Ebrima, I share your observations, I think for any opposition to be taken
seriously it has to be dealing with the  issues and not personalities, but
it is obvious that people like KB the jujuman are not getting the point. You
can talk till the cows come home but this man will never appreciate your
logic.

We all appreciate the fact that it is imperative to have a formidable
opposition in any democratic setting. However, it is negative to have an
opposition that does not come with alternative policy programmes but insults
and this is the level to which KB has sunk. I think he needs to be aided to
know that there are lots of people who do not agree with Jammeh but they do
not go about insulting him and those that support him at every opportunity.
I hope for the sake of decency and mature discussions we shall depart from
unsavoury language and talk about relivant issues that affects the lives of
the ordinary people.

We must reconcile to the fact that Jammeh has been duly elected and this was
accepted in good faith by all the opposition parties as well as the eminent
observers.To dwell on his legitimacy or question the judgement of the people
is a complete waste of time.

What we must endeavour to do as opposition at this point in time is to take
Jammeh to task by exposing  the flaws and  weaknesses of the policy
programmes of the APRC,as well as its human rights record, this way we could
play a  fundamental role in shaping the destiny of our country. For Jammeh
cannot afford to ignore serious minded people who have earned and commanded
respect in the diaspora, in fact his actions and judgement will always be
mindful of what our reaction will be, this must be despite whatever the
pretence.

Ater all Jammeh may be the president but none of us can be  bigger than the
issues, so we must avoid deluding ourselves thinking that we are the  only
ones with the answers. This attitude only highlights the ignorance and
arrogance embeded in some of us, yes Jammeh might not have been to a
university or is even from up country so what!. I think by focusing solely
on Jammeh and his background we are loosing the plot, after all Jammeh is
just and individual and the Gambia is about two million people, we must
direct our efforts to the people, to enlighthen them so that they will be
aware, so much so that they will vote not on personalities or any parochial
or chauvinistic issue but on relivant issues. This is the correct way an
opposition should conduct itself otherwise it loses its relivance.

Had the Gambians had a high level of awareness then the outcome of the
elections would have been different but the reality is otherwise, hence we
must work together and ensure that they become critical thinkers and not
just willing objects. To achieve this requires a new form of thinking it is
not about who swears loudest but who contributes most to freeing up the
people from their slumber, this has to be the way forward and I hope those
opposing Jammeh to oppose him not as a personality or his origins but his
socio-economic programmes that way we can earn the respectability we
desserve. Am sure many Gambians have taken this approach, it may seem slow
but ultimately it is a winner, for reality will always outlast untruth and
injustice.


>From: Ebrima Jallow <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Joe Sambou: call for restraint on abusive adjectives
>Date: Sat, 10 Nov 2001 16:28:14 +0000
>
>Since I came here, I have seen you people refer to
>Tombong Saidy, Jungle Sunrise, Yero Mama and Co as
>simpletons, clowns, prostitutes, to name a few. I have
>seen someone defile a married woman's name simply
>because she works for the government with sincerity.
>All the feloow got was a slap on the wrist by JUST ONE
>PERSON. That was a culture shock for me. Because I
>know how we rever our womenfolk in real life.
>
>To crown it all, you refer to the democratically
>elected President as a moron and idiot all the time.
>
>Characters like you who see nothing wrong in using
>such offensive adjectives have serious character
>flaws.
>
>In such cases, people like me will never hesitate to
>point out your own inadequacies using similarly
>offensive adjectives.
>
>About President Jammeh's faults, well, no government
>is perfect. If you want to point out his flaws, then
>do it maturedly and honestly.
>
>Failing which, you will continue to just appear like
>earthworms upon whom salt was poured. Writhing
>senseless in cyberspace. I call on you all to take a
>step back and really examine your postings. THEY ARE
>SO DAMN AMUSING. The same rhetoric all the time.
>Offensive rhetoric.
>
>Thank you.
>Ebrima.
>
>
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