Mr. Sallah,

I'm hoping this will be my final correspondence on the issues we've been
discussing here for the past (Ten? )  weeks. Therefore, in line with what
Hamjatta, and yourself have done, I apologize for using words like
"ludicrous," and  "delusional," in describing your ideas. The word
"unrealistic" would have sufficed. So my choice of words was wrong.  I had
no intention of creating a climate of acrimony. I merely wanted to provoke a
vigorous intellectual debate. What I totally overlooked was the presence of
charlatans, and other unsavory characters on this List. Nothing irks me like
the bark of a hound dog. So, when such people started barking, I lost it.  I
believe the debate would have gone on better without these characters
stepping in, and assigning  "Good cop," "Bad cop" labels to the parties.
But, I hope that is all behind us now.

I agree with you that we have to agree to disagree, because Joe Sambu is
absolutely right that we're going round in a circle. There's hardly anything
new in what any of us is saying now.  It's obvious that you've dug heels. We
were hoping you'll tell us why what happened with the Transition TimeTable
(overt internal and covert external pressure,) CANNOT happen with the
constitution.  You keep asking why external forces have not brought pressure
to bear on Jammeh since the flawed '97 constitution came into force. This,
so as to effect the efficacy we all desire. I thought it was a slip when you
first asked this question. But, when you did a second time, I was very
disappointed. Why? Because it betrays a certain "colonized" mentality. Why
would you expect outsiders to do for us, what we ought to be doing for
ourselves? If change is to come to the Gambia, the initiators HAVE TO BE
Gambians. WE should be the catalysts! WE should be the agitators for change!
WE should be the ones making the most noise! Then, and only then, can any
"external force" come to our rescue. Wollofs have a thing about the Helped,
and the Helper: "A Helper's efforts should complement what little the Helped
has done for himself." Excuse my translation, but I hope you get the drift.
(Try Youssu N'dure. It comes out better when he says it.) So, I find it
ironical that, you're advocating true independence for the Gambia, but
you're somewhat surprised that external forces have not stepped in to
correct a fundamentally flawed constitution for Gambians. Gambians, from
their reticence, seem to be perfectly complacent with what Yaya Jammeh has
given them. No protests -not even real grumbling in the media. So, where is
the justification, or even pretext, for any external force to step in?
Zilch, zero, nada, none what so ever!

I would be remiss if I did not set the record straight about where I'm
coming from in being a willing participant in this debate. Like Hamjatta,
and Cherno Baba, I was a devout follower of PDOIS. From Bunding, to
Churchill's town, I've visited the PDOIS bureau countless times to buy
newspapers, or Tapes, or being the Broke Ass I was, to read papers that I
could not purchase. In the process, I became familiar -at least by sight-
with certain PDOIS operatives: Pa Sambu, Mr. Davies, Auntie Amie, and Adama.
I've attended PDOIS symposia at Kanifing, and at Roxy Cinema several times.
I've attended PDOIS political meetings in several parts of SerreKunda and
the two LatriKundas. The last PDOIS meeting I attended -ironically- was in
Keneba, West Kiang, where I was working for the MRC. After that meeting, a
few of us PDOIS "converts" met in the MRC camp to devise ways to campaign
for the party, and to see what could be done in terms of having someone be
the PDOIS Polling Agent.  The campaigning was particularly difficult. West
Kiang was BB Darbo territory. And Demba was Kiang's favorite son. The idea
of anything but PPP, was anathema to most local people. But, we spoke to the
very few open-minded people (mainly villagers who worked for the MRC in
various menial capacities,) we knew. Did we make any difference? Probably
not. But, as regards the Polling Agent, a good friend of mine - M. Sosseh
Sanyang volunteered to be the PDOIS Polling Agent for the area. I gave him a
ride on a motorcycle to Burong -about 30km from Keneba in what is locally
called Julafarr. Sosseh stayed with one Lamin Sanneh, an MRC employee under
my direct supervision at the time. What you at PDOIS HQ never knew was that
BB Darbo tried to get Sosseh in trouble after the elections. He approached a
Gambian Dr. on the senior staff, who paid him lip service, and then totally
ignored his insinuations.  That Dr. was my direct Supervisor.

Then, I was in Bajagarr in Foni with another good friend of mine in March or
April '92 when Lebaye Badji came campaigning. He was running against James
Gaye. That was the day Radio Gambia announced that Pres. Jawara told some
voters somewhere to vote for the NCP if they don't like the PPP, because
PDOIS is founded on an atheist principle. We spent an hour with Lebaye
analyzing the implications of that. Later, we went to a small village two
miles from Bajagarr (on the Cassamance side.) Like many villages in that
area, there were only four houses in this village. Ironically, when we
arrived, we found a woman who was putting a lot of powder on her face in
preparation for a James Gaye meeting in Sangajor that afternoon. Asked why
she would vote for Mr. Gaye, the lady said that "All-kal Gay" has bought a
milling machine for the women in Bajagarr, and has promised to do the same
favor for them if he wins. The rest of the villagers were no better in their
reception. We quickly headed back to Bajagarr. Why am I telling you all
this?

