Lamin Manneh: The e-mail below came from one of my sources in the Gambia. It is a response to your reaction to a posting he, my source, sent just the other day. Please, take note that I am sending my source's e-mail unedited. Ebrima Ceesay ____________________________________________________________________ >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Attn: Mr. Lamin Manneh PF > > >Ebrima, >I am not in the habit of responding to comments on the information provided >to you from either me or any of your other sources except when a genuine >question/clarification is posed/sought by members. In this case, I am >making an exception to the reaction of Mr. Lamin Manneh PF who is obviously >associated with the IEC in one form or another. I must say that I >appreciate his description of the system put in place that is supposed to >ensure a transparent and fair election. Anybody familiar with IEC, as I am, >is very well aware of the mechanism. But, as KB said in his reaction to the >piece, vote rigging doesn't start and end on election day by counting the >votes. The pre-registration period, voter eligibility, registration, access >to the people through political campaigns by Political Parties, absence of >political intimidation and thuggery: these are all important elements to >having a free and fair elections. Even access to radio and television >should be guaranteed although KB doesn't see this as terribly important >because of the lack of access to electricity and television to a majority >of Gambians. Advertising executives will tell you that despite the presence >of radio and television and now the internet, word of mouth advertising is >still an effective ammunition in their armoury.To illustrate the point, the >day Hamat Bah came on Television during the 1996 campaign, the impact of >his performance was felt all the way to Fatoto. Hamat Bah's TV performance >is still considered by many to be the turning point in the campaign with a >positive impact on the voters. Hamat Bah could attribute his own victory, >in part, to the message he delivered to the voters during his TV >appearance. So, KB, while I agree that the impact of television is not as >great as in the West, it has an important role to play in a free and >democratic Gambia. Think about it. Why did the AFPRC/APRC deny the >Opposition further access to the TV and Radio immediately after Hamat Bah's >address? The entire Banjul and environs were talking about Hamat Bah's TV >statement. >Mr. Jassey-Conteh has in fact responded adequately to Mr. Manneh's claims. >When a gun is pointed at the Chairman of the IEC to announce the figures >provided to him from State House where was Mr. Manneh? Contrary to >Manneh's claim that the system in place makes it impossible to cheat, I >think it's being naive. No system on earth is full-proof when it comes to >unpopular and corrupt Governments; they will find ways to cheat unless the >Opposition is determined and united to ensure no "hanky panky". >Delaying election dates prescribed by the Constitution is also another form >of vote rigging and that is what is going on currently. The National >Assembly is yet to declare the dates for the much-delayed Municipal >elections. Barely three weeks ago the APRC Majority leader and the IEC were >at it over who has the authority to pronounce on the dates of the >elections. Maybe, Mr. Lamin Manneh can enlighten us on this very important >matter. In my book, these delays constitute vote rigging. Yes, you can rig >votes even before votes are cast. So, Mr Lamin Manneh, please, be reminded >that reality. >Mr. Manneh also spoke of the way the fax technician at GAMTEL was >instructed to hide all original result sheets and keep copies for the >office and that all AAROs and forty-odd AROs provided specimen signature to >the logistic adviser from the UK for verification. Mr. Manneh, do you know >why the UK, USA and the EU considered the 1996 elections as not being free >and fair? Did you ever ask yourself that simple question? Well, let me >tell you this: the logistics adviser reported the shenanigans going on >between the GAMTEL fax technician and State House, not to mention the >physical threats to civilian voters and politicians by the military. For >your information, the technician had these results surrendered to State >House where the figures were altered and returned and the bogus figures >announced. Yes 450 (APRC) plus 50 (UDP) equals 500 but also 400 (UDP)plus >100 (AFRC) also equals 500. Both tally nicely with the ballot tokens >RECEIVED. Yahya and Yankuba may be uneducated but they can do simple >addition and subtraction.Why did the then PIEC Chairman refuse initially to >announce those figures which he knew were tampered with at State House via >GAMTEL until a gun was placed to his head before he succumbed to the >military boys? >Ebrima, tell Mr. Lamin Manneh that there are more than one way to skin a >cat. Unless the Opposition is vigilant, the elections will be rigged. It >was done before and there is no reason why these misfits would not try >again; this time around though the consequences will be insurmountable even >for Yahya Jammeh and his thugs. This is for >Elhajj Mustapha: Alhagie Tabora Manneh has residences in several villages >in Niumi. The body of Mr Foday Makalo, according to Kanteh, is buried in >"Niumi" which could be Barra or Buniadu or in one of his other properties. >Sorry for the error; I was referring to Tabora's main shop address which is >in Barra. There are people on the ground looking into the matter. >Ex-Commissioner Kanteh and a collaborator of his in Dakar will be revealing >additional vital information on the Foday Makalo murder and other matters. > > ________________________________________________________________________ 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 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------