Saul,

You wrote in your memorandum to Hamjatta on 27 November 1999 that

+ACI-One of two things happened during the transition and up to Korro's death:
either Halifa Sallah has been duped/seduced by the AFPRC (which is very
unlikely,) or he has been the cunning manipulator who has been using his
superior intelligence to pursue less than honorable ulterior motives (just
like Robert McNamara did with Lyndon Johnson here in the 60s.) Any way you
look at it, it doesn't look good for Halifa. It is very disturbing b/c here
is a very highly intelligent person, preying on a group of people, who at
best are only of average intelligence. Considering that no one in the
defunct AFPRC had the education, intelligence, or foresight to be running
anything, the Council members were taking their cues from resident
intellectuals like Halifa. Their strategy was basically putting out daily
+ACI-feelers+ACI- trying to gauge the
direction of public sentiment through the public's reaction to stories in
the media.+ACI-

You accused me of being a cunning manipulator who utilised what you termed
as 'superior intelligence' to enable the AFPRC to entrench themselves. I did
not believe that a human being can have such a shallow way of thinking.

Mature thinking must be rooted in realism. Mature analysis must spring from
systematic gathering of facts and their synthesis. What facts have you
gathered? What synthesis have you made to be able to come to the conclusion
that you did. Here, you have presented no facts+ADs- you simply want people to
accept your conclusions without giving any facts. It is, therefore, becoming
clear that you are the one who has a knack for believing the most absurd
conceptions. Let me now bring facts to expose the emptiness of your
conceptions. This will show what the AFPRC did to entrench itself.

The first announcement made by the AFPRC was the suspension of  the
constitution, the dissolution of the House of Representatives, the banning
of political parties and the declaration of a state of emergency. You want
to tell me that these people did not know what they wanted? That Halifa
Sallah had to tell them how to take over power and maintain it? Only a
person without a brain to think would accept such a proposition.

Before they took over, ex-President Jawara left with his family on an
American naval vessel. Can you imagine the psychological impact on a
population that soldiers have taken over power right under the nose of an
American naval vessel? Can anybody underestimate the resolve of such people
for taking power at such a time in struggling to maintain power? Even a
bufoon would be convinced that those who took over power knew what they
wanted and had resolved to do what it takes to take over power and maintain
it independent of anybody's will. I am sure we need not argue that those who
took over power had the military resolve and ability to take over power, and
those who were in power had no resolve to confront their adversaries in
order to retain it.

One may now ask: How did the AFPRC proceed to consolidate their power?

Mr Saul Saidykhan, once Jawara had disappeared from the scene, the first
three ambassadors/high commissioners to visit the coup makers were the
American, British and Senegalese envoys. The religious leaders then
followed. The AFPRC knew very well before anybody told them that they had to
get national and international legitimacy by acquiescing to the advice of
those who went to visit them. Did they have to wait for a manipualtor with a
+ACI-superior intelligence+ACI- to teach them how to acquire popular appeal? Only a
naive character can hold such a view.

In order to show the Gambian people that they had fully taken over power,
the AFPRC announced that all ministers under the Jawara regime should report
to the nearest police station for their security. Omar Sey, Hassan Jallow,
Omar Jallow, Bubacarr Baldeh, Alieu Kama Badjie, Landing Jallow Sonko, Sarjo
Touray, James Alkali Gaye, Yaya Cessay, Mathew Yaya Baldeh and even some
parliamentary secretaries went to give themselves to the police stations not
in the national interest but for their personal security. Others, like
Bakary Darboe and Saikou Sabally, fled with Jawara. These were people who
swore to defend the constitution without fear or favour, affection or
ill-will.

However, when they were faced with a life and death situation, they
capitulated to safeguard their personal security. Before the whole nation,
they behaved in the most servile manner when Yahya Jammeh visited them. They
accepted that their government had been overthrown and they orchestrated a
mini-drama for Yahya. They transformed their residence into a district and
role of district chief, alkalo, imam and badge messenger where given to
different ex-ministers. I believe Landing Jallow Sonko was appointed chief,
Omar Jallow - Alkalo+ADs- Alieu E. Badjie - Imam+ADs- Buba Baldeh - badge messenger.
All this was  done amidst a hail of laughter. This was the most comical
scene of the millennium.

