Seedy SaidyKhan <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Kabir,
> 
> If you want to bring a true political change in The Gambia,  you have to
> participate in the political process. I bet you and Ndey can form a good
> political party or join one of the already existing ones.
> 
> A reception was supposed to be held in honor of President Jammeh on Saturday
> in Washington, DC. So obviously, he will meet Gambians.
> 
> We had Movement of Justice in Africa(MOJA-G). We also had Tombong and his
> gang doing their things in the States, but I am not sure if the ousted
> President Jawara ever met them. However, that never stopped them from their
> struggle. Mr. Jammeh is no doubt a politician. Thus, he is very much aware of
> his critics. Once again, he is meeting and will be meeting Gambians up to his
> last day in the US.
> 
> Time will tell us that "change" can be bitter. But it can be adaptable, too.
> 
> Gambians today may be as poorer as they were twenty years ago. I have not
> been to The Gambia for six years now. However, I am aware that unlike Mr.
> Jawara, Mr. Jammeh talks about development and I think he also takes it very
> seriously. The Yundum Airport is  an example. The regime we had before
> Jammeh's could not even build a single high school. I could remember shortly
> after the 1977 general elections, a family man was fired from his job because
> he was an NCP sympathizer. Also, I have seen people who went to look for jobs
> and they were asked who their parents were. So their is a very little
> difference between the two governments in some aspects. However, we should
> not only look at development economically, but mentally as well. So we should
> hold ourselves accountable for certain actions. Please remember that Mr.
> Jammeh is been voted by the Gambian electorate. From what I understand, Mr.
> Jammeh did not hire any outsiders to commit those atrocities in the country.
> I have no doubt that he will learn from his mistakes to improve his human
> rights records.
> 
> In order for us to bring about a meaningful change, we have to address this
> "self imposed exile." Only a fraction of Gambians have access to this site.
> So if you want your voices to be heard well, please take political platforms
> at a local level. We need you there if you think you can make a difference.
> So much junk mail! Who cares!
> 
> God bless The Gambia.

Mr. SaidyKhan,

Are you sure this one was meant for me? If so you must have your facts straightened out. and for someone who is cautioning about the use of language it seems you need to heed your own advise.

And you need to get your facts straight because the issue here is not about political change in The Gambia, but rather an organisation for the unification of Africa and Africans wherever they are.

About joining  an existing political party or starting one, if you knew me you would have known that I am already a militant member of MOJA-G which you mentioned above, and that I joined the movement whiles it was still banned because I believe it is my constiutional right to embrace any political organisation that embodies my political aspirations.

I was involved in MOJA-G whiles Jammeh was still at school!- so my politics has nothing to do with Jammeh as a person or nostalgia over Jawara's regime. In fact if you talk to people who know me personally, you will learn that I was more militant in my anti-Jawara stance than I have been against the present regime  mainly because I was vehemently against the SeneGambia confederation and the occupation of my country by Senegalese troops. I am not against confederation as such, but I felt that Jawara had no right to mortgage our country just for his personal security and without the consent of Gambians!

I campaigned seriously against the confederation, even confronting Jawara's ambassador to England in public here in Oslo and got interviews in both  national newspapers and the national TV here in Norway to sensitise the international community about the brutality of the behaviour of the Senegalese occupation troops.

In the issue of 'West Africa Magazine' of April 25th 1988 I wrote to the editor of the in response to an interview with Kukoi Samba Sanyang:

"SIR,

"EddieMomoh's interview with Kukoi Samba Sanyang (West Africa, March 28) was indeed interesting and should have taken place a long time ago. However, I am inclined to say that Mr. Sanyang owes Gambians a better explanation than he gave in the interview. Whatever the character of the Jawara government, Mr Sanyang's motives should be questioned and his adventurism strongly condemned. Events before, during and after the abortive coup provide us with a vivid picture of a power-hungry individual intent at grabbing power at whatever cost to the Gambian masses.

"His claim that he 'joined the National Convention Party merely as a formality but in actual fact had no confidence in the so-called democratic process in The Gambia' did not stop him from contesting the parliamentary seat in his ethnic area in the 1977 elections in which he sustained an overwhelming defeat.

"This dubious character then joined The Gambia Socialist Revolutionary Party, then led by the controversial Gibril George (a bankrupt businessman) whose subsequent murder he ordered following a power struggle at the paramilitary depot at Bakau. The catastrophic event of July 30th also witnessed the systematic hunting down and murder of Moja militants and the murder of Commander Bojang contrary to the belief of many that he is still alive.

"During the course of the tense political atmosphere that prevailed in the months leading to the coup attempt both Moja and the then underground 'Voice of the Future' which was distributed secretly through the country, had repeatedly warned about the threat posed by Senegal to Gambian nationhood. It therefore does not hold if Mr. Sanyang says that they had not foreseen the Senegalese factor. The popularity of July 30th is explained by the fact that Gambians were at this time so desperate for change that they rose in their thousands to support a misguided act. The result is that over 2,000 people lost their lives, whiles those who survived woke up to find themselves and their country mortgaged under dubious terms.

"If it is true that Mr. Sanyang represented a vast majority of the populace why did his 12-man Revolutionary Council consist of ten illiterates and one semi-literate and himself? Why did he continue to broadcast over Radio Gambia through a portable transmitter to the last of the rebels still holding out in the Kombos that he was still in control while in actual fact he was on his escape route? He claimed he was in no hurry to leave the Gambia but he was in enough hurry to hastily bury the brief case that contained the incriminating evidence against Che Yassin Secka (an attorney) that led to his conviction.

Amadou Kabir Njie"

You can verify the authenticity of this article from any source that contains achieves of the Magazine.

I share your opinion that in order to effect any meaningful political change one must be organised and work together with like-minded people to work towards your political objectives. So you see, my politics is not personal. I deal with the issues of the day  and these are just some of the reasons why I wonder if this posting was meant for me or if you just love the sound of my name.

Kabir.

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