Mr. Conteh, you misunderstood my analysis. I am not in anyway trying to
portray that UDP or Almamy Touray are tribalist in their affairs. In any
political campaign, one need to know the type of people you are dealing with
and must follow certain approach or tools to solicit their support. You must
be conversant with the realities on the ground.
Anywhere in the world, politicians target certain influential interest
groups such as trade unions, race and tribal groups, gender and age groups,
students, religious organizations, etc. This is not peculiar to any decent
politic as long as providing the needs of these groups is put on high
premium during campaign. Similarities is what matters but not our
differences.
I don't like tribalism either.
Cheers
Lamin
>From: MLJ Conteh <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: UDP EXPELS HON. ALMAMY TOURAY/INDEPENDENT
>Date: Wed, 9 May 2001 17:31:20 -0400
>
>Mr. Manneh:
>
>The mere fact that you enumerated tribes in each
>polling station should be a concern to any
>Gambian. Tribal identification or enumeration
>is the worst evil that continues to divide us.
>I therefore, condemn your analogy and I advocate that
>we are one Gambia and tribe has no place in Gambian
>politics.
>
>As a new generation of Gambians, we should be
>sensitive to tribal issues. I believe that
>tribalism should be made a crime in The Gambia.
>We have been living together for so long that
>any Gambian who advocates tribal identification
>should be condemned.
>
>As I meet Gambians here in The US, I am quick to
>advocate that our tribal attitudes need to change.
>We are so intermingled that no Gambian can claim
>to be 100% one tribe. It is deplorable that we
>witness discrimination in the US and yet we continue
>to exercise this evil sin.
>
>If Hon. Almamy Touray advocated tribalism during his
>campaign, he should have been condemned by the leadership
>of UDP. We must be careful in how we treat each other.
>
>My condemnation of the leadership of UDP is based on the
>fact that we need to seek unity. No one knows exactly the
>dispute between Hon. Touray and the UDP leadership. The
>saddest thing is that the UDP has more to lose than gain in
>this dispute. People are asking, who is actually saying the
>truth, Touray or the UDP leadership?
>
>Naphiyo,
>
>Comrade ML Jassey-Conteh
>
>
>------Original Message------
>From: Lamin Manneh PF <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Sent: May 9, 2001 8:09:01 PM GMT
>Subject: Re: UDP EXPELS HON. ALMAMY TOURAY/INDEPENDENT
>
>
>Mr. Conteh, let me add my little thoughts on this issue. Hon. Touray was
>sitting on a hot UDP chair in parliament. His victory in the last National
>Assembly Election was mainly due to the fact that APRC failed to select
>the
>candidate of people's choice. The majority of Nianinkas were in for one
>Sainey Manneh whose candidature was rejected by the APRC National
>Committee.
>Over 3000 supporters of Mr. Manneh in that district change their allegiance
>from APRC and voted for Hon. Touray. This was the same way he came to
>parliament in 1992 when PPP selected Talip Bensouda who was widely
>unpopular
>in Niani.
>Please allow me for the sake of political analysis only to talk about
>tribal
>representation in Niani, how it help Hon. Touray to victory and the dire
>consequences it have on his next election campaign. First here are the
>polling stations of last NAM election in Niani.
>1. Nyaga Bantang mainly Wollof
>2. Gingori Mustapha Fullas & Wollof
>3. Kass Wollof maily Wollof
>4. Jukul Ndawen Mainly wollof
>5. Dinkirai Fulla, wollof
>6. Wassu mandinka, fulla
>7. Kuntaur mixed but more mandinka
>8. Sukuta mainly mandinka
>9. Kayai mainly mandinka
>10. Kataba Alh. Omar Fulla and Wollof
>11. M'bayen Wollof mainly wollof
>It is therefore a blunt fact that for anybody to win in Niani, the person
>MUST have the Wollof majority(the same is true fot upper fulladu west). You
>don't have to campaign on tribal line but you need to addresss specific
>needs of these people and must deploy tactics that will shift their
>confidence and support to your party. What really happened in Niani last
>NAM
>election was that this Wollof majority was grossly dissappointed with APRC
>when they rejected Mr. Manneh. Two days after nominations in Janjanbureh, a
>delegation of five prominent people with 3500 voter's cards and D5000 cash,
>stormed my office to nominate Mr. Manneh as Independent candidate. I
>rejected the application because nominations were closed at that time.
