The football game was over and Atlanta has won the 1999 Fourth of July tournament,
and as I turned around to the pavilion to appreciate the clapping and rancorous of
the Atlanta supporters, something else caught my eye. A gentleman was already busy
working with kids and picking up the trash. He is not one of the organizers and was
not even from Atlanta, not that it should make a difference, but the majority of
visitors are as such, and traditionally are there to be taken care of. In an ideal
and reasonable world this should not be a big deal, but to a personal and deeper
reflection, this demonstrates the kind of attitude, maturity, community based
attributes that can enhance the type of Gambian community we strive for. This is not
to flatter the person but to convey the challenges we are confronted with in Atlanta
in regards to building a Gambian community, and delivering an annual expectation of
a  successful Gambian reunion. It is a complement to get feedback from outsiders,
making suggestions on how to make it better and much more meaningful . Not to sound
defensive, or unappreciative to the suggestions, we would like to not only thank you
but to reassure you that we have all these proposals on the table and have been
fighting for their implementations for the last two reunions. To avoid laying blame
on any particular individual, the Fourth of July is also experiencing the same
challenges that DC had with the ALD.

The July Fourth reunion is at a critical crossroad, trying to define the purpose,
the relevancy of such a program, and most importantly the responsibility to our
community. As Gambians living in the Diaspora, we are always very critical of our
leaders, and the difficulties face in managing the economy and our communities in
the Gambia.  We consistently echo the need for having a democratic Gambia, effective
managing of our economy, developing of our communities, and having a team oriented
approach to our issues; we tend to conclude that their lack of education, or maybe
exposure is responsible for such challenges. It is rather amusing that these same
challenges are confronting Gambian communities in the Diapora. Interesting, very
interesting indeed. And we tend to settle for the same solutions that our cousins
use in the Gambia: do not get involve, protect your ego at all cost and either my
way or let us maintain the ineffective status quo. With civility, there are voices
within the organizing committee  that are not interested in shaking-up the
structure, and there is a perception  within the Atlanta community that a few seem
to have a monopoly to the running of the  program. How do we go forward ? Do we
insist on developing the type of reunion that we are capable of having,, and risk
having different programs from different organization, or do you go along with the
present status quo and have a one July Fourth celebration that may never achieve
some of the proposals that Mr Manneh talked about. Some of us believe that a Fourth
of July reunion should emulate GESO , the whole mission should be for the financing
of projects in our Gambian community at home and abroad,  all proceeds should be
used to finance education in the Gambia. The development of a website was
accomplished, and was to be used for the marketing of the pilgrimage to Atlanta. It
is ironical that the progress of the group, the initial glimpse of a real
organization is also beginning to bring about its own destruction.

After digressing from the real issue, the proposal from Joe,  to come with a Bantaba
as one of the programs, we can only nod and say, we have been singing that song for
the last two years. Looking at Latjor’s attempt to explain the relevancy of such
gatherings, only reaffirmed a tendency among Gambians to question the need to for
such forums, and can easily labelled  such discussions as too political , and
therefore useless. In Atlanta, the usual response is indifference, or throw up a
lame argument that we have tried it before, and Gambians coming to the fourth of
July are not interested in such programs. As one of the organizers, I am well aware
that the energy given to promoting, favorable scheduling, and logistics given to the
parties and the soccer brought about their successes. And if Bantabas are given
similar attention, in terms of promotion and proper scheduling, there is definitely
a target group for its success. To conclude, there are challenging issues facing the
Atlanta community vis a vis the July Fourth reunion. It has the potential of helping
us build a solid Gambian community, but also can also bring us further apart and the
choices are there for all of us:

A. The need to make it a Gambian community affair, rather than a handful of us
monopolizing the decision-making. There is a need to reach out to the Christian
organization, Muslim organization, promoters of GESO, women’s organization and the
entire Gambian community in Metro Atlanta and forge an ad hoc committee to
participate in this pilgrimage to Atlana.
B.
C. Taking feedback from the proposal to include a Bantaba, to try an implement the
proposal of having a Gambia-L conference during the fourth of July. Gambia-L has
become, notwithstanding all the criticism level against it, as a successful Gambian
affair. It is an online forum, but it would be good for Gambia –L, and definitely
for the reunion to have Mr Ebrima ceesay and  Dr Abdoulie Saine in person discussing
the challenges of democracy; to have Hamjatta and Saul in person engage us with
their useful insights, and of course Mr. Halifa Sallah tell us the challenges face
in implementing real democracy in our political process. It would be interesting to
have our  Secretary of Defense tell us the role of the Military in the Gambia, to
have Mr Darboe, one of the Opposition leaders, seeing the reunion as an ideal forum
to sell his political message. Not forgetting academics, businessmen from back home
to be part of this annual event  .And  on a more personal note, would like to see
GESO Norway, GESO UK, GESO Gambia and GESO US  to be part of this annual event
talking about the importance of contributing to educational development in the
motherland. Tell me such a Bantaba will not attract a large target group to the July
fourth.
D. All proceeds to be used,  as Mr Manneh indicated, computers for Gambian
University, co-ordinate with GESO to sponsor needy  students, and  engage in bold
measures to make difference in our communities. The present organization has
improved tremendously on controls and accountability, but irreconcilable differences
still exist on how to spend the proceeds, and living it in a bank account only
creates suspicion.