Throughout this debate, you've suggested, and some of your blind followers
have tried to portray myself and my compatriots as being devious Anti-PDOIS
agents who are bent on sullying your image or integrity. One has even gone
as far as saying that we're "cronies" of the new generation of politician
opportunists. Nothing could be further from the truth! I am deliberately
naming names and specific incidents, just so you can verify the veracity of
what I'm saying. Later, I'll tell you what Sosseh had to say about your
story on Korro. But for the record, the only people I've ever supported in
Gambian politics are Sheriff Dibba, your PDOIS, and Yaya Jammeh. Yes, Yaya
Jammeh! I was a big fan of the coup because I thought the PPP was totally
destroying the country. I realized Yaya won't be any better when he started
campaigning without declaring his candidacy. As it is, my worse fears then,
are now with us. I don't need to tell you what I think of him now.

What endeared me to PDOIS was your contrast in style, and intellect -or a
manifestation of it- with the then ruling PPP elite.  You and Sedia's
eloquence - both on paper, and in speech is equally captivating. I would
watch and listen to you two talk for hours at rallies in very succinct
language about the problems of Gambian society. You are the only educated
people I know who speak Wollof or Mandinka without ever using a single
European word or phrase. There is something to be said for that. And the
fact that no one can distinguish any of you from the Gambian majority in
terms of dressing pattern was a Plus for me at the time. Today, I realize
that's a very superficial way of analyzing people.

But more endearing to me, was your not-so-subtle "appeal for" or invocation
of morality in Gambian politics. You Halifa, is the only Gambian public
figure I've ever seen or heard challenging the public to mention a single
instance where he has stopped some woman on the street looking for certain
favors. Implicit in this challenge, is the contrast between your style and
that of your main opponent at the time -OJ's. Somehow, the analogy about the
innocent Lolli, and the corrupt Boy Bry you had on Radio Gambia in the early
80s, was born anew in my mind. A neighbor of mine told me at the time that
you are just bluffing because you're sure that no one will take you up on
this challenge. This neighbor was a Primary School Head Teacher, and a
diehard PPP supporter. So, when he was finished with his "Babucarr Sallah is
the biggest Ndongo in SerreKunda" story, I let him have it! I thought he was
just another corrupt PPP supporter out to sully Babucarr Sallah. "Master,"
as we call the gentleman, stopped speaking to me that day. No love lost
there.
But, in essence, your utterances have led me to believe that you're the
Poster Boy of justice, and righteousness in Gambian politics. Just what we
need - in my opinion. Maybe I've raised my expectations of you too high. Or
maybe YOU had sent out the wrong vibes. In my view, when you dared to put
your private life up for public scrutiny, you had in effect "upped the ante"
in terms of your own moral turpitude. As Gambian men, we like to call each
other names when it comes to appreciating the gentler sex. In truth, there
are very few Gambian men who will refuse to stray if they can get away with
it. I won't swear to my wife that I WILL NEVER lust after some other woman
when the opportunity presents itself- even if she pulls a gun on me. I'm not
proud of this, but god knows that's the truth! Call me a sinner, but don't
call me a liar. So, when I saw a full-blooded Gambian man like yourself say
the type of thing you were saying, I said to myself  "this is one man we can
all rely on." Sinners like myself - the majority of Gambian men, are prone
to being corrupted. But, any one who has the discipline or self control to
escape that prevalent Gambian disease is in a league of his own. That was my
opinion of Halifa Sallah when I left the Gambia.

But Fast Forward to 1994. Here comes Lt. Jammeh. Halifa Sallah and co. got
in trouble with the powers that be over Foroyaa. That passed. 1995: Korro
Ceesay was murdered, and PDOIS came out with a story that basically
exonerated his killers, or at least gave them real comfort. [I say
exonerated, because there is an underlying theme to every newspaper story.
If you're asked to summarize a book, or article in a few sentences, you go
for the main points advanced by the writer. The one sentence that Gambians
-universally, remembered about your Korro story is the line about him "dying
in an accident." I was here when that happened. I did speak to several
people - including Sosseh Sanyang who had put his job on the line for PDOIS
in '92. Every single one of them starting by telling me that "You won't
believe what PDOIS is saying?" Sosseh tells me he was so
disappointed/disgusted that he stopped buying Foroyaa for  years. Somehow,
illiterate Gambians saw through the crocodile tears being shed by the govt.,
but PDOIS didn't. Hard to believe.]
1996: Yaya wanted to renege on his promise not to run for the presidency. He
was being cagey; feeling the temperature. Some politicians shot remarks at
him to back off. But not Halifa Sallah. You came out to say that there's
nothing wrong with Yaya Jammeh transforming the AFPRC into a political party
and running for office. (1.) He SAID in public in 1995 -with Pres. Rawlings
of Ghana as the Gambian people's witness, that HE WILL NOT RUN.  (2.) He was
proposing to be a PLAYER and a REFEREE at the same time. How can you not see
the contradiction inherent in this arrangement? Those of us afar panicked.
We knew candidate Yaya Jammeh would do exactly what he did: murder, arrest,
torture, maim, and harass those who stands in his way. And still make a joke
of the entire electoral process. Any one with basic common sense could have
predicted the outcome. This clearly is bound to set the stage for future
trouble. But, Halifa Sallah saw nothing wrong with it!

