We send the ambassador and his wife belated birthday greetings. We hope they
'live long and prosper'. The words of Ambassador Haley are indeed great
words coming from a great man with tremendous experience. The ambassador
clearly has the interest of the country at heart. I have no doubt in my mind
that if we had a man of his caliber as our president, we would not be facing
the problems we currently have in The Gambia. The ambassador, being the
seasoned diplomat he is, sought everyone's help in trying to rid our country
of tyranny. The way I see it, our only problem in The Gambia is Yaya and his
supporters that are helping him perpetuate himself in power. The only
criticism I could discern that was aimed at opposition parties, is the way
they (opposition leaders) communicate with their constituents. The
ambassador urged opposition leaders to refrain from using abusive language
and spreading unsubstantiated rumors. We believe this is a fair criticism.
But we are afraid that calls like this could be misinterpreted by Yaya and
his gang. It is not long ago that Sankung (IGP) used similar justification
to deny UDP permits to conduct rallies. We believe that opposition parties'
freedom of speech should be respected. It is true that with this freedom
also comes the responsibility to avoid slandering people and inciting the
commission of crimes. There are laws in the country that govern freedom of
speech. These freedoms should not be curtailed by the arbitrary refusal of
permits to conduct political rallies. These freedoms should not also be
curtailed by the government sending out thugs to attack people conducting a
lawful rally. The government should not also unleash thugs to burn down
radio stations or media houses that merely broadcast or print a message that
is unpopular with the government.
The unfortunate thing about this great message from the ambassador, is that
this message will not penetrate Yaya's thick skull. The message is loud and
clear. Yaya and his supporters that want to frustrate the will of the people
in the coming elections, are leading the country to turmoil. In Basse, UDP
was conducting a lawful rally (with a permit) and they were attacked by July
22nd Movement members. These thugs had no place at a UDP rally and the
police should have kept them away. This is the absolute truth. We cannot
solve the problem posed by the Basse ambush by telling UDP not to say things
unfavorable to Yaya. I can bet that what opposition leaders say at their
rallies is child's play compared to what Yaya said on national TV when he
threatened to kill his opponents and incited his supporters to do same. Yaya
is the menace in our society and he must not be tolerated. He will not heed
the wise counsel given by the ambassador. Ambassador Haley did something
that even Gambians do not do for themselves. He advised us to do what is
right and bring back peace and prosperity to our dear nation. Unfortunately,
his audience was dominated by the very opportunists he alluded to in his
speech. Yaya and his supporters do not have the interest of The Gambia at
heart. They are all opportunists after their own self interests. I hate to
disappoint the ambassador, but I frankly think that he has too much faith in
Yaya and his gang. These people do not have the wherewithal to move the
country forward. They are a bunch of uneducated, inexperienced and selfish
morons. I am sorry to say that our salvation only lies in the removal of
Yaya from office and his replacement by a better educated and more
experienced Gambian. Yaya does not have anything to offer us. Any moron with
more than $50 million can embark on some token development projects in The
Gambia. We have better Gambians who could have used the money that came to
the country in a better fashion to benefit all Gambians. We have better
Gambians that will not hijack the country and terrorize the citizens. What
kind of leader will sanction the murder of school children and deny the
families of the victims justice? I can assure the ambassador that there are
numerous Gambians back home and abroad that can do a far better job than
Yaya and his gang. With $50 million some people can implement projects in
Gambia that Yaya's little brain cannot even imagine. The time to discuss
development projects for The Gambia will come after Yaya is removed from
office and our people given the freedom they deserve.
We thank the ambassador for not staying aloof and insensitive to the plight
of the Gambians. We will heed his wise counsel. We hope that calling
murderers what they are and calling uneducated and inexperienced fools, the
morons they are, does not fall within the category of name-calling the
ambassador does not like.  Most importantly, we hope Yaya and his gang will
realize that they are the PROBLEM. They have nothing to offer us but misery.
Yes, Gambia has not yet deteriorated to the level of Sierra-Leone or
Liberia. But as the ambassador rightly pointed out, we do not need the
callousness Yaya has visited on us and continue to visit on us. The April 10
and 11 massacres were orchestrated by the government alone. This is not
unsubstantiated rumor. These are deductions from someone with a functioning
brain. The conduct of the government since the massacre is reprehensible.
This kind of brutality has never happened in our country. With all due
respect to the ambassador, I just cannot see how I can 'work' with Yaya to
move our country forward. Yaya has forfeited his right to lead the country.
We are not even talking about the other extra-judicial killings and
abductions. A government that kills defenseless children should be thrown
out of office. I am amazed that Gambians are letting Yaya get away with
murder. It was on his watch that we experienced the worst atrocities in the
country. When was the last time we heard a single opposition leader calling
for justice for the victims of the massacre? By ignoring that issue, we are
sending Yaya and his gang a terrible message. We are telling them that it is
all right to murder our children in broad daylight.
