Comrades:
I was moved when I read the Observer today. Gambians back
home have expressed their feelings on the recent controversy.
Many have pinpointed their distrusts of the PPP strategy in trying
to deny three main opposition parties the right to political
democracy. They have indicated their opposition on a strategy of
payback on SM. It is interesting that we have forgotten 1981, when
Sir Dawda falsely imprisoned SM. We have forgotten the 55 witnesses
who lied under oath. We have forgotten Fa Hali Jammeh of Bakau,
who at the insurrection of the PPP made Sir Dawda of what he was.
Brothers and sisters, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, are we evoking
inconsistency? Remember the late Fa Hali Jammeh died in prison. Shame
on Sir Dawda. I say shame on you. The PPP cannot and should not divide
us.
Remember also that Gibou Jange is in Serre Kunda West and Halifa is in
Serre Kunda East. What makes the selected few think that Halifa and elder
Jange will not join hands in defeating OJ and his selected few? This
is possible. NCP and PDOIS can intermarry. In fact it may be called
NCPDOIS. This is a good combination. Do we want this? I hope not! But
the selected few is forcing us to reconsider this strategy.
We have forgotten the undemocratic means of the PPP government and
the intimidation and imprisonment of members of NCP. We have
forgotten the rampant arrests of anyone with a Sanyang name and many
who claimed to be Jola. A personal friend was imprisoned for ten
years. This dear friend is a Jola. Do we want to open old wounds?
I hope not! I grew up with Jolas and I do understand why many are
supporting yahya jammeh. In my native district of Kombo East, call
it Kombo Narang if you want to, many Jolas that I grew up with, went
to school with, worked on the farm with, swam together, ate together,
gone fishing with, danced the jola music with, were intimidated,
harassed and imprisoned by Sir Dawda. Do we want to open old wounds.
I hope not! The Gambia is our country. Please remember that it was
Kukoi Samba Sanyang who came up with the first coup. Kukoi to us
in Kombo Santosou, call it Kombo Narang if you want, is neither a
Jola, nor a Mandinka or any tribe. Kukoi to us is a Gambian. To
yahya jammeh I attest, you cannot dance the Jola music more than
I can.
The Faraba Banta that I grew up in, is a village of no tribe. The Jola,
Mandinka, Wollof, Serre, Fula and many tribes never discriminated on the
basis of tribal affiliation. A Colley man arrested by the PPP police
was intimidated and kicked at my village bantaba. That evening it was
not only the Jola who was upset. It was the whole village. Do we want
a payback? I hope not! Why then is the PPP embarking on a politics of
division? The Gambia is our country and we are the ones who can
salvage the rights of the silent majority. Should we entrust this
obligation to a selected few? I hope not!
Do we want inclusion? I hope! On my frequent journeys on Old Primet Street, I dared passed Nba Dibori Njie without greeting her? I dared not asked her whether she wanted some water. I dared go hungry in Banjul without stopping at Nba Dibori Njie's house. That was The Gambia I grew up in. That should be The Gambia we should not let a selected few take from us. We are one. We must remain one. Please don't let a
selected few deny us the right to political sanity.
We cannot be divided by party politics. We must, however, speak the
truth. We must be our own person. We should not mortgage The Gambia
for a selvish reason of wanting to be the president and promising
another of the vice presidency slot.
In my own Eastern Kombo before the coup, I was reported by the
PPP supporters to Fa Sanjally Bojang. I was confronted by Momodou
Manneh at the Commercial Bank, loudly saying to Yahya Ceesay that
this is the Conteh boy I was telling you about. On one visit to
Faraba Banta, I was assaulted by a PPP supporter and given a nasty
blow on my face. I was harassed, intimidated and called all kinds
of names because I was and still an NCP supporter. I was reported on
numerous times to be dismissed from The Gambia Commercial and
Development Bank. The two people who saved me from dismissal were the
late Alhagie Momodou Musa N'jie, and his son, Mr. Ousainou N'jie.
The OJ, who I commended for his stance against the APRC government was
one of the people who called for my dismissal. Do I want a payback?
I don't think so! Should OJ payback on SM? I don't think so!
Most readers have either indicated their loyalty to SM or
Yahya Jammeh. In fact some residents in Bakau are demanding
that long distant relative, Hon. Dembo Bojang return to the
National Convention Party. Hon. Bojang had indicated to them
that he would meet with SM. One reader who is a Yahya supporter
flatly said that SM is a good man and she hopes he would join his
father, Yahya Jammeh. This is the domino effect I have been saying.
If the selected few thinks that their payback strategy will work, they
better think twice. This divisive politics should not be endorsed by any
sincere Gambia. I hope a member of the selected few, who happens to be
a former representative of my native constituency is listening. The
Jabang Kunda, where my late great grandmother came from would never
convene the Pirang people to engage in politics of division. Pa Pandia
to me was a man of dignity. Pa Pandia to me was a man, who despite my
threat of running against his son would always greet me with a smile.
The Jabang klan I asked on my few campaigns in Pirang of whether they
would vote for me. Many would say: Lang Conteh "ekujatabakay", meaning
you are very stubborn. I was neither given a payback, nor a denial in
my desire of wanting to run against a Jabang. In fact many, including
Fadede Jabang were behind my candidacy.
While I remain an NCP loyalist, I am afraid that those who wanted
a payback on Dibba have actually resurrected SM in Gambian
politics. Do we want SM's haters to succeed, or do we want a
collaborative effort of the opposition to succeed? We must be
careful in not creating a situation that will benefit yahya Jammeh.
Some members of the opposition are flatly saying that SM was given
millions to cause confusion. I can attest that SM cannot be
bought. Dibba will not stoop that low to turn back on the very
foundation that he believes in.
PDOIS for some reason is a party with ideas. Halifa's recent
message is very revealing. His call for nominating a woman to
lead a transition team is endorsed by me. I think Halifa
and PDOIS are so vital to our struggle that their initial
political interpretation should be endorsed by Gambias who
believe in fair dealing, equity and trust. Their civic political
education of the Gambian people is case study that should be activated.
It was undemocratic for a selected few to nominate a candidate.
It was premature and uncompromising for the UDP to send colanuts
to our elders that Ousainou would be the nominee before the
commencement of an Alliance meeting. It was undemocratic in not
inviting PDOIS and also holding a meeting in the absence of NRP.
I spent almost four hours in Maryland engaging Ousainou with
Brother Sambou and other Gambians. Ousainou failed on his
promise in engaging PDOIS and NRP. Do I want a leader who would say
anthing to please me? I hope not! I remember telling Ousainou on
one occasion that I am a student of SM. Oh how time flies, especially
when you are in dare need of truth.
We have accussed Yahya and his people of undemocratic tactics. Why
then are some of us keeping low a profile at this critical moment of
our struggle? We cannot afford to speak with our mouths full. We
must speak the truth.
Naphiyo,
Comrade ML Jassey-Conteh,MBA
Greensboro, NC/Kombo East Constituency
336-854-3019
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