Malick
Actually, it is incorrect to say that Ousainou "made a statement regarding
the meeting". Where did he made such apparent statement? We shouldn't
attribute comment to people no matter how much we are against them. Ousanou
at the Brikama rally said "my elder brother Sedia, I am willing to speak
with you, call me at any place and anywhere, I will answer to you". That
statement was the open invitation well before any meeting between the two of
them.
It was Ousainou who pursued Sedia for weeks to meet him. Sedia's travels to
South Africa and the flood in Wulli was what is said to delay Sedia meeting
Ousainou.
After waiting for that long to meet Sedia, the press release is misleadingly
insinuating that, Sedia was waiting in vain. The message purport to convey
the message, it was Sedia who instigated the talks, whilst the UDP is
dragging it feet. Whilst Sedia knows deep down his soul, it is him who was
invited, it is him who delayed the meeting and finally it is him who pretend
that, he has been waiting for decade for a response. UDP executive members
are engaging the voters across the country, why should Sedia be in haste to
get a response?
This is the deceptive politics that is solidifying Jammeh. When two
gentlemen made an agreement, what stops Sedia phoning Ousainou, the
way Ousainou phoned him to meet expressing his desperation to get an answer?
Why should Sedia be compel by the "speculations" not to speak with Ousainou
to accelerate the talks instead of firing blank in an attempt to make
himself look good at the expense of the talks?
Sedia has all the avenues to see Ousainou, speak to him face to face and try
his best to end the so-called speculations. Who was it that twisted Sedia's
hands to quell the speculations?
If Sedia is not interested to discuss coalitions efforts, he should be brave
and say so, instead of backstabbing breaking simple protocols. The media is
not the solution to getting the upper hand in our this struggle, the sooner
PDOIS realises that the better. In many difficult political situations,
private talks between parties is done not because of exclusivity, but to
narrow the differences and take off pressure. We see this in the Good Friday
Agreement and subsequent dialogues. The successful coalition in Uganda was
done in dignity and mutual respect. The disrespect Sedia manifest here
betrays his character. Let us hope, he can be strong enough to listen and
talk rather run around with a document created soley to harden the position
of his party. Ousainou is no Wadde. He refuse to engage in desperate mud
slinging politics. He is committed to term limits and many more progressive
democractic values.
Suntou

On Tue, Dec 7, 2010 at 4:01 PM, malik kah <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> That is your prerogative, but do not pretend to  be neutral as you purport.
> Given that we all, I presume, want to see a united front, we must avoid the
> sort of language you are are using, this will not help. After all Ousainou
> made a statement regarding meeting Seedia at the Brikama rally, but no one
> came out shouting that it was propaganda, even if it was, what do you
> expect? The best we can do is to continue to urge all the parties to come to
> an understanding, otherwise we should bottle up and allow the negotiations
> to conclude. We do not need salvos fired from all directions, it will never
> help.
>
> ------------------------------
> From: [log in to unmask]
>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: RE: [>-<] Fw: Re: Foroyaa News: Talks on Opposition Unity Between
> Sidia and Darboe
> Date: Tue, 7 Dec 2010 12:15:40 +0000
>
> Malik
>
> To each his view, and thank you for your thoughts
>
> Have you bothered to ask yourself why Sidia did not wait for the talks to
> progress and conclude before bombarding us with propaganda?
>
> On issues of public significance, I call it as I see it.
>
>
>
> LJDarbo
>
> ------------------------------
> From: [log in to unmask]
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: RE: [>-<] Fw: Re: Foroyaa News: Talks on Opposition Unity Between
> Sidia and Darboe
> Date: Tue, 7 Dec 2010 12:04:49 +0000
>
> Mr. Darbo, your assertion that you are neutral, is completely blown apart
> by your disposition to cast doubts and aspersion as to what Sidia said. You
> must reflect on what you are saying otherwise it would appear that you are
> holding brief for Lawyer and should that be the case then and afraid these
> negotiations would stall, no one is naive to assume that it would be a
> single round  of discourse and everything would be signed and sealed. Before
> pre-empting Mr Ousainou Darbo, you should wait and allow him to respond,
> instead of jumping to prejudiced and partisan conclusions only masking to be
> neutral. Peole like you would not be helping what is a difficult process,
> you must remember that these parties had entered into a relationship which
> faltered hence to construct another one would require a lot of patience and
> goodwill. To be interjecting in this way would only hinder and not help. I
> hope you exercise caution and allow all the parties to make public
> pronouncements before you draw a premature conclusion
>
> ------------------------------
> Date: Tue, 7 Dec 2010 11:28:19 +0000
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [>-<] Fw: Re: Foroyaa News: Talks on Opposition Unity Between
> Sidia and Darboe
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
> --- On *Tue, 7/12/10, Lamin Darbo <[log in to unmask]>* wrote:
>
>
> From: Lamin Darbo <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Foroyaa News: Talks on Opposition Unity Between Sidia and
> Darboe
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Date: Tuesday, 7 December, 2010, 8:46
>
>    Nyang
>
> Sidia's statement is quite extraordinary in its evasiveness and needless
> inbuilt propaganda.
