>From: Edi Sidibeh <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: Olly Mboge - This government is moving in the right direction! >Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 14:15:59 +0000 > >Well said Gassa, > >I may like to add the fact that a meeting place of idea like >this,there >should be agendas regarding the ways and means of changing the clock >around >for the people of the Gambia who were long since suffering from the >failures >of our so called intellectual leaders. we should try to be patient >and put >some positive items forward at the early stage as well as more >concrete >proposals. These proposals could have then be discussed and if >necessary a >compromise could probably have been found more easily, negative >attitutes >alone will never win. > >In this way, we are giving them "the government" some initiatives >then >engage them to real issues that we think are not right for the >future of our >nation and her people. To get what you want, you most give-up >something for >a change, Therefore, the government cannot be totally wrong at-least >there >should be some positive things during their time in office. I >believed the >internation community will pay some interest if only our approaches >towards >the issue are strategical to better Gambia in heart thinking not >radical and >offensive thinking of some of our friends. Once again Mr Gassa, >thank for >you contributioon. >Edi > >>From: Jungle Sunrise <[log in to unmask]> >>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list >><[log in to unmask]> >>To: [log in to unmask] >>Subject: Re: Olly Mboge - This government is moving in the right >>direction! >>Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 12:43:15 +0000 >> >>Mr. Kanteh, >> >>Whereas I agree with you that human rights is an important pillar >>in any >>democracy, it is equally important to remember how some of our >>actions/behaviours are shaped by our upbringing/environment. >>Whereas in >>certain countries in the west one can tell someone older that >>he/she is >>lying, in The Gambia that is not the case. Our etiquettes are >>different. >>Our >>behaviouers, situations and circumstances are not the same and it >>is very >>important to remember that. >> >>The right of the child, as defined earliar, forbade the use of >>children for >>chores such as the fetching of firewood, fetching of water, selling >>titbits >>such as roasted peanuts, weaving carpets, sewing football etc, etc. >>However >>I can vividly remember a few years ago when the Indian government >>refused >>to >>ratify the convenant on the rights of the child as it was >>originally >>drafted >>sighting the hypocrisy of some of the western governments behind >>the draft >>treaty. The Minister of Agriculture, a lady Doctor and mother of >>three, at >>the time explained, in an interview with the BBC, that the Indian >>government >>will not ratify the treaty as was drafted because India is too poor >>to >>allow >>itself to be bound by such a treaty. She highlighted the hypocrisy >>of the >>UK, in particular, for using children as chimney sweepers as late >>as the >>60s >>and wanting to admonish India for using children for weaving >>carpets. Now >>that the UK has developed robots that can sweep their chimneys, has >>the >>resources, together with the rest of the EU to subsidize >>agriculture, build >>up their milk lakes, butter mountains and the rest of it, while >>people in >>the third world are starving, they want to take the moral high >>ground and >>dictate to the rest of the world how to behave. They have no moral >>authority >>to dictate to the third world how we are supposed to live as we >>will not >>listen. >> >>Civil rights, human rights and the rest of it become important only >>when >>the >>people whose rights are trampled on are not seen to be looking for >>it. In >>my >>opinion, sometimes people fail to realise that confrontation can >>never >>solve >>anything. People respect treaties that are not forced on them more >>than >>those forced on them and the success of the truth and >>reconcialiation >>commission of South Africa attests to that. >> >>It is also important for people to realise that government is not >>about >>right or wrong; it is about stability. Those wishing to destabilize >>or >>confront a government must be fully prepared to pay whatever price >>it >>demands. Any state will use all the force at its disposal to squash >>any >>challenge to its authority and The Gambia is no exception. Those >>who >>believe >>otherwise must be prepared to bear the full brunt of 'the law'. >> >>Kanteh, whether you believe it or not, we have had so called >>journalists, >>uncouth and untrained, using the profession to unnecessarily >>confront the >>government just to help them get exit visas and claim political >>assylum >>abroad. We have also witnessed the barbaric treatment of >>individuals by the >>security forces for less crimes, again The Gambia being no >>exception. The >>way to stop this cycle is not through confrontation but through >>dialogue. >>Those who are calling the government all sorts of names cannot >>expect to >>have any influence on them. The government will simply ignore them >>or just >>turn around and say, we run things. >> >>Mr. Kanteh, nobody can force change. Change must be discussed, >>understood >>and agreed upon for it to successfully happen. You cannot keep >>calling a >>legitimately elected government all sorts of names and expect that >>government to listen to you. It will not happen with this or any >>other >>government. Those of you who believe that you can force the >>government to >>conform to your expectations while at the same time plotting and >>working >>for >>its demise, must be seriously out of touch with reality. This or >>any other >>government will not allow its enemies to influence it. >> >>It is high time that some of you relise that, this government is >>recognized >>and accepted by all governments, including where most of you live. >>Having >>already done your worst the only leverage you now have is to >>constructively >>engage the government while recognising the fact that it is their >>prerogative to listen, accept or disregard what you tell them. This >>is my >>own opinion. >> >>Finally, you can take it from me that the majority of Gambians do >>not care >>about this human rights issue that some of you are happing on. >>People are >>more pre-occupied with trying to secure their daily bread. Sad, but >>true. >>People are trying to survive and if others cannot understand that >>but >>instead want to martyr themselves, they can go right ahead. We may >>remember >>them some day! >> >>Have a good day, Gassa. >> >> >> >>_________________________________________________________________ >>Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at >>http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp >> >><>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<> >> >>To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface >>at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >>To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >>[log in to unmask] >> >><>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<> > > >_________________________________________________________________ >Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at >http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp > ><>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<> > >To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface >at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >[log in to unmask] > ><>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>