Ms. Joh, thanks for your contributions. I did NOT specifically mention NRP
and PDOIS in certain instances in my piece because I was reacting to what
Dibba and Jassey-Conteh had to say. As far as reconvening the Meeting is
concerned, I am dead opposed to reconvening the Meeting in order to choose a
Leader (exactly as I stated in my piece). The Alliance Leadership can
however take a different view from mine. I do NOT believe PDOIS and NRP were
sidelined in this Meeting. As I said on numerous occasions, Hamat Bah is NOT
complaining about his absence at the Meeting (to my knowledge). Why? Because
Hamat Bah knows that the Meeting was postponed twice in order to give him a
chance to return to the country and attend the Meeting. So let us leave NRP
out of this until Hamat Bah complains.
As far as PDOIS is concerned, they were invited in the same way others were
invited to the Meeting by Assan Musa Camara. Up to today, the best I can go
with is utterances from Adama Bah (who I understand is a staunch PDOIS
supporter) regarding PDOIS’ reason for not attending the Meeting. According
to Bah (and PDOIS NEVER refuted it) PDOIS did NOT attend because they were
NOT ‘formally’ invited. Dibba’s piece also confirms this. What does this
mean? Whatever it means, then we can say that PPP, NCP, UDP and PDP were
also NOT ‘formally’ invited. Yet those Parties showed up at the Meeting.
We have life and dead issues to discuss and pick a presidential candidate
for an election that is fast approaching and people are preoccupied with
‘formal’ invitations. Darboe was roundly castigated here (by none other than
PDOIS supporters) for failing to attend a less significant meeting during
the ALD celebrations. In those Meetings (as important as they were), no one
was talking about picking an Alliance Presidential candidate. As far as I am
concerned, I would NOT advocate reconvening a Meeting especially on the
basis of something I term a frivolous excuse. I think PDOIS owes it to the
Alliance to let the Gambian people understand that PDOIS was NOT sidelined
by a UDP/PPP conspiracy. Everything done here was above board. I read that
message from Foroyaa about a proposal for a transition government led by a
neutral woman. PDOIS is employing the same tactics employed by Assan Musa
Camara; i.e. put a proposal out there and follow up with consultations with
the stakeholders. Nothing wrong with that. Just that it is late as far as I
am concerned. PDOIS should have tabled that at the Monday Meeting and see
whether the majority of the delegates at the Meeting will adopt that. They
chose to boycott the Meeting and a leader has been chosen. If I were leading
the Alliance, I will NOT undo the little progress we have made so far. This
is what we were all calling for. We have an Alliance, let us give them our
support and not try to undermine them.
Thanks again for your contributions. I know you mean well. I hope God
answers our prayers on this Friday.
KB
>From: Jabou Joh <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Now That SM Has Spoken
>Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2001 09:51:57 EDT
>
>In a message dated 8/17/01 8:44:22 AM Central Daylight Time,
>[log in to unmask] writes:
>
>
> > What Parties like NCP want will NOT happen. Gambians are sick and tired
>of
> > this Jawara bashing. People were all over G_L reacting to APRC lies and
> > saying all sorts of things to PPP; calling them power hungry for wanting
>to
> > dominate the Alliance and bring Jawara back. Others worked doubly hard
>to
> > ensure that PPP realize that it is NOT their place to dominate the
>Alliance.
> > Now, PPP came out and say that they have no interest whatsoever in
>fielding
> > a presidential candidate. They were going to support a CURRENT
>Opposition
> > leader (Ousainou Darboe) to be the presidential candidate. Dibba thinks
>he
> > should be the presidential candidate. He had an NCP stalwart to nominate
>him
> > at the Meeting. OJ nominated Ousainou Darboe. Dibba thinks that this is
>a
> > stalemate. I urge him to go and do his math again. Whereas his candidacy
>was
> > supported by only one Party (his own), Darboe’s was supported by both
>the
> > PPP and the UDP. This is NOT a stalemate.
> >
> >
>
>Dampha,
>
>What about the NRP and PDOIS? I think that this meeting needs to be
>reconvened and all parties invited to participate again. At this meeting,
>everyone should state their view on how this allinace should be forged, and
>concessions have to be made by all to reach a middle ground. Bickering and
>differences should not ruin this possible allinace. Everyone must show
>sincerity in their eforts to include all the opposition parties. Now, if
>this
>is met with reluctance to participate by some of them, then at least the
>effort would have been made. Without this, any allinace forged will be
>looked
>upon as less than ideal in terms of making an effort to reach out to all
>concerned. For God's sake, what we need are all of these people to
>cooperate
>without anihilating anyone in the process. Could it be that this is the
>strategy Jammeh was counting on when he unbanned these parties?
>
>Jabou Joh
>
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