The PPP regime, to all intent and purposes, fell like a house of cards. No
one could notice its existence any more. Foreign governments continued to
deal with the Council. Have all these things taken place because a
manipulator with a 'superior intelligence' had shown the AFPRC how to
consolidate themselves? Are you beginning to see how ridiculous your
assertions are?

One may now ask: How did the AFPRC consolidate itself?

The AFPRC had suspended the constitution and had dissolved the House of
Representatives, and banned political parties. The leaders of the NCP and
GPP expressed their support for the coup. The leader of the PDP even
indicated that he was strugling to reach the coup makers without success.
This is a fact that you should now log in your brain. It is such facts that
you should rely on to make a fair judgment of what happened in 1994.

Sheriff Dibba was a member of the House of Representatives. Memba Tambedou
was a member of the House of Representatives. Bakary Darboe was a member of
the House of Representatives. Lamin Waa Juwara was a member of the House of
Representatives. Omar Jallow was a member of the House of Representatives.
We can go on and on. The House of Representatives was dissolved, but not a
single member of the House of Representatives stood to declare his or her
opposition to the coup. This is a fact that you should log in your brain.
This is what you should rely on to make an objective assessment of what
happened in 1994.

Do you want to know how the AFPRC managed to consolidate themselves? I will
tell you.

Yahya did not hide the strategy he intended to adopt to consolidate the
AFPRC. This is clearly enunciated in his maiden speech to the nation. He
indicated that he would invite patriotic Gambians to form a government
pending a return to democratic constitutional rule. He had in mind that in
order to have a stable government, it was necessary to mobilise people with
some element of credibility in order to win popular appeal.

Yahya pursued this strategy by inviting many technocrats to be part of his
government. Memba Tambedou accepted. Bakary Darboe accepted. Bolong Sonko
accepted, and we can go on and on. Did Halifa Sallah accept? Are you
beginning to see your hypocrisy? How can you ignore all these facts and
accuse me of being the manipulator with 'superior intelligence'.

When Bakary Darboe was leaving Dakar to come to Gambia, Gambian academics
were his escorts. Many people in high positions were relieved. This even
split the defucnt PPP as some of them began to accuse Bakary Darboe of
masterminding the coup to get rid of Jawara. A leaflet (jamfaa of the
century) was even being distributed which landed the wife of the former
Governor of the Central Bank in court indicating that Bakary Darboe was the
manipulator of the coup. How can people like you forget all these events so
quickly and sum up history as if you are looking at society standing on your
head instead of your two feet?

When Yahya formed his cabinet, the AFPRC held many public rallies. The first
rally at the stadium in Bakau drew a capacity crowd and this rally was held
after Decree No. 4 was promulgated. Whilst we were preparing for battle
against Decree No. 4, Yahya was holding major rallies to which people from
all sides of the political spectrum went to attend. In his speech, Bakary
Darboe indicated that he came back to help rescue the nation because he was
a patriot and that all patriots should join hands with the AFPRC at that
moment. In essence, we were to be dismissed as non-patriots for refusing to
accept cabinet posts.

Saul, it is outrageous hypocrisy to accuse me of being a master manipulator
who helped consolidate the AFPRC. I will tell you what we helped to
consolidate and that is why Gambia is not what Sierra Leone is today. That
is what we helped to consolidate and which hypocrites do not want to
acknowledge.

The stadium meeting was followed by a big rally in Brikama. Most of the PPP
stalwarts attended that meeting. We were being condemned everywhere for
refusing to accept ministerial posts. We were being accused of being
dogmatic+ADs- of always having the tendency to hold on to principles and so on
and so forth. Do you want to know how the AFPRC consolidated itself? Is the
picture becoming clearer?

You have said somewhere that PDOIS did not show a sense of fairness by
accepting to stand when Sheriff Dibba was banned. I will come to this in its
proper place, but it is important to point out to you that while the AFPRC
was issuing decrees after decrees to ban political assembly, political
thought and so on and so forth, the NCP leader made a public announcement
that he was going on political leave. Did we go on political leave? Where we
the elected representatives of anybody? Who gave us the mandate to represent
them? But what was our stand?

