Mr Gassa,
There is no complete agreement among peoples of different societies and
cultural backgrounds as to what exacty constitues human rights and democracy
and will never be. However, it is either as a result of sheer ignorance or
dishonesty on the part of anyone with the view that what today constitutes
the inalienable rights of any human beings, otherwise known as the
fundamental human rights is a Western concept that cannot be applicable to
non-western societies.
Although, it was only during the Second World War that an attempt
spearheaded by the Allied Powers was made to give human rights a universal
appeal to motivate the rest of the world to join their side against Hitler
and his Fascist alliance,fundamental human rights have been in existence
since well before the advent of Judaism, Christianity or Islam. The
immediate impact of the Universal declaration of human rights was the end of
colonialism. The key reason why most of our grandfathers volunteered for the
Allied cause was the assurance from the West that the world would only be a
free place for peoples of all nations and races after the defeat of the Axis
powers led by Nazi Germany and Japan. When  eventually both Germany and
Japan were defeated, the latter as a result of the the greatest terrorist
weapon ever used in warfare, the colonies started to demand their share of
the promised world freedom.
The fundamental human rights are not different by what Confucius; the
pre-Christian era Chinese Philosopher referred to in his days as the Golden
Rule: which is not to do unto others, what one would not like others to do
on to to him or her.
The wars, chaos, exploitation, hatred and misery that is manifested in all
shapes and forms in most societies throughout the world, particularly those
in Africa would have been significantly minimised, were the golden rule to
be largely adhered to by all and sundry.
Imagine this! If President Jammeh had conformed to the golden rule, he would
not have entertained soldiers under his command to shoot and kill peaceful
student protestors as happened in the Gambia on April 10 and 11. He would
have simply rationalise in accordance with the golden rule that he
(Jammeh)won't liked any person to kill his child and were he to face a fate
similar to the parents whose children were murdered by soldiers, he
(Jammeh)would have been justifiably bitter and even more so when those who
carried out the killing were granted a blanket amnesty and immunity from
prosecution by the government.
I can't say how exactly you would have felt about the APRC upon being told
that your own child has been murdered by Jammeh's death squad but i am
pretty sure that even if Jammeh was your own blood brother, you would have
confronted him and not said let's dialogue about it.
One of the many reasons, i detest the regime as i do is because sometimes i
try to imagine myself as a brother to the Late Abou Barrow, one of the
matyrs of that fateful April day or at other times as a parent to one of the
those murdered.
Please therefore digest this: human rights is not a Western or 'toubab'
ideology, tradition or custom; it is a universal entitlement that is craved
for by all normal human beigns regardless of where,who or what they are. It
is part of the genes inherent in every person for a dinified existence in
life.
Finally,I have never passed judgement or criticse the APRC regime from a
western perspective simply because i cannot as i am not a westerner or a
westernised Gambian.
Though i strongly detest the hypocrisy of western politicians, their foreign
policies, their neocolonial policies, their imperialist designs etc, that
does not mean i will specialise in anti-western rhetorics to justify
corruption and abuse of power by Jammeh and his cohorts. No!
Take heed: "Revolution is not static, it is change continually evolving
inspired by the desire to get rid of all forms of domination and
exploitation. Revolutionaries are not afraid of their own mistakes. They
have the political courage to admit them publicly, because doing means
commiting oneself to correcting them and doing better. We should prefer one
step with the masses than ten steps without them" Sankarah

If what you mean by dialogue is for us to succumb to the diktats of
President Jammeh and his henchmen in the face of their crimes against
Gambians and incessant onslaught against our rights, then you are trying to
insult our intelligence or underestimate our resolve to confront injustice.
In such a case, you will be confronted until you have some sense of justice.
I am not one of those "predatory owls that strike in the dark or a
fence-sitting chameleon" (Sankarah)whose only preoccupation is to defame our
genuine leaders, scheme against the African dream for freedom,justice and
development or attempt to defend the indefensible through half truths and
utter lies. The massive majority of our great grandparents, grandparents and
even parents did not shed their blood, sweat and tears to end our
colonisation by the West only for us to be shackled even more throgh
neo-colonialism and by our own native despotic rulers, who continue to
regard and treat their homelands as their conquests and their compatriots as
their subjects as President Jammeh does.
It is not a preferred choice for many of us to live in the West, but current
realities back at home dictate that we are better able to serve our country
by struggling away from home. The West is no heaven otherwise we shall not
be having tourists in the Gambia and we are not here on
holidays,either.Nearly all of us are in the west to be able to contribute
more to the development of ourselves and societies.
Our efforts over here are creating more development opportunities for  the
Gambia. Why should the APRC government opt to make the Gambia a hell for
those who choose to support the oppostion or merely exercise their right to
expression?
In case you don't know what most of go through in foreign lands, let it be
known to you that we don't live on handouts from any foreign government, we
survive from our honest sweat and toil.
What we crave for in the Gambia above all else, is sustainable development
and prosperity for the benefit of all.
As the late Capt. Thomas sankarah stated: "Freedom is never granted,it has
to be won through struggle". When change cannot be brought about by
dialogue, the course of confrontation is the only option and sometimes
eventually, the oppressors will eventuall yield into dialogue as a means of
change. This strategy accounted for the demise of apartheid in the US and
South Africa. For those despots who continue to resist the genuine
aspirations of the majority for freedom, they willsomeday get swept away by
the tide of freedom.

President Jammeh's only desire is for all Gambians to succumb to his will
but we cannot succumb to the will of God and at the same time that of a
mortal like us.He can only be respected and admired if he is  courageous
enough to confront injustice and his actions are as humanly possible guided
by the desire to see to it that justice is done to all, because without
justice there can be no solid or lasting peace in the Gambia.
Many internal conflicts in our part of the world have their origin from some
form of misrule of one sort or the other and we should not even contemplate
to experience another Liberia,Sierra Leone,Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan etc in the
Gambia.
The narrow margin by which President Jammeh won the first round of the
election should have been a signal that the electorate had given his regime
a second for rectification of past wrongs or mistakes but shortly within 24
hours of that, he went back to his old ways.
Lawyer Darboe did the most honourable act by conceding defeat and
congratulating him but Jammeh misinterpreted this olive branch extended to
him as a sign of weakness or fear and resorted to imprisoning UDP party
militants throughout the length and breath of the Gambia. Some of these
people are still in dentention under tortuous conditions. still dialogue
with such a demagogue? no
I am sorry if i offended you but this is how i feel and tell me if it is a
crime or a torturable one at that.
Lastly, be courageous enough to apologise to our journalists for they have
been conducting themselves throughout in accordance with their professional
ethics. None of them have committed any treasonable offence against the
country to be nearly subjected to death penalty as
Alagie Mbye was. Please be honest to yourself.
Be assured that however long it takes, the yoke of oppression in the Gambia
must be shattered.

Happy Eid!

BMK


>Finally, you can take it from me that the majority of Gambians do not care
>about this human rights issue that some of you are happing on. People are
>more pre-occupied with trying to secure their daily bread. Sad, but true.
>People are trying to survive and if others cannot understand that but
>instead want to martyr themselves, they can go right ahead. We may remember
>them some day!
>
>Have a good day, Gassa.
>
>
>
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