My Dear Good DR, This was a good one,did not have any doubt that you will be able to handle such.Keep on the good work down there. For Freedom Saiks Dear Dear Mr. Trawally: I will refrain from the use of language that would cloud the issue at hand. You expressed how you felt about the letter I wrote to President Jammeh on behalf of Gambia-L, that was fine. That is legitimate and to be expected. To engage in name calling, however, is unacceptable and detracts from the central issues I raised in the letter, the proposals and my earlier call in November, 1999 for "Healing and reconciliation." In the conclusion to "It is time to heal," I indicated that this was "beyond partisan politics" and that it had to do "with the future generation of Gambians." Also, if you looked at the position paper carefully, I also indicated on page 4, that " ...the views expressed in support of this initiative on the G-L were not unanimous...." Consequently, the letter to Jammeh derived from this frame of reference. Thus, the name calling was misplaced and unnecessary. As a Gambian and a researcher, I need not restate the obvious, which I will do anyway for the record. I have a fundamental right to speak, and communicate my research findings and my points of view for that matter. You may not agree with them and you do not have to. Challenge my ideas, however, as a young student of political Science. I encourage my students to do just that. This would help you sharpen your analytical and writing skills and you may learn something in the process. I refuse to accept your response to the letter as the best you can do. I urge you to now try addressing the issues, without the name calling. This is my challenge to you! And if you construe my letter and what I write generally, as belonging to one camp or another, or you wish that I belong to one camp or the other; not to speak to Dr. xx or the other ; you do not know the person with whom you are dealing nor do you understand the rudiments of research. In fact, I would suggest that you interview Sir Dawda and write a paper on it. That way you would be contributing more to understanding that your reaction to the letter to Jammeh.. After all, you are both in the UK. Also, avoid binary ways of thinking. They are much too simplistic. Address the issues at hand if you have anything compelling to say. When the issue of "Healing" was first raised to the point of the position paper, you said nothing but pounced on the letter to express indignation, how convenient. And if the letter does not speak for you, are you opposed to what was expressed? If so what is your alternative vision for the Gambia in light of unfolding events? Take care! Abdoulaye Saine No justice, no peace! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ____________________________________________________________________ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------