rely on
only these people to put us in paradise.
May God save the Gambia!
Elhajj.
Musa Jeng skrev:
> It is interesting to see all the reaction to the return of Jawara to
> Gambian Politics. Reading closely to what Jabou, Sanusi, Amadou Janneh
> and my good friend Joe only reinforced how all of us would like to see a
> clean start with new people and ideas in order to move forward. I also
> understand your fears and suspicions that there are disgruntled PPP
> supporters who are only interested in high jacking the collective will
> of our fight against the Jammeh Misrule, in order to reinstate the
> yester- year politics of Jawara. Gentlemen, politics like everything
> else in life is about timing, making tactical moves that realistically
> works, and most importantly wisely choosing your fights.
>
> We can wait till after the October election and Jammeh has been declared
> the winner, to engage with the usual argument of what went wrong, or
> what was the most effective strategy to explore. The issue about the
> come back kid of Jawara is not a debate of his thirty years Presidency,
> and definitely not a yearned to return to the Jawara era. Can we all ask
> our selves this question, what brought about decree 89? Was Jammeh
> really interested in punishing the corrupt politicians, or was it a
> tactical move to make sure he is not confronted with any serious
> opposition. It is a political reality, fairly or unfairly that if
> elections were held in the Gambia between President Jammeh, and
> ex-President Jawara, in a level playing field Jawara will definitely win
> by a landslide. This is a political truism and has nothing to do with
> whether Jawara was a good leader or not, in fact, most of us were
> excited with the over throw of the Jawara regime because of Jawara’s
> thirty year misrule. The issue is what works. If your hatred for, or
> opposition to Jawara, and you have every right in the world to feel like
> that base on his past performance, but the bottom line at this juncture
> is what works. What political formula out there that can bring an end to
> an NIA run government, to a new government that can bring the Gambia
> closer to a constitutional democracy. Please sentiment and emotion aside
> tell me realistically how we can bring and end to the Jammeh misrule.
>
> On a personal note, I would have like to see a PDOIS government because
> it is the only party that I believed is committed to the ideals of
> democracy, development of our country and to the protection of the lives
> of every Gambian. But I am also not stupid or naive because come October
> there will not be a PDOIS government. Therefore, what is out there that
> can at least create an environment that can bring about the issues and
> programs that PDOIS subscribe to. In addition, the most realistic
> formula that can guarantee an Opposition victory is the formation of an
> Alliance Party with everybody on board including at the fore front
> ex-President Jawara, ex-Opposition leader S.M Dibba, Andrews Camara,
> Pdois’s Sidia Jatta, Hamat Bah and UDP’ Ousainou Darboe. The goal of the
> Alliance is very simple, to bring an end to the Jammeh rule and create
> an environment of a Constitutional democratic Gambia, a stable Gambia, a
> Gambia of Justice Law and order and where the lives and rights of every
> Gambian is protected. Also for tactical reasons, this Alliance can make
> their deals behind the scenes, and choose the best person that can
> guarantee a victory, and in this case, the logical person is Ousainou
> Darboe. Personally, I wish I could have said Sidia Jatta, but that will
> not be true.
>
> Gentlemen, remember Jammeh's worst fear is to run against such a force,
> and if I can say the Opposition’s record has absolutely nothing to do
> with it, it is the political reality. Most of these ex-Politicians have
> invested political capital and whether we like them or not they are
> political heavy weights that will continue to impact the direction of
> our country.
>
> Musa Jeng
>
> Haruna Darbo wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > DITTO Musa, Dampha et al.
> >
> > Haruna - SONS OF AFRIKA>From: Musa Jeng
> > >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
> > >To: [log in to unmask]
> > >Subject: Re: Jawara --- Come-back Kid?