Because of his position, we do not expect the ambassador to castigate Yaya
for every ill in our society. Other diplomats would have opted not to say
anything at all and they would be within their rights. We appreciate
Ambassador Haley's decision to speak out. As the ambassador said, the real
challenge rests on us Gambians. Do we want a government that will bring us
peace and prosperity or do we want a government that terrorizes the Gambian
people, trample on the democratic rights of the Gambians and boast of
leaders that steal government moneys and lie to the ordinary Gambian? Do we
want leaders that are uneducated, inexperienced and uncouth or do we want
people with great ideas that can move the country forward? The task of the
ordinary Gambian is to ensure that Yaya does not frustrate our will to
exercise our inalienable right to chose our leader.
KB



>From: "Malanding S. Jaiteh" <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Ambassador Haley's Birthday message
>Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2000 21:37:47 -0400
>
>Folks,
>
>This is from The Daily Observer August 30. Ambassador Haley should be
>commended for putting it this way. I hope among his audience were "Those
>who have ears"  and ready to hear what has been said.
>
>Malanding
>
>75th Birthday Celebration Speech By US Ambassador W Haley
>
>I thank everyone for taking the time to help celebrate my birthday. Many
>years -- three score and fifteen years to be exact -- have passed since I
>was born. A lot of living and experience has been squeezed into those 75
>years.
>
>An important lesson learned during those years is not to forget your wife's
>birthday. I can say to you that in 46 years of marriage I have never
>forgotten my wife's birthday. I must confess, however, my task has been a
>bit easier than most husbands. You see, my wife Doris' birthday is also
>today. So as you wish me a happy birthday, please join me in wishing her
>the same.
>
>Being honoured by such an impressive and important assemblage as the one
>seated before me is a special gift. One that I will cherish and hold dear
>long after this evening is over. Thus, I would be remiss not to reciprocate
>this special gift. Consequently, I beg your indulgence for a few minutes.
>
>While there is no way that I can equal what you have given me, I ask your
>permission to offer you some observations based on my many years of living.
>Just as what you have given will live with me, I hope some of what I say
>will reside in your hearts and minds after this special night is through. I
>have seen many changes in my lifetime.
>
>When I was born, the world, although taking a break between two
>catastrophic wars, was inching close to a great economic depression. Almost
>all of Africa was colonised and most African Americans were subjected to
>racial discrimination. Now, with the demise of the Cold War... global
>conflict seems unimaginable... Africa is home to sovereign independent
>states, and African Americans represent the United States as Ambassadors.
>When I was born, automobiles were uncommon, radio was in its infancy and
>computers were the stuff of science fiction.
>
>Now there are too many cars, radio and television are ubiquitous and
>computers are the pistons driving the new post-industrial age. Truly,
>science and technology have changed the face of the world. While he has
>progressively mastered the natural world, man still struggles to master
>himself. While technology has recast how the world looks, the epic struggle
>of how man relates to his fellow man continues much the same as it has
>since the day long ago in history when two humans first realised they both
>wanted to own the same object at the same time.
>
>Much of the drama of human history can be reduced to how we have dealt with
>instances where people outnumbered the resources required to meet their
>needs. In every such situation, be it between two people, two families, two
>political parties or two nations, there is a decision to make. Either the
>two sides compromise or the two clash. One path leads to amity, the other
>to animus. The world has seen too many examples of the latter path. Africa,
>unfortunately, has had its share. Angola, The Congo, Somalia - and closer
>to home - Sierra Leone, a once stable and peaceful land is now plagued by
>convulsions of violence.
>
>Even proud Cote d'Ivoire, once the gem of French West Africa, is in danger
>of falling into a ditch because it has forgotten the way of compromise
>while becoming too comfortable with the etiquette of conflict. West Africa
>is staggering through a period of unrest and turmoil. Excessive competition
>in politics has led to chaos and failure in many places. The vestiges of
>colonialism, ethnic rivalries, economic stagnation, and the generational
>changing of the guard in national leadership have converged to form the
>storm hovering over the sub-region.
>
>As nations struggle to define themselves and their own brand of
>independence, they sometimes neglect the good and precious attributes they
>already possessed. The Gambia has rightfully prided itself on being an area
>of peace and quiet in an otherwise tumultuous neighbourhood. But, The
>Gambia must not mistake its good fortune as immunity from what has affected
>many of its neighbours. The present avoidance of trouble does not mean
>permanent insulation from it. Political unrest does not care about person
>or nationality. It will try every door.
>
>The question is not whether trouble or unrest will come but what will you
>do when you see them approach. Avoidance of political turmoil is the
>product of diligent, pragmatic statesmanship. Peace comes not because you
>wish for it but because you worked for it. It comes not because you speak
>its name, but because you seek its form. Peace can only reside in a culture
>of civility and dialogue, and this is difficult to achieve. Ironically,
>while such a culture is strenuously forged against the imperfect anvil of
>human endeavour, it remains such a fragile thing.
