Mike,

Great to see your comments and I could not just let this go without letting
you know that you are raising points that are very important at this stage
of the political development.Keep up the good work down there.But after
saying that I would definitely continue to insist that this form of
political romance has not produced any desired results so far and that we
should be thinking of its importance and even where as we choose to take
it,how we must not repeat what is happening in Kenya,in Ghana or Senegal.
Good that you took up the Kenyan case.You might be surprise to know that one
of those marking big political noise in Kenya today is Moi.I happen to know
Koiki whiles he was in exile in Norway,a very nice brother,who never
continue  his University studies in the USA, he called it off and returned
home to take up the struggle .He was from a Poor family,upon his
returned,the many tortures,detentions etc for decades did not stop him and
today he is a member of parliament.You don't just have little respect for
such type of people,you respect them more than anything else.What happen
after the victory ?The frustrations that people  in that country are facing
right now is overshadowing the cosmetic changes that have so far taken
place, and in the next stage,if things remain as they are,you will see Moi
emerging again as a national hero.The first thing that this new Parliament
did was to increase their salaries in such a way and manner that the
majority of  Kenyans began to question what happened to the slogan "Without
Moi,everything is possible".I don't believe that Jammeh will be there as
long as Jawara,the political situation in the country is not saying that,but
what will follow,do we have to wait until then to talk about it ?What I am
insisting on is that there are many examples of such, are we learning from
them ? I disagree with you on the issue of democracy and social changes.For
me these are two inseparable life issues that must go hand in hand and not
one waiting for the another or that one become the product of the
other.Pinochet is gone and where is Chile today ?We must not think that such
are automatic development,they are all products of struggle for a better
society.In my opinion I don't think that it is correct to habour the believe
in us that,all that is important is get rid of the semi fascist APRC regime
and all that will follow will be the good.Do we know how the PDOIS or UDP or
take NDAM for that matter,believed in what manner an "Independent Electoral
Committee" should function ?Do we know  what the PDOIS ,UDP or Ndam are
thinking of how political power should be transferred from day one to the
ordinary Gambian people ?It seems these are some of the questions you mean
to say that we wait with  until Jammeh is gone.That is not our
experience,ours is that,we Had Jawara for more than 30 years of political
brutality and economic mismanagement and then Jammeh.There is no better time
for us to guarantee our selves that,never again "a political fascist"than
now.I don't believed it is a question of the future but now.

