FOLKS:

I am really wondering who are those making decisions for PDOIS behind the
scene. I am wondering because they have built cesspools and mountains out
this unfortunate situation. They even put blame on MRDG(UK) for not spelling
out tangible reasons for convening such a meeting. I think PDOIS as a
Political Party still need to do SOUL SEARCHING, for they are wasting their
valuable time and energy, and our time to lament on a very basic PROCEDURAL
MATTER: An Open Invitation to a Briefing Session in London. This is a time
when we need all political Parties in our country to pull strings together
and redouble efforts in order to restore Democracy back home. It should be a
matter of NATIONALISM, RESPONSIBILITY, MORAL PRISM and HUMAN DECENCY for ALL
Political Parties in The Gambia to simultaneously ANSWER to the CALL of
their own fellow concerned citizens who, like them, are fighting tooth and
nail to see to it that PEACE and TRANQUILITY prevail in The Gambia, after
SIX long years of turmoil and total anarchy. But, instead, a Political Party
like PDOIS has been beating about bush in joining us in our efforts to
restore Democracy to The Gambia. When asked to give motives for not coming
to the meeting, they began to give JOURNALISTIC CONTENTIONS: Theorizing upon
theorizing, period. They would not even give sensible responses. PDOIS does
not seem to get it still now, after 20 YEARS as a political party. Even
NRP,HONORABLE HAMAT BAH'S party, a GREEN LEAVE in politics seem to
consolidate the ABC of politics much more than PDOIS, their 20 years senior.
What does that tell us PDOIS as a viable political party, here are reasons
below:

(1) After 20 years in politics, PDOIS is still engulfed in EGOTISM; they are
still regarding themselves as the main nucleus of Gambian politics with the
'BEST BIG IDEAS'. That is to say, any thing that does not conform to their
ideals, that is considered useless, unjust or undemocratic, whiles they tend
to forget that it is their narrow mindedness and philosophy that is hard for
majority of us to swallow. This, MUST change if PDOIS' IDEALS will prevail
over other more moderate views.
(2) In addition, PDOIS as a political party still engages in the
'PERSONALIZATION', instead of advancing their party philosophy or national
agenda, PDOIS is still at War with the former President, Sir Dawda Jawara.
They heated Jawara so much that any thing that smells Jawara is poison pill
for PDOIS. This was the PRINCIPAL reason why PDOIS blatantly refused to
attend the London Meeting and nothing else. They hated to be under the same
roof with Sir Dawda Jawara. I think that is pathetic and very foolish. This,
of course, is an Individualization of politics. A political party should and
must educate its people about what it stands for as a party, and not waste
its valuable time and resources to still fight a fallen enemy. If there is
any strong ALLIANCE between President Jammeh'S APRC and PDOIS, as many
people have talking about, it is surely THE ANTI-JAWARA sentiments Alliance,
period.
(3) Similarly, PDOIS always have APPEARANCE problem when it comes to
dealings with President Jammeh. Whiles they still advocate for HONESTY and
INTEGRITY, they share a lot in common behind the scene with President
Jammeh, for their own records speak for itself in this.

In conclusion, considering the above reasons one should question PDOIS's
HONESTY and INTEGRITY as a political party. A political party which is
Egocentric, Individualizes politics and also tend to show Appearance
problems cannot claim to be neutral or promoting the ideals of Democracy. In
order for an Organization, especially a political party, to be able  to
become a change agent for its people in the light of honesty and integrity,
it must have people's interests at heart. For PDOIS to refuse to attend the
London Meeting is a clear indication that the party does not have people's
interest at heart. They would rather, together with APRC, continue to fight
former President Sir Dawda Jawara rather than to fight for a Democratic
course. Even in a rebellion, the Party in power often sit with the rebels to
discuss, much more to sit and discuss with a former President who attained
so much for your country since Independence. PDOIS must be responsible for
its deeds.

Ansumana kujabi:(THIRD-Truth Telling, Integrity, Responsibility and
Democracy)

>From: foroyaa <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Response to PDOIS's Reaction.
>Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2001 16:31:28 -0000
>
>I have been waiting for Mr. Bahoum to reply to my questions. There is much
>that is unclear about this London meeting. I will addresss all the issues
>raised once I know who organised the London meeting and the agenda for
>inviting leaders of parties to the meeting. Was it just to give briefing to
>a British MP or something else? If I don't hear from Mr. Bahoum by Thursday
>I will
>begin to defend PDOIS' integrity in cyber space.
>We wish to remind Gambians that this is an election year. We have call on
>all serious Gambians to mobilise resources and send it to the parties of
>their choice.
>The UDP is engage in byelections in Central Baddibu and Kiang East. We have
>been following comments from the leaders of the party to note what their
>grievences are in order to determine what to expect in future elections.
>Lamin Juwara was interviewed by Citizen FM. Gambians abroad should ask
>their
>relatives at home for copies of the interview in order to know what is
>being
>said prior to the elctions.
>There are those who claim that PDOIS is afraid to say things ''that would
>cause Yaya Jammeh to lock them up or banish them some where''. Fortunately
>Citizen FM and Radio 1 FM are informing the Gambian what political parties
>are saying in the Gambia. Gambians abroad should contact their relatives or
>friends to find out what is being said by the different parties on all
>fundamental issues.
>Clarity is what enable a people to make informed choices. Debate is the
>mother of clarity. We are not offended by any thing written. It simply
>avails us the opportunity to clarify many issues and leave people to form
>their opinion about PDOIS. The Gambian people are indeed moving to take
>charge of their destiny. They are their own saviours and will make their
>own
>decisions as to who will make policies for them to promote their general
>welfare.
>
>Greetings
>Halifa
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: saul khan <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Monday, March 19, 2001 7:23 PM
>Subject: Re: Response to PDOIS's Reaction.
>
>
> > KB,
> >
> > I'm still choked with stuff to do, so forgive me for butting in late. I
> > share most of your sentiments regarding PDOIS' reaction to the London
> > meeting. I had resolved not to criticize them on this forum, after
>meeting
> > Mr. Sallah here last year. I've had to break that pledge a few times
>before,
> > because of the way they were going after Hamjatta. Though in fairness to
>the
> > PDOIS people, Hamjatta hammered them first. So, they declared open
>season
>on
> > him. But, given the positions that PDOIS keeps taking -as opposed to any
> > other party back home- relative to the murderous APRC regime, I can
> > understand why Hamjatta finds it impossible to restrain himself. PDOIS'
> > condescending reaction to the London meeting is a case in point.
> >
> > I believe PDOIS seriously erred in several ways:
> >
> > 1. PDOIS' stand that travelling to London to "brief a British MP"
>tantamount
> > to admitting impotence on the side of the Gambian opposition is
>baseless.
>In
> > fact, it's preposterous. Anyone with basic knowledge about the Gambia
>knows
> > that the country survives on foreign aid. That of course, comes with
> > strings. So, as much as we'd like to pretend to be an "independent"
>nation,
> > the nations whose handouts keep our tiny economy spluttering, have a lot
>of
> > say in how our nation is governed. Sad, but the truth. The AFPRC's
> > turn-around regarding their original desire to hang on the reins of
>power
> > for four years, was mainly due to outside pressure: "No Elections, No
>Aid
> > money." No secrets there. So, are so many other cosmetic improvements in
> > good governance in The Gambia. Which makes me wonder why PDOIS would
>even
> > pretend that opposition members briefing some British MPs on The Gambia
>is
> > folly, a waste of time, or anything extra-ordinary?
> >
> > 2.  This one is simply sad. PDOIS keeps invoking the names of former PPP
> > govt. officials as a negative connotation of the London meeting. The
>same
> > posture the Jammeh govt. has taken, one may add. However, the same govt.
> > doesn't hesitate to use, or appoint members of the last PPP govt.
>machine
>if
> > it serves its interest: Buba Baldeh, E.K. Sarr, Aji Fatou Sallah, etc,
>etc.
> > But from a human perspective, what do we expect from the PPP people?
> > Personally, I can't think of any better place where Sir Dawda and co
>ought
> > to have been on that February day than at that London meeting. Let's
>face
> > it: These people were kicked out screaming.  They were accused and
>vilified
> > as the most corrupt, most nepotic, and most undemocratic people ever to
> > defile Gambian soil.  Some of these people like OJ (for whom I now have
>much
> > respect,) were arrested and subjected to really inhumane treatment
>including
> > physical torture! Think of most types of de-humanizing treatment, and
> > chances are, most of the PPP people have been subjected to it. And they
> > continue to be harassed and their lives threatened on a daily basis.