>
> When did the meeting with Ousainou happened?
>
> His Central Committee knew he was meeting Ousainou. Did he report back, or
> was he *"invited to a meeting by the PDOIS Executive Committee to brief
> them on whether the UDP leader had spoken to me about any Alliance that they
> wanted PDOIS to join which aims to discuss the future of the country and the
> modalities of creating a united front without any conditionality"*
>
> What *"speculations"* is Sidia talking about? It was no secret that Sidia
> and Ousainou met, and this statement from Sidia may therefore be seen as
> nothing other than a replay of the NADD disaster in 2006. Even when it was
> absolutely clear we would not get a united front against Doctor Jammeh (as
> he then was), we were bombarded with ceaseless propaganda from Halifa
> regarding his willingness to adhere to the wishes of the people.
>
> About Ousainou selling his *"his candidature to the Gambian voters*", this
> is indeed feet dragging par excellence by Sidia and his organisation. The
> spirit enunciated in Agenda 2011 is embodied in the general principles of
> opposition to the government of the APRC. Merely committing them to paper
> does not make them unique principles of PDOIS. It is the "primary" question
> that stands in the way of a united front in the sense that its architecture
>  appears to rig the outcome in favour of Halifa.
>
> For example, Sidia contends that he is *"not sure which political leader
> in the opposition could take voters away from the ruling party and motivate
> those who abstained in 2006 to cast their vote. Hence I subscribe to the
> idea of holding a primary for the people to select the candidate of their
> choice in line with Agenda 2011. I told him that this is why I endorse
> Agenda 2011"*.
>
> If the ultimate objective is to is to *"take voters away from the ruling
> party and motivate those who abstained in 2006 to cast their vote"* in
> sufficient numbers to defeat the APRC, then the answer is none of the
> opposition leaders individually. That will only come about under a united
> front, and unquestionably, the UDP has a far larger support base than any
> opposition party in the country. PDOIS should drop the unnecessary
> conditionality of a 'primary' and consider the alternative of UDP leading a
> united front under an ironclad agreement constraining its ability to
> misbehave once in government.
>
> I am not the least impressed by Sidia's assertion thus: *"He assured me
> that he would hold an extraordinary meeting with his committee and come back
> to me. Since then I have been waiting to know what their stand is on Agenda
> 2011 or selling his candidature to the Gambian voters. These are the ways
> forward that are before the UDP leader and they need to take a stand and
> move on instead of giving the impression that Sidia is dragging his feet on
> the issue of a united front".*
>
>
>
> Again, when did the meeting with Ousainou occurred, and did they agree on
> when Ousainou would "come back" to Sidia? As to the insinuation that
> Ousainou is holding matters, when was the issue of a meeting first mooted,
> and how long did it take for it to materialise? Why is Sidia so eager to
> preempt the issue of "feet dragging"? The trick is to appreciate the
> pertinent streams of thought when dealing with a media savvy organisation
> like PDOIS.
>
>
>
> And finally to a point that is ever present in expressed views of the PDOIS
> leadership. Sidia  states that *"those who want to support the opposition
> should take their sides and promote dialogue while not undermining each
> other’s positions. This is the way forward". *Halifa stated this in his
> interview with *Maafanta.com*, and Sidia now repeats it. Why can they not
> accept that Gambians can be *neutral,* and that people like myself, Joe
> Sambou, and countless others, are in no way wedded to any particular party,
> and that this is quite legitimate and plausible on public questions of great
> significance. If this is intended to stop difficult dialogue, it is unlikely
> to succeed.
>
>
>
> As of now, I am in no doubt that PDOIS is a major stumbling block in the
> creation of a united front in so far as the non-negotiable bottleneck of an
> unnecessary Agenda 2011 'primary' is concerned
>
>
>
> I assure Sidia that contrary to his view, we are well aware of the
> "concrete realities on the ground". Again, this dismissive statement will
> not deter elements within the Diaspora community from having its say on
> issues affecting the direction of our country.
>
>
>
> More pertinently, some of us are not primed to be swayed by mere
> propaganda!
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> LJDarbo
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --- On *Mon, 6/12/10, Modou Nyang <[log in to unmask]>* wrote:
>
>
> From: Modou Nyang <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Foroyaa News: Talks on Opposition Unity Between Sidia and Darboe
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Date: Monday, 6 December, 2010, 17:57
>
>    SIDIA JATTA /OUSAINOU DARBOE MEETING
>
>
> The National Assembly Member for Wuli West, Hon, Sidia Jatta, issued the
> following statement relating to his meeting with Mr. Ousainou Darboe,
> Secretary General and Leader of the United Democratic Party.
