Mr. Colly,
I am quite glad that you have come forward to rescue us.Such a
sensitive information should not be taken so lightly.Though my comments
might be considered by some to be "myopic" questions/comments/statements,you
have taken the trouble to use your broom to clear the dust.Thanks for this.
MARK
>From: ebou colly <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: GAMBIA WITHDRAWS FROM CASAMANCE PEACE PROCESS
>Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2000 19:37:45 -0700
>
>Hi Mr. Taylor,
>
>I cannot but respond on this one as a one-time member
>of Jammeh's inner circle of military consultants
>To say that Yaya harbors sympathy for the MFDC rebels
>and gives them all kinds of support in the face of his
>pseudo- mediation efforts is the absolute fact as far
>as my experience taught me.
>Anyway before getting into the very specifics, I would
>like to make some real reflections on an incident that
>should best show what I am trying to say. If you can
>recall, in 1994, immediately after the AFPRC seized
>power, Yaya started an unnecessary negative campaign
>against former President Joof's government, accusing
>the Senegalese of being responsible for the first mass
>graves in The Gambia, when in 1981 they illegally
>intervened militarily to restore the PPP government
>"after Kukoi Samba Sanyang successfully overthrew the
>unwanted Jawara Regime". I wonder whether you could
>remember that period of Yaya's negative political
>campaign against Senegal. The whole thing was so
>embarrassing to the Joof government that by early
>1996, former President Joof delegated one of his most
>trusted aides General Wane to quietly work out a means
>of getting Kukoi from exile back to the Gambia. Yaya
>accepted and immediately stopped the verbal attack on
>Senegal.
>
>For a while, the Senegalese General shuttled back and
>forth from Senegal to the Gambia until Kukoi was
>smuggled into Senegal with some of his battle-hardened
>mercenaries. They were seventeen in number all
>mobilized from the battlefields of Liberia
>All were Gambians except one Essa Baldeh who
>originally came from Kolda Senegal.
>Mark you the negotiations were so kept in secret by
>Yaya that even Edward Singhateh who was the Defense
>Minister at the time was completely kept out of the
>picture.
> However, in July 1996, the Senegalese Defense
>Minister Khan together with General Wane made an
>urgent visit to The Gambia to report a major setback
>in the negotiation. Yaya was on a political tour of
>the provinces. But it was so urgent that the two
>messengers after landing at Yundum Airport in their
>special plane traveled all the way to the provinces to
>deliver the special message they had for Yaya from
>Joof.
>The message was comprehensive and clear. But to cut a
>long story short, the Senegalese delegations simply
>came to explain to Yaya their discovery of kukoi"s
>intent to use forceful means to overthrow The Gambia
>government. Kukoi and eight of his combatants were
>arrested at Tambakunda, eastern Senegal where they
>were making attempts to acquire arms to launch the
>attack. The special Senegalese team therefore met him
>to also get his opinion on what to do with Kukoi. But
>since Yaya could not explain that to anybody,
>Gambians, Senegalese or anyone after talking so well
>about the rebel leader for so long, he simply
>surrendered everything to the Senegalese government to
>cover it up.
>The Senegalese government on the other hand could not
>allow the Senegalese public to know anything about
>their clandestine involvement with Kukoi and Yaya who
>were both repulsive in their books. As a result
>everything was handled so badly that the Senegalese
>missed the presence of the remnants of Kukoi's
>fighters in Senegal (Sokone Village) when they allowed
>the rebel leader to leave their country in the same
>manner that he entered it-silently.
>Jammeh also was so foolish in the way he received or
>treated the information delivered by the Senegalese
>Minister that he even hid the attack blueprint
>designed by Kukoi and his men targeting Farafenni
>barracks as their first objective of assault.
>On the 26th of November, four months after Yaya was
>warned of the attack by the Senegalese but kept the
>information from the military authorities including
>the Defense Department, the eight remaining
>mercenaries not jailed by the Senegalese, attacked
>Farafenni Barracks under the leadership of one
>Abdoulie Sonko. Six soldiers were killed and several
>wounded thanks to the idiot's foolishness and
>incompetence.
>Anyhow for a while after the attack, Yaya put up a
>serious pretence of not knowing anything about the
>attackers or where they came from, insisting that the
>whole matter was masterminded by Abdou Joof's
>government to commit the same kind of genocide they
>were doing against the people of Cassamance. He had
>tried everything in his usual stupid ways to make us
>believe that the Senegalese were just maniac when it
>came to taking innocent lives.
>We had argued with him based on the logic of the
>operation, showing him that if Senegal was to
>organized anything like such attacks in The Gambia it
>would not have been so unprofessional and badly done
>and would have certainly been a success. The National
>Ignorant Agency NIA was on his side that Senegal was
>behind the attack. Even when the Senegalese government
>captured the attackers-John Dampha, Sulayman Sarr and
>Essa Baldeh- and handed them over within 48hours after
>they fled to Senegal, Yaya still insisted that Abdou
>Joof was behind the assault against his government.
