Hi Mr. Sallah,
    Thank you for your reply, hope your tour was a success.
I want to begin by telling you that my disappointment with the PDOIS
movement is not just triggered by the debates or at times verbal exchanges
that you had on several instances on this forum. You have created a
revolution
and won this fight many times over. Then you adopted a philosophy that not
only
put blemishes on the revolution but serves as a deterrent to  democracy.
    Let me begin by telling you my first encounters with you. Hopefully this
will
form the basis of our dialogue. It started on a podium and you presided over
the dictum.
Your message resonated loudly in our infantile minds. You told us to resist
corruption,
you condemned the actions of the ruling government and you mesmerized us with
the lessons about our constitution and its application.
    You never claimed your movement to be a revolution, I could feel the
excitement in you voice and your passion for change. Every thing about you
signifies a revolution. Your humility towards life and your resistance to
materialism. This form of revolution was indifference to us. We became
attached to your doctrine. We became dependent on your publications and read
it religiously. We admired your intelligence. You made us become you.
    Now you see me in your own likeness. Then came Jammeh. Isn't he one of
your student's?
When Jammeh came to power, PDOIS applied a new strategy. It became a subtle
approach. It became a
politically movement. It changed its focus from hard line to side line. You
became hostile to those who
question your subtle approach. You the pioneer of sociopolitical awareness
and notorious among politicians for
pushing accountability and transparency failed to properly put the Jammeh
government through the same rigor.
    Why did the PDOIS agree to accept the referendum to becoming the only
political party of the post Jawara era to
be allowed to exist? Is it because PDOIS saw Jammeh as allies in the same
struggle or as mentors. Isn't democracy for everyone to participate and has
the opportunity to rule? Why did you accept such a proposal? Is it because
you felt that this is your opportunity to show us all that you despise the
PPP not their abuse of power. Your battle was against PPP not for a better
Gambia.
     I am quite confident you will reply with a long laundry of the Good that
PDOIS stands for and your role in it. No one can dispute your accomplishments
and personal sacrifice to achieve your end in mind. What I and many others
who share my feelings about you and your party is for you to continue to take
a strong stand on democracy and accountability. No one wins in an environment
that is sheltered by inept journalism. You have attained both regional and
global recognition for the work you do. if you so desire, you can make the
Jammeh government answer the questions on abuse of power and the miscarriage
of justice.
    Inclusion, for the Gambia to attain a meaningful democracy, you must not
focus you philosophy for change on the premise that Jammeh is a brain child
of PDOIS, but on the principle of equal rights for all. You must perform the
same quantitative analysis that you employeed in the past on Jammeh. If the
outcry is for transparency and the abuse of power, then PDOIS must take a
strong stand. Resorting to defensive mechanisms to justify your ideals are
not only dangerous  tactics but distorts our ability to apply principle in
dialogue.
    You wrote "information is a mental food which energizes our brains", Then
give us a principle that is not bias or distorted because of impartiality.
       Good Luck.

Matarr Sajaw.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html

----------------------------------------------------------------------------