> > >Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2001 23:48:15 -0400
> > >
> > >Unseating an incumbent Government in Africa can be a very difficult
> > ordeal. Obviously, there
> > >are hosts of reasons, one in particular is what Ndey Jobarteh
> > referred in her posting, the politics of
> > >Patronage. The electorate making what they consider as a wise
> > decision, ridding with a winning horse, which
> > >is usually the party with the media, the government, the development
> > programs, the arbiter of law and order
> > >and all the other perceived benefits that come with it. There is also
> > another important phenomena, especially
> > >in Africa, people’s emotional and psychological inclination of who
> > should be the leader. This person is seen
> > >as a messiah, who is somehow ordained to govern, a personality
> > cult-like, and to go against that force is
> > >seen as going against the will of God, or nature, take your pick.
> > >
> > >Unfortunately, seven years of misrule has given Yaya Jammeh, like any
> > other African despot these
> > >aforementioned advantages. And with all the political strategizing
> > and punditry about the October Election,
> > >the wild card that can make all the difference is in Mr.Dampha’s
> > piece, the return of Jawara. For starters, I
> > >am not a supporter of Jawara, and my analysis is purely an opinion
> > that I strongly believe can help in the
> > >unseating of President Jammeh, which I am frustratingly looking
> > forward to. President Jawara is one
> > >individual who was once seen as a messiah, a winning horse and was
> > seen as ordained by some force to govern.
> > >This is one individual who can still connect with the Gambian
> > electorate. He has effectively done it for
> > >thirty years, and this is something not to underestimate. For a
> > moment forget about pros and cons of his
> > >thirty-year rule, what he has done wrong or right, and focus only on
> > the political chessboard. I consider
> > >myself a fairly sophisticated follower of Gambian politics,
> > politically speaking, and also not a supporter of
> > >President Jawara. Two years ago, I had an opportunity to attend a
> > rally conference in Atlanta, in fact I
> > >reported to the GL about that meeting. I went into that conference
> > with my anti-Jawara sentiments and left
> > >that meeting, not a born again Jawara supporter, but at least
> > respected his argument. I am totally convinced
> > >that the man has what it takes to connect with the Gambian people. As
> > Dampha indicated, he is one person that
> > >can vindicate the PPP Government, or at least defend his record.
> > Jawara is one person that can be very
> > >effective in finally challenging the APRC government from Banjul to
> > Koina, not as a leader of the Opposition,
> > >but as one of the leaders of the Alliance party to unseat Jammeh’s
> > misrule. Gambians will come out in droves
> > >to listen to the ex- President and this will give him an opportunity
> > to tell his side of the story. I
> > >personally believe that this is one wild card that would be
> > politically suicidal for the opposition not to
> > >play. Oh! I know of the counter argument, a political has been, been
> > their for thirty years, corruption,
> > >political cammatose and all the other yada yada yada, and I have
> > personally made that case before and can
> > >still make them, but not in this vein, and still look what the
> > alternative is. At this crossroad of our
> > >country’s political, economical and survival in every aspect, I
> > honestly believe that the ex-President can
> > >play a vital role in making it possible for the Opposition to win
> > come October 2001
> > >
> > >Mr.Dampha, in his piece mentioned security and safety of the
> > ex-President, and to that I will say,
> > >Mr.President, you owe that much to the Gambian people, and this is
> > one move worth risking your own life. And
> > >if you if you fail to take this opportunity and go back to the Gambia
> > and fight for your believes, you will
> > >never forgive yourself. Remember that the Gambian people are yet to
> > hear your own defense from the horse’s
> > >mouth, and win or loose that is worth all the risks in the world.
> > Frankly, Gambia belongs to all of us, and
> > >who governs should be peacefully decided by the people, and no single
> > individual should have a monopoly on
> > >this, and maybe it is time for Jammeh and everyone else to know that
> > this country belongs to all of us.
> > >Finally, my political instincts tells me this election is still for
> > Jammeh to win, but with the Jawara twist
> > >under the leadership of Ousainou Darboe, the Opposition can win by a
> > land slide, and for that to happen, it
> > >should be all out war for the future of our country.
> > >
> > >Musa Jeng
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >Dampha Kebba wrote:
> > >
> > > > News from the BBC that Jawara might go to Gambia in time for the
> > October
> > > > Election, is a welcomed one. Here is a chance for the man to
> > vindicate
> > > > himself. Power was unlawfully usurped from him by a bunch of
> > bandits seven
> > > > years ago. These low-lives should NOT prevent him from going back
> > to the
> > > > country he worked for for the better part of his productive life.
