Fatou Taal: For the sake of "transparency", I am forwarding your private e-mail to Gambia-L, so that your side of the story can be heard too. In fact, it is always good to hear the other side of the story, but I'll urge you, Fatou Taal, in future, to try and address the issues raised instead of attacking my person or anybody's person for that matter. Contrary to what you said, I had nothing to do with the Daily Observer story on your Dad. By the way, Gambia-L, I am not, and I repeat, NOT in contact with the Daily Observer nowadays. And if Alieu Sowe ("Borom Jasi gi") had contacted me, he wouldn't have written what he wrote. I would have given him all the facts because I am familiar with the matter: I mean the reaction of the UK government to the Gambia Government's decision to appoint your Dad, Mr Ebou Taal, as Ambassador-Designated to the UK. I was informed - by my sources - since March 2000, that the United Kingdom Government did disapprove of your father's appointment as the Gambia's Ambassador-Designate to the UK, because of reasons known to all. But I've never revealed it to anyone, including Gambia-L. For me, your Dad is not the issue, or my problem. The issue, for me, is how to get rid of that monster sitting in Kanilai, so that we can ALL live in dignity and freedom. Believe me, Fatou, I have nothing against your Dad. In fact, to the contrary, I admire him intellectually. And do you seriously believe, Fatou, that I am wasting my time on the Internet?? My sister, you are at a loss! Fatou Taal, I can assure you that this period - my sojourn in Birmingham I mean - has been the best period/years of my life, especially intellectually speaking. I am indeed using my time here very effectively studying/researching and, at the same time, sharing my little knowledge with an audience sometimes even wider than the entire membership of Gambia-L. And unlike some of you who had the "privilege" to have a very good education foundation, having come, in Gambian terms, from a "rich" background, I however did not have that "privilege". I have worked tirelessly to develop myself intellectually. In fact, I had a Ghanaian lecturer, Mr Oguaah, who used to tell me that with hard word and determination, a lot can indeed be achieved!! And I am, of course, a living proof to that fact. Fatou, I worked very, very hard over the period to develop myself both as a writer and an orator. Call it a "bluff", but I became "so good" academically, that when I came to the UK Professor Arnold Hughes accepted me to do my Ph.D straightaway, at the Centre of West African Studies University of Birmingham where he was then director, IF the necessary funds could be found right there! And, Fatou, if you think that I am wasting my time here in the UK, just because I write a lot on Gambia L, then you are having an idle dream!! And even though Alieu Badara Sowe is/was a friend, he can confirm to you that I have not been in contact with him since I came to the UK. In fact, I never wrote to him since I came here and the last time I spoke with him was in the Gambia, in 1996. As for Ebrima Drammeh, I am sure if he has access to an Internet right now, he himself will deny your allegation to the effect that I was a "boy boy" of Ebrima Drammeh. Ebrima Drammeh is a younger brother to me and, yes, he and I were close because he is a very close relative on my mother's side. In fact, when he finished his Law Degree, he came to stay with me in Birmingham for quite some time. Anyway, let me now tell you the reason why Ebrima Drammeh was close to me. In short, Ebrima Drammeh admired my Journalism and, because he himself wanted to become a Journalist, we became very good friends. Initially, I was reporting for the BBC and the Voice Of America at the same time, but because of the rivalry between these two giant Media Institutions, the BBC started to pay me a "retainer fee" and, consequently, did ask me not to report for the VOA any more. So, Ebrima Drammeh had to replace me as the VOA correspondent upon my recommendation. And I was proud to be told by the VOA staffers during a visit I paid to the VOA studios in Washington DC, how good a reporter Ebrima Drammeh was. They said in particular, that his report on the death of Ousman Koro Ceesay was "very good"! And, of course, another thing : Ebrima Drammeh also admired my bravery, tenacity, courage and uprightness when I was working as a Journalist in the Gambia, especially during the coup/transition period. For instance, he was "shocked" when I told Major Peter Singhateh in the Gambia, in his (Ebrima Drammeh's) presence, that it was being rumoured that he (Peter) actually killed Ousman Koro Ceesay as a result of which part of his (Peter's) body had got burnt in the fire/process. In fact I had asked Peter to undress his shirt so that I can see whether his hands were burnt, as being rumoured; and, of course, he complied: He took his shirt off and I couldn't see any wounds in his body caused by fire! But I have to say that there is more to the Ousman Koro Ceesay incident which I couldn't discuss right now. Anyway, Ebrima Drammeh witnessed my encounter with Major Peter and was certainly amazed to hear me confront Peter Singahteh in that manner. So, Fatou, Ebrima Drammeh and I were close because, first of all, he is my relative and, second of all, he was also a colleague of mine in the Gambian media. Gambia-L: Reproduced below is Fatou Taal's reaction to her Dad's story. Ebrima Ceesay Birmingham, UK _____________________________________________________________________ >From: "fatou taal" <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >CC: [log in to unmask] >Subject: RE:EBOU TAAL declared "persona non grata" by UK >Date: Wed, 07 Jun 2000 02:02:25 PDT > > >Ebrima, >Why don't u mind your fuckin businesss. Mr. Taal is as old as your fuckin >father. > >-He has never been given 48 hours to leave the UK. >-He was convicted becoz Jawara framed that he stole D3000 and used Sana >jaiteh to produce a false receipt. >-Ebrima I know you very well, You used to be Ebrima Drammeh's "BOYBOY". >Everybody in town knows that you and Alieu Badara Sowe are bestmates and >that you made him published that article. > >So Boy, instead of spending all your time on the internet, why don't you >try >and educate yourself coz all I know is that Mr. Taal is more educated than >your bloody father, you and even his kids are more educated than you. We >all know who is behind this. > >FATOU TAAL(F.TAAL) > > > >________________________________________________________________________ >Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com > ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.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 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------