Joe and LJD, As usual I thank you for your interesting observations. Best, Mboge On Fri, Dec 6, 2013 at 12:47 PM, Joe Joe <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Kejau, yes indeed and if lonjevity is on our side we shall as a people > recognize the inevitable at some point - forceful overthrow of this > government. I know you have converted but time takes care of things. > Militancy is the best option because Gambians will in the end control their > destiny and to say never again. However, due to our lack of a history of > taking back what is ours, those with the guns will beat us to the punch and > when they do, you think they will tell the politicians, here, take it from > here. No, they will do like Yaya, Jerry, and countles other dictators to > take off the uniform and we'd have another round of the same. If neither > happens, then the murderer will die in his sleep. Lolu Dung Mor Fee Neh! I > do understand your new buy in, but in the end, "Wedi, Gis Borkucha. Nange > Dem". > > On a side note, Nit Daal Daa Gaawa Fateh. Here we are celebrating the life > and meaning of Mandela, yet, we forgot how and why he is celebrated. It has > less to do with his profession, or that he was the first president of SA, > etc. Rather, he used any means necessary to get to where he ended up with > all South Africans. He started with the school of peaceful movement and > when that was futile, they formed a militia to give the same medicine the > abuser had used on them for centuries. That continued with the children who > saw their parents and friends murdered right in front of them to pick up > from where his generation left off. When the abuser had enough, was he > willing to sit on the table, nuclear weapons and all. Nange Bayi Nahateh > Bi. Jokh Rek Mor Worr. > > Regards, > > Joe > > ------------------------------ > Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2013 13:04:56 +0100 > From: [log in to unmask] > > Subject: Re: [G_L] In sympathy with PDOIS and FOROYAA’s approach in things > Gambian > To: [log in to unmask] > > Cheers Joe. > > From your analysis, it seems the way forward is militancy and as you > said, most Gambians are not interested in that even those in the diaspora. > Kejau. > > > Sent from Samsung Mobile > > > > -------- Original message -------- > From: Joe Joe <[log in to unmask]> > Date: > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: [G_L] In sympathy with PDOIS and FOROYAA’s approach in things > Gambian > > > Folks, am sure you got my point even with the many typos and > grammeroitical errors. The good thing is I'm not selling a publication, so > you have to live with the mistakes and this will not be the last time > either. :-)! Multitasking is the new way. Off to bed. > > Joe > > ------------------------------ > Date: Thu, 5 Dec 2013 17:54:28 -0600 > From: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: [G_L] In sympathy with PDOIS and FOROYAA’s approach in things > Gambian > To: [log in to unmask] > > Mbodge, a good summary of what PDOIS is to Gambia and how they continue to > work towards change and educate Gambians, in their own way. I don't think > any Gambian with commonsense will argue what PDOIS does for Gambians daily, > especially when there are no elections in sight. As I write, I know our > people are at their doorstep (regardless of party affiliation) seeking > their help, support, advise, school fees, etc. And so the insults I'm > hearing towards their persons is surprising and one can clealy see it is > displaced agression or settling of scores. No question, they are doing what > they can with what they got and I salute them. > > You are also right that change can come from the people, like we saw in > let's say Senegal, the Arab Spring, or to some extent in South Africa. > However, there is a difference in context and history when you juxterpose > the Gambian situation with the above examples and in some instances they do > overlap. What do I mean. Yes, in Senegal, the youths, Rappers, etc. started > the struggle to get rid of the Wade Machine, but complemented by vocal > opposition and civil society organizations against a regime that is very > aware of the legacy of Senegal with her clean record of democracy. Those > folks knew that Wade knows not to order the Military to have open season on > them and the Military establishment will not have gone along because of the > intertwining nature of politics and religion in Senegal. Every Colonel has > a Seringe and belongs to an "Askan". > > In the Gambia that is not the case. We have a history of military coups > and also a history of the Military mowing down any group of a couple of > hundreds in front of them with the issue of an order. We also do not have a > history of opposition political leaders being in the forefront of > challenging detrimental laws crafted to sponsor state murders. The > opposition are for the most part reactive and their route of choice is to > file a legal brief or go the the press whenever the state murders 1, 10, or > more of it's citizens or nabb their own comrades to torture. That is a a > good arrangement for a dictator. Because he knows that he can litterally > stay on until he dies in his sleep. The question is, can any of us live > with that? On the flip side, the students did stood up in protest and 12 or > so of them were murdered with countless wonded for life. A perfect > opportunity for the opposition politicians to support the students, but > instead at best they kept quiet or joined the Religious Dealers and > psycophants