In a message dated 07/07/2001 12:10:43 GMT Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:


> << I concur with your sentiments. I have these very important questions:
> 1. Why waste valuable time and resources in endorsing the UDP to
>    participate in an election already won by dictator yahya?
> 2. Why can't we seek unity rather than selfishly taking different
>    routes to flush out the dictator?
> 3. What will we do after the dictator steals the elections? >>
>
>
Jassey-Conteh,

Why don't you snap out of the funk and get a grip! All these needless,
unwarranted and unproductive gripes ain't gonna bring about your desire for a
united opposition. Matter of fact, it merely makes life difficult for the
very peoples you are dying to see be one. Do you think constantly and
irritatingly haranguing the UDP - yes the UDP; they are the target of your
senseless ridicules - will make them forge an alliance when it takes more
than the UDP to bring this about? Man, you need to get real! Get out of that
ivory tower of yours and sober up a bit!

You have been told for the umpteenth time that the UDP leadership is, in
principle, not opposed to a political alliance with the other parties.
Indeed, to show its seriousness about this, the party showed how it had
teamed up with the NRP during the Kiang by-elections and is very much
interested in continuing with that cooperative trend. During Mr Darbo's
recent tour of both the States and Europe, he emphatically made this point.
But a coalition doesn't simply happen because one party want's it to happen.
Every party has their principles, programmes and agendas. When parties
contemplate an alliance with other parties that are different from them, they
have to factor how an alliance with a party totally different from them will
impinge upon their programmes, principles and agendas. Much as an alliance is
the best we have got to end the tyranny in the Gambia, we have to be
reasonable when parties raise conditions under which they will consider an
alliance with other parties. Matter of fact, i haven't read anywhere the UDP
stiffly comes up with conditions that can never be met. The party that has
stated conditions under which it would be prepared to consider a coalition is
the PDOIS; conditions that even i, a strident critic of the PDOIS, sees much
sense and honour in. I don't, however, see you go after the PDOIS for this
principled stance.

 When you are trying to bring people together to form an alliance and each
already has a stated and principled position, you don't bring them together
by engaging in a shouting-match with one group and blaming them for
everything wrong or that hasn't materialised under the sun and moon. When
some of us - the MRDGUK - reviewed the situation, we came to the conclusion
that the best that can be hoped for is to work on a formula that all parties
can use as a negotiating tool to reach a consensual alliance. Hence the
MRDGUK's recent documents on a possible political alliance. This is what all
those interested in an alliance should have been working on to help the
opposition parties to narrow down their differences. This is far more
honourable than the senseless, unproductive and irritating shouting-matches
you incessantly engage the UDP in. Where is Jassey-Conteh's formula to help
narrow down the opposition's differnces?

For all our sakes, i hope i've made you realise the futility and
senselessness of this game of yours. Kindly snap out the funk Brother and get
a grip. If you want people to do something for you, you don't yell at them to
do what you want them to do or else all hell break loose. Talk about
dictatorships! Get out of the ivory tower and sober up a bit! Sorry i have to
be this harsh with you. But my God someone has got say it sooner or later

Hamjatta Kanteh

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