Mr. Conteh, your position is cleared. The opposition must be prepared to
accept public criticisms just like any other ruling party. That is the
beauty of democracy. Although openness and frank discussions are vital
ingredients of any democratization process, my only concern is that some
issues are so sensitive that they don't need to be initially discussed on
this or other public forums.
One correction though, the Bojangs of Brikama are "Tonso"(bat) Bojangs
not of Sankaranka Madiba Conteh. Asked Ousman Jallow Bojang or Saffo Dembo
Santang Bojang.
Cheers
PF Manneh

>From: Jassey Conteh <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: I am not any opposition within the opposition
>Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2001 19:40:59 +0800
>
>Comrades:
>
>Today is Saturday, June 16, 2001.  After speaking
>on the phone with Brother Saul Khan, I promised to
>write and set light to my position, relative to my recent condemnations of
>the UDP leadership.
>
>Some years ago in The Gambia, we were touched by the
>deaths of Messrs Saul Samba and Matarr Sarr.
>According to Sir Dawda's spokesman, Brother Matarr
>Sarr shot and killed Saul Samba, when the latter
>came to arrest him.  I vividly remember Gambians
>crying in Banjul because that was the first time
>in the history of The Gambia, a Gambian had
>opened fire on another Gambian.
>
>After Saul Samba was laid to rest, the rack and file
>in  Banjul and the rest of The Gambia demanded that
>Matarr Sarr be given a decent funeral.  I was
>among numerous Gambians who shouted insults to
>the Jawara government.  On our way to the Moslem
>cemetary, we met Jawara and the rest of the PPP at
>the site without incident.  Brother Matarr Sarr was
>laid to rest and we came back to the streets of
>Banjul without any incident.  We quickly went on our
>responsibilities.  That was The Gambia I grew up in
>and that was The Gambia we are fighting to restore.
>
>On July 22, 1994 I was moved to tears when a legally
>elected government was overthrown.  On my many
>journeys in search of truth, justice, compassion and
>democracy, I met Tombong Saidy at The Gambian Embassy.
>It was a confrontational meeting because Tombong
>devied all odds and lied to me about the quality of
>life that Gambians would endure.  My meeting again
>with him in Miami, Fl. was the same.  I remember talking to Gambians at a
>dance about the
>dangerous trend of events that our country would face.
>I was fortunate to meet many Gambians who thanked me
>for what I challenged myself to do.
>
>A few years ago when we met at the US state department
>to demonstrate, we again joined together because we
>love our country.  A demonstration my Jalibaa at The
>Gambian Embassy was an event that I am still proud
>to say was a strategy that made me realized that
>this war against tyrant Jammeh cannot be fought on
>individual satire.  My love and admiration for
>Sister Soffie Ceesay is still cemented and will never
>go away.  Soffie I kept on saying to myself is the
>Hilary Clinton of The Gambia.  My deepest question to
>myself was, is she married?  I hope brother Sarr is
>not offended.  Truted Comrade Ous Mbenga is an elder
>who I have the deepest respect for.  I really was
>moved when he introduced himself because my famous
>teacher at Saint Augustine's was his late dear brother, Mr. Ebou Mbenga.  I
>will never set foot in
>The Gambia without setting foot at his grave.  Cousin
>Ousman Bojang is no stranger to me.  I am a Conteh
>and he a Bojang.  Historically, the Bojangs were the
>ones who changed their names from Conteh to Bojang,
>meanin "ebotojang".  No Bojang from Brikama will
>visit Faraba Banta without setting foot in Conteh Kunda.
>
>My tape on democracy is still the guiding principle
>for my decision to join the movement in restoring
>sanity to our country.  I talked about the need for
>unity.  I believe that without a unified opposition,
>the dictator of kaninlai will steal the election.
>
>I am not here to win favors or make friends on the
>motion of not telling the opposite of the truth.  I am not here to subject
>Gambians into believing that
>we should give a blanket support to the UDP.  I am not
>here to defend a single opposition party.  My
>responsibility as a crusader of democracy is a
>struggle that I maintain to remain consistent.  I have
>the desire that we are making a calculated mistake
>in not asking the UDP to clearly define how it can
>win.  We are making a serious mistake in not trying
>to reach out to the barred politicians.  Why do I have
>to ignore Hon. Ousman Jallow (OJ), a Gambian who I
>worked with at the then Gambian Commercial and
>Development Bank?  I know OJ and I trust OJ. Why do I have to take an
>entity approach in setting strategies for the eventual failure of our goals
>and objectives?    What is wrong in calling for uniting?  What is wrong
>telling Gambians that the UDP individually cannot win the election?  Why do
>we have to take a position of indifference and mortgage our future to a
>political party that we have not met the leadership at the ALD symposium to
>engage with the other leaders of the opposition.  It is not fair to give a
>blanket support to the UDP.  Why ignore Hons. Hamat Bah and Sidia Jatta and
>Brother Halifa Sallah?  At least NRP and PDOIS were present at the
>symposium.
>
>My position is clear.  I am of the opinion that we
>need a united effort against the dictator.  When
>everything settles, and the dictator steals the
>election, what are we going to do?  Will we blame
>Ousainou, or will we blame ourselves?  I know some
>are saying that I am giving more leverage to the
>APRC in attacking the UDP.  I would rather say the
>truth than say the opposite.  Where is our value
>system?
>
>At times in situations of concern, there are some
>individuals who are guided with the negative principle of self promotion.
>There are some who
>have decided to join this struggle because they want
>a Gambia with dignity.  There are others who are in
>this thing because of no position.
>
>I hope I have not offended anyone.  I hope we will
>begin to understand that our struggle to unseat the
>dictator must be done collectively.  Election without a unified opposition
>equals more years of terror under the dictator of kaninlai.  I hope I am
>wrong. God please help us.
>
>Naphiyo,
>
>Comrade ML Jassey-Conteh,MBA
>Greensboro, NC/Kombo East Constituency.
>
>
>--
>
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