Ebrima, it's great to hear from you. Looking forward to hearing from you
soon
Good luck in your academic pursuits.

Mori
----- Original Message -----
From: Ebrima Ceesay <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2001 12:37 PM
Subject: Re: Where is Ebrima Ceesay?


> Gambia-L:
>
>
> I should like to thank all those who have written privately to me, as well
> as those on the List who have been asking about my whereabouts of late.
> Thank you for your concerns about my absence from Gambia-L.
>
> I have to reassure you that I am well, but that the pressures of my
academic
> work have meant that I have been unable to follow the Gambia L for over
six
> weeks now.
>
> It would be my dear wish to follow the List on a daily basis, but the
> realities of being a full time research student and needing to keep up
with
> my family life have made it almost impossible.
>
> This Easter vacation has given me some free time and the opportunity to
> check my E-mails - more than 500 of them, and I am still in the process of
> reading them and catching up on Gambia-related issues.
>
> My mind is always on the Gambian struggle, and I have to express my deep
> appreciation to the indefatigable Kebba Dampha, to Hamjatta Kanteh, to
Ebou
> Colley, to Ansumana Kujabi, to Jabou Joh, to Lameen Barrow, to Prof. Assan
> and to Saul Khan for keeping the struggle alive and kicking.  I should
also
> like to thank Joe Sambou and Dr Saine for their contributions, direction
and
> guidance.
>
> As for myself:  well,  I should like to be contributing on a regular basis
> to the Gambia L, as well as passing on information from my many sources
> close to the heart of the Gambia government.  However, given my current
work
> commitments and tight academic schedule, this is not yet feasible.  Those
> who are engaged in full time, post-graduate research will confirm the
> pressures !!
>
> As for my sources, I am happy to say that they are all fine, and that they
> understand that I have had time constraints recently. We have spoken
> together and have now decided that because this is such a crucial period
in
> the history of The Gambia, I shall resume forwarding their messages to the
> List, not on a daily basis as in the past, but at least regularly once
each
> week (unless dramatic events unfold at home).
>
> Apart from my sources, there are also many concerned Gambians and friends
of
> The Gambia who have, in the past,  sent me invaluable information and news
> on the regime at home.  My doors are always open to these people, and they
> are always welcome to send messages for me to forward to the Gambia L.
>
> Could I ask these people to copy messages both to my Hotmail Account and
to
> my e-mail address at school ( [log in to unmask]) so that I do not overlook
> them.
>
> Now that elections in The Gambia are fast approaching, we need to be
> focusing on the pragmatics of change in our country.  We need to be
looking
> at how we can work to unseat Jammeh from the presidency, and what
practical
> steps need to be taken to ensure our success.
>
> To this end, I have decided to work directly with The Gambia's Development
> Partners, with Political Parties directly on the ground, and with other
> concerned Gambian groups in the Diaspora in order to expedite the
necessary
> changes in our dear country.
>
> All our debates (no matter how important it is to engage in discussion and
> debate) have now got to be followed through with direct action.
>
> I spoke recently with a member of one of the Opposition parties in The
> Gambia, and he says that although the idea of a United Opposition (or
> Coalition) has been talked about, so far the practicalities of making it
> happen have not arisen. The modalities have not been thrashed out.  It
seems
> to me to be acutely critical to start work on these at the first
> opportunity.
>
> In Senegal, the Opposition alliance that was formed in the second round of
> the elections, proved initially successful, but in recent weeks, Prime
> Minister Niasse has been dismissed by President Wade and the alliance is
> under some strain.
>
> Similarly, in Ghana, the Opposition alliance again formed in the second
> electoral rounds, proved successful.  However, there are already some
> accusations that the new Ghanaian government is pro-Ashanti, or pro-Akan,
> and cracks in the alliance are becoming discernible.  I do have to say
> however, that Elizabeth Ohene, the former Deputy Editor in Chief of the
> BBC's Focus on Africa programme, who is now the Minister for Media
Relations
> in Ghana, is neither Ashanti nor Fanti, but from the Ebe tribe.
>
> The idea of a United Opposition in The Gambia is an excellent one, but it
> does have to be well thought through, well documented and agreed.  It is
> crucial that those of us calling for Coalition in order to unseat Jammeh
and
> the APRC, should spend time thinking and planning for the HOWs of making a
> workable and strong alliance.  We need to be able to quell the fears of
> those who are suspicious of alliance in order to persuade them to join one
> wholeheartedly.
>
> I feel it to be my bounden duty as a concerned Gambian, to contribute as
> fully as possible to the struggle for democracy in The Gambia.  Therefore,
> over the next bit of time, I shall be working on a document - a
manifesto -
> a blue print for a United Opposition, which will spell out the modalities,
> both pre AND post election.
>
> My aim will be to have a draft document prepared by the end of this month,
> which I shall submit to Opposition Parties in The Gambia, as well as to
the
> Gambia L.  I shall welcome constructive comments and suggestions before
> submitting a final version.
>
> I am absolutely convinced that we have to initiate alliance in the very
near
> future, if we are to have success in our aim of overthrowing Jammeh and
his
> regime through the ballot boxes.
>
> Reading through postings on the Gambia-L, as well as private mails, I have

> been amazed at some of the messages I have read, which raise doubts about
> the reasons for my recent silence on the Gambia-List.  I have to assure
all
> those who have written to me, or contacted me by telephone, thinking that
I
> had been scared off the List by pro-Jammeh elements, that nothing could be
> further from the truth !!
>
> Those who know me well, will know that this would NEVER be the case.
>
>
> I am sending my best greetings to all my friends and colleagues on
Gambia-L.
>
>
> Ebrima Ceesay
> Birmingham, UK
>
>
> PS:  Brother George Sarr:
>
> In going through my e-mails, I read that you had been hospitalised some
time
> ago.  I send you belated get well greetings, and am pleased to know that
you
> are making a good recovery.  I hope to see you in person in your neck of
the
> woods before the end of the year !
>
>
> Brother Buharry:
>
> I send you my belated and heart-felt condolences on the sudden death of
Anna
> Secka in London, UK.  Please convey my sympathies to her husband Adama
> Crooks and son, small Yusupha.
>
> _________________________________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
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