>Time
> > being the great arbiter that it is, has shown their erstwhile accusers
>to
>be
> > every bit worse than they ever were. But somehow, these vindicated
>people
> > shouldn't even call for the normalcy that obtained during their tenure
>in
> > office to return. I wonder what gives PDOIS or any Gambian for that
>matter,
> > the right to silence these people anymore. Yes, they screwed up; No,
>they
> > shouldn't be put in office again; But you darn straight, they've EARNED
>the
> > right to be at the forefront of the fight against the fraud who
>illegally
> > uprooted them only to out-do them in every crime sphere imaginable. I'm
> > really interested in hearing why PDOIS thinks the PPP people shouldn't
>be
> > visible in the fight against Yaya Jammeh at this point in time. I
>noticed
> > code words like we want change, but "change should be for the better" in
>one
> > of their letters. Well, get this PDOIS: Having the last PPP govt. back
>will
> > be a "change for the better!" Why not ask the average Modu or Kumba on
>the
> > street?  Yaya Jammeh has simply accomplished a Herculean task, something
> > really unimaginable to many of us only six years ago: He has turned the
>PPP
> > era into "the good old days" in The Gambia! It's a shame that PDOIS
>fails
>to
> > get this.
> >
> >
> > 3. On a practical level, our tiny nation is at the mercy of Yaya Jammeh.
>For
> > all practical purposes, the Opposition and the parliament in the Gambia
>of
> > today are merely symbolic. Yaya Jammeh not only sets the rule; he IS the
> > rule and the law! The man simply does what he wants.  Damn any of his
> > opponents. And because of our relative geo-political and economic
> > insignificance, Yaya Jammeh will kill a lot more of our people before
>the
> > outside world notice anything -unless we raise the alarm early! The
>PDOIS
> > statement envisaged a scenario where Sheriff Dibba would have attempted
>to
> > register as a candidate in the forth-coming bye-elections; then to
>challenge
> > his ban in court if refused registration, etc, etc. This sounds like a
>joke
> > to me. To test constitutionality, or the rule of law in the Gambia,
>PDOIS
> > doesn't need an old timer like Sheriff Dibba as a test case. How about
>suing
> > the govt. for the murder of the little kids killed last April? That is a
> > bigger crime (committed by this govt.) than banning any politician. And
>even
> > as I write this, the Yaya Jammeh govt. still has a "shoot to kill"
>policy
>at
> > unmarked borders like the Giboro village border crossing. How about
>suing
> > for the families of the two people who were killed in cold-blood
>recently?
> > Or if these subjects are "volatile" or "confrontational," how about
>suing
> > Yaya Jammeh for defying the wish of the Gambian majority to have TERM
>LIMITS
> > entrenched in our constitution as clearly stipulated in the National
> > Consultative Committee report?
> >
> > We all know exactly what will happen if anyone tries to seek redress for
>the
> > victims in any of the incidents cited, or the subversion of the people's
> > wish in the NCC report. Like I pointed out to Mr. Sallah before, what we
> > have in the Gambia, is a "simulation of democracy." If one wants to be
> > fancy, it could be called "legalized authoritarianism." Legalized,
>because
> > of a staged election that was meant to be rigged from the word "go."
>But,
>in
> > any case, the Gambia's democratic credential is a sham, a big public
>lie.
>No
> > honest observer of the Gambian scene can miss such an obvious fact.
>Which
>is
> > why, one has to wonder why smart folks like the PDOIS people keep
>throwing
> > out amazingly naive ideas about this rogue govt.  It is in the govt.'s
> > interest to keep the outside world in the dark about the true nature of
>the
> > Jammeh regime. PDOIS is the only party that readily helps the govt. in
>that.
> > And one has to ask: "what is in it for PDOIS?"
> >
> > Also, I can't help but add to the protests about the PDOIS line on
>Jawara.
