Mr. Jaiteh, A very sound and objective analysis. Best Regards, Ablie Njie- Lekbi >From: Malanding Jaiteh <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: A SENEGALESE SHOT ; Senegalo-Gambian relations >Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2004 11:09:19 -0500 > >Sister Jabou, >The following is a version of the story as reported by hte Daily >Observer. I do not read much French so cannot say much about this >version, but I hope that all people concern (Gambian and Senegalese) see >this event in the right perspective. Reading story a number of things >came to mind. >While the failure to stop may have been geniune error of judgement which >could have been caused by many things, knowing miliraty check points one >really run the risk of being shot by ignoring orders to stop. >Also having past through this said check point several times month >(between ) it is hard to imagine how the Soldiers could tell before >shooting if the motorist is a Gambian or Senegalese if he failed to stop >as reported. > >With regards the greater Senegalo-Gambian relationship I must say things >are not looking good atleast for the near future. My observation is that >the two people are increasing losing to extremist on both sides. There >are influential media houses in Senegal who do not hesitate to call a >school yard brawl in Sare Mankamang Kunda Anti-Senegalais. What is even >worrying is that, to many of these commentators, there is no difference >between Yahya Jammeh government and the Gambian people. In other words >it does not matter whether it happens in the curridors of State House or >Faros of Kiang, Gambians are bent on bringing down the high and mighty >Senegal. This I believe was what led to Gambia football fans being >provoked and beaten by first ordinary Senegal and then by law >enforcement agents as a way to get even with Yahya Jammeh. >Such rethoric is received with great disappointment and bewilderment by >moderate Gambians who are fighting a losing battle against the >extremist. The extremists on our sides are arguing that it is hopeless >to try to put sense into Senegal. That any attempt to explain to Senegal >about rationalizing our relationship will seen as Gambians weaking to >Senegal's hardline stance. In order words let's show them what we have >got ant see who blinks first. There are signs that this group has the >upper hand at the moment. >At the end the two people will lose out. Restricting Senegalese traffic >across the River Gambia may mean Senegales paying dearly using >alternative routes, but it also means lost revenue to the Gambian >government and biusinesses. It is interesting that the towns of Farafeni >and Soma the two fastes growing urban centers in the 80s/early 90s have >have experienced depopulation, over the last 7 yrs. These are some of >the casualties of strained Senegalo-Gambian relationship. >In the long-term, I believe Gambia will be the ultimate loser in a >prolonged Senegalo-Gambian fight. Senegal is not only bigger and more >populous than the Gambia, it also hold a key to access to and from the >Gambia. There is no doubt the Gambia has competive advantages over >Senegal, but if anything else I think it more of a competitive obstacle >to Senegal. With time, Senegal's focus and determination will make them >less dependent on the Gambian River. A Senegal who does not need the >Gambia is definitely a much more problem than many of the extremist can >imagine. This unfortunately is largely ignored by our policy makers but >may be the ultimate obstacle to our dreams of becoming a Singapore of >West Africa. >A wiser Gambia should push for creating synergies between Senegal and >the Gambia. I believe that will only enhance our ability to compete in >the long-term. Senegal has the Airport, we have the Seaport. Senegal >needs access across Gambia, we need access into and across Senegal. >Creating a free port in the Gambia will not pay dividens if we are >unable to push the excess good into and through Senegal cheaply. >However, our current postures will not help. To extremists on both >sides, Gambians and Senegalese must see themselves as FARA and JAMBA >KATANG. To believe that each can prosper by going our separate ways is >seriously flawed. > > >Malanding Jaiteh > > >Soldiers shoot runaway driver >Police urge drivers to cooperate >By Frederick Tendeng >Jan 30, 2004, 10:56 > > Email this article ><mailto:?subject=Soldiers%20shoot%20runaway%20driver%3Cbr%3EPolice%20urge%20drivers%20to%20cooperate&body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.observer.gm%2Fartman%2Fpublish%2Farticle_920.shtml> >Printer friendly page ><http://www.observer.gm/artman/publish/printer_920.shtml> > >Pape Fall, a Senegalese mechanic operating in Tallinding,was Wednesday >night shot and wounded by soldiers at a checkpoint on the Kombo Coastal >Road. > >When contacted by the Daily Observer, police spokesman Superintendent >Pah-Amady Jallow said the incident occurred between 1am and 2am when Mr >Faal who was driving a vehicle was ordered by soldiers to stop for a >routine check but disobeyed and instead sped away. Supt Jallow said the >soldiers fired warning shots into the air in vain. > >"Pape Fall's persistence in ignoring the warning shots left the security >forces with no option other than to disable the suspicious vehicle as a >result of which he sustained injuries on his shoulder," he said. > >In the wake of the shooting, the police spokesman stated, "I want to >remind the general public that checkpoints are mounted for the security >of Gambians and non-Gambians and people should therefore respect them. >Failure to comply with security forces at checkpoints always raise >suspicions. In certain instances, the security forces would be compelled >to act in the interest of the security of the country. I consequently >urge the general public to comply with security forces at checkpoints." > >Supt Jallow said the police have opened an investigation to determine Mr >Faal's mission at the time of the incident. >Mr Fall is being treated at Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital. >© Copyright 2003 by Observer Company > > >. > >Jabou Joh wrote: > >>Binneh, >> >>I heard about this but how about an English version of this story? >> >>Jabou Joh >> >>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >>To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: >>http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l >>To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >>[log in to unmask] >> >>To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L >>Web interface >>at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >> >>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> >> >> > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: >http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l >To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >[log in to unmask] > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L >Web interface >at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _________________________________________________________________ Check out the coupons and bargains on MSN Offers! http://shopping.msn.com/softcontent/softcontent.aspx?scmId=1418 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~