to further abuse abuse them with language that supported the > powers that be. With that kind of history, Gambians know that if they stand > up against this regime they will be murdered and none will care. Gambians > also know that political leaders, Imams, civil socity leaders, etc are not > immune from this murderous regime. So , when each is vulnerable, alone, it > makes perfect sense to stand as a group for a fighting chance. That is > where the chicken or the egg debate commences. The opposition leaders know > that they did not inculcate militancy within their ranks and if they were > to stand up, they will not have anyone to stand up with them, just like > when a certain Imam was nabbed illegally his congregation sympathised with > him but did not have it in them to rescue him. In other parts of the world > they will go for the head of whom ever ordered their arrest, much less > torture them. The opposition in turn makes the case that if the people want > this regime out, they will vote them out, even though all of us know that > at this stage of our situation, elections where Yaya manipulates them with > threats, murders, inducement, etc. is neither here nor there. And so, what > gives? I fervently believe that it will be a waste of our time doing the > same things we did the last 19 years to get rid of this murderer. Let me > take this opportunity to bring a snippet of the South African context at > this moment. Sharpville was a turning point and Mandela in his own wards > told the world that their tactics up to that point was not working for a > Murderous regime that did not hesitate to kill them. Thus, the birth of the > military/militancy wing of the ANC. In the Gambian context where all aspect > of life is threatened, it will be very wishfull for us to think that > citizens can stand up, when they see their leaders even more vulnerable. It > makes perfect sense for political leaders with following to use their base > to if nothingelse protect themselves and their supports, forget the rest of > Gambia for the moment. Yes, PDOIS can stick to their script and live by > that moto to Yaya's natural life, but how does that help the rest of > Gambia? Are they in this to help stop the bloodletting now, or are they > more interested in their dogma? For PDOIS to say that they will not be part > of any change but "Peaceful Change" means no matter how well meaning they > are, that is not what Gambians need at this time. If they are of the view > that even if it takes Yaya's eternity for that kind of change to happen > they will still stick to their cause, then I am sorry that is not what > Gambians need at the time. Coming to terms with that outlook is what a lot > of diasporans who believed that PDOIS was a change agent to begin to look > elswehere. Dogma is one thing, but when you begin to loose friends and > sympathizers in a numbers game consistently and you continue to insist on > your way or nothing, that is where PDOIS is at with many diasporans. They > are not willing to change with what the people are asking for but without > the people they will continue to see the same lukewarm response that they > have experienced the last nineteen years. It is amazing to hear Gambians > from the generation of the 80s and 90s who were inspired by PDOIS to > manifest their disapointment with them with them. How does a party loose > those generations and not see any need for change? > > Transitioning, diasporans, due to their proximity can say a lot of what's > on the minds of the majority of Gambians who are inside Gambia. By so > doing, the vocal among us cannot step foot in Gambia because the only folks > who will know you dissapeared are those that came to meet you at the > airport. It appears though that is the perfect line the politicians now > utilizes - "if you are that great, why don't you come on the ground". For > the most part, the only Gambians venturing in and out of Gambia in the open > are Gambians who do not say a word about Yaya. If you are vocal and set > foot in Gambia that is the last you will be heard from (especially men), > and folks would be on this very distro to write about how wreckless you > were or that you committed suicide knowing what awaited you. So, if you > know that if you venture in the Gambia you will be minced meat and none > will care, and if you say a word from the outside for those in the inside > to tell you to come on the ground and say it, then like most of us do, we > keek quiet like the rest of us, and the misery continues. Our society does > not have a history of individual sacrifice. The ony way to break the > stranglehold by Yaya is either a military take over, a militia, or mass > protest. The first can happen sooner than the second and third, by virtue > of the fact that they have guns, however limited in the their hands. > Militia is a possibility but not many Gambians are interested at the > moment, especially those on the outside. Mass protest by politicians and > their supporters is the more remote for they told us it will happen on > their dead bodies. And so, what is the meaning of our existence in relation > to the situation in the Gambia? > > Dssclosure, my relationship with some of the leadership in PDOIS predates > PDOIS and I was not in Gambia when PDOIS came into being. However, I have > worked with them in their efforts to help the average Gambian in need over > the years and will continue to do so as my location permits. However, I do > not share their view of what Gambia needs to liberate from the