Joe, whoever wrote this article is missing the point, the type of suffering
he alludes to Jawara can be seen to affect all those that were with him, so
for him to abandone them without any effort of negotiations to extend the
same amnesty is both disheartening and egoistic. It is understandable that
exile can be tough, but the assertion 0f dignity supercedes and this is what
distinguishes genuine strugglers from the fake ones.
The pursuit of the logic posed by the Independent editor will naturally make
us all opportunists. Can't this author not see the need for national
reconcilliation to extend beyond Jawara, how many people were with Jawara
and are experincing more hardship than he was? So for him to accept whatever
offer excluding his mate is really incomprehensible to say the least. The
least he should have done was make a statement and express his wish for the
amnesty to cover his mates, but being the sly and dubious fox he has always
been, he enterd into secret arrangements to the exclusion of his former
colleagues.
Can you imagine how the families of Saihou Sabally, Ndow Njie, Mr. Bob Sarah
Janha, B.b Darbo and numerous other people would fell, they must be reeling
with both frustration and anger, after all Jawara has left themn in limbo,
they must brace them selves for a long exile, they nhave lost the only
negotiating piece they had. Jawara's actions to say the least are a
disgrace, he should be very ashamed of himself.
I hope the Jammeh regime will use widom and announce an unconditional
general amnesty, an amnesty that will cover all hitherto politicians, this
way we can say reconcilliation is genuine, but as long as there are those
former PPP members who still fear persecution then there is still a long way
to reconcilliation.
I hope Darbo qand OJ unlike waa-juwara will make a statement renouncing any
political affinity to Jawara and hence map a new route to their political
quest. Any further pretence that Jawara is still their figure-head leader
must be consigned to history. Jawara has betrayed such a hope or notion.
>From: Joe Sambou <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Give Jawara A Break
>Date: Fri, 7 Jun 2002 19:15:20 +0000
>
>No, you give Gambians a break and on the contrary, the hypocrisy lies in
>you. What happened to loyalty to one's principles, comrades, and country?
>You seem to share the "Jamfa" mentality that describes Jawara all
>throughout
>his political career. The man is worst than Brutus if you ask me. Can you
>imagine Mandela being released from jail to join the Afrikaner Movement at
>the expense of not only his comrades in exile, but the countless many South
>Africans that has been massacred and victimized by the Apartheid regime?
>This loyalty to self is what is sinking our country and it is sad to see
>senior citizens leading parade. On a personal note, Jawara can go to hell
>as far as I am concerned. But hey, why should we be surprised. This is
>the
>same man that in the 1980 mutiny, Kukoi et al held his family at gun point
>with threats to kill them should he attempt a come back, and what happened?
>We all heard over the radio the the whimpering of his wife... Modoor Ngi
>Nee
>Toog" etc.. His family could have been wiped out as far as he is concerned
>because of his love for self. Not to forget all those that were forced at
>gunpoint to renounce him, and he knew that they did it against their will.
>The same man that set some of his ministers up with his facade of seeking
>their honest opinion regarding his retirement, only to turn around and sack
>folks that honestly spoke their mind. Not forgetting his flip flop between
>the Church and the Mosque for political ends. So, my friends Fafa is
>consistent in his love for self. So, I say give us a break with your
>nonsense about Jawara resting in peace. Jawara owe Gambians big time and
>for this last Judas act to his supporters, I say stick it to him. It is
>his
>business to be the way he is and I think all Gambians reserve the right to
>judge him based on how they see him. And, yes, you are within your rights
>to emphathize with him, so let others speak their mind too. He is a weasel
>as far as I am concerned. Please read on.
>
>Give Jawara a Break!
>
>
>The Independent (Banjul)
>
>EDITORIAL
>June 7, 2002
>Posted to the web June 7, 2002
>
>Banjul
>
>One again, the drum of political lilliputism has started thundering in the
>land, renting air and our political dance troupes are fast casting off
>their
>façade for an all-nude dance to the utter bewilderment and entertainment of
>the civilized world.
>
>Or else how can we explain the on-going murmuring and even rumblings in the
>opposition camp over Papa Jawara's return to the country whose air he has
>been longing to gulp? How can some people be so hypocritical, indifferent
>and even cynical to the travails of a former president in his late 70s who
>had spent eight turbulent years away in tortuous exile, as to engage him in
>a battle for no reason other than returning home when his comrades are yet
>to be pardoned by the government? Who among us, when put in Jawara's shoes
>will not accept to come back home?
>
>There are certain sufferings that enrich our humanity in that they make us
>sensitive to the feelings of others. Subjecting the old man to
>mean-spirited
>political bickering amounts to doing him a great disservice. He who wears
>the shoes knows where it pinches. Jawara has suffered enough in exile and
>should be given a break to enable him live the rest of his life in peace of
>body and mind before he joins our ancestors.
>
>The stance of the hawks in the opposition that he should have fought for an
>extension of the amnesty to a blanket one to cover other members of his
>regime as a condition for his return is too old-fashioned. In fact, those
>blaming him for reciprocating President Jammeh's reconciliatory gestures
>are
>euphemistically asking for his political martyrdom, which will neither
>benefit him nor the nation. Indeed, there is no pressure he can apply
>indirectly on Jammeh from outside that he cannot effect from within the
>country.
>
>Judging from political events in the country, it will be difficult to
>convince even an on-looker that our version of political democracy does not
>belong to the epoch of primitive societies. Such societies are
>characterized
>by mechanical solidarity in which all followers depend on their leaders for
>their position on virtually any issue, rather than exhibiting a dint of
>independent judgement or initiative.
>
>One can even risk saying we cannot forgive unless our leaders tell us to
>forgive. The fallout from such state of affairs is that there is so much
>bitterness within the ranks of our leaders which permeates down to the
>common man that it now seems our leaders are the major obstacles to our
>peace and tranquility. In our vindictiveness we have forgotten the golden
>rule or categorical imperative that we should do unto others what we would
>want them to do unto us.
>
>Jawara deserves a rest and we must allow him to rest peacefully. For
>heaven's sake give the old pa a break!
>
>
>
>
>
>
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