Hello Ebriama,
Once again thank you for your tireless efforts to spread the massage of
peace to Gambians. Now is the right time for Gambians to come together and
see the back of Jammeh through peaceful means. We know that we are very
tired under Jammeh,but we will the to have more patient. May God guide us
through these rough way. Jammeh with his selfish followers are the only
people creating the conditions for civil strike.
Keep on the good work.


>From: Ebrima Ceesay <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: My Fourteenth Message To Gambians!
>Date: Sun, 3 Sep 2000 02:18:56 GMT
>
>My fellow Gambians,
>
>The days are relentlessly going by, and very soon, the presidential
>election
>time will be upon us in The Gambia. Time, they say, waits for no man;
>therefore, "tempus fugit" or time flies" should be our watchwords. The
>Presidential Election date, although it may seem far distant to us, is in
>fact just around the corner, and we have to be fully prepared for it.
>
>Let us not be caught ill-equipped or unawares. Instead let us use every
>single moment to get ourselves prepared for the electoral battle. Now is
>the
>time for action – for decisions – for the right choices.
>
>We are all agreed on one thing at least, and that is our determination to
>see Jammeh out of office. We all know Jammeh as a "criminal" and as a
>totally ineffective leader: we have had abundant evidence of his misuse of
>power and of his corruption. Consequently, if we are serious in our intent
>to oust this dreadful "leader", then we should be doing the necessary
>groundwork NOW in order to be successful in our aim.
>
>Some people are advocating a violent and premature end to this tyrannical
>regime: they call for Jammeh to meet the same type of violent overthrow and
>usurpation of power as he effected on the former regime. Whilst
>understanding people’s anxieties and the urgency of their need to get rid
>of
>Jammeh as quickly as possible, I still cannot acquiesce to these demands
>for
>another coup d’etat.
>
>The ballot box has to be our choice of preference: violence will only breed
>violence in the medium and long term. In the short term, a change of
>government based on a show of arms may achieve our desire to see the back
>of
>Jammeh and the APRC.
>
>However, it would create more problems than it would solve, and the danger
>would always be that violence would spawn further violence. We want no part
>of this scenario for our beloved Gambia. None of us want The Gambia to go
>down the route of countries like Liberia or Sierra Leone. The costs of an
>abortive (or successful) coup d’etat would be too great for our country to
>countenance or bear, and the danger would always be an escalation in the
>violence.
>
>Therefore, our only feasible and viable option (despite the scepticism of
>many) is the ballot box.  The elections are our weaponry in our battle to
>unseat Jammeh.
>
>Consequently, it is imperative that we take these forthcoming elections
>seriously. It is necessary that join hands and hearts in order to isolate
>the APRC regime under Jammeh. All our efforts have to be harnessed to
>ensuring free and fair elections, and we need to be working as a unilateral
>team to achieve this.
>
>As a people, we have a DUTY to be monitoring the whole electoral process
>with eyes wide open: if there is any fraud, any small transgression, any
>presidential or APRC interference then we need to shout these things out
>from the roof tops: we have to make sure that our voice is heard by every
>Gambian at home and abroad.
>
>And the good thing is that on the international scene, people are well
>aware
>of the ineptitude and misgovernance of Jammeh and his followers:  there is
>no doubt in people’s minds that Jammeh has done The Gambia a grave
>disservice over the last six years. He has resorted to illegalities and
>active repression, and he has brought our country into terrible disrepute
>on
>the world stage.
>
>No-one takes The Gambia seriously any more – we have the reputation of
>being
>a small country led by a small-minded but hugely egoistic imbecile.
>Jammeh’s
>extravagant manner of presenting himself to world leaders fools no-one:
>behind his back, people laugh at him and ridicule him for his profligacy.
>
>My fellow Gambians, with this background scenario, it is imperative that we
>Gambians mobilise ourselves and start to act NOW to get rid of this
>travesty
>of a president. We have to keep up the pressure on Jammeh and the APRC. We
>have to voice out our fears and doubts about him and them to the
>international community: we have to tell the truth about what is happening
>right now in The Gambia. Jammeh should not be allowed to get away scot-free
>with anything.
>
>As concerned Gambian citizens, we have two major roles to fulfil: the first
>is to spearhead the opposition to the current regime; the second is to
>prepare ourselves for the Presidential elections in particular. We have to
>be of one mind in order to rid ourselves of despot Jammeh, and we have to
>ensure that the mechanisms for a free and fair election are firmly in
>place.
>
>Tyrants like Yahya have every reason to hang on to power: it is their
>life’s
>blood and their nemesis. And as the incumbent president, Jammeh will try to
>play around with the electoral process; he will attempt to skew the
>procedures of lawful and free elections.
>
>This therefore makes it doubly vital that we, The Gambian People, monitor
>every stage of the electoral process: it is incumbent on us to ensure that
>Jammeh and the APRC do not have the upper hand without critical comment.
>
>We have to be watching these dreadful people every step of the way to true
>democracy. Let us place not one iota of belief in Jammeh’s rectitude and
>human decency. The man is power-hungry, and he will stop at nothing to
>continue his term of office.