For Freedom
Saiks


>From: malik kah <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: SV: Fw: Thousands March in Protest At Growing Political
>       Violence
>Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2003 12:24:28 +0000
>
>Sheiks, I share your sentiments but what you fail to realise is that such
>coalitions are not designed or meant to address the fundamental issues you
>raised, issues such as the living conditions of the people such issues are
>and must be embeded on principles guided by ideology and the parties that
>normally forge such coalitions do not normally share a common ideological
>approac for their existence is usually conditioned by the fact that a
>change
>to re-start is both essential and inevitable, if there exist a facist
>regime
>it is incumbent on all and sundry to devsie a strategy to oust them and
>after they are gone, it is assumed that a mouch more healthier climate than
>hitherto existed would ensue and this is precisely why a bonding of this
>nature is increasingly popular. Such coalitions are essentially not
>designed
>to address needs but to redress democratic deficiencies that have become
>the
>norm of governance under tyrants or despots. Obviously the need to address
>some issues are prerequisites to forging such alliances but their greater
>good are self evident. For instance take Kenya, eventhough everything is
>not
>rosy, but the fact MOI had been ousted is a good thing, obviously a lot of
>issues needs to be further explored to give back power to the people, for
>me
>I see it as a single step towards the right direction, I have taken on
>board
>some of your reservations but broadly I think with a rustic electorate in
>Africa and the continued exploitation of the gullibility of the people, the
>strategy of coming together from opposing poles to create a more tolereant
>political lanscape is welcoming.
>
>
>>From: samateh saikou <[log in to unmask]>
>>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
>><[log in to unmask]>
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Re: SV: Fw: Thousands March in Protest At Growing Political
>>       Violence
>>Date: Tue, 11 Nov 2003 15:03:51 +0000
>>
>>Mr Drammeh,
>>
>>I have been enjoying your exchange and the many interesting issues you
>>have
>>been putting us through.However there are certain points that I believed
>>are
>>not inline with my own view of what is going on.
>>The Political situation in Senegal is very interesting and we as Gambians
>>should pay great attentions to the developments there.First,let me tell
>>you
>>what I feel about Negritude.The reason why I believed that Africans are
>>not
>>interested in this political thought, is because of the fact that it has
>>been the most reactionary political thought that has ever emerged in the
>>continent since independent.Negritude was posing itself as an alternative
>>to
>>Pan-Africanism,reducing its meaning to the well known slogan of the
>>founder
>>"Reason Greek,emotion African".Critics like Anta Jobe have accused
>>Senghore
>>of not knowing his history and for that reason came to such a
>>conclusion.Negritude does not only say that all that is black is
>>"beautiful"
>>but also glorifying terrible African history,conditions and culture.This
>>you
>>can simply find out in the writings of both Senghore and likes of Lye
>>Camara
>>of Guinea.The most interesting contradictions is that,must of these people
>>live a life very different from that of the African.Take Senghore's "Night
>>in Sine" and compare this with the life of Senghore and the condition of
>>the
>>African Woman in the village.Falsifying the African culture,history or
>>beign
>>is the least we need as a struggling continent.
>>   Secondly the Political situation in Senegal is perhaps more
>>complicated.For more than 10 years,Senegalese oppositions Parties have
>>been
>>working together to bring about political change in that country and among
>>the most active in this work were the most progressive political parties
>>in
>>that country,who were also banned political parties during the Period of
>>Senghore and the bann lifted by the Joof.After bringing down the PS
>>regime,these people are now face with another situation and the condition
>>of
>>the ordinary Senegalese still the same.
>>The lesson for us Gambians is that,is it just enough that we are against
>>the
>>semi fascist APRC regime or do we want a better Gambia after Jammeh.This
>>is
>>what is the problem with people like me and my lack of interest in a
>>unified
>>Opposition against Jammeh.Not only in Senegal,but in Accra too this is the
>>problem,even though bringing down the regime of Junior Judas brought hope
>>to
>>the ordinary people,very little has changed in the life of ordinary
>>Ghanaians.Are the opposition parties capable of bringing about change for
>>a
>>better Gambia.Do we ever here them telling us how is this going to take
>>place.Much of what we hear from them is what they are against and  most of
>>us agree with them on those issue.Learning from Senegal or Ghana,will mean
>>that the oppositions parties tell us what they are for and how they are
>>going to go about it and then we can put in place things that will make it
>>impossible to have another fascist regime,light or strong.
>>
>>
>>For Freedom
>>Saiks
>>
>>
>>>From: Oko Drammeh <[log in to unmask]>
>>>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
>>><[log in to unmask]>
>>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>>Subject: Re: SV: Fw: Thousands March in Protest At Growing Political
>>>       Violence
>>>Date: Sun, 9 Nov 2003 14:55:44 +0100
>>>
>>>Culture and Life.
>>>
>>>We want Africa to asset her self, to preserve her personality to up hold
>>>and excercise her Lirbety
>>>of actions .We want Africa to recover her dignity which should be
>>>expressed
>>>and acknowledge.
>>>Senegal is a hurdle too high to jump.
>>>
>>>QUOATATION
>>>" I notice that all of thoes comminting on Senegalese politics are the
>>>ones
>>>who never made a
>>>single comment on the APRC regime "
>>>Jabou Joh wrote.
>>>
>>>This is what this time of political emergence of the African people to
>>>liberty and dignity
>>>commands us to do.
>>>
>>>Renovations should sweep the past  But sadly Senegal; is still strengthen
>>>by colonialism.
>>>
>>>There is oppression in the Gambia as a nation but in Senegal there is
>>>still
>>>Neo colonialism and
>>>ANTI-African Unity a virus that affects the Contienent of Africa as a
>>>whole
>>>and the diaspora..
>>>
>>>Much respect and Love.
>>>
>>>For The records.
>>>Oko Drammeh
>>>
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>>
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