>But when Edward started contemplating a retaliation by
>having the GNA attack a part of Senegal, the coward
>finally relented producing for the first time the
>attack-plan that the Senegalese gave him months ago.
>With that special information, we made it clear to him
>that a great deal of what led to the death of our
>innocent soldiers should be blamed on why that
>document was hidden from the military authorities. But
>with all that clear evidence, he was still blaming
>Senegal. And for that reason, he vetoed the press
>release that was written on the case thanking Senegal
>for their cooperation.
>He in fact seized that opportunity to condemn
>Senegal's barbaric tendencies in Cassamance, swearing
>that when next time he spoke to Nkrumah Sanneh the
>fanatical Cassamance rebel based in France then, he
>would give him a program of retaliation for the MFDC
>to carry out in Senegal. Whether he was only bluffing
>or not Jammeh had always maintained that he is in
>direct contact with the armed wing of the MFDC the
>only organization he found worthwhile in the struggle
>for independence of Senegal. Take it from me Yaya's
>support for the Cassamance Rebels bent on fighting for
>their own state is deeply rooted in his unfair mind.
>The ordinary person may not know but for some of us
>who were around him during his natural or "artificial"
>moods, we knew he was only playing the fool with poor
>Abdou Joof.
>Having made that reflection, I want to now give you
>some specific evidences that I talked about in the
>past. On several occasions Cassamance rebels wounded
>in action have been quietly treated at the RVH on
>Yaya's knowledge and blessing. Yaya with all his
>pretence in championing the Cassamance peace process,
>he has never been heard saying anything about his
>solution plan on the issue. This conflict is one with
>two uncompromising antagonists in the ultimate
>solution they each desire. The Senegalese government
>would not in anyway let go of Cassamance for
>independence, while Jammeh's friend Nkrumah Sanneh
>with his fighters calls for nothing less than total
>independence. That is why Yaya had never been heard in
>public saying where he stands on the issue. Yaya could
>be on any side depending on whether he was speaking to
>Abdou Joof or Nkrumah Sanneh.
>The peaceful negotiators who used to converge in The
>Gambia were the Seedy Badgie group. Yaya hates this
>group with serious bitterness calling them puppets of
>Abdou Joof in his private moments. That was why the
>peace process could not achieve anything with Yaya
>handling it in the Gambia. Every time a meeting was
>held in the Gambia an armed attack by the MFDC would
>follow a day after the meeting was ended.
>MFDC rebels have been captured with Gambian ID cards
>thanks to Yaya's tricks. The Atlantic Hotel in Banjul
>is virtually an MFDC administrative headquarters. They
>give press conference there and plan whatever they
>want there.
>Abdou Joof may have chosen to accept Yaya's elementary
>manipulative tendencies but Wadda might not. After all
>Joof's downfall has a lot to do with his naïve
>relationship with Yaya.
>Just look at it this way: since Wadda kept Yaya away
>from the Cassamance issue, the rebel's military
>activities have been virtually contained. So Wadda
>should be glad that Yaya's meddling hand in the
>Cassamance business has been cut at last .It was a
>filthy hand after all.
>Ebou Colly
>
>
>--- Mark Taylor <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > "CORRECTION"
> >
> > Dampha Kebba,
> > Thanks for your note.You have indeed
> > shown your sincere
> > concern for peace in the Senegambian soil.But your
> > last few lines doesn't
> > help much to create peace.You are coming up with
> > interesting and substantial
> > allegations that The Gambian government harbors the
> > MFDC rebels and give
> > them all kinds of moral support.If these are
> > allegations can be proven to be
> > true then the smooth tie that existed between The
> > Gambia and Senegal will be
> > SOILED.It is very essential for one to avoid relying
> > too much on hear say
> > without having conduct a concrete
> > investigation.Facts without proof can
> > yield to misleading CONCLUSIONS.I think it is much
> > better to let the other
> > party to prove that The Gambian government harbors
> > their rebels.If this
> > other party should buy such allegations and decides
> > to retaliate then none
> > of us will stand to benefit from this.Well,this is
> > just a contribution.
> >
> > MARK
> > >
> > >
> > >>From: Dampha Kebba <[log in to unmask]>
> > >>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing
> > list
> > >><[log in to unmask]>
> > >>To: [log in to unmask]
> > >>Subject: GAMBIA WITHDRAWS FROM CASAMANCE PEACE
> > PROCESS
> > >>Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2000 09:18:12 EDT
> > >>
> > >>The article below was culled from the Gambian
> > Daily Observer. Reading
> > >>between the lines of a demoralized Sedat Jobe
> > press conference, I detected
> > >>that the Senegalese finally smelt the coffee and
> > kick Yaya out of the
> > >>negotiations. The Senegalese have fine soldiers
> > like Ebou Colly to thank
> > >>for
> > >>their government's decision to send Yaya packing.