The person who was busy picking up the trash, is the same person mentioning the need
for a Bantaba, people like him epitomize the good in all of us and their thirst for
making a difference, and I am convince there are lots of Joe Sambous in all of us.
To  Joe and Mr. Manneh, we hear your dreams, and we thank you for seeing us in this
positive light, and that is what forces us to bring you closer to our predicament,
in order to make it our community challenges. Having a Gambian reunion is a hell of
an idea, Gambians getting together every year to meet old friends, Meet future
husbands and wives outside of the Gambia, a second wife, maybe(laugh), to discuss
relevant developmental issues, party the night away and also to celebrate our
Gambianess. It is definitely going to take a whole village to make it a success.

Musa Jeng




Joe Sambou wrote:

>    Baboucarry, thanks for your timely response.  I think people
>    from the outside need to make their opinions heard.  I think
>    it's a big statement to say that we are only interested in
>    having a good time.  Like you said, if we can accommodate the
>    good-timers and the soccer players, I see no reason why we
>    can't extend it to discussing our situation both here and back
>    home, unless we don't have any issues.  I am therefore,
>    appealing to the organizers to look into this suggestion.
>    Good and dedicated leadership responsibilities requires that
>    you allocate a Saturday morning to discuss the fate of our
>    country.  I think people interested in this aspect of the
>    festivities should join the discussion so our brothers and
>    sisters in Atlanta would realize how important this is.  So
>    many things are happening in our country that need to be
>    addressed and I think we owe it to ourselves.  I now yield for
>    responses.
>
>    Chi Jama
>
>    Joe Sambou
>
> ______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
> Subject: Re: Bantaba
> Author:  The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
> <[log in to unmask]> at PO_EXTERNET
> Date:    02/04/2000 10:39 AM
>
> Joe & Amadou:
>
> Thanks for your thoughts about a Bantaba. Without reservation I agree with
> you, we definitely need and should capitalize on the July 4th weekend to
> discuss the issues relating to the Gambia.
>
> Myself and Musa Jeng have tried to convince the other members of the
> Organizing committee for such brilliant ideas but to avail. The usual
> flimpsy excuse is that "people are not interested, that people are here to
> party and have fun; they are not here to discuss politics." This is the
> mentality we're dealing with. Case in point; last year, Kura Njie organised
> a symposium using her own funds after she was refused funding by the
> committee. Joe, I believe you were one of the "dedicated souls" who attended
> this program.
>
> These are some of the reasons why we are re-evaluating the direction of the
> July 4th. Some people in the committee believe that the (July 4th) only
> belongs to a chossen few when it comes to the functionalities. We've cried
> for inclusivess in reaching out to other residents in Atlanta and around but
> it fell on deaf ears. We're just as frustrated as some of you but, we hope to
> change all these.
>
> As most of you know that I coordinate the soccer program and not everybody
> likes soccer and some people like politics; why can't we accomodate them??
> This is the question folks!
>
> Regards
> Baboucarr Sillah
>
> >From: Joe Sambou <[log in to unmask]>
> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
> ><[log in to unmask]>
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: Re: Bantaba
> >Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2000 09:19:34 -0600
> >
> >    Amadou, thanks for your response.  I agree with you, but I
> >    think we need to change that.  I belive this could be done if
> >    the organizers put some emphasis on that aspect of the
> >    get-together.  We spent a lot of time on our key boards
> >    discussing these issues and I think the next logical step is
> >    to meet and really assess our situation.  The folks in Atlanta
> >    should realize that a lot of our people are being alienated
> >    from these events because of the perception that it's devoid
> >    of substance.  I hope to hear from the organizers soon.
> >
> >    Chi Jama
> >
> >    Joe Sambou
> >
> >
> >______________________________ Reply Separator
> >_________________________________
> >Subject: Re: Bantaba
> >Author:  The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
> ><[log in to unmask]> at PO_EXTERNET
> >Date:    02/03/2000 7:40 PM
> >
> >
> >Mr. Silla:
> >
> >I have been attending July 4th (Gambian Reunion) programs since 1983; and I
> >know that programs aimed at discussing the Gambia's future fail to attract
> >but a few dedicated souls.
> >
> >Ask Latjor, Tombong, Mafy, Baboucarr Sillah, and other "veterans" of the
> >Reunion.  May be  the folks in Atlanta could come up with a new recipe to
> >increase interest in such events.
> >
> >Amadou Scattred Janneh
> >Knoxville/Gunjur
> >
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