> > Frankly, I thought the party was over Jawara. But as the line ".Jawara
>is
> > lucky to have Hamat Bah and not a PDOIS rep." clearly reveals, they
>still
> > have their daggers out for the Old Pa. When it comes to Jawara, PDOIS
>never
> > passes up an opportunity to attack, and denigrate the man. Yet, the same
> > PDOIS will declare that they're against "the politics of personal
>insults"
> > when it comes to Yaya Jammeh. I remember fully well PDOIS' maiden days.
>I
> > was a senior in High School, and one of my past times was to visit the
>PDOIS
> > HQ at Bunding, a block from the mosque. I also clearly remember the
>theme
>of
> > PDOIS' first round of symposia: "The Senegambia Confederation." Those
>who
> > think PDOIS is a party of dour, or lifeless characters, should find a
>tape
> > cassette of PDOIS' symposium on the Senegambia Confederation. Their
>sense
>of
> > humor was palpable, and very infective. The way they lampooned the PPP
> > people, was simply hilarious.  And they got their message through to the
> > masses. Makes one think of the Wollof proverb of  "shooing away one's
> > chicken, while saying what one intends to say." Simply put, if one cared
>to
> > see the silliness and petty hypocrisy of the PPP people in the '80s
>exposed,
> > one needs not go any further than a PDOIS symposium. That was MY PDOIS.
>It
> > was the party I fell for. The one we have now is unrecognizable to me.
> > Because, if one had paid millions to invent a bumbling buffoon of a
> > political opponent, one simply couldn't have come up with a better
>product
> > than Yaya Jammeh. To any of his opponents who dare examine the man's
> > character, Yaya Jammeh is god-sent. Simple! What do you call: a
> > thirty-something year old, who publicly humiliates himself by wearing
> > clothes meant for septuagenarians; Or if that's not enough, he carries a
> > staff laden with "magical" juju reminiscent of the Mansa (kings) of the
> > ancient Mali empire? Or carries a chaplet in his left hand when
>three-year
> > olds in Quranic school know better? Or goes on TV to brag about how
>wealthy
> > he is -when 90% of the population is undergoing disguised starvation?
>Just
> > to cite a few of Yaya Jammeh's colorful achievements. Yet, the new PDOIS
> > openly keeps away from such subjects, because they're not interested in
>the
> > "politics of personal insults." 'You ain't fooling me' PDOIS, as they
>say
> > around here.
> >
> > One can genuinely question Sir Dawda's democratic credentials, because
>it
> > was indeed spotty at times. But, overall, it's totally dishonest for
>PDOIS
> > to be still sticking to their professed stance that "there's no
>difference
> > between the PPP and the APRC." At the height of PPP rule, Halifa Sallah
> > personally confronted Sir Dawda at a Serrekunda polling station to point
>out
> > to him that he was violating election rules by trying to unduly
>influence
> > the election by his presence on Election Day 1987. According to first
>hand
> > reports, the man concurred with Mr. Sallah's observation, just turned
> > around, and left without any incident. I missed that encounter by less
>than
> > five minutes -literally. I remember the day like it was this morning.
>Some
> > of OJ's people were so livid, it wasn't funny. I stood and listened to
>many
> > of those people saying of Halifa Sallah things like: "he should be glad
>that
> > this is Jawara. Anywhere else, he won't see the sun again". "This man
>thinks
> > he's the most educated Gambian." "'key hamutt Bo-pam' (the man is
> > arrogant,") etc, etc. I have no doubt in mind that Halifa Sallah or no
>other
> > PDOIS stalwart will EVER try any such thing with Yaya Jammeh. And we all
> > know why. In fact, Halifa Sallah is on record here as saying basically
>that,
> > PDOIS wants to keep doing their thing without provoking anything that
>would
> > cause Yaya Jammeh to lock them up, or "banish" them somewhere. So, here
>we
> > have a situation where PDOIS itself basically admits that the political
> > environment is more adverse today than what obtains under the PPP, yet
>the
> > party keeps clinging to the spurious claim that the PPP is no better
>than
> > the Jammeh regime. There's something truly dishonest about that. One
>would
> > be remiss for failing to accord Mr. Sallah and PDOIS what is truly
>theirs.