> > I look forward to
> > >>Colly's
> > >>reaction to this pivotal news. I hope and pray
> > that the Senegalese
> > >>government will not ascribe Yaya's illegal and
> > slimy actions to the
> > >>peace-loving Gambian people. We have no quarrel
> > with Senegal. People like
> > >>Sedat Jobe are gutless vermin that will follow a
> > moron like Yaya to Hell
> > >>if
> > >>need be. We will hold Yaya and MFDC responsible if
> > they make it necessary
> > >>for Senegalese soldiers to pursue them into
> > Gambian territory and put
> > >>Gambian villagers in jeopardy. The reckless
> > government we have back home
> > >>should cease all contact with and support for the
> > MFDC. The Yaya
> > >>government
> > >>should stop harboring rebels in Gambian hotels and
> > treating them at
> > >>Gambian
> > >>hospitals. The government should also stop being a
> > conduit for supplying
> > >>arms to the rebels. In other words, Gambians
> > should stay out of a war that
> > >>does not concern us.
> > >>KB
> > >>
> >
> >>________________________________________________________________________
> > >>
> > >>GAMBIA WITHDRAWS FROM CASAMANCE PEACE PROCESS Mfdc
> > Calls For Sanctions On
> > >>Senegal
> > >>The Gambia government yesterday announced its
> > withdrawal from the
> > >>mediation
> > >>role in the Casamance conflict. Following
> > instructions from President
> > >>Jammeh, the secretary of state for Foreign Affairs
> > called a press
> > >>conference
> > >>to brief the media on the development.
> > >>Before the press conference, Foreign Affairs
> > secretary, Dr ML Sedat Jobe,
> > >>held a 52 minute closed door meeting with the
> > diplomats, including UN's
> > >>Malika Akrouf, USA's George Haley, Britain's John
> > Perrott, Nigeria's Jacob
> > >>Ngbako, Sierra's Leone's EM Fofana, Unicef's
> > Teresa Hevia, WHO Mwanzia,
> > >>FAO's Mikkola and Mauritania's Mohamed. At the
> > press conference, SoS Jobe
> > >>told journalists, "We are withdrawing to avoid
> > indecent atmosphere in
> > >>which
> > >>our role has been misunderstood."
> > >>He explained that following his inauguration as
> > president of Senegal,
> > >>Abdoulaye Wade had pleaded with the Gambia
> > government to continue to play
> > >>a
> > >>pro-active role in the Casamance peace process
> > begun during President
> > >>Abdou
> > >>Diouf's regime, but that Wade has neither created
> > a new mediation team nor
> > >>other enabling factors for the negotiations. "When
> > we first mediated, our
> > >>intention was to withdraw but there were a lot of
> > reactions in Senegal by
> > >>the people who think that The Gambia should
> > continue with her role," Jobe
> > >>recalled. Dr Jobe said The Gambia has been
> > marginalised in all the recent
> > >>meetings on Casamance and that Wade's government
> > does not recognise the
> > >>Abidjan code nor The Gambia's mediation role in
> > the peace process.
> > >>However, Dr Jobe said "withdrawal (from the peace
> > process) does not mean
> > >>hostility (to Senegal). I do not think this will
> > pose any negative impact
> > >>in
> > >>The Gambia's relationship with Senegal." Asked
> > about the reaction of the
> > >>diplomats to the Gambia government's decision, Dr
> > Jobe said they expressed
> > >>sadness over the incident "but they understand The
> > Gambia's situation."
> > >>Gambia, he added, does not derive any monetary
> > gains from the peace
> > >>process,
> > >>"instead, the country is spending from its meagre
> > resources, still that is
> > >>not moral...to the government of Wade." Dr Jobe
> > passionately appealed to
> > >>the
> > >>media to stress that the withdrawal has no
> > negative connotation.
> > >>Sanctions on Senegal Meanwhile, Alexandre Djiba,
> > the MFDC spokesman, has
> > >>called on the international community to freeze
> > all financial assistance
> > >>to
> > >>the government of Mr Wade "until he decides to
> > engage effectively and
> > >>concretely in the search for peaceful settlement
> > towards lasting and just
> > >>peace in Casamance." Mr Djiba told Daily Observer
> > yesterday, "the silence
> > >>of
> > >>all democrats of the world does nothing but
> > reinforce the feeling of
> > >>impunity of the Senegalese policy in Casamance.
> > >>He (Wade) tries to undermine the war in Casamance
> > which has been going on
> > >>for nearly 20 years by saying the crisis is
> > internal and should be solved
> > >>among Senegalese. Wade is preparing for the
> > restart of hostilities in
> > >>Casamance. The Movement of Democratic Forces in
> > Casamance is appealing to
> > >>the International Community to renounce the crime,
> > which Mr Wade is
> > >>willing
> > >>to foster in Casamance," he concluded.
> > >>
> >
> >>_________________________________________________________________________
> > >>Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at
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> > >>
> >
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>=== message truncated ===
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>
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