Brother Musa Jeng,
We will have to agree to disagree on this issue.
I wish that life was as simple as just compartmentalizing each little action
or person by itself and leaving it at that, but that cannot be the case
especially where politics is concerned, and especially when it comes to the politics
of international relations which can have very far reaching effects. Any
president has to be a representative of all the people, and refrain from engaging
in factionalism. Their actions therefore have consequences and have to be
examined, commented about and protested by the people if it si not in their best
interest.
At the same time, we cannot afford to side-step the hard hitting issue of
tribalism if we are to avoid a situation where this practice will one day bring
about atrocities that could have been avoided had we addressed the issue
openly.
Yaya Jammeh's tribalistic leanings victimize those Jolas who do not support
him and at the same time kindle anti-Jola sentiments from the general public.
It forsters tribal animosity in our midst, and discuss it we must. We have to
make it abundantly clear to those who play the tribal card, whether openly or
cleverly behind the scenes that they are starting out on a road that inevitably
leads to disaster, and the people cannot afford to tolerate such things
anymore.. Kanilai has electricity 24 hours a day and rice is cheaper in the Fonis.
The man's actions cannot be separated from the consequences they bring about
and we cannot just label them as an ego trip on his part and move on.
His involvement in the Casamance affair has the potential to cause friction
between us and Senegal and Gambians cannot afford to take the position of
simply stating that Jammeh is on an ego trip and stop there.
Unless and until we understand that Jammeh's actions can disrupt the peace
and tranquility in our country and that it is the average citizen who will be
the victim as opposed to Yaya Jammeh who instigated the discord, we risk being
the enablers of those who are working to distabilize our country.
Thank you for your comments.
Jabou Joh
In a message dated 4/3/04 9:41:45 PM Central Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
>
>
> Jabou: What in your estimation do you suppose is the reason he made Kanilai
> the
> > new capital? Just randon selection and money to spare in a coutry as poor
> as
> > Gambia? I doubt it very much.
>
> Musa: JAbou, like you I do not think mooving things to Kanilai is smart
> politics, or smart anything. Like I tried to say in the previous piece, this is
> about Jammeh, and he believes his home town should reflect Jammeh the
> egomaniac.
>
> JAbou: What abotu his meddling in Casamance and the allegations of stashing
> of arms?
> > Another random occurrence?
>
> Musa: Jabou, like you I am not the least convince that he is only getting
> involve in Cassanance to bring about peace. It is even plausible to speculate
> that his sympathy lies with the casamance rebels - and that his ethnicty is
> a factor.
> Jabou, it is important for all of us to put the Jammeh problem in its proper
> context: this is all about Jammeh, utilizing all of his survival political
> instincts, and will use all of us to maintain the status quo.
>
> Thanks again for your piece.
>
> Musa Jeng
> >
> > From: Jabou Joh <[log in to unmask]>
> > Date: 2004/04/03 Sat PM 09:00:11 EST
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: AN APPEAL TO ALL GAMBIA L/Musa
> >
> > Musa,
> >
> > Thanks for your comments. I agree that Jammeh will use anything or anyone
> to
> > stay in power, but I do not agree that moving the capital to Kanilai and
> the
> > suggestion that he si trying to forge a Jola kingdom is a ridiculous idea
> at
> > all. What in your estimation do you suppose is the reason he made Kanilai
> the
> > new capital? Just randon selection and money to spare in a coutry as poor
> as
> > Gambia? I doubt it very much.
> > What abotu his meddling in Casamance and the allegations of stashing of
> arms?
> > Another random occurrence?
> >
> > Jabou Joh
> >
> > In a message dated 4/3/04 6:40:25 PM Central Standard Time,
> > [log in to unmask] writes:
> > >
> > > Sent from the Internet
> > >
> > >
> > > JAbou,
> > >
> > > You are absolutely right that it is important to talk about tribal
> issues,
> > > not only to avoid a Rwanda type of a situation, but to think that
> tribalism
> > > does not shape our politics is utter nonsense. Personally, I do not
> think we
> > > have a tribal animosity like the Hutus and the Tutsi. In fact, I am
> willing to
> > > make a stretch that JAmmeh cares less about the Jolas as a tribe. This
> is not
> > > about the Jolas, but moreso about Jammeh the person and what he has to
> do to
> > > maintain the status quo. He will exploit all avenues of sensitivities to
> > > maintian power and his political survival. For anyone to thing think
> that all
> > > these have anything to do with the establishment of a Jola empire is
> > > ridiculous. As for the suggestion that moving the "Capital" to Kanilai
> is a clear
> > > indication of this dream of a Jola empire, is just that. This is all
> about Jammeh
> > > the egomaniac, and "Jola this or Jola that" has nothing to do with
> anything.
> > > Although, like any other dishonest political survivor he will continue
> > > manipulate and will use all the tribes for his own political end.
> > >
> > > Musa Jeng
> > > > From: Jabou Joh <[log in to unmask]>
> > > > Date: 2004/04/03 Sat PM 01:10:02 EST
> > > > To: [log in to unmask]
> > > > Subject: Re: AN APPEAL TO ALL GAMBIA L SUBSCRIBERS
> > > >
> > > > In a message dated 4/3/04 11:20:49 AM Central Standard Time,
> > > > [log in to unmask] writes:
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > "we have two options either to let history take a
> > > > > disastrous path or shape the course of history towards
> > > > > the right path."
> > > > > ."The purpose of history is to learn the lessons of
> > > > the past and we let history repeat itself in vice then
> > > > we might be very sorry for ourself. We will then let
> > > > both ourself and our future children down."
> > > > "The Gambia is country of tolerance and is not divided
> > > > by tribal demarcations and tribal values or allegiance
> > > > have no place in The Gambia."
> > > >
> > > > Brother,
> > > >
> > > > I think we need to be very clear before we label people that are
> > > commenting
> > > > on tribal issues as tribalists.
> > > > I am making a comment on the issue of tribalism for the reasons you
> have
> > > > stated and which I have quoted above. There are some indications that
> > > Jammeh is
> > > > playing a tribal card and the very reason that such things have led to
> > > genocide
> > > > and other horrible things in places like Rwanda is because no one
> wanted
> > > to
> > > > talk about it. I think we have to discuss these issues so that we can
> let
> > > it be
> > > > known that the people are very much aware of any attempts to engage in
> > > such
> > > > things and thereby avoid the possible consequences in our own country.
> > > > We as Gambians have a tendency to not talk about things until they get
> out
> > > of
> > > > hand and we cannot affort to do that in this. case.
> > > > Rather, I think the issue to how do we get across to Jammeh that
> tribalism
> > > > will not be tolerated, as opposed to trying to put a gag order on the
> > > discussion
> > > > of tribalism even when there are certain tendencies that will cause
> > > divisions
> > > > along tribal lines being implemented by Yaya Jammeh. For example, why
> is
> > > it
> > > > that Gambians have never asked the question why Jammeh moved our
> capital
> > > to
> > > > Kanilai? Is there a plausible explanation for this action?
> > > >
> > > > Jabou Joh
> > > >
> > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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