>
>We have to become super-critical of what is happening in our nation: we
>have
>to be watchful of every last nuance and tactic of this despotic regime.
>
>Clearly, people have lost faith with Jammeh: all they need now is further
>enlightenment and coordination to exert their political will.  There is
>no-one on earth who could alter the will of the people, if the latter are
>organised, coordinated and informed.
>
>If we look at the example of Zambia under Kenneth Kaunda, then we see the
>history of a One Party State whose people had finally had enough: they
>called for, and got multiparty elections in 1991, and these led to a
>peaceful change of government which put Frederick Chiluba in power. Kaunda
>certainly did not want to relinquish power, but the collective voice of the
>people as expressed through the ballot box, saved the day for democracy.
>
>There are other examples on the African continent to give us heart in our
>powers as voters: not least Senegal, who gave the red card to a leader of
>thirty years standing, peacefully and successfully.
>
>Surely, our task is not going to be easy, but it is do-able. We therefore
>have to take our elections seriously; we have to monitor the process to
>ensure fairness and impartiality, and we have to take the long-term view
>for
>our country and its future generations.
>
>We, the people, can make a difference: all we need to do is get our act
>together and make a solemn declaration from the heart, that Jammeh must go.
>This will be our simple and powerful slogan: Jammeh MUST go.
>
>It is time for us all to harness the power which is ours by right:  we have
>to stop the talking and the moaning: we have to speak our voice openly,
>clearly and loudly and say "Jammeh MUST go". The man has disgraced our
>country and our people: he has brought our nation to ridicule.
>
>He has sent the wrong people at the wrong time to the wrong jobs, and we
>are
>paying the full costs of all this incompetence. We have to restore pride in
>our nation: both in our own citizenry and on the international forum.
>
>We do not want our country to be associated (as it is at present) with hard
>drug running, with arms dealing of the worst sort, with the illegal diamond
>trade, with prostitution and corrupt dealing: these are the end-results of
>six years of Yahya’s despotism. This is not how we want our nation to be
>perceived internationally or internally. Our intention is to build a Gambia
>whose bedrock is integrity, honesty, incorruptibility and sincerity.
>
>We have to be checking and re-checking that the forthcoming presidential
>elections are free and fair, and I now advocate several routes to ensuring
>a
>democratic and peaceful change of government and leadership.
>
>
>1. Safeguarding the Electoral Process
>
>
>During the last elections of 1996, we learned many lessons, and we had
>direct experience of the under-hand practices of the military regime
>transferring from the AFPRC to the APRC mode. We watched as the Security
>Forces intervened in the process of the elections (especially the Army).
>Their agenda was to buttress Jammeh in his power base, and they used every
>tactic in the book (and out of it) to fulfil their agenda.
>
>They interfered in all stages of the electoral process, up to election day
>itself; they threatened the people to the extent that the democratic rights
>of people to vote freely and confidentially were put at severe risk.
>Following the voting, there were irregularities in the reporting of the
>votes cast. The whole of the election process took on a tone of
>underhandedness and shady dealing.
>
>We now HAVE to learn from this experience, and as an electorate, demand
>that
>this next tranche of elections takes place on a level playing field, with
>impartiality and confidence guaranteed, and with no interference from any
>source whatsoever.
>
>It is therefore vital that the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) comes
>up with a published Code of Conduct so that no-one can be in doubt about
>the
>correct procedures. And our Opposition Parties in particular, have to be
>instrumental in ensuring that this Code of Conduct is known and respected
>by
>the whole electorate.
>
>Above all, the people alongside the IEC should be policing the electoral
>process: at any hint of transgression, irregularity or outright flouting of
>the law or this proposed Code of conduct, then there should be a call of
>alarm. We need to be calling FOUL whenever this call is justified.
>
>Any type of interference in the electoral process by individuals or groups
>should meet with the most stringent condemnation by the IEC and the people.
>
>Also, the IEC has to ensure that all political parties have equal access to
>TV and Radio transmission as part of the electioneering programme. There
>should be no favour offered to any one faction.
>
>Furthermore, during the last presidential elections, the deposit required
>from each individual wishing to contest the parliamentary elections was set
>at a very high level. We have to reduce the size of the required deposit,
>and bring it into line with our country’s economy. In fact, in my view, the
>issue of depositing money should not even be part and parcel of our
>elections.
>
>My fellow Gambians, the IEC is legally and constitutionally charged with
>the
>responsibility for the correct conduct of the elections. Consequently, any
>restrictions on campaigning rights should be reported immediately to the
>IEC. We have the right to expect that the IEC will monitor this area most
>stringently. If (God forbid) we get to the point where it is apparent that
>GROSS UNFAIRNESS is being perpetrated, then the IEC could declare that the
>election process is null and void and postpone the elections. In that case,
>we will all join hands and heart to further isolate Jammeh’s regime both at
>home and internationally.
>
>The good thing is that Yahya Jammeh is a true coward of the first order.