> > There are
> > > > still many people in the country that love the ex-president. Those
> > people
> > > > should come together with the current Opposition and give the
> > elder
> > > > statesman a hero’s welcome.
> > > >
> > > > These bandits currently running our country have nothing over
> > Jawara.
> > > > According to the White Paper that was supposed to impose a ban on
> > Jawara’s
> > > > political activities, the only corruption this government is
> > accusing Jawara
> > > > of, is the transfer of Jawara’s life savings from the then
> > Meridien Bank
> > > > after the president left the country. Nothing was said about crude
> > oil or
> > > > other corrupt activities these bandits were talking about in order
> > to
> > > > justify hijacking our country.
> > > >
> > > > The Opposition on the ground should set up a tight security
> > apparatus for
> > > > the former president. The international community should be
> > lobbied to hold
> > > > Yaya responsible for the safety and welfare of Jawara if he
> > decides to
> > > > return to the country. If anything happens to him, Yaya should pay
> > with his
> > > > own life. I am confident that nothing will happen to Jawara, just
> > like
> > > > nothing happened to other Decree 89 politicians. The cowards now
> > know that
> > > > they will be held accountable for their actions. It has began to
> > dawn on
> > > > them that this party is over. Pretty soon, they will be hoist in
> > courts to
> > > > account for their crimes. They know that.
> > > >
> > > > I respectfully counsel the current Opposition leaders to engage OJ
> > and other
> > > > PPP members in the country and encourage them to convince Jawara
> > to come
> > > > back home and return to political life. The Opposition can work
> > with the PPP
> > > > militants and the diplomats in the country to ensure Jawara’s
> > safety. Once
> > > > he is in the country, the Opposition should provide him with a
> > stellar
> > > > security detail and encourage him to tour the country and campaign
> > for the
> > > > presidential candidate the current Opposition is going to field in
> > the
> > > > coming election. Who best to defend the PPP record and discredit
> > these APRC
> > > > bandits than Jawara himself? Jawara owe it to the Gambian people
> > to explain
> > > > how well his government was doing before these bandits stepped in
> > to render
> > > > the country backward and end up making the Gambian people poorer
> > than they
> > > > were seven years ago. Jawara should explain what he would have
> > done if he
> > > > was the president the last seven years with millions of dollars of
> > debt and
> > > > aid money coming into the country. In short, Jawara should tackle
> > APRC if
> > > > they want to run on the PPP record, while the current Opposition
> > focus on
> > > > their plan for the country and Yaya’s mishandling of the country
> > the past
> > > > seven years.
> > > >
> > > > History will treat Jawara kindly if he returns to the country and
> > selflessly
> > > > helps to get rid of Yaya. But his return should be premised on an
> > adequate
> > > > security apparatus to be put in place by an Opposition Alliance.
> > The current
> > > > Opposition should field a presidential candidate as soon as
> > possible and ask
> > > > for the support of the Decree 89 politicians. One of the promises
> > the next
> > > > president might want to give the Decree 89 politicians is that the
> > age limit
> > > > for presidential candidates will be eradicated. With the
> > imposition of term
> > > > limits, we do NOT need this upper age limit. That is one
> > concession that
> > > > might be attractive to the Decree 89 politicians that Yaya CANNOT
> > give them.
> > > > There are many more which I trust our leaders on the ground will
> > negotiate
> > > > on as soon as possible in their quest to form an Opposition
> > Alliance between
> > > > Decree 89 politicians and the current Opposition.
> > > >
> > > > Finally, I hope the current Opposition sees Jawara’s impending
> > return as a
> > > > positive thing for the Opposition. Let the man come and defend his
> > record
> > > > and vindicate himself. The current Opposition should give him all
> > the
> > > > support he needs in order to help the next presidential candidate
> > defeat
> > > > Yaya.
> > > > KB
> > > >
> > > > _________________________________________________________________
> > > > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at
> > http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp
> > > >
> > > >
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