>After
>an intensive conversation on the election degree, these ardent APRC
>supporters left with an ire in their eyes but strong in principle. Their
>last word to me was "we will do to Jammeh, what we did to Jawara", which
>implies voting for Almamo or UDP. The five reps. seemed to like Hon. Touray
>but not UDP as a party. Hon. Touray eventually won because he got over half
>of the divided wollof votes and almost entirely the whole of Kuntaur, Kayai
>and Sukuta areas.
>To wrap up, UDP should find out why they are not getting support in certain
>communities like Niani and help candidates who faces potential defeats in
>their districts(like Hon. Touray) with appropiate campaign strategies. In
>fact they should come out with a comprehensive campaign plan for each
>district as soon as possible. People like Wa Juwara and Jallow, both former
>commisioners, could be very useful in that exercise. The way you handle
>Kombokas is different from Badibonkas and the same is true throughout the
>country. We don't have to discuss that on this forum, but any section in
>The Gambia has some interesting unique qualities.
>Cheers
>PF Manneh
>NOTE: Mr. Dampha and others, i am not very good in replying people's
>comments on postings due to busy schedules. I always appreciate your
>brilliant comments on the L. Will send you a private mail soon.
>
>
>
>
> >From: MLJ Conteh <[log in to unmask]>
> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
> ><[log in to unmask]>
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: Re: UDP EXPELS HON. ALMAMY TOURAY/INDEPENDENT
> >Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 20:22:03 -0400
> >
> >Mr. Owens:
> >
> >It is interesting that we are in principle as a
> >united front against the dictator. Whether we
> >decide to critic issues in their entity, we have
> >reasons to be critical of the dictatorship.
> >
> >It is disturbing to hear Hon. Touray's expulsion
> >from Kebba Jobe, though he Kebba said the opposite
> >of the truth. It will serve members of the L if
> >UDP and NRP can have their propaganda secretaries
> >listed on the L so that we can engage them in
> >substantive debates. I commend Brother Halifa Sallah
> >for coming forthwith with his analysis on PDOIS's
> >position.
> >
> >My position on Hon. Touray's case has not changed.
> >I believe that the UDP has a moral obligation to
> >tell us what really happened rather than reading
> >the trend of events from third parties.
> >
> >As we move in a threshold, we as an opposition must
> >clearly define our purpose and seek unity. We should
> >not be in any position to create disarray. I believe
> >that the UDP leadership acted improperly in expelling
> >Hon. Almamy Touray.
> >
> >Naphiyo,
> >
> >Comrade ML Jassey-Conteh
> >
> >------Original Message------
> >From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Sanusi=20Owens?= <[log in to unmask]>
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Sent: May 8, 2001 11:24:57 AM GMT
> >Subject: Re: UDP EXPELS HON. ALMAMY TOURAY/INDEPENDENT
> >
> >
> >Comrade Conteh
> >
> >This was a brilliant point. However, I wonder whether
> >it is sensible for UDP to have someone like Touray in
> >their camp.
> >
> >I have carefully followed the activities of Mr Touray
> >as NAM of the UDP. At no time have I heard him made
> >any significant contribution to the Adjournment
> >debates.
> >In addition, I have heard no contribution from Mr
> >Touray on the following motions sponsored by the UDP;
> >
> >The Crude Oil Saga,
> >
> >The motion to defeat the Government's amendment to the
> >Indemnity Act.
> >
> >Comrade Conteh,
> >
> >Lets face it Almamy Touray's expulsion from the party
> >is a blessing in disguise. This man already has a
> >criminal record and it would be difficult for him to
> >defend his record as an NAM of UDP in the next
> >parliamentary elections. I think UDP should have
> >expelled Mr Touray after his release from Beligian
> >jails. It was an embarrassment to the party, but thank
> >God the matter has now been settled. According to
> >reliable sources, Mr Touray is seen as a possible
> >defector to the APRC. If this is proven to be true
> >then surely they have taken a wise measure; EXPEL HIM
> >BEFORE HE EMBARRASSES THE PARTY.
> >
> >Having said so, I agree with you that UDP should have
> >waited until after the dissolution of parliament, but
> >why should they tolerate someone who lacked the
> >political courage to defend the party's interests in
> >parliament?
> >
> >Finally, Mr Touray represents a constituency which
> >were affected by the April 10/11 Students Massacre. If
> >Mr Touray could abstain from voting on the Indemnity
> >Act then surely we wonder why he should continue
> >representing the people of Barrajally,who lost their
> >kids in that brutal act by security forces of the
> >APRC. What message does it give to the Gambian
> >majority yearning for justice? The NAM who should have
> >been at the forefront decides to keep silent about the
> >whole issue. In all fairness, UDP has set its
> >standards and we should commend them, other parties
> >should take note that a principles must never be
> >compromised for individual interests or else political
> >freedom from APRC will be a myth.
