Mr Ceesay,

You're entitled to your opinion, but as far as I'm concern, this is a dead
issue.

Peace.

Saul


>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: Re: Alpha's Proposals for Gambia-L
>Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1999 06:33:02 PST
>
>Saul Khan,
>
>I saw the piece you sent to Alpha Robinson in private, and I don't think I
>can even find the right words to describe how disappointed I was when I
>read
>your material.
>
>Actually, your piece reminded me of what a leading African political
>scientist remarked to me, during a seminar I attended, just last week, in
>Bristol, UK.
>
>Having heard me speak with lucidity and enthusiasm about my vision for
>Africa in the 21st century, the political scientist remarked to me, during
>lunch break as follows: "Mr Ceesay, I enjoyed your talk...but I am no
>longer
>moved by good speeches. Why? Because many of us who are fortunate to be
>articulate in speaking and eloquent in writing are the very ones who put
>Africa in the mess in which it finds itself today"...
>
>He continued: "rather than help clarify complex issues for our people, so
>that they can make the right choices, many of us who are bright are only
>good at confusing our people, by injecting into their minds, very backward
>ideas such tribalism etc, ideas that do no good anyone, except harm to a
>whole Nation"...
>
>Now, having read Saul Khan's private e-mail to Alpha Robinson, I am
>convinced, more than before, that what the political scientist told me the
>other day, in Bristol, does hold water, or some truth.
>
>Gambia L, I am afraid to say this, but if Saul's private e-mail to Alpha is
>anything to go by, then Saul could be a fitting example of one of those
>bright Africans - mentioned by the political scientist - who, instead of
>clarifying complex issues for their people, are bringing out to the fore,
>irrelevant issues that would only create more havoc and chaos on the
>African
>Continent.
>
>No one who has been reading Saul's contributions to the L can deny the fact
>that the guy is bright and very eloquent. In fact, I must say here that I,
>for one, did enjoy reading most of his postings; and, needlessly to say, I
>also did learn a lot from his contributions.
>
>But having said that I must say I was very disappointed when I read the
>content of the private e-mail he sent to Alpha Robinson. I would never have
>expected a brilliant guy like Saul to have come up with such an unfortunate
>e-mail, a mail whose content, in my view, was irresponsible, retrogressing
>and, above all, more likely to divide our people, instead of uniting them.
>
>And, besides, as my able sister, Jabou Joh pointed out yesterday, some of
>the issues raised by Saul "have no bearing on the subject raised by Alpha."
>
>Frankly speaking, I would have expected a guy like Saul - given his wit and
>acuity - to have taken the lead in warning against tribalism in Africa in
>general, and the Gambia in particular, instead of coming of with
>remarks/sentiments that could, in fact, stir up trouble in our society.
>
>Sincerely, some of the sentiments expressed by Saul in his e-mail to Alpha
>are, to say the least, very worrying and disappointing. But I, for one,
>have
>found consolation in the fact that Gambians have now become more
>politically
>mature and more critically minded.
>
>Henceforth, no one can take the majority of the Gambian people for a ride.
>Many Gambians can now distinguish between what is sincere and what is not
>sincere; what is truthful and what is unreal; what is progressive and what
>is retrogressive; what brings peace and harmony and what stirs up trouble.
>
>I am sure all right thinking Gambians on the L, and outside the L, will
>never entertain some of the views expressed by Saul in his private mail to
>Alpha.
>
>The economic and political problem facing our Nation, on the eve of the new
>millennium, are quite enormous; and, really, what we need to do, or occupy
>our minds with, is to try and come up with concrete ideas on how we can
>build a much more better Gambia, for all of us, in the 21st century.
>
>I am in for a debate, but it has to be a very healthy one, which is
>conducted with respect, maturity, decency, clarity, sincerity and
>truthfulness.
>
>In my view, a healthy debate among ourselves is very necessary, so that
>with
>all the ideas and suggestions being brought forward, we might finally
>succeed in devising the right blue print that would help build a better
>Gambia, in the 21st century; a Gambia where the people's needs and
>aspirations would, at long last, be addressed.
>
>I must, however, say that, nowadays, the debate on the L is very healthy
>and
>encouraging. Consequently, it is in the interest of all of us to make sure
>that such a trend continues.
>
>Let us continue to engage in serious and responsible debates so that what
>needs rectification in our country would be rectified, and what is already
>right would be protected and preserved.