All your elected representatives then and all your politicians who are
wrangling now were as quiet as door nails. History, however, shows that we
took a stand when it was necessary to take a stand to defend the sovereign
will of the Gambian people to be the determiners of their own manner of
government.

PDOIS continued to do business as usual and FOROYAA continued to address the
demands of the time. Let me again post our letter of 24 July 1994 to refresh
your memory:


+ACI-PDOIS' POSITION ON THE CURRENT POLITICAL SITUATION

Political parties are instruments of leadership. As instruments of
leadership, they are required to be able to understand all complex
situations so as to be able to provide guidance under all types of political
weather if they are indeed worthy of the name. This is precisely the reason
why PDOIS has never hesitated to take extraordinarily bold and decisive
steps which inspire respect so as to adhere and promote completely and
energetically those steps that can further enhance liberty, dignity and
prosperity for the people in The Gambia, in particular and the world, at
large.

+ACI-We have always considered it to be our inviolable right to serve our people
and humanity, at large, without asking for anybody's permission. This is
precisely the reason why we deem it necessary to address this letter to you
at this most critical juncture of our history so as to map out those
fundamental points that should be given maximum consideration.

+ACI-It is your claim, and we have seen the evidence in the streets after a most
careful monitoring of development, that the PPP regime is toppled+ADs- that Mr
Jawara is on a United States' Naval Ship, the USS La Moure County, since 22
July, 1994, is not in doubt. There is no doubt that all other security
forces have conceded readily to the army. The fundamental question now is
what the undertaking of your Council is going to be.

+ACI-In our view, your Provisional Ruling Council has two fundamental tasks to
perform. The first task is a democratic task. The second task is to address
the question of confidence.

+ACI-We are convinced that whatever turn events take in the future, the desire
to live in a society free from any violation of fundamental rights and
freedoms is so widely spread and so firmly rooted that any government,
provisional or not, which threatens such rights risks reviving public
disaffection with accumulated intensity. Hence, your Ruling Council has the
responsibility of declaring its commitment to the protection of all
fundamental rights and freedoms, such as the freedom of the press, freedom
of assembly, including the right to form and operate political parties.

+ACI-In short, there can be no accountability without the right of the public to
scrutinize the action of representatives. There can be no commitment to the
principles of accountability where the accountant is also the auditor.

+ACI-The present takeover cannot have democratic characteristics if it seeks to
overthrow all the democratic concessions that were won by political parties
and the press through years of strenuous struggle.
Hence, it is important for your Council to make a public declaration of its
commitment to the preservation of political parties, the press and all other
human rights organizations. It is necessary to establish a timetable for a
free and fair election, open the media for debates on all issues of
fundamental importance. Such a state of things would open up a new vista of
democratic participation.

+ACI-Your Council has first to create itself a democratic point of departure+ADs-
otherwise it will fall behind its predecessor.

+ACI-On the other hand, confidence can only be won if the vital rights and
interests of the people are promoted. Sankara's wise dictum must be borne in
mind if what is required to gain confidence of the people is to be
addressed. It was Sankara who said a soldier without political education is
a virtual criminal. Let us add that a soldier who does not have the interest
of the people at heart is a virtual beast. Such a soldier would put his or
her personal interest before the interest of the people. Such a soldier
would not hesitate to engage in ruthless extermination of those who are
determined to live as free and dignified human beings. Such a soldier would
prefer the people to cring, crouch and crawl before him because of the gun
in hand. Such a soldier immediately forgets that he or she is a son or
daughter of the people and is fed by them. Such a soldier would have no
respect for  the fundamental rights and freedoms of the people. Such a
soldier is incapable of discipline and cannot accept the sacrifice of
holding an instrument of force without using it to terrorize or promote
immediate personal gain.

+ACI-Hence, it is very significant for your Council to establish a code of
conduct for your men so as to ensure maximum discipline and respect for the
fundamental rights and freedoms of the people. No soldier should carry a
weapon while under the influence of alcohol+ADs- no soldier should fire a bullet
in a non-threatening situation+ADs- no soldier should seize any transport that
is not a government vehicle+ADs- no soldier should enter a person's premises and
seize properties arbitrarily+ADs- no soldier should subject any person to
inhuman and degrading punishment. The names of all detainees should be
published for public knowledge and institutions like the Red Cross and
journalists should be allowed to visit them to ensure that there is no
disappearance of anybody. Remember that the initiative could have failed.
Treat others how one would have wanted to be treated if one was on the other
side.

