"I think the oppositions should boycott the forthcoming
presidential election and advise their supporters to stay away
from it. By contesting this election, the opposition will
legitimize this corrupt process. It will do no harm to the
opposition if they call it quit since they cannot win under the
current conditions. The playing field is designed to benefit
APRC at the detriment of the opposition and the Gambian peoples."

Lamin, if the above is complemented with mass protest and civil disobedience 
until the levy breaks, yes.  However, if it just to give Yaya another five 
years, then I say, it is ill advised for the international community will 
continue to do business with Yaya as if there has never been a boycot.  
Remember the UDP socalled boycot?  We end up having a lopsided Assembly to 
do Yaya's dirty work.  Since the opposition did not bring their supporters 
in the streets when the roster padding and all was taking place, I say 
contest it and be ready to fight it out.  Yaya is as strong as we make him 
in our minds.  No dictator can survive a contineous mass uprising.  If 
gambians want Yaya out, he will not last a month, rig and all.

Chi Jaama

Joe


>From: Muhammed Lamin Touray <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list              
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: THE OPPOSITION SHOUD BOYCOTT THE ELECTION
>Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2006 12:54:23 -0700
>
>The latest political developments unfolding in the Gambia are indeed scary. 
>The high court has given the green light for anyone with a valid voter’s 
>card to vote in the forthcoming presidential election even if his or her 
>name is not on the master registry of eligible voters. This ruling is 
>unconstitutional. The constitution and election degree require the IEC to 
>publish the list of registered voter so the citizens and political parties 
>can scrutinize the list and go the court, to be establish by the Attorney 
>General, to challenge anyone who is believed to be ineligible to vote in 
>the election. This requirement makes it unconstitutional for anyone to vote 
>in the election whose name does not appear on the registry. How could one 
>challenge the eligibility of anyone who you do not even know is registered 
>as a voter in the election. Therefore such ghost voters are not eligible to 
>vote and should not be allowed to vote.  Their participation in the 
>forthcoming election will
>  undoubtedly nullify the election result.
>
>   No one even knows the total number of registered voters in the country. 
>We cannot determine the turnout rate and other key indicators use to 
>analyze the election results.
>
>   I think the oppositions should boycott the forthcoming presidential 
>election and advise their supporters to stay away from it. By contesting 
>this election, the opposition will legitimize this corrupt process. It will 
>do no harm to the opposition if they call it quit since they cannot win 
>under the current conditions. The playing field is designed to benefit APRC 
>at the detriment of the opposition and the Gambian peoples.
>
>   I think this strategy might be more effective than contesting the 
>election where their chance of wining is very slim. When the opposition 
>boycotts the election, the APRC government would loose credibility and the 
>international community may conclude that the elections are not free and 
>fair. This conclusion will put the APRC government under international 
>surveillance and hence its eminent demise.
>
>   Muhammed Lamin Touray
>
>
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