>
>Building a genuine democracy is not an easy task, but it is not
>insurmountable. It only requires the right mix of enlightened leaders, an
>active civil society, institutions that work and, of course, time.
>
>Anyway, the signs of the time are very encouraging; and, for me, they
>signal
>a bright future for our motherland. The days when the Gambia has had a
>docile civil society had long gone. Henceforth, let us vigorously
>scrutinise
>all our politicians, be they in government or in opposition, so that those
>who are sincere and committed to the cause can be discerned from those who
>are not genuine.
>
>Hamjatta and Saul have started scrutinising PDOIS' role during the
>transition period and beyond, and it would be very healthy if such a
>scrutiny, as insinuated by Jabou and a few others, is also extended to
>other
>politicians and political parties in the country, as well the media,
>including my own role during the transition period if you will.
>
>I am confident that this scrutiny, if conducted fairly and objectively, the
>Gambia, as a country, would be the only WINNER. It would enable us to
>identify those politicians who are genuinely committed to the principles of
>transparency and accountability and those who are not.
>
>In my view, the era when our politicians regard the people as mere
>supplicants who must beg them (the politicians) for favours is about to
>fade
>away in Gambian politics.
>
>I may sound over optimistic here, but I am of the view that sooner rather
>later, our politicians must wake up to the reality that they either have
>deliver the goods, or risk being voted out of office by their electors.
>
>Let us, therefore, continue to be on our toes, probing, listening and
>asking
>vital questions, especially with regard to how our country is being
>governed, so that we can help build a much more developed and prosperous
>Gambia in the 21st century.
>
>Having said so, let me now return to the main issue, which is Saul's
>private
>e-mail to Alpha Robinson. Saul, let me make it very clear to you that I
>don't know Alpha well, but I could sense/feel that the brother was genuine,
>and had no hidden agenda whatsoever, except a love for his country and her
>people, when he sent his proposals to the L.
>
>By the way, Saul, I was in the Gambia during the 1996 elections; and I can
>tell you, in all honesty, that Alpha's comment regarding tribal politics
>during the 1996 election was a fair/legitimate comment. Indeed, there was
>evidence that there were A VERY FEW politicians who, on their own will,
>tried to urge some of the voters to vote along tribal lines.
>
>But the important thing here is that the leaders of all the political
>parties in the Gambia, as far as I know, had, at the time, openly
>encouraged
>the voters to elect their leaders, based on their programmes and policies,
>and nothing else.
>
>In my view, it would be very unfair and irresponsible for that matter, to
>accuse the leaders of the political parties of having a tribal agenda.
>However, having said that it was also a valid comment for Alpha to have
>suggested that there were certain politicians (although not any of the
>party
>leaders I must add here) who tried to inject tribal sentiments during the
>1996 elections.
>
>The other day deposed president Jawara accused Mr Jammeh of injecting
>tribalism in some parts of his government, but if you really observe
>Jammeh's appointments very clearly, it becomes clear as a sunny day that
>two
>KEY factors come into play, when he considers people for appointments; and
>these two factors are loyalty and trust.
>
>I may wrong here, but, in my eyes, what Mr Jammeh looks for when appointing
>officials is someone who would be trusted and loyal to him. And needless to
>say that Mr Jammeh can find such a person in any of the tribes in the
>Gambia.
>
>As for Ousainou Darboe, a BBC colleague of mine, Mick Slatter, who came to
>cover the 1996 presidential election, had asked him during a press
>conference, held by the UDP, a few days before the election, whether his
>party had a tribal agenda, or whether it was formed along tribal lines.
>
>And, in reply, not only did Mr Darboe dismiss such claims as nonsense, but
>he also cited the fact that the deputy leader of his party, Yahya Jallow,
>is
>Fula, while Ebou Manneh, a senior figure of the party is Wollof.
>
>Furthermore, Lawyer Darboe also revealed that one of his wives is Wollof
>and
>that many of the friends were, in fact, Wollofs, Fulas, Jolas etc. So
>brother Saul, let's be very careful with this talk of tribalism in the
>Gambia. Let's bury the word under the carpet once and for all, because it
>is
>like playing with fire.
>
>I'll take this opportunity to call on you, to use your NOUS in a positive
>manner, so that we can save beautiful Gambia from the mayhem and
>destruction
>tribalism has brought in other parts of Africa.