> > Equally, fairness dictates that we give Jawara and the PPP people what
>is
> > rightfully theirs. I can't resist invoking St. Thomas Aquinas' wise
>lines
>on
> > justice again: "To treat equals unequally, or unequals equally is an
> > injustice." Yaya Jammeh is simply no Sir Dawda Jawara. So, to keep
>equating
> > the two in terms of their rule, is an injustice to Sir Dawda, and
> > increasingly an insult to anyone who lived under PPP rule! A group of
>inept
> > and mainly incompetent people, they were. Common criminals, they were
>not!
> > I have no doubt that history will be more kind to them than the APRC. Or
>at
> > the very least, PDOIS ought to stop the pretense that they're not
>engaged
>in
> > a personal vendetta, when they jump at every opportunity to ridicule the
>PPP
> > people, but keep finding excuses not to play Jammeh the same card, or
>even
> > worse rationalizing some of the evil that the Jammeh govt. does by
>telling
> > us that the APRC inherited such and such from the PPP. If Yaya Jammeh
>will
> > kill one for something that Sir Dawda gracefully accedes to, how on
>earth
> > can these two people's regimes be the same?
> >
> > Be as it is, the Gambian majority is fairing far worse under Yaya than
>it
> > did under Jawara whether in terms of civic rights, or economics. This is
>an
> > open secret. We know what Jawara did, or failed to do. And we also know
>that
> > what Yaya Jammeh is doing to us is worse than anything we've ever seen
>under
> > Jawara. It is the duty of our "wanna be" leaders to expose and stand
>firmly
> > and unequivocally against the criminal syndicate that the Yaya Jammeh
>govt.
> > is. If PDOIS cannot stand with the rest of the opposition against the
>APRC,
> > the least the party ought to do is keep its silence. PDOIS' unfortunate
> > statement on the London meeting has done nothing but muddled the waters,
>and
> > sent the wrong message to this criminal govt. that they're faced with a
> > divided opposition. It is partly due to a similar myopic position that
> > PDOIS' took in 1996 in the form of "there's nothing wrong with Yaya
>Jammeh
> > turning the AFPRC into a political party and running for president" that
> > clearly encouraged Yaya Jammeh to change his clothes and self-succeed.
>That
> > statement conveniently ignored qualifiers like the need for a level
>playing
> > field (which was IMPOSSIBLE to have with Yaya Jammeh as AFPRC Chairman
>and
> > APRC Presidential candidate) in the pursuit of true democracy. Thus the
>mess
> > we're in now. We don't need another such blunder, no matter what PDOIS
>calls
> > it! If PDOIS is to ever become an alternative candidate for power in the
> > Gambia, the party will have to strive to appeal to a broader demographic
> > group than the current narrow strata that is dominated by people with
>blind
> > zealot proclivities. For which the rest of us are thankful. (The fewer
>of
>us
> > that follow PDOIS this way, the better for our nation.) PDOIS'
>unnecessary
> > and sanctimonious intransigence is simply too much for an increasing
>number
> > of EDUCATED Gambians. If the party can pull itself out of this tinderbox
>of
> > their own making, there may yet be a lifeline. Otherwise, PDOIS as a
>serious
> > contender of public office in The Gambia, is all but dead! Call me an
> > arrogant prophet of doom, or what have you, but I'm willing to bet
>anyone
> > that on its present path, PDOIS will actually win FEWER votes in the
>next
> > election than it did in 1996! People are sick and tired of PDOIS playing
> > footsie with Yaya Jammeh!
> >
> > Sorry, I have to break my vow not to go off on PDOIS on this forum
>again,
> > but PDOIS seems to miss the fact that the rest of the Gambia is simply
>tired
> > of the criminality of this APRC regime. Six years of multiple page
>letters
> > haven't done the trick. As it is, even a re-incarnated PPP is preferable
>to
> > the time bomb we have right now. So why help the Jammeh govt. cover up a
> > public lie that is clearly propelling our country into very dangerous
> > territory?
> >
> > Good day.
> >
> > Saul.
> >
> >
> >
> > >Barrow, I join Hamjatta and commend you for your stance and honesty. I
> > >renew my appeal and encourage other PDOIS supporters to view our
>statements
> > >in
> >
> > _________________________________________________________________
> > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com
> >
> >
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