+ACI-A Complaints Commission should be established to ensure that all grievances
are registered.

+ACI-The historic moment concretely poses such  tasks.

+ACI-In our view, it will be a fatal mistake to hold that power is vested in the
barrel of a gun. Power really resides with the people. Without the people
there can be no country to lead. There can be no government. There can be no
economy. The people are therefore worthy of respect no matter how ignorant
they are of their rights at a given moment.

+ACI-This is precisely the reason why PDOIS has established five fundamental
principles so as to ensure that it is ever loyal to the interest of the
people.

+ACI-First and foremost, we are committed never to take power at the back of the
people.

+ACI-Secondly, we are committed never to participate in a government that is
taken without the participation  of the people.

+ACI-Thirdly, we are committed never to participate in a government that is not
serving the interest of the people.

+ACI-Fourthly, we prefer to resign instead of using force against a people to
retain a manner of government that is no longer wanted.

+ACI-Fifthly, we prefer to resign instead of using force against a people who
are dissatisfied with the economic policies of our government.

+ACI-These are the fundamental principles which will make PDOIS never to be
indicted as an enemy of the people. You may wish to commit them to memory.
Of course we know that history does not develop as we wish. Hence we do
understand your concrete realities. We are therefore willing to contribute
our quota in an advisory capacity so as to build an electoral system which
can enable the people to determine their representatives freely and fairly.
Furthermore, we shall also be most willing to give our views whenever we are
consulted on any issue of national importance for the consideration of your
Provisional Council, if  its members so list.

+ACI-At this point, it is important to caution that the economy you have
inherited is in shambles. You will be besieged by foreign governments and
financial institutions to take drastic measures which may be unpopular. They
are likely to praise you for your firmness. All they are interested in is to
recover their loans and drain our wealth. They are likely to turn a blind
eye to any violation of human rights until mass dissatisfaction becomes
prevalent. Under such circumstances, they would not hesitate to condemn you
for overthrowing a democratically elected government. In current
international politics, there is neither morality nor principles. Interest
governs all relations. Those who smile and shake hands with you today may
sharpen knives and gnash teeth tomorrow.

+ACI-Hence, if your role is to be performed in a way that is consistent with the
historical needs of the African continent and the requirements of our
people, you must engage in consultations during the transitional period.

+ACI-Suppress no views, commit no atrocities, take decisions that will preserve
democratic gains, show no lust for power. Organise yourselves to even form a
political party if you so desire so as to test the popular will if you are
confident that your provisional leadership is successful. We do not believe
that soldiers forever belong to the barracks and non-soldiers to
institutions of representation. What is important is to ensure that people
are properly consulted.

+ACI-To us, soldiers need to have political education to bar them being used as
tools against the people. Such soldiers with political education, whose
hearts beat in unison with the heart beat of the people, are representatives
of the people in uniform. They may put off the uniform and consult the
people to be their representatives.
In a future PDOIS Government, members of the armed forces will elect
representatives to represent them in all institutions of representation as
well as defence institutions.

+ACI-We hope that it will be recognized that our object is not to shun your
Council. We have nothing against you as persons. However, we are convinced
that without the economic programme we have in mind being implemented, the
economic crisis in this country can never be addressed, no matter how great
the quantity of foreign assistance or how accountable a government.

+ACI-Our present posture springs from the fact that we have been doing strenuous
and systematic work to educate and enlighten our people so that they can be
seen to be commanders of their own destiny. We will be the greatest
criminals on earth if we shy from our historic responsibilities when our
nation needs our services most. We have always said and will continue to say
that we prefer to die as martyrs in the service of humanity to being cowards
in the prisons of our own conscience.

+ACI-We are convinced that if each Gambian has it as his or her principle that
no person will ever be born who will be able to deny him or her the right to
determine the destiny of his or her nation, we would have created a just
nation on earth which will be inhabited by dignified, free, brave and just
people who shall condescend to no oppressor and exploiter.