>
>By the way, it is very encouraging to note that, in actual fact, tribal
>politics is already fading away in some African countries.
>
>Let me also take the opportunity to report on some of the positive
>developments taking place on the African Continent, on the eve of new
>millennium.
>
>It was refreshing to hear at the Bristol seminar that some of the leaders
>in
>Africa have now woken up to the reality that African development will
>become
>a reality if and only when they are able tap the continent's rich human
>resources overseas.
>
>Consequently, a few African leaders, who aware of the fact that the return
>of such human resources will serve as a leverage for accelerated
>development, have begun attracting their citizens abroad back home. And
>already the dividend is paying.
>
>There are now a few African countries that have started doing very well in
>economic terms; and, for me, all these developments signal a bright future
>for the Continent in the 21st century.
>
>I am sure if the Harold Macmillan, the British Prime Minister who
>accurately
>predicted the end of colonial rule in a speech to the Parliament of South
>Africa could be resurrected, he would repeat in clearer terms his historic
>statement that a more devastating wind of change was blowing in today's
>Africa.
>
>This wind will dismantle the pillars of repression and tyranny in Africa,
>following which an Africa which will accord all her citizens a very decent
>and dignified living would be built once and for all.
>
>In fact, an unnoticeable renaissance has already started transforming our
>continent, although I must be quick to add that the transformation is very
>slow. An Africa in which governments are becoming accountable to their
>citizens; in which real progress is being made to reduce poverty is already
>under way.
>
>Take Mali, for example. Under president Alpha Oumar Conare's leadership,
>economic growth has been restored and, most remarkably, the country has
>sprouted over 1,000 radio stations, making it one of the most "tune in"
>countries on the globe.
>
>Another good example is Botswana. At independence in 1966, Botswana was one
>of the world's poorest countries; but today, it boasts of a vibrant economy
>with 15 consecutive years of budgetary surplus and substantial foreign
>exchange reserves. The life expectancy of its citizens has risen from 49 to
>65 years.
>
>Ghana is also reported to be doing well in economic terms. The inflation
>rate which remained 60 per cent from the mid 1970s to the mid 1980s, had
>dropped to 10 per cent. Economic growth is now chugging along at a healthy
>5
>per cent.
>
>Also Ghana's fledgling stock exchange has burst onto the international
>scene
>and, presently, it boasts of a capitalization almost $2 billion dollars.
>
>By the way, there are now over 15 African stock markets, and Afica is also
>reported to possess 54 per cent of the world's cobalt; 32 per cent of its
>bauxite; 52 per cent of its manganese; 81 per cent of its chromium stocks.
>South Africa alone is said to have 84 per cent of the world's reserve of
>platinum.
>
>Also, 20 per cent of US oil imports now come from Africa; and American
>investors are finding Africa highly profitable. In fact, the average annual
>return on the book value of US investments in Africa in the 1990s was over
>25 per cent, compared to less than 10 per cent worldwide.
>
>Still talking positively about Africa, let me also inform some of you who
>do
>not know, that African infant mortality rates have also declined from 165
>to
>per 1,000 - 30 years ago to 97 per 1,000 today.
>
>Also, average life expectancy has risen from 40.1 years to 51.3 years. The
>aggregate African growth rates in 1995 and 1996 averaged twice that of the
>previous decade, and in 21 African countries, the economic growth rate is
>at
>least double the rate of population growth.
>
>Furthermore, in 1996 and 1997, 26 African countries conducted multi- party
>elections. It is true that many Africa countries still remain under
>military
>dictatorship, but, at the same time, there is also a good number of African
>States that are making headways both in political and economic terms.
>
>I'll conclude with these remarks, but I forgot who uttered them: "when we
>want to rise, we will. When we are ready to grow, we can. The only thing
>holding us in place right now, are the things we do."
>
>Ebrima Ceesay,
>Birmingham, UK.
>
>PS: D.A Jawo, welcome on board, and I hope you'll find Gambia L useful. I
>am
>sure if time permits you, you will do some good writing for the L. By the
>way, how is the Gambai Press Union doing? Hope things are okay. My warmest
>regards to Pap Saine, Deyda Hydara, Yorro Jallow, Alieu Badara Sowe (borom
>Jasigui) and all the rest of the crew down there.
>
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