And there is the matter of the Constitution. It openly defies the demand of
the majority of Gambians to have a Term Limit. There is the Indemnity
Clause. And the president still has the power to hire and fire any cabinet
member without telling Gambians why. The last time I checked, Yaya is
exercising that privilege with alacrity. He has hired and fired more
ministers in the last five years than Jawara had in thirty years! But you
continue to brag about your role in bringing this seriously flawed document
into force. That, while deriding the notion of civil disobedience in protest
against this document.  Gambian opposition to a four-year TimeTable forced
the erstwhile AFPRC to reduce their stay by two years. What's unrealistic
about taking a similar stand against an openly manipulated constitution? So
APRC MPs cheered Sedia Jatta's expose on the limits of presidential powers
etc. Big deal! Yaya Jammeh continues to treat the laws of the country with
open contempt. So, you think the APRC MPs will try to have him removed? No
way Jose'!

To believe your story in any of these cases is to agree that you're
incredibly naïve. Since that's illogical to me, I see you as manipulating
our body politic for less-than-honorable designs. You've clearly "rescued"
the Jammeh govt. in all these aforementioned cases. Is it out of patriotism,
altruism, or something more sinister? Or is it merely a case of you trying
to have it both ways: remain a firebrand-cum-fearless politician, while
presenting yourself to Yaya Jammeh as the least among the evil that he sees
the opposition as? Could it be because of your subtle and sometimes tacit
support that Yaya left only PDOIS un-banned from the old era? I don't find
this far-fetched at all. Somehow the "leverage" that has accrued to you from
rescuing the Jammeh govt. time and again, has got to amount to something.
Whatever the case may be, many Gambians are paying for decisions you've
contributed to. If some Gambians are too stupid to see that, that's their
problem.

So, I conclude by thanking you for responding to my provocation. I have
great respect for your mind. I sincerely believe that you have the capacity
to contribute immensely to the Gambia's future. But that requires more
forthrightness than you've shown so far. Because you profess to be a
non-politician politician, yet you often use tactics that would make Bubba
Clinton proud. You say you welcome exchanges, but as soon as someone takes
you up on your offer, you relapse into combat mode, trying to intimidate and
overwhelm them with voluminous -yet hardly relevant material. Not to talk
about the chest thumbing; How dare you? I'm holier-than-thou stuff. And yes,
you say you want to see true democracy, but you've willingly helped Yaya
Jammeh create a sham of a democracy. You say you're fearless, but presented
with an opportunity to stand up for the Gambia and demand a truly
progressive constitution, you balked. You're now saying that we should work
to improve the document. With Yaya comfortably in power, and having regret
the checks on his authority in the constitution, how realistic is that? You
call Korro a friend, yet you continue to refuse to write a retraction that
would clear the confusion that greeted your initial article on how he died.
Seeing how people had reacted to that article, all you had to do was,
clarify that you are not emphatically saying that Korro Ceesay was killed in
an accident. This Korro affair would have died a natural death then, and
Halifa Sallah's name would never be associated with it. But your
intransigence is what makes you an issue.
I could go on and on. It's human to be contradictory somewhat. But, yours
have become too expensive for me.
To some of your blind supporters, this debate is a case of Beauty and the
Beast; piety V. infidelity; integrity V. unscrupulousness. To me it's a case
of Appearance V. Substance; rhetoric V. concrete deeds; what's good for the
Jawara goose V. what's good for the Jammeh gander. I wish I could say at
this point that you've allayed my fears and doubt. But, if anything, I have
more misgivings about you now than I did when all this began. If only you
could answer our questions without going rope-a-dop. I only hope you'll
behave in ways in the future that would redeem your image somewhat. And I
hope, our future exchanges will be more fruitful. After two and a half
hours, I'm tired. So, Adieu my friend, or as my Jewish boss likes to say:
Shallom, Shallom!

Saul.


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