+ACI-We hope such is the type of nation you aspire to build. We therefore expect
a relation of equality and respect as we display mutual tolerance so as to
make the country stable in this transitional phase. In this way, the lives
and properties of the people would be protected as all Gambians who love
this nation strive to pave a path that would enable our suffering people to
enjoy liberty, dignity and prosperity.+ACI-


Here, it is clear that we advocated for the restoration of democratic
constituional rule. We opposed the banning of political parties. We called
for respect for fundamental rights and freedoms. We called for a code of
conduct for military officers to curtail the lawlessness which had already
started immediately after the coup when transports, people's properties were
being seized. We also elaborated five fundamental principles of governance
to which we were ready to adhere to and be judged by. We tried to demystify
the barrel of the gon at at time when most people we destabilised by fear.
We tried to give strength to the people by assuring them that they were the
bastion of power. You should log this in your brain. This should be the
basis for passing judgment.

Anybody who refers to FOROYAA during this period will see an attempt to
defend fundamental rights and freedoms. In fact, we believe the last straw
for the AFPRC was when we called on them to give explanation regarding the
detention of Captains Momat Cham and Sheriff Sarr. It was after this that
Decree No. 4 was promulgated.

We have strong evidence that Yahya was very dissatisfied with us during that
period. Some jurists visited him at the time, and veen though they do not
want to be quoted, the time has come for us to reveal even privileged
information. One Gambian who was among the delegation was the former head of
the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies. We were informed
by one of the delegates that he expressed that we were simply saboteurs and
were not significant for his administration. This was buttressed by an
interview with Reuters Correspondent in which he again asserted that we were
saboteurs bent on making names for ourselves.

Hence, while people like you assume that all was well, we knew that what we
were doing was tolerated but not approved. The reason why it was tolerated
is because we have earned credibility in Gambian society.

FOROYAA was not published between August and November 1994 as we became
immersed in a court case after challenging the ban on any expression of
thought dealing with politics. If we were the master manipulators, then why
did our supposed underlings try to break our pens, enshacke our hands and
seal our mouths? Ridiculous+ACE- Isn't it?

When we were arrested and detained, a Senegalese newspaper, Fal Wadjri,
interviewed Sheriff Dibba and asked him why he decided to go on leave whilst
we confronted the AFPRC. Sheriff did not hesitate to say that he has asked
all Gambians to lie low but that we were too stubborn and decided to offend
Jammeh. He indicated that we asked for it and it was right for Jammeh to
deal with us.

Saul, there is too much in the tide that we did not wish to disturb. If we
believe in the dirty way of doing things, there are many who are displaying
herosim today who would have hung their heads in shame. Let me give you an
example.

When the AFPRC suspended political assembly and association, the Bar
Association sent representatives in the persons of the then president,
Sourahata Janneh, the then vice president, Ousainou Darboe, Cheyassin Secka,
Hawa Sisay Sabally. After their visit, a statement was given indicating that
suspension of political assembly and association is expected after a coup,
and that the Bar Association was apolitical. Who are your heroes, Saul, and
wherein lies their heroism?

At that critical moment when the nation was looking for a way forward, it
was only one force, PDOIS and FOROYAA, which took a principled stand of
ensuring that it displayed no opportunist inclination and put the interest
of the nation and her people first, and allow all our actions to be guided
by the dictates of conscience and national interest.

In part 2, I will quote for you from The Point Newspaper the defiance
statements we were making. I will also quote for you the type of provocative
language we utilised to show our defiance so that the AFPRC will know how
far we were willing to go in order not to submit to their dictation. I will
then proceed to show you how and why our tactics changed from stage to stage
in order to address the demands of the Gambian people. I will try to be
somewhat brief so that the elements will not be lost in the process of a
long narration. I will also address the issue of the constitution since my
postulate is yet to be challenged. I will then proceed to deal with the Koro
Ceesay issue to expose the hypocrisy of those who have taken the stage now
to give the impression that they really cared about Koro. You want the
truth, it will be written I will pause here until tomorrow.


Halifa Sallah

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