Mr. Darboe,

As usual thanks for the clarification on the matter of diplomatic protocol
in internal political matters. The story could have brought much light if it
had included the diplomatic protocols in national affairs. Lessons learned
in that area....

I think if anything the story underscored the need for opposition political
parties to think outside of the box and be more creative about dealing with
a ruthless government that will not stop at anything to crack down on it's
opponents. Diplomats present in a country are probably the most credible
institution to validate some of the gross human rights violations and
political suppression of voices of dissent.

Besides we are talking about a political climate operating in the most
difficult circumstances that exclusively favors the governing party. In the
Gambia it is more about human rights and security of citizens than political
and press freedom. The later are almost non existence.

In addition, while opposition parties may not have the right to meet
diplomats as opined by a meeting attendee, they certainly have a right to
equally speak on the political and human rights situations in the country
especially when it comes to the safety of their supporters several of whom
have already disappeared or are sitting in Jail.

What is also a fact which Gambian opposition parties may not be aware of or
at least not acting it, is that the opposition is an alternative government
out of office.  They can speak on any political or public matter in the
country with or without permission from the governing party. A periodic
presentation to the diplomatic represenatives and or other interest groups
to highlight the political and human rights situations in the country should
certainly be within their prerogative. Mai Fatty of GMC did a similar
presentation in Dakar and I see no reason why other political parties cannot
do the same.  I think it is important to get some form of a relationship
with key political players in the subregion.

In any case, we think the story revealed a lot more weakness or
sophistication or lack thereof of our existing political parties - something
that I must admit may work against our own desires as we struggle against
the Jammeh government.

Again, thanks for all the wonderful contributions from all of you great
minds out there. The struggle continues in all fronts.

Demba

On Tue, Sep 29, 2009 at 4:16 PM, Lamin Darbo <[log in to unmask]>wrote:

