Gassa,
I was not arguing for or against the reasons the UDP/PPP colaition decided to
boycoitt the elections, but if what you say is true, there are indeed many
inconsistencies in their position, but it would appera that there are also
incinsistencies in the position of PDOIS because the ydid participate in the
elections organized under Roberts and are preparing to partivcipate in the
national assembly elections. I gues there are incinsistencies all over the
place.
My point was that given the allegations of foreign voters voting in the last
electionsa, coupled with the last minute decision by Gabriel Roberts to
change the rules at the last minute ans allow those not on the register to
vote, and with the allegations of shuffling around of voters from one
district to another and the report that there will be more voters in some
areas in the coming elections than in the presidential elections, it seems
that there are all kinds of illegalities in this process and to participate
in it is tantamount to acceptance of them. Therefore, I think that the
right thing would be not only to boycott these elections., but that the
opposition parties should have embarked on an effort to bring the
presidential elections to a halt in view of the last minute shanges made by
Gabriel Roberts and which should have made anyone "smell a rat"
I will let the UPD/PPP alliance argue their own reasons for the boycott and
the inconsistencies.
Of course, my main point was to let you know that you continue to argue about
the merits of so called progress being justification for your support for
this regime even as they violate every law, abuse every right and turn our
country into a ploice state.
I fail to understand why supposedly intelligent Gambians cannot demand
progress along with the safeguard of our civil and constitutional rights and
freedom of speech etc. A distatordhip does not have to be part of the so
called progress. It is not the progress we need to debate, but the
lawlessness and tyranny. That is the problem and should be a problem to be
addressed by all of us, instead of just paying lip service to structures
erected by this regime when they are infact robbing us blind and living
extravagantly and tortuting, locking up and silencing anyone who talks avout
these things. I know you give a semblance of criticizing them and nothing has
happened to you, but you are a pawn in their mind game Gassa.
Jabou Joh
In a message dated 12/25/2001 10:45:19 AM Central Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
>
>
> Thanks for the clarifcation. I would however like to re-iterate that I am
> not saying the UDP SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT boycot the forthcoming National
> Assembly Elections. What I am saying is that their timing has nothing to do
> with the fairness of otherwise of the electoral process. I also maintain
> that the continued consolidation of the UDP/PPP/GPP coaliation will, in the
> long run, do more harm to the UDP than if they sever their links now and
> engage the other parties as well so as to form a formidable challenge to
> the
> APRC and thus contribute possitively in our democratisation process.
>
> PDOIS's Vision as posted by Adama states:
>
> "Our Vision
>
> To safeguard in words and practice the role of National Assembly members as
> trustees of the power and aspirations of the sovereign Gambian people, who
> must, at all times, be determined to foster and safeguard liberty, justice,
> dignity and people centre development in accordance with the dictates of
> conscience and the people's interests."
>
> This, in a nutshell, is what we as a people expect. That is why I said that
> it will be a big loss to the Gambian people if people like Kemeseng Jammeh
> are absent from the National Assembly.
>
> Another issue I find difficult to understand about the UDP is their
> inconsistencies. When Bishop Johnson was sacked as chairman of the IEC,
> they
> said it was unconstitutional and declared their intention to challenge its
> legality. While on the one hand PDOIS stated that until the legality of
> Bishop Johnson's removal was settled by the high court, they will not
> participate in any elections organized by the new chairman, Gabriel
> Roberts.
> On the other hand the UDP while saying that Gabriel Roberts election as
> chairman of the IEC was unconstitutional, participated in the by elections
> organized by him.
>
> Secondly, even before counting of the presidential election votes were
> completed, the UDP leader called Jammeh and conceded. While people were
> applauding him for being a decent looser, he reneges on his earlier
> decision
> saying that the electoral process was neither free nor fair. This was done
> even though his party militants were at all the polling stations,
> scrutinized thaose who came to vote and then signed the results as
> representing the will of the people.
>
> Thirdly, having written to the IEC chairman voicing their concerns about
> what they called the massive transfer of voters from one constituency to
> another and illegal voter registration amongst other griviences and having
> given the chairman of the IEC what tantamounts to an ultimatum, vis-a-vis,
> a
> demand for the IEC to MAKE AVAILABLE TO the UDP HEAD REGISTERS FOR ALL
> CONSTITUENCIES ON OR BEFORE 22nd DECEMBER 2001. This they said was to
> "ensure that no illegal registration carried out is further injected into
> the registration in June". Emphasis, mine. Considering the fact that they
> made this demand by a letter dated the 19th December, why could they not at
> least wait until the expiry of their 3 day ultimatum? Again why would the
> want "to ensure that no illegal registration carried out is further
> injected
> into the registration in June", when they already have evidence to the
> contrary, evidence that has so far not been presented to anybody but rather
> based on speculation?
>
> The whole thing does not make any sense to me or is it a case of selective
> amnesia on your part? Doesn't the inconsistencies that I pointed out worry
> you at all? Couldn't they have presented their evidence of any electoral
> mal-practice to the other parties and take a collective action? Do you want
> to believe that both the PDOIS and NRP leadership will sit idley by while
> the APRC in colaboration with the IEC rigs the forth coming election,
> elections that they will be putting D5,000.00 per candidate to contest?
>
> You what Yankuba Touray had to say about the UDP/PPP/GPP boycot? He said it
> will have no consequence for our democratization process. He posited that
> the UDP/PPP/GPP coalition used up all their resources during the past
> presidential elections and don't have sufficient money to field in 45
> candidates and campaigne effectively. Could this be true? Just wondering.
>
> Have a good day, Gassa.
>
>
>
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