>His
>hot air tends to disguise the pressure under which he is operating at the
>moment. It is likely that if he is defeated at the elections, he may well
>seek to ignore the will of the people, but if we maintain our pressure on
>him, and keep steadfast and true to our aims, then Jammeh will go.
>
>Also, in a bid to safeguard the electoral process, it is vital that our
>Public Servants, (especially the Police and GRTS), put their country ahead
>of their own selfish needs, and before job security. If the IEC demands
>equal access to TV time for the opposing parties, then it should have the
>right to expect that our public servants (Tombong Saidy included) will
>comply with their (IEC’s) requirements. It is time for us all to
>demonstrate
>our love of country and our integrity: if our actions are called into
>question, then we should be prepared to follow what we know to be the right
>path.
>
>I hereby urge our people to monitor the election process at each stage:
>
>a. Ensure free and fair registration of voters  (for all qualified
>Gambians).
>
>b. Report any transgressions to the IEC: monitor any hint of fraudulent
>practices, and expect the IEC to undertake a full investigation.
>
>c. Ensure that the Opposition Parties have the same rights and privileges
>as
>the incumbent party.
>
>d. Ensure fair dealing from all public servants.
>
>e. Play an integral part in the election process.
>
>f. Ensure the incumbent party plays its part in ensuring free and fair
>elections.
>
>g. Ensure that the IEC is the body which sets the standards for action and
>conduct. On electoral issues, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) should
>not be involved except to ensure that law and order are properly
>maintained.
>
>
>
>2. The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC)
>
>
>The members of the IEC should fully understand that they have been
>empowered
>to organise and supervise the elections. They should therefore have nothing
>to fear as long as they are fair, transparent and responsible.
>
>The Gambian people will ensure that they offer full and necessary support
>to
>the IEC, for as long as they are certain that the organisation is
>INDEPENDENT AND FAIR.
>
>The IEC members have the duty to ensure that elections are conducted freely
>and fairly. We do understand the constraints under which this group
>operates, but we still urge them to expose any instances of arm-twisting or
>illegality.
>
>Let the IEC members remain aloof and impartial in their judgements: they
>have integrity and we should allow them to exercise this in full.
>
>Furthermore, let the IEC ensure that it has sufficient funding and specific
>resources to undertake their vital job, and in particular to ensure that
>they remain impartial and independent.
>
>The IEC HAS to start organising itself and its programme NOW. They have to
>be monitoring the registration of voters, and ensuring that there are
>sufficient voters cards, and that properly indelible ink is used.
>
>If the IEC feels that it needs more in terms of material and financial
>support, then it should straight away inform the International Community
>for
>assistance in this regard.
>
>
>3. Role of the Opposition Parties
>
>
>All Parties will need to give full respect to the IEC and its Code of
>Conduct.
>
>The Police and Security Forces should be assisting in ensuring the
>maintenance of law and order throughout the nation, but they should not be
>operating any sort of power base.
>
>The Opposition Parties need to ensure that their messages to the electorate
>are clear and to the point. With Jammeh as an opponent, it will be far
>easier to win the hearts and minds of the people. The opposition would not
>even need to spell out each and all of the occasions upon which Jammeh has
>let us all down. Every body now knows what Jammeh and his despotic regime
>represent.
>
>Also, the Opposition parties should avoid the use of invective language: we
>need to avoid invective and abuse. These have been Jammeh’s hall marks, but
>they certainly do not need to be ours. Let us aim for moderated and
>considered language to undertake this campaign.
>
>The Opposition needs to be sure that they have the wherewithal to fight the
>fight to the finish with Jammeh. The will need money, but this money is not
>to be used to buy votes (as has happened all too often in the past).
>Instead, it is meant to ensure that they have necessary resources to
>undertake an effective Nation-wide campaign. Gambians, especially those of
>abroad, should not hesitate to give financial support to the opposition
>party of their choice if we wish to defeat Jammeh at the elections.
>
>
>
>4. Coalition/Tactical Alliance
>
>
>Even though Jammeh is a doomed man, we should not be overly optimistic that
>we can unseat him, unless certain preconditions are met.
>
>I believe that a tactical alliance of all the Opposition Parties is an
>absolute must, and that we should not go into the first round of the
>elections without this tactical alliance in place.  It matters not at this
>point in time how powerful or popular the Opposition might find itself in
>terms of people’s votes cast. If we allow ourselves to be divided, then
>Jammeh will surely continue to rule.
>
>We absolutely HAVE to go into the first round of voting as a united front,
>setting aside our political differences for the sake of getting rid of
>Jammeh.
>
>For the sake of The Gambia and its people, I again urge our Opposition
>leaders to try and get together in consultation and come up with an
>election
>package acceptable to all for the time being. The time for political
>differences lies in the longer term future: certainly it is not appropriate
>now, in my view.
>
>Our catchword has to be UNITY if we are going to be sure of defeating
>Jammeh.
>
>It is crucial that our Opposition leaders remain flexible, and open to
>suggestion.  I urge them to be realistic as well as idealistic.
>
>The catchphrase is "JAMMEH MUST GO!"
>
>Ebrima Ceesay
>Birmingham, UK.
>
>
>_________________________________________________________________________
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