>   YJ
>
> I thank you for bringing the news of Ousainu's Seattle meeting to on-line
> Gambia, including the L, and the Mighty.
>
> What is Ellen anyway?
>
> On whether there is a "legal and diplomatic right" for opposition Gambia to
> meet diplomats accredited to The Court of His Excellency Sheikh Professor
> Alhaji Dr Yahya A J J Jammeh (the Professor), I simply take that aspect of
> Gainako's piece as reporting an utterance by a member of Ousainu's
> Seattle audience. It was an excessive statement, even if an innocent one.
> Bambalaye is spot on that there is neither a legal, nor diplomatic right for
> the opposition to access representatives accredited to The Gambia as
> emissaries of their home governments. This is exclusive executive domain,
> and the Professor has the mandate to expel any diplomat from The Gambia if
> his presence is regarded as incompatible with "friendly relations".
>
> Under exceptional circumstances, diplomats may operate at the outer
> extremes of permissible conduct, but even here, care and tact usually
> controls. For example, the American Ambassador may attend certain court
> cases in The Gambia but would still decline to comment on any aspect of the
> matter, including why he attended. Even when the relationship no longer
> matters, as in the case of Zimbabwe sometime last year, the American
> diplomatic representative must have policy clearance from the State
> Department, in consultation with the White House, before taking on Mugabe
> directly.
>
> In the case of the Senegalese, and the Nigerian, ambassador, and high
> commissioner, respectively,  the nuances are more pronounced. Except as an
> emerging, if controversial, international law doctrine in the areas of human
> rights, and humanitarian protection, interfering in a country's 'internal
> affairs' is a "no no" in international relations, and regular dealings with
> opposition politicians by accredited diplomats to The Gambia may be
> regarded, and legitimately, as 'interference'.  Absent exceptional
> circumstances, the UN Charter takes a very dim view of such 'interference'.
> What pressures are brought to bear - and in the case of The Gambia immense
> pressures at times - must be applied behind the scenes.
>
> In a nutshell, Bambalaye is right.
>
> I thank Gainako for its continuing excellent contribution to the
> conversation for a truly democratic Gambia.
>
>
>
>
> LJDarbo
>
>
>
>
>
> --- On *Tue, 29/9/09, Y Jallow <[log in to unmask]>* wrote:
>
>
> From: Y Jallow <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Some Foreign Diplomats won't meet the UDP
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Date: Tuesday, 29 September, 2009, 12:53 PM
>
>
>
>
> Bro Bambalaye,
>
>
>
> Thanks for chipping in. I hope the whisperer in attendance at the UDP rally
> whose utterance was caught and reported by Baldeh will at some point defend
> his’, especially if he is here in Ellen with us. I also understand there are
> bureaucracies involved greatly. No doubt, the dangers you asserted are
> there, notably the then alleged abortive coup.
>
>
>
> In my own opinion, diplomats are there to serve the people. In the phase of
> repressive regimes, great neutrality among the country’s citizens is a basic
> common sense. Serving the people will mean not snubbing any including I, an
> ordinary Gambian…much more a legal mind, or an opposition head in the person
> of Lawyer Darboe. That’s why I like the American Ambassador and the US
> embassy. They’ve tried to stay neutral, including attending court cases of
> journalists. If truly as said by Lawyer Darboe that these embassies refused
> to meet with him and his party, where on earth can an ordinary like me or my
> poor Uncle in Jarra expect that they will listen to him. Probably, a curious
> person like me will further question under which reliance of their reference
> guide did they use to deny meeting with Darboe and the UDP. Once that is
> established, then they shall be freed of blame.
>
>
>
> Where your line of thought is the adopted consensus, albeit weighing by the
> experts in “bureaucracies” and “protocols” as may be defined by their book
> of reference (embassy guide), then I promise to share a humble retraction of
> such an error then openly, hence to Gainako’s defense, it was only the news
> reportage as it was seen happening. I may agree in the final, the person’s
> choice of word might not be perfectly fitting to usage, ditto: “legal or
> diplomatic.” Therein, lies the inadequacies!
>
>
>
> Notwithstanding defense, we will make a follow-up as noted in the tail end
> of the story and will make it available. Until then, I hope you will forgive
> such an unintentional inadequacy. Further to conclude, Baldeh will report
> and you all decide Laye...and you are fine by your opinion.
>
>
>
> Kind regards,
>
> yj
>
> *There is no god but Allah (SWT) and Muhammad (SAW) is His messenger. Fear
> and Worship only Allah alone!*
>
>
>
>
> > Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:18:57 +0400
> > From: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: Some Foreign Diplomats won't meet the UDP
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> >
> > "One listener said in private UDP or any other opposition party has a
> > legal and diplomatic right to have an audience with other diplomats
> > present in the country."
> >
> > Yero:
> >
> > The above quoted from the Gainako piece is not accurate. There is
> > nothing like a "legal and diplomatic" right for any opposition party
> > to have audience with a diplomatic representative of any country. It
> > is a prerogative of the diplomatic representative who is there for the
> > interest of his or her country, first and foremost, whether to grant
> > such audience or not. I can see why they would take such precaution
> > lest they be accused of meddling in Gambia's internal political
> > affairs. Remember the Senegalese embassy was accused of being involved
> > in the March '06 aborted coup....Where an opposition leader seeks
> > refuge on the basis of being in danger and covered under the Geneva
> > conventions, that is a different story.
> > The point I wanted to make is that it may have been prudent for the
> > embassies involved to not grant such audience INSIDE GAMBIA or
> > anywhere else to UDP or any other opposition party. Mai Fatty reported
> > recently that he made a presentation to various "diplomatic leaders"
> > in Senegal but the report did not clarify whether they went to listen
> > to him as GMC leader or a private Gambian citizen; or whether they
> > recognized GMC as a legitimate opposition party in Gambia. I have no
> > doubt Ousainou understands the intricacies and nuances involved and
> > should have been advised to call a seminar/presentation in the open
> > and invite all embassies like Mai Fatty did but it is wrong to say he
> > has the "legal and diplomatic right to have audience....."
> > Gainako on their part, could have done the piece a better job by
> > researching the issue and offering the facts relating to the
> > diplomatic protocol to clarify the options available to UDP at this
> > point.
> >
> > Thanks for sharing.
> >
> > -Laye
> >
> > On Tue, Sep 29, 2009 at 12:32 PM, Y Jallow <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > >
> > >
> http://www.gainako.com/news/news/2009/09/29/some-foreign-diplomats-in-the-gambia-refused-meeting-with-gambias-main-opposition-party-udp.html
> > >
> > > Holy cow...O Yes, what else can be done to bring mutual understanding
> here?
> > >
> > > Are some of these Diplomats here?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > yj
> > >
> > > There is no god but Allah (SWT) and Muhammad (SAW) is His messenger.
> Fear
> > > and Worship only Allah alone!
> > >
> > >
> > > ________________________________
> > > Lauren found her dream laptop. Find the PC that’s right for you.
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