clutches of > a murderer, especially when we tried those tactics for 19 years, almost 2/3 > of Jawara's entire regime. The route they and other political parties > continue to follow will allow Yaya to die in his sleep still clutching our > neck. By that time Moe would be of age for us to have a "Baby Doc" on our > lap. > > An exchange with a fellow Gambian is stamped in my mind forever. In the > heat of the exchange, he asked rhethorically, " I do not recall where > Gambians asked you to care, so your caring is your busines". Walahi he got > a point. So, as I voice my thoughts about our situation, I am always > reminded about that question, who asked you to care? If the true answer is > none, then what am I talking about? A very funny position to be in. Anyway, > PDOIS have done many good things to add value to the lives of many Gambians > and none can take that away from them. > > Regards, > > Joe > > > > > > ------------------------------ > Date: Sun, 1 Dec 2013 23:41:36 +0000 > From: [log in to unmask] > Subject: [G_L] In sympathy with PDOIS and FOROYAA’s approach in things > Gambian > To: [log in to unmask] > > *In sympathy with PDOIS and FOROYAA’s approach in things Gambian* > > > *By Momodou Olly Mboge, Norway* > > > Where can I start? Well, I acknowledged PDOIS as the kind of political > organisation I would have joined if I were to commit myself to any > political party structure at the very moment it appeared on the Gambian > political terrain. I have been attracted to the 'discourse' pioneered by > PDOIS's Sam Sarr and Halifa Sallah the first time I was given a publication > by a Koto who was an early member of the party. The publication dealt with > the now defunct 'Senegambia Confederation'. This was in 1985 during or > after the Zone 2 football tournament. Prior, I was lucky enough to have > been among the Maths (I was among the dullest)students taught by Sam Sarr > at GHS who was always busy in trying to augment the welfare of the > underprivileged students whilst making sure every student regardless of > status equally got the best education they deserved. I was as well a > keen follower of Halifa Sallah's radio programmes with broadcaster Alhaji > Assan Njie of the then Radio Gambia. The programme was very popular. The > kind of rapport between Alaji Assan Njie and Halifa mesmerized all > listeners whilst at the same time educating us about our society's > sociology. When Sedia Jatta published his resignation letter and join the > PDOIS party, I thought 'woow' now Gambia has a real political alternative > to Jawara's PPP. Sedia’s letter was a masterpiece. I became an avid > reader of Foroyaa, which I use to get from my Koto, and when I was able to > afford one, I would of course purchase a copy from vendors. I use to buy > the paper from MR Jones who use to stand by the Education Department near > McCarthy Square in Banjul. I was very disappointed when I heard Jones > 'jumped' ship and joined the APRC. Now he is history. > > > Anyway, PDOIS at the time became the party all the youth wanted listen > to. The Jawara regime did all it could to destroy the party. The PPP > supporters of SereKunda East ferociously attacked Halifa Sallah where he > stood against their candidate. They did it in the nastiest and most > derogatory manner one can imagine. In addition, I remember that > captivating moment when Sam Sarr challenged President Jawara on Radio > Gambia and if I am not mistaken it was something about the Senegambia > Confederation. All those who were listening to Radio Gambia knew Jawara > was not happy with Sam Sarr’s line of questioning. Following this > confrontation with the then president Foroyaa was excluded from all news > conferences that were held at the State House. > > > During the 1987 elections, PDOIS was able to present only five candidates. > At LatriKunda German, Adama Bah the Hotelier was the candidate if I > remember well. I voted for the PDOIS for parliament and NCP for the > Presidency since the PDOIS had no presidential candidate. Some of us who > had voting cards were illegally (21 years was the legal age to vote) > registered by the ruling regime's members in the hope of getting our > votes. *THE PARTY'S PROGRAMME AND its PRACTICAL DEVELOPMENTAL > INITIATIVES WERE* the main attractions to me. It is, as it was unusual > for a political party in the Gambia to have a newspaper to spread its > message and to open schools to educate the poor as well as virtually > running a social clinic where people come for help. It is also through > reading PDOIS writings I started to understand the functions of state > institutions and what the purpose of a nation state’s constitution was. I > was as I am still attracted to PDOIS because they use dialogue and > conversation to communicate their position. > > > They have stated since their inception that they will only be part of a > government that is in the real sense the choice of the people. It is only > through peaceful democratic changes that PDOIS will ever be in power. *THUS > AS FAR AS I AM CONCERN PDOIS HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR WITH THEIR POSITION AND I > DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE EXPECT PDOIS TO DO THEIR BIDDING. **I MUST > ADD THAT ACTIONS SUCH AS THAT OF DUGA MUST NOT BE CONDEMNED BY PDOIS* or > anyone else. I UNDERSTAND, IT WAS BECAUSE OF MANY YEARS of a RELATIONSHIP > BETWEEN A DUGA MEMBER AND THE PDOIS FOLK THAT PROMPTED an opinion from the > senior member of PDOIS. I still think the criticism could have been made > differently. > > > In countries where people take to the streets and confront a government, > that is abusing its power such as was the case of WADE’s Senegal or the > so-called 'Arab Spring’ countries, political parties never lead in the way, > they always pursue the political solution. For example in Senegal, the > youths said enough is enough and took the initiative to take on the Wade > government head-on. Some set fire to themselves in the streets and died > whilst many fought running battles with the police and other security > structures for change to happen. Human Rights organisations were vocal in > condemning the excesses of the regime and some rights activists such as > Alioune Tine were beaten seriously but stayed on to finish the fight. > > > Youths and other groups in the *SENEGALESE DIASPORA WORKED WITH GROUPS OF > THEIR CHOICE TO EFFECT CHANGE. SOME in the DIASPORA WHO WERE COMMITTED AND > WERE READY TO BE MAIMED, IMPRISONED OR DIE FOR THEIR COUNTRY WENT BACK HOME > AND JOINED THE FRONTLINE IN* the FIGHT FOR WADE to go. They did not > spend their time condemning politicians and others for not doing what they > would not do. *ORDINARY PEOPLE TOOK THE LEAD AND THE POLITICIANS HAD NO > CHOICE BUT TO GIVE THEM SUPPORT.* A political solution came into being > when the whole Senegalese nation including religious leaders and other > stakeholders realize that the country was going down if WADE DIDN'T GO. The > opposition joined forces during the second round of voting in April 2012 > and the rest is history. It is the ordinary *PEOPLE WHO WOULD > SPONTANEOUSLY PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE WHEN THE CRITICAL MOMENT COMES*and POLITICIANS will not PROMPT them. > > > I have been hearing people talking about the South Africa experience in > comparison with Gambia. The comparison is wrong in my view. The ANC and > some of the major groups in SA in the late eighties and nineties were less > confrontational. Actually, one can safely say that it was the youths > following the *1976 SOWETO UPRISING *and influenced by BIKO's militant *BLACK > CONSCIOUSNESS* message that made South Africa ungovernable in the > eighties onwards. A political solution eventually had be found. One must > understand the ANC philosophy, which obtained during the time it took power > in 1994 was non-confrontational and it is this that justified its elite to > shamefully attempt to makeWinnie MANDELA the villain because she was with > the youth. Anyway, I have digressed. Like any of us, the PDOIS people are > human beings and sometimes they make mistakes in communicating their > message. The PDOIS party must be persistently challenged and be able to > endure such in good faith. I have no doubt they are up to the task. > > > That said the PDOIS critics must criticise in good faith. Given the > recent flood of insults in the name of criticism one is inclined to believe > this would not be the case. I wonder how in the name of disagreeing with a > party’s position, one will outlandishly call its members and leaders > names. I am still trying to understand why the persistent lies and > innuendoes. Furthermore, I am still unable to comprehend the wretched > excuses put forward when the critics’ accusations and insinuations are > given attention by the slandered. *IT IS EVEN RATHER MORE SHAMEFUL TO > SEE disgraced HUSTLERS AND FORMER ENABLERS WHO HELPED JAMMEH CONSOLIDATE > HIS GRIP BEING APPLAUDED* for their pretentious heroism and the trashy > *CARICATURING* of opposition leaders on the ground. > > > If the critics *OF THE OPPOSITION PARTIES LIVING IN THE DIASPORA* who > themselves were abused by the regime in The Gambia are honest given the > soundings of their rhetoric, why are they not on the ground leading by > example. Are these so-called very angry Gambia loving self-stroking heroes > and heroines ready to walk the walk and go to the Gambia where it really > matters to be maimed, imprisoned and murdered in the hope of hastening the > exit of the *CRIMINAL JAMMEH*. Are our female diaspora critics ready to > be Gambia’s Aline Sitoe Diatta who fought oppression and *HAD TO BE*imprisoned outside of Senegal by the French? Will our Gambian Steve Biko’s > or Chris Hani’s (gallant men who died because they refused to abdicate > their responsibilities to others) stand-up and be willing to die so that > their people could be free*? UNLESS AND UNTIL WE ARE REAL TO OURSELVES, > NO AMOUNT* of self-stroking delusional heroism and gloating over some > ill-perceived timidity or selfishness of the opposition leaders on the > ground in the Gambia will bring about Jammeh’s immediate exit. In the > interim, I salute the great men and women of the opposition against Jammeh > both at home and abroad who are doing what they could without disparaging > other peoples genuine efforts to bring real democracy to Gambia. > ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ > ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ To > unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web > interface at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html To Search > in the Gambia-L archives, go to: > http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.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://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html > > To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: > http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.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://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