>From: Ebrima Ceesay <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: New Light Shed on Halifa, OJ and Hamat Bah's arrest
>Date: Sun, 27 Nov 2005 12:58:43 +0000
>
>
>
>Ginny Quick:
>
>Thank you for your very kind words, and I’m glad that you enjoy reading my
>postings.  I also benefit from reading your contributions:  they are always
>well thought-through and perceptive.  You, like me and so many other
>contributors to the Internet, have the interests of The Gambia at heart.
>
>On a personal note – I am well although very busy and still travelling a
>lot.  This leaves little time for writing on a regular basis.  I’ll try to
>contribute more often!
>
>My writings, once they reach any audience, are entirely in the public
>domain and of course you can post up my articles on your blog etc.  Don’t
>trouble to ask – just use what you want.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Momodou Sidibeh,
>
>Your postings are always thought-provoking and we all learn a lot from
>you.  I agree that Senegalese officials are not blameless:  the
>implications of their actions were not thought about in any depth.  It was
>a big mistake to bring the documents to the direct attention of Jammeh, and
>put innocent people at risk. It would have been better for them to have
>exercised some restraint until they had assured themselves of the
>authorship of the documents.  With their highly sophisticated intelligence
>networks, it would have been better for them to have checked the veracity
>of the reports before going directly to the Gambian government.
>
>The lesson is that we should all be careful:  in international politics,
>there are no permanent friends, just the serving of national interest.
>
>I hope the forger learns an important lesson from all this:  the Senegalese
>know the identity of the person and could well make the name public.
>He/She too should be careful about involving him/herself in such deceits in
>the future:  they serve no-one’s interests.
>
>Not so long ago, some of Yahya Jammeh’s conversations about Senegal and
>President Wade in which he used highly inappropriate language and
>invectives were secretly recorded in Jammeh’s office.  The tape was then
>delivered into the hands of Senegal, and Senegalese officials passed the
>tape back to Yahya Jammeh himself.  Yahya now knows the identity of his
>secret record maker. (I am glad to say that the latter is not a Gambian,
>but a senior member of the rebel movement in Casamance who had had ties
>with Jammeh in the past, but decided to ally himself with the Senegalese
>government when he passed on the secret tapes).
>
>Most governments are not mindful of individuals and their safety:  national
>interests take precedence over any other interests which may be at stake.
>
>You are right that I do know the identity of the forger, and have been
>given specifics that leave no doubt in my mind.  However, I will await for
>further confirmation from other sources before naming names. As a
>journalist, I have always protected the identity of my sources as well as
>double-checking for accuracy and truth in their revelations before
>publicising them.
>
>How is Sweden?  I guess it must be getting cold there.  I did try calling
>you in Sweden a couple of years ago when I was staying with Ebrima Sall in
>Uppsala, but didn’t manage to reach you.
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Omar Joof,
>
>Thank you for your comments and contribution.  Your articles are always
>impressive.
>
>I agree with you that Yahya Jammeh has never been a democrat and that he
>has never shown any interest whatsoever in democracy.  I still remember
>back to the days of the transition 1994-96, when Jammeh publicly stated
>that all journalists and human rights activists should be buried six feet
>deep!
>
>I think it is highly unlikely that Yahya Jammeh is going to apologise to
>anyone for this, or any other error.  Let us pray however that he does
>release Hamat Bah, Halifa Sallah and OJ Jallow immediately, now that the
>original reasons for their arrest and detention are public knowledge.
>These men are suffering because of one person’s lies and forgeries.
>
>Each of them is a man of great stature and each has worked to his utmost to
>serve the best interests of The Gambia and Gambian citizens.  The same
>cannot be said for Yahya.
>
>Eventually, Yahya Jammeh and Edward Singhateh will have to account in
>public for all their actions.
>
>Senegalese government officials have told me that they consider Jammeh (and
>Singhateh) to be mentally unstable.  Some years back, one of President
>Abdoulaye Wade’s envoys met with Yahya and Edward at State House in Banjul,
>and in the meeting Jammeh complained about Senegalese troop movements to
>the various border points.  Jammeh told the envoy that if Senegal continued
>in this habit, then Gambia would "attack Senegal up to Dakar"!!
>
>It became increasingly clear to the envoy (and the other Senegalese
>Government officials who were at the meeting) just how mentally disturbed
>Yahya Jammeh was, to believe that our small Gambian army could possibly
>launch a successful attack against our neighbour and reach Dakar! In a
>joking way, the official said to me on several occasions, "Ibou, God have
>mercy on your people for having a megalomaniac as a leader!"
>
>You are right that indeed, the struggle does continue.
>
>Ebrima Ceesay
>
>Birmingham, UK.
>
>
>
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