> >
> >I understand that it was Kebba Jobe who first sent us
> >this information entitled a Terrible blow to UDP.
> >There again we saw our University Graduate in
> >Engineering trying to act as a passive supporter of
> >the APRC Government. One fundamental blunder committed
> >by Mr Jobe was to regard Touray's "resignation" from
> >the party as a terrible blow to the party. What's
> >wrong with this man. I have read all his articles, but
> >this one was the worst. We all know what is a terrible
> >blow to a political party. Did he read Mr Tamsir
> >Jallow's comments on Musa Suso's conviction. Did
> >Tamsir Jallow not say that Musa Suso's conviction was
> >a terrible blow for the ruling APRC? If Mr Jobe was
> >honest with the situation, we would heard his views on
> >this case. Here the party in power got humiliated and
> >they had to recover by making Touray's expulsion a big
> >issue. It is my view that Mr Jobe must have been
> >acting on orders from above to disseminate news that
> >Touray has resigned from the party in the hope of
> >diverting attention from the Musa Suso's conviction.
> >They have used this tactic before, take for instance
> >the April Massacre. At a time when people were
> >mourning the death of those youths murdered by the
> >security forces, APRC decides to announce that Almamy
> >Touray is serving a prison sentence in Beligium.In
> >fact this news was always kept under the carpet and
> >their decison to make it an issue was all political.
> >The whole ploy by APRC was for people to focus on
> >Touray's imprisonment and forget about the APRIL
> >Massacre.
> >
> >With this in mind, the APRC have suffered a terrible
> >blow from last week's sentencing of Musa Suso's
> >conviction for drug trafficking. If APRC had the guts,
> >they would have suspended Musa Suso from the party,
> >but instead even gave him an award some two weeks ago.
> >I think that award was to indicate that he will be the
> >First Member of the National Assembly to be convicted
> >in the Gambian Law Courts.Well Done Musa Suso for
> >being Mile 2 Prison's VIP- very important person or
> >vagabonds in power.
> >
> >I await your response.
> >
> >Have a wonderful day
> >
> >Sanusi
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >--- MLJ Conteh <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >
> >Pah:
> > >
> > > I read with interest your posted message on
> > > Hon. Almamy Touray's expulsion from UDP. You
> > > indicated that one of the reasons was that
> > > Hon. Touray did not follow party rules of
> > > conduct and also was silent during the passage
> > > of the last controversial bill in the legislature.
> > > You further stated that he was working with the
> > > enemy forces against the interest of UDP.
> > >
> > > I am really concern about the subjective
> > > interpretation by the UDP leadership in this
> > > situation. Hon. Touray was elected to represent
> > > the people of Niani. His duty as a member of the
> > > legislature is to interpret legislative issues
> > > objectively and if he fails to do sure, he has
> > > breached a contract with his constituency.
> > >
> > > I am further concern that with the present state
> > > of affairs in our country, the opposition should
> > > be engaging in building a family tree rather than
> > > cutting it down. I do not condone Hon. Touray's
> > > behavior, but I am concern with the lack of
> > > independence that elected members must exhibit
> > > during parliamentary proceedings. No elected
> > > representative should robber stamp any initiative
> > > endorsed by his or her political party. As we
> > > reach a finer moment in our struggle, we need to
> > > embrace each other rather than destroy the
> > > bridge building initiative that the opposition
> > > started.
> > >
> > > In this analysis, I condemn the leadership of UDP
> > > for expelling Hon. Almamy Touray. Hon. Touray has
> > > all the rights to be a renegade member of The
> > > Gambian legislature. I have not heard from the
> > > speaker or the clerk of the legislature of any
> > > violations committed by Hon. Touray. If it is
> > > true that the gentleman did not violate any
> > > parliamentary proceeding, then the UDP leadership
> > > acted unwisely to expel Hon. Almamy Touray. It
> > > seems that the UDP leadership is enabling a void
> > > in inflicting a serious wound to the image of its
> > > party. Though I am a passive supporter of UDP, I
> > > have a duty to disagree in principle in expelling
> > > a member of The Gambian legislature from an
> > > opposition party trying hard to unseat a dictator.
> > >
> > > Naphiyo,
> > >
> > > Comrade ML Jassey-Conteh
> > >
> > >
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