Finally lingering suspicions that has long hobbled progress in the quest for
peace in Cassamance have dramatically surfaced. It all began when President
Wade made a one hour airport visit to Banjul to in essence announce that he
was cutting Gambia off the mediation role and he would henceforth deal
directly with the rebels and Guinea Bissau. At the time I thought this change
in approach was primarily due to the fact that President Wade recognized
Yahya Jammeh and his team  as lacking in the requisite stature or diplomatic
savvy needed to successfully mediate a resolution. More ominous, it turns out
the Senegalese view Jammeh as being part of the problem. A public declaration
by President Wade that Gambian and Guinea Bissau officials were regularly
traveling to Libya to secure arms; a move he construes to be a mortal threat
to Senegal has added a worrying component to a very volatile situation. Not
only has Yahya Jammeh  not manage to end a fratricidal war right on our
doorstep, but through diplomatic chicanery, selfishness and indolence, he has
poisoned our relationship with a neighbor we can't afford to
antagonise.Senegal has every right to be wary of the machinations of Momarr
Ghadaffi whose specialty it is to wreak havoc in the continent by using
brutal tyrants like Yahya Jammeh to incite murder and mayhem. The twin
tragedies of Liberia and Seirra Leone are the handiwork of Ghaddafi who
trained and armed the architects of both genocides. Now that he has
apparently cuddled Yahya Jammeh  plus whoever is in charge in Bissau,  I
think President Wade is justified in pursing avenues that would enhance the
overall security of his nation. Afterall he would be remiss if he does not
adequately anticipate the kinds of schemes that is often hatched by the likes
of Yahya Jammeh, Foday Sankoh and the like.
      The defensive and flimsy rhetoric uttered by Sedat Jobe this morning in
response  to President Wade's serious allegations only served to underscore
the potential danger this crowd represent. I hope our brave private media
would do their best to state that the Gambian people totally reject the
quixotic and ultimately dangerous foreign policy being pursued by this
government. This is an illegitimate government composed of murderers,
criminals and reactionaries who are not only intent on ruining our country,
but ultimately pose a hindrance to the overall stability and progress in the
subregion.
      Yahya and his cohorts have converted their socalled mediation role into
a goodwill seeking medallion eagerly and shamelessly waving it to any forum
or individual they encounter in a bid to score whatever swipe of recognition
that comes with peacemaking. Now that they have been publicly branded as
being part of the problem, the government quickly announced they were
withdrawing from their role as mediator. I say good riddance! Peacemaking was
never your kind of thing. The Jammeh government has finally gotten it's
proper appraisal: A Libyan supported terrorist state.

Karamba

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