>
>
> DECEMBER 5, 2010
>
>
> Having been waiting for Mr Ousainou Darboe to come back to me as promised
> after meeting his Executive Committee, I was invited to a meeting by the
> PDOIS Executive Committee to brief them on whether the UDP leader had spoken
> to me about any Alliance that they wanted PDOIS to join which aims to
> discuss the future of the country and the modalities of creating a united
> front without any conditionality. It has been brought to my notice that the
> GMC leader, Mr. Mai Fatty, has called on PDOIS to join an Alliance but has
> not sent any document to indicate that an Alliance exists which PDOIS should
> join. After my discussion with the PDOIS Central Committee, I have seen the
> need to make my discussion with the UDP leader public so that all
> speculations would come to an end. Gambians should bear in mind what has
> happened in Guinea Conakry and what is happening in Cote D’Ivoire at this
> very moment. Some leaders are not interested in historical legacies. They
> are only interested in having their way whether for the better or for the
> worse. Finally, it is the ordinary people who pay for the follies of their
> leaders. I do not want any body to link me to any dragging of feet regarding
> the creation of a united front by the opposition.
>
>
> My discussion with UDP leader was direct, frank, short and without any
> ambiguity.
>
> We discussed four main items, that is, his concept of what constitutes the
> international standard of forming opposition alliances; the NADD experience,
> Agenda 2011 and the need for opposition collaboration to monitor the
> registration of voters.
>
>
> Mr. Darboe told me that the international standard of establishing
> opposition Alliances is for the party with the majority to lead and the
> others to follow.
>
>
> I observed that it is unfortunate that in the Gambian context there is no
> second round of voting which would have made it possible for the people to
> select the two candidates who could participate in the final round. I added
> that if he wants, he as UDP leader to be supported as a candidate, on the
> basis of the principle he mentioned, he should go ahead and start a campaign
> to sell his candidature to the Gambian voters.
>
>
> I emphasised that on my part, I am not sure which political leader in the
> opposition could take voters away from the ruling party and motivate those
> who abstained in 2006 to cast their vote. Hence I subscribe to the idea of
> holding a primary for the people to select the candidate of their choice in
> line with Agenda 2011. I told him that this is why I endorse Agenda 2011.
>
>
> We then discussed the NADD experience. I made it very clear that even
> though other options were put on the table, all parties agreed to create
> NADD. I showed its successes and possibilities as a viable opposition
> Alliance. He maintained that NADD was destroyed by others.
>
>
> He expressed his view that Agenda 2011 is very good on paper but that he
> fears that it is not workable. He said that if different opposition leaders
> go on a political platform to campaign to be the Candidate of the
> opposition, they may engage in character assassination just to win votes. I
> told him that his fear should be laid to rest since Agenda 2011 is calling
> for each party or Independent personality to promote the Agenda on one’s own
> platform and seek a mandate of the people across the board. I emphasised
> that the mere fact that all voters who support the Agenda would be called
> upon to vote for the single candidate makes it essential for no candidate to
> be subjected to character assassination, since he or she may very well
> become the people’s choice of candidate. At that point he said that he was
> reassured.
>
>
> Finally, he questioned whether it was not possible for the opposition to
> collaborate to monitor the registration of voters. I told him that this was
> a necessity and every effort should be done to do so.
>
>
> He assured me that he would hold an extraordinary meeting with his
> committee and come back to me. Since then I have been waiting to know what
> their stand is on Agenda 2011 or selling his candidature to the Gambian
> voters. These are the ways forward that are before the UDP leader and they
> need to take a stand and move on instead of giving the impression that Sidia
> is dragging his feet on the issue of a united front.
>
>
> I have made it abundantly clear to the PDOIS Central Committee that there
> is no political vacuum for the creation of a United Front in the Gambia. The
> UDP leader has the option to start his campaign for the people to accept his
> candidature and extend invitation to others who are yet to be confident that
> he alone could put an end to voter apathy
>
> Agenda 2011 calls for each party to go on its own platform and campaign for
> its own candidate to be the single candidate of the opposition through a
> primary,
>
> NADD is still legally registered and all political parties could embrace it
> and then come together to select a single candidate. As far as I know PDOIS
> still subscribes to the NADD idea but PPP under OJ has also not pulled out
> of NADD.
>
>
> Those who want to support the opposition should take their sides and
> promote dialogue while not undermining each other’s positions. This is the
> way forward. I am willing to meet any representative from the GMC or any
> other party that aims to discuss Gambia’s future. Issuing comments in cyber
> space without knowing the concrete realities on the ground is not enough.
>
>
> The End
>
>
> SIDIA JATTA
>
> NATIONAL ASSEMBLY MEMBER FOR WULI WEST
>
>
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-- 
Surah- Ar-Rum 30-22
"And among His signs is the creation of heavens and the earth, and the
difference of your languages and colours. Verily, in that are indeed signs
for men of sound knowledge." Qu'ran

www.suntoumana.blogspot.com


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