Thanks, Mariama, for your effort to unite members of this listserv. It
comes as no surprise that the intiative comes from a woman. I am happy that
you understood the essence of my piece.
I have finally been able to join this list, which will allow me to be part
of some of the discussions. Reading the latest personal attacks has been
discouraging for me, since I am trying to contribute the little I can from
Canada and so far have met nobody here in Montreal that wants to help me in
this task of sensitizing the Canadian public to the problems in The Gambia.
If any of you on this listserv is based in Canada, I would like to hear from
you!
Also, this weekend there will be an African music festival and I have
started to contemplate distributing flyers. The problem is I am not sure
where to start, as the issues are so complex... Does anyone have a petition
ready that I could print and have signed, or alternatively a one-page SIMPLE
summary on the current situation in The Gambia which could serve as an
educational tool? Also, can someone please tell me the actual election
date? Thanks again.
In solidarity,
Maria Caterina Ciampi
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mariama Diop" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, July 16, 2001 11:54 AM
Subject: Re: Fwd: Fw: Fw: More questions than answers
> Thanks Ebrima for Maria's piece. I agree with Maria that perhaps it would
be
> more useful shifting the emphasis of this forum to brainstorming on how to
> contribute constructively to The Gambia's political and socio- economic
> empowerment .
> It is very encouraging to note that our tiny country has produced so
many
> brilliant and articulate young men and women.
> I am very optismistic that with a little bit of coordination and
> organisation on our part , we would be able to mobilise more positive
energy
> through this forum for the daunting task of eradicating poverty and
> introducing sound governance in our beloved country.
> I challenge all of us to please forget about our differences, stop the
name
> calling... and attack the critical issues head on
> For instance it now seems that none of us aboard would be able to vote in
> the coming presidential elections. To my mind, this is a violation of our
> right as citizens. Every vote is important and must count! Denying us this
> fundamental right is unacceptable to say the least. But what can we as a
> group do about this? In addition to condemning I believe that we could
> also for example exchange ideas on how to fundraise to finance our
> participation in our respective locations.We all have a lot of work to do
to
> make The Gambia a better place.
> I believe we should start with putting together ideas about a national
> vision. How do we all want The Gambia to be , say in five years?
> I look forward to the first brainstorming session.
>
> Warmly,
> mariama
>
>
> to
>
> >From: Ebrima Ceesay <[log in to unmask]>
> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
> ><[log in to unmask]>
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: Fwd: Fw: Fw: More questions than answers
> >Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 13:33:28 -0000
> >
> >Gambia-L:
> >
> >The e-mail below came from the canadian who recently visited The Gambia
and
> >then sent her comments to the L through Dr Saine. I have to say in
advance
> >that the e-mail is a thought provoking one!
> >
> >Momodou Camara: Is it possible to subscribe the Canadian to the L?
> >
> >Momodou Olly Mboge: Congrats!! I am told that you have just got your
> >results
> >and the good news is that you have successfully obtained a BA degree
(Hons)
> >in History.
> >
> >Ebrima
> >
> >________________________________________________________________
> >
> >>From: "Maria Caterina Ciampi" <[log in to unmask]>
> >>To: "Ebrima Ceesay" <[log in to unmask]>
> >>Subject: Fw: Fw: More questions than answers
> >>Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 09:13:43 -0400
> >>
> >>Sent: Monday, July 16, 2001 8:41 AM
> >>Subject: Fwd: Fw: More questions than answers
> >>
> >>
> >>Ebrima,
> >>
> >>I wrote part of this piece for a friend in The Gambia and then decided
to
> >>share it with you to hear your own views. Feel free to forward it to
the
> >>listserv as I have been unsucessful in registering my name. I have been
> >>feeling very sad in the last few days thinking about the condition of
> >>Africa. I realize my comments are probably politically shallow, but
> >>understanding is a process and not a fixed outcome, so I will get there
> >>eventually.
> >>
> >>On Saturday night I cried for Africa while I watched a Montreal-based
> >>troop
> >>of dancers and singers originally from Rwanda perform on an outdoor
stage.
> >>They opened their "act" with a poem describing their nature, their
> >>passion,
> >>their elegance and also by stating that they choose to put aside tribal
> >>and
> >>ethnic differences and to stand united as a people burning with the fire
> >>of
> >>a flame they literally held high. I cried. I cried because the message
was
> >>powerful, but also because I was struck by the beauty of this group of
> >>youths who likely witnessed all kinds of atrocities as children and yet
> >>have survived. I was moved simply thinking about the journey they must
> >>have
> >>had to make it to this country, the sacrifices, the losses, the sorrow
and
> >>the guilt. I cried because I wondered about their families. I cried
> >>thinking about how Canada must have transformed them and wishing that
> >>everyone could experience the unity we have in spite of our cultural
> >>differences, though we like to bitch about racism and other forms of
> >>divisiveness (did you hear what the mayor of Toronto said about Africans
> >>being cannibals during the negotiations for the next venue for the
> >>Olympics? I am deeply ashamed of this my fellow Canadian). I watched
this
> >>group dance with a joy I have rarely seen. I saw the peace they now
> >>benefit
> >>from in their eyes and wanted it to infect even me. I cried because I
was
> >>so touched that these youth, who despite all their trials and
tribulations
> >>rose above it all and generously shared their culture and beauty with a
> >>group of strangers. I cried imaging how my Gambian friends would feel
in
> >>their shoes.
