Ousman,
Thanks for your comments and nothing would please me more than to know that
Jammeh would listen to advice, but that is really not the impression I get.
For example, Haven't some of the people who he supposedly listens to
adviced him regardign this media bill and some of the other human rights
issues?
I also do not believe that his re-election has anything to do with listening
to people Ousman. Many forces play a role in the choice for political
affiliations in Africa, and while poverty plays a role, sophisticated
analysis of the state of the nation by the masses is definitely not the
overwhelming factor here.
Even if as you say,some of the people who have access to Jammeh do not tell
him the truth, how about Jammeh himself drawing upon his own human decency to
do the right thing when it comes to the human rights issues that are so
troubling?
This is the same excuse I used to hear during the Jawara era, that he was a
good guy but it is the people around him. I would actually consider that an
insult if I were a head of state because one assumes the man has to think for
himself at some point, and also realize the need to use the expertise of
professional advisors to get teh job of governing properly done, instead oof
this excuse of people not having access to him etc.
Are we to believe that the NIA arrests people for the most frivoulous things
and judges are fired in violation of the constitution because those who can
advice Jammeh that this is against the law do not have access to him and this
is why these things happen? There is never a time in the life of any head of
state when heavy handedness in any area is justifiable. What situation have
put the nation at risk in what was reported in the Independent regardingthe
apparent marriage of Isatou Njie or the activities of Dumo Saho? It must be
such a big secret that they cannot even charge him with something concrete
and try him.
Ousman, all of us would like to see a Gambia where not only the
infrastructure is improved, but we would like to see one in which people's
rights are not compromised in the guise of doing what is good for the
nation, and it amazes me to see that this government does not seem to
realize that such a situation will actually help rather than harm them. One
of the foremost things that is good for a nation is that it's citizens enjoy
full freedom and a givernmet can only truely boast of being the people's
choice and doing what is best for them if their election or re-election to
office occurred under such an atmosphere
We have to be very careful not to contribute towards providing excuses for
the faults and atrocities propagated by our leaders by insinuating that the
people deserve it or that it si necessary for various reasons as it is a
dangerous trend indeed.
The Jammeh government is so busy trying to put the fear of God into the
average Gambian to consolidate their position that they cannot see that our
country is slipping through our fingers. T
he average gambian has no money to start and run a business and instead,
foreigners who come for vacation are returning and buying up the land and
taking over the businesses that should be in the hands of Gambians. While
Gambians are running out of the country due to economic hardships, those
whose countries we are running to are going to our country and taking it over
economically slowly but surely, and we will soon wake up to find that modern
day Rhodesia or South Africa has been born right in our midst, and the sons
and daughters of Gambia will be in the ghettos and the prime land and the
economy will be in the hands of the foreigners, and all of it would have
happened while Jammeh and his regime were too busy thinking of how they can
stay in power forever.
The APRC regime needs to wake up and smell the coffee and nurture Gambians
and assist them to maintain control of our lands and economy and they will
find that the accomplishment of that will do more for them in the long run
than exercising brutality upon poor people while telling them to go to work
when the government has no plans for economic empowerment of the ordinary
Gambian.
Let them start by not only providing micro loans to people in all nooks and
cranies of the country and putting programs into place that will provide the
basic education in starting and running a business, keeping books etc. This
will enhance our economy and empower all Gambians, and not just a few
selected cronies, and small businesses also enhance the economy by paying
taxes..
Now, these, a;omg with the infrastructural improvements if done sensibly,
would be significant changes worth talking about.
Jabou Joh
In a message dated 8/20/2002 12:33:41 AM , [log in to unmask] writes:
>
> Aunty Jabou,
> I respectfully disagree with you and Mohin saying that NO ONE can influence
> President Jammeh's decisions/actions. He has failed the Gambians in certain
> things, but the guy does talk and listen to some people. And he is aware of
> the fact that not all those who has access to him may tell him the truth.
> I think if he was not going to listen to the Gambian people he would not
> have been re-elected. I have no doubt that if he is deem as not serving the
> interest of the nation, he would have been replaced one way or the other.
> Jammeh is no Godly and not without faults, but he is part of a party with
> some very good people who will not join him if he was just going to sit
> there and dictate everything. He does take some actions which at times one
> would wish he consulted you, but it does not mean that he failed to listen
> to some. And I am sure if he feels, and I repeat "feels" that the
> government's interest is at risk, he might take actions that might not be
> very favorable in the Diaspora. And this is one thing we all need to learn
> from the folks at home.
> A lot of our people do not share our theory of the facts on the ground and
> this is one reason why a lot of Gambians who recently traveled to home have
> some change of hearts.
> Not all of us have to support President Jammeh or be part of the APRC. He
> has to have some opponents. And as long as it is all to the interest of the
> nation, there is nothing wrong with that.
> And to Mohin, if you think that some one like Dr. Janneh's change of
> position is not that important to be discussed, you must be in another
> world. Anyone as long as they are Gambians are very important to national
> development. Sure Dr. have been very active against this government and all
> that made his change of position more important. Dr. Janneh has been very
> important to the opposition so why not to the APRC?
> Let us all agree to disagree and accept the Mandika saying that "all men
> are
> equal is an insult to some men."
>
> Ousman Jallow Bojang.
Regards,
Jabou N.Joh,
President/ceo,
Cumberland Investment Group,
557 Holt Valley Rd,
Nashville, TN, 37221
Tel: (615) 646-9784
Mobile: (615) 573 1785
Efax: (702) 995 0969
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