>
>Like most precious things, peace and social tranquillity are hard to attain
>but easy to lose. Let me tell you a brief story. While walking home one
>evening, two brothers noticed a rare bird. The small fowl was readying a
>nest to lay eggs. The brothers raced to catch the bird. The taller,
>stronger brother succeeded, holding the bird firmly in hand. As the third
>squirmed, he squeezed tightly. Making matters worse, the other boy did all
>he could to make his brother drop the bird so that he could get it. The
>more the little brother pressed, the more the older tightened his grip. By
>the time the two brothers reached home they were quarrelling. Finally, the
>older had enough. He put the bird down and began to fight his brother. They
>stopped wrestling long enough to notice the bird had moved neither foot nor
>wing. The boys had been so careless as to kill the object of their desires.
>You see, the bird was dead. If they had compromised, the bird would have
>lived and produced eggs that could be shared.
>
>Instead, they ended up fighting over a dead and now worthless thing... What
>would you say if someone told you the bird represents political power, its
>eggs represent what government should provide its citizens, and the two
>brothers represent political parties? Those who have ears, may they hear
>what has been said. I believe The Gambia stands on the threshold of a
>historic moment. What happens in the months to come will determine the
>shape The Gambia takes for years to come. Will it continue as a hand of
>calm or will tragedies like Basse become commonplace? Will The Gambia be
>safe harbour for democratic expression or does the attack on Radio One
>presage things to come? Will those in power and in the opposition have the
>political courage to work together or will they engage in unrestrained
>competition that squeezes life from the body politic? This gathering
>represents the best of the nation. You have important positions and roles.
>
>With your positions come many privileges but also certain sober
>responsibilities. Be as keen to fulfil those responsibilities as you are to
>benefit from the privileges. If the Country falters, history will not blame
>the man in the street, history's verdict will rest at your feet. While The
>Gambia remains basically peaceful, there is more tension in the air than
>need be. We all can see the disturbing signs of violence and rough
>behaviour creeping into the political discourse. Things that were once
>unthinkable under the Gambian code of conduct are beginning to happen with
>uncomfortable regularity. The fabric of civility has begun to fray at the
>edges. Those of you with power and influence should stem this dangerous
>tide so that it never engulfs your fine nation or its people. In the past
>several months, politics has degenerated into an incessant chorus of
>invectives and personal attacks that should never be given audience by
>people truly concerned about the national well-being.
>
>You who are the leaders of political parties must realise that your job is
>not only to arouse your partisans' emotions but to educate as well. True, a
>leader must meet his people where they are and take them as they are. But
>genuine leadership also seeks to elevate followers to a higher level.
>Courageous leaders peer beyond the momentary euphoria of igniting partisan
>fears, prejudices and ignorances. You must ultimately appeal to your
>peoples better selves not their baser parts. The Gambia is a good place,
>one with people who are generous in spirit and intellect. Yet, as with any
>collection of people, there will be some who only have their self-interest
>at heart. There are and will always be opportunists.
>
>Each political grouping has its people who enjoy conflict and confusion
>because they lack the creative imagination to build and construct. It is
>time that the well-meaning people give the opportunists an ultimatum to
>cease and desist their brinkmanship. I am not saying that legitimate
>political criticism should cease. Legitimate criticism is healthy and
>breathes fresh air into a democratic system. You see, democratic leadership
>requires both an open mind and a tough hide. Yet, instead of over zealous
>rivalry, political leaders should be focusing on the many objective
>challenges that face The Gambia. Health care, education, employment,
>democratisation and economic development should be the themes that dominate
>public discussion. Instead of informing the populace about programs and
>plans, too many public figures engage in personal attacks and the
>publication of rumours just for sensational effect.
>
>Too many public figures would rather utter something that grabs attention
>than something that is true. I raise these issues not to criticise but to
>give friendly counsel. I raise these issues because of my affinity for The
>Gambia. On this soil, I have found my past. And on this past, we build the
>future. The future I see for The Gambia is one that shines far and bright.
>It is future where people value those aspects of the national culture that
>foster dialogue and consensus. It is a future where every person believes
>theirs is a nation that safeguards human rights. A nation that stands on
>the trinity of justice, peace and opportunity. A nation that belongs as
>much to the humble as the powerful in society.
>
>You must work toward these goals because the other alternative is too
>grievous to bear. A nation that sows intolerance, reaps injustice. A nation
>that sows injustice, reaps hatred. A nation that sows hatred, reaps
>violence. And a nation that continually sows violence, invites a grave
>danger into its midst. Thus, at the risk of seeming greed, I ask that you
>give me another birthday present, I ask that you: -- Commit yourselves to
>bipartisan dialogue. Begin to talk more about what you will do for the
>nation and much less about what you will do to each other; -- Restrain the
>young party militants.
>
>Teach them the way of discourse and dialogue - don't encourage them to
>become political thugs; -- Respect opposing views. Do not condemn or
>demonise someone for believing differently. Seek to understand not to
>upset; -- Last, join together to build this nation and its youth. Develop
>creative ideas that promote education, development and employment. If you
>commit yourselves to these things, you will make The Gambia prosperous and
>well for years to come. You would have also made this day a most important
>and memorable birthday for me. I could not ask for more and I hope for no
>less.
>Thank you.
>
>
>
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