Hi Tony,
It has been quite a while since you left The Gambia.  But, if memory serves
me right, I remember you teaching us how to play soccer in the makeshift sand
field next to the Darboe compound. If this is the same Tony Cisse, much
respect.

Anyway, back to the issue at hand.  I did not advocate violence in my last
posting.  Yes, because of my serious disagreement with what has transpired
and a genuine concern for the people of our country along with my family, the
tone of my piece might have sounded a bit ominous.  In regard to my statement
that we cannot let this go down without a fight, there are many ways to fight
without actually being violent.  Of course, Tony, if the chips are down and
there is no other alternative, what is necessary will be done.  And if this
means taking drastic action, then so be it.  But, we could fight by making
sure that the international community is aware of what is transpiring, by
forming a strong lobby group, similar to The Gambia -L, that will give the
defacto government evidence that not all is well, and finally by empowering
the opposition and mobilizing the peoples of The Gambia to stand up against
this inexperienced leader. Even "cyberspace" has been an effective weapon in
the fight for a better Gambia.  There are many ways to fight nonviolently,
and the people that will eventually contribute towards this collective action
will be non other than our own people.


By mobilizing in the some of these ways, hopefully the ultimatum will be
clear to Mr. Jammeh and he will have no alternative but to heed the writing
on the wall and flee to Morocco where he can mingle with the Arabs and pray
to Allah for forgiveness for the remainder of his life.  If he does not heed
the warning, the same fate that met Lt. Sanneh and Lt. Manneh will befall
him.  And I will not be the least sorry about it.  By any means necessary
except at the expense of The Gambian people.

On the other hand, I also followed the situation in Sierra Leone, and I am in
agreement with you that the cost of human life was devastating.  We even
suffered similarly affliction during the coup of 1981.  Many good brothers
and sisters lost their lives and were buried in mass grave in the old
graveyard on the outskirts of Banjul.  But I do think that, for now, we
cannot let this go down without a fight.  Let us fight nonviolently with all
our might against the injustice that has been perpetrated against the
citizens of The Gambia by bringing all our resources and our minds together.
And, again, if all else fails, Karma will take it's course.

Tony, to conclude, the only way out and forward is a change in leadership and
a reevaluation of what has transpired since our independence.  We need a
mature and honorable leader, not a boy who does not have the qualities to be
one.  Similarly, we need to appoint highly qualified people who can run the
government departments, not the likes of ex-Corporal, Yankuba Touray.  To
add, the small military has to either return to the barracks or be disbanded.
 A committee should also be formed to find out how much money has been
siphoned to foreign countries and ways of recovering the stolen money.  And
finally, we should try to reconcile our fractionated population.  I do not
have all the answers, Tony, but a collective action by our people to figure
out ways of reversing this steep decline could reap some miraculous results.
Don't you think so?

All the best Tony.

Yus

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