> >>
> >>Later, I went to see "Lumumba" a movie by Raoul Peck. Have you seen it?
> >>It made me shudder with dread. The opening images were of two Belgians,
> >>drunk as a matter of survival, cutting up the bodies of Lumumba and his
> >>friend Thomas and then burning them with gasoline. Again, a flame image.
> >>This time, a brutal one. I was devastated by the honesty of this movie,
> >>and
> >>deeply troubled that it was not a piece of Hollywood fiction. I could
not
> >>divorce myself from the images in the name of entertainment. Today I
have
> >>more questions than answers about the future of Africa, based on what I
> >>observed in this movie.
> >>I began to wonder if a pan-African state is a viable solution when
> >>differing ethnic groups in the same country cannot get along. Is this is
> >>the legacy the colonial masters have left behind?. As I was talking to
> >>my
> >>husband about the movie I started wondering whether money is the
ultimate
> >>solution. If the US, capitalists par excellence, were to offer an
economic
> >>infrastructure in Africa that would ensure education and jobs, would you
> >>refute it on grounds of neo-colonialism? Capitalism seems to work in the
> >>US. Nobody has time to contemplate how strange or different their
> >>neighbours are when they have a job to go to, bills to pay and things to
> >>buy. Have I been brainwashed by the American dream too? Communism seems
to
> >>have failed. What is the alternative? Mobuto benefited from the backing
of
> >>the US... look at the lifestyle he led while his people were dying. What
> >>if
> >>he had decided to share the wealth instead of hoarding it for himself?
How
> >>could we be sure that corruption does not reign when foreign investors
> >>make
> >>their bids? What control mechanisms can ever work when people are not
> >>united? Now, I have come back to pan-Africanism as a solution... I do
not
> >>know what to think anymore.
> >>
> >>"I no longer have a borrowed soul. I no longer have borrowed thoughts or
> >>ideas. I no longer speak in a borrowed language." Do you know who said
> >>this? Sounds like a slave freed from captivity, but it is not... think
> >>about it.
> >>
> >>I have also been considering my own role in this whole matter. Why
should
> >>a Canadian take such interest in the plight of Africans? Perhaps people
> >>will suspect me of spying or infiltrating... It looks suspicious whereas
> >>it
> >>is genuine. What am I doing? Is it my place to get involved? At what
> >>point do I need to back off? How best can I express my solidarity?
> >>
> >>I read the Gambia-L listserv and note that Gambians that subscribe to
this
> >>exchange forum are themselves terribly divided. In the last few days, it
> >>seems that all of you are simply bitching, insulting and challenging
each
> >>other in the most childish way imaginable! So what if Jammeh gets
ousted?
> >>What if he mysteriously drops dead tomorrow? Who would replace him? Are
> >>the
> >>Americans behind any military leader at the moment, like they were
backing
> >>Mobuto? Who knows what games they are playing... Should any of you, like
> >>Lumumba, be chosen as the next Prime Minister of The Gambia, how would
you
> >>rule? What would your priority be? It seems like Lumumba failed because
he
> >>was naive. A true believer in African unity, he thought that the Katanga
> >>people could share the political platform with him, and that a military
> >>man
> >>could demonstrate fair leadership, when all the first president and
Mobuto
> >>wanted was their own self-aggrandizement at the expense of the masses.
It
> >>looked to me as though Lumumba could not even begin to instate
> >>long-lasting
> >>political change, like reforming the educational system or improving
> >>health
> >>conditions, because he had to "baby-sit" in the transition from colonial
> >>to
> >>self-rule. Like a father, he had to tell his children to behave and stop
> >>fighting each other. The problem was, these "kids" felt they were better
> >>than him and had to ultimately eliminate him so they could continue to
> >>play.
> >>
> >>Author Huxley of Roots, said that Africa "is a cruel country; it takes
> >>your
> >>heart and grinds it into powdered stone - and no one minds". The singer
> >>Stevie Wonder once addressed the UN and said, "South Africa is the land
> >>with tears in her eyes". I think this applies to the whole continent. I
> >>know I weep for her yet again tonight.
> >>
> >>Maria
> >
> >_________________________________________________________________________
> >Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.
> >
>
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