Sorry for butting in this late, but I thought i should add my voice to this
important question.

Firt, I don't KB is  defending the Jawara record. I think he is simply
challenging any attempts to distort the historical record. In any
case, to be a Jawara revisionist is far better than being a Jammeh
mouth piece. (For some reason, people tend to distance themselves from
the PPP era as if it was all bull...; that attitude is unfortunate.
One needs to be familiar with what had happened or had not happened
and compare the Gambia with other countries in Africa in similar
position. Both the good and the bad of the jawara era should be understood-
anyway all  that's another matter) As people say in Gambia, "the worst about
jawara is better than the best (if any) about Jammeh".
Also, to me KB's wise warehouse does not seem to be emaciated as
hamjatta suggested. Don't forget that KB and anybody who abhors the
record of this regime must keep talking about the killing of  our
children, as kb does so well. This is not just an issue it is the
ISSUE because it typifies the inner character of the regime. The Nazis
were great inventors, but because they were killers,  the just- minded
has never commended them for their developmental efforts. Also, I
don't imagine any body familiar with apartheid to talk about the
progressive development projects of the white racist regime, while the
vast majority lived in abject poverty. It is good to be balanced in
one's analysis, but it is only when the other party in the debate
genuinely shares that approach. Have you seen in any of jobe's supercilious
postings as reference to to good or "progressive" efforts before 1994- or
was it all bad really?

Brother Saul is a very sharp analyst and I like his subtle humour.
But, I was taken aback when I read part of his recent posting that
brother hamjatta responded to. I thought that anybody in the opposition who
has been so strident in his condemnation of this regime, as saul has, would
have been sufficiently informed about the historical record. If not he
should make efforts to educate himself. But to suddenly turn around and call
the efforts of the regime progressive, based on information provided by one
of the regime's staunchest propagandist, is rather interesting. I can
understand commending jobe for his personal efforts in defending what he
believes in, but agreeing with him on the record of the regime in such
benevolent manner is another thing.As hamjatta said, the big, and i might
add, relevant picture, should be the road map. A regime like this does not
deserve any form of commendation; even if they succeed in turning around the
poverty situation, or start drilling oil in the gambia. the fact that they
killed their own people, and continue to dehumanise our society they are not
fit to rule .  And as long as they remain unrepentant and outside the bell
curve of human decency they do not deserve any commendation. George got it
right they do not desrve any credit. Some of you may remember Wa Juwara
(UDP) praising Jammeh when the J 22 Movement was "disbanded" (as reported in
the local papers. Well, was it not the "disbanded" movement that spearheade
the Basse ambush? There you have it>

The inevitable end of all infidels and raw dictators is often
tenebrous; the battlot box is rarely the sure path for their exit.  Here, I
find, Kats warning signs to be very important. The reason why we have the
kebba jobs on this  is partly because of the energy they got from the
by-elections. Imagine another "victory" in October, there would be many
kebba jobs here. This is why the oposition should remain resolute (if they
believe in their calling), and not be swayed by the need to be a
"reasonable' debater with unreasonal people.

About the election, some have called for a boycott and KB has strongly
argued against that and advanced the option of a united front in the ranks
of the opposition. That's important provided it is possible. Senegal has
shown how powerful the opposition can be when they see a common enemy. I am
not sure that all the opposition elements see yaya and his regime in the
same way- that's is a problem.

AT



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