Sanusi, thank you for clarifying the situation vis-a-vis PDOIS'
non-attendance at the London Briefing and the way it is being compared with
UDP's announced intention not to attend the ALD symposium. I can safely say
that I was one of the most vocal critics of PDOIS and Joseph Joof for their
utterances and views about the London Briefing. Yesterday, when I saw UDP's
decision, I did not harshly criticize them. Instead, what I tried to do was
offer suggestions for them to try and send a representation other than the
party leadership and I also inquired whether their decision to withdraw from
the meeting does not mean that they were postponing talks about a United
Opposition; since everyone understood that one of the major items during
this trip would be to discuss forming a coalition.

Bearing that in mind, I could have easily taken ownership of some of the
comments on G_L insinuating that people are applying double standards,
treating PDOIS one way and UDP another way. But on second thought, I just
decided to ignore those comments, because like you, I know that the people
that were making those comparisons were comparing apples and oranges. I will
get to why I think they were comparing apples and oranges. But let me take
this opportunity to make an observation here.

If some people think that the way to build a coalition is to tear it down,
then I am sorry to inform them that they are heading the wrong way.
Criticism has to be constructive. It does not help the Opposition in anyway
for some to claim to be members of the Opposition then turn around and
ignore APRC atrocities (vices) and just focus on pointing out Opposition
weaknesses without providing solutions for those weaknesses. That does not
make sense. You even have people that go to the extent of endorsing APRC
outfits like the IEC we all know should not be trusted. We have some pitting
UDP againt PDOIS. These so-called Opposition members are always eager to
point out where the Opposition is getting in wrong. Nothing is wrong with
that. But be honest with your criticism and your affiliations. If one is
only interested in nit-picking Opposition wrongs and highlighting those
wrongs, then one is better off calling oneself an APRC supporter. If one
desperately wants to call oneself an Opposition member, I suggest that
person criticize the Opposition in good faith by also suggesting some
solutions to the wrongs that were detected. Otherwise, people will have
doubts about their claims of being genuine Opposition members.

Going back to PDOIS and the London Briefing. I frankly hoped no one even
brought that up again. The matter had been laid to rest by the parties
involved. There is a better understanding now between the people that were
involved in the matter. Sanusi, like you rightly said, most of us were not
criticizing PDOIS because of their non-attendance alone. I was among the
first subscribers (if not the first) to say that we should wait to hear
PDOIS' reason for not attending before we jump to conclusion. What most of
us were complaining about, was PDOIS' views about the importance of the
meeting. PDOIS critics were on the other hand saying that the meeting was
very important and should not be downplayed. Is that the situation here? Are
people that are criticizing UDP now saying that UDP is downplaying the
importance of the ALD symposium? All I see here is people saying that
although the registration exercise is very important, UDP can delegate
responsibility by sending people other than Ousainou Darboe. No one is
saying that UDP is belittling the ALD, because that will be a blatant lie.

Let us treat our leaders fairly and with respect. People that are jumping to
conclusions about the United Opposition because of UDP's expected absence at
the ALD, must know something I do not know. Did those people bother to ask
the Movement in London that is actively working to form the coalition
whether UDP wants to join the coalition or not? Did those people all of a
sudden forget that UDP and NRP campaigned together in Kiang on the same
platform; a de facto coalition? Let us be fair with people. Before we
criticize them and make certain conclusions, let us base it on facts. Ask
people to explain their positions to you before you go around accusing them
of certain things.

Now if we tear our leaders down, come October who is going to help get rid
of Yaya? I think some people also do not understand the mechanics of voter
registration. The most crucial thing here is to be present at the
registration locations and gather evidence of illegality by ensuring that
your people are not denied the right to register and also making sure that
ineligible people are not registered. Once the rolls are published,
political parties have a little window of opportunity to 'challenge' the
registration of ineligible persons and to fight for the registration of
their eligible supporters that were unlawfully denied the chance to
register. Have some critics stopped to think about Ousainou Darboe's
profession? He is going to participate actively in any court proceedings to
regularize the registration process. Is it unreasonable for a particular
leader (forget Darboe) to feel that if he/she is not present during this
whole exercise his/her constituents will think that he/she does not care
enough about them? I said 'reasonable'. Meaning people can differ in their
conclusions. Do you then take that difference and make assumptions about
that man's views about forming a coalition and winning votes?

Did the current UDP critics know that one of the lies that APRC spread after
the London Briefing was that the Opposition just went there for the
per-diem? Those people that are now criticizing UDP, did we hear you defend
our leaders against those vicious and untrue attacks? What will stop APRC
and some so-called Opposition members from criticizing UDP leaders again by
saying that they abandoned their people at this critical juncture in Gambia
to come to the States for per-diem? Do some of us have the moral authority
to castigate these people for taking a decision they think will win them
more votes come October 2001 and January 2002?

This is a classic example of why we were saying months ago that the
Opposition should unite NOW. Had there been a united opposition months ago,
the parties will coordinate such that when one candidate (from say PDOIS) is
at a particular registration location, a UDP person would not be there. In
other words, by now we should have been clear about who should be running.
Doubters will have no opportunity to pit one party against the other. As I
said months ago, elections are not won or loss on election day. Coalitions
are not only necessary during second rounds of voting. Coalitions need to be
set up in today's Gambia to ensure that there is some semblance of a level
playing field long before the elections. If we do not form a coalition now,
we might not even have a second round of voting. Let us think about some of
the missed opportunities here. Do our leaders back home have the pooled
resources to match the APRC machinery during the registration process?
Whereas APRC can use government vehicles and Commissioners' offices (not to
mention the new money printed by the Central Bank) to ferry their people to
go and register, is the Opposition in a position to match this? Had there
been a coalition in place would people not be more willing to contribute to
the Opposition war chest? Had there been a coalition would the Opposition
not be in a better position to manage the human resources on the ground
while sending a United Opposition to the Diaspora to raise more funds? We
are wasting valuable time.

The situation is salvageable. But in order to solve the conundrum we must
try to work with what we have at the moment. It is too late in the day to
tear our people down and not help to put them back up. If we are just
interested in criticizing and not offering solutions, the APRC is a better
target. The morons are doing wrong and illegal things everyday. What is the
point in ignoring those things and zooming onto our leaders just to show how
good we are at tearing people down. We should at least have the decency to
dissociate ourselves from the Opposition if the only thing we are after is
to bring Opposition leaders down.

Finally, let me save some of the doubting thomases in our midst about my
party affiliations. I belong to no political party. I am a staunch proponent
for a United Opposition. I frankly do not care whether Hamat Bah or Halifa
Sallah or Ousainou Darboe is going to be our next president after the
October elections. I will support anyone of them that a United Opposition
chooses to run against Yaya in October. In the meantime, I will try and
defend any one of them (like I would defend any real Opposition member) that
I think is being attacked unjustifiably. I care less whether my defense of
the UDP recently is perceived as evidence of my biased support towards the
party. I know no one can honestly stand here and say that I have attacked
any of our leaders unjustifiably. I have had differences in opinion with
some of them and I made my views known. I respectfully listened to their
side as well and buried the hatchet after the exchanges. If Hamat Bah is not
embroiled in controversy, naturally I will not defend him. UDP is the
current topic of discussion. So we have to talk about UDP and not NRP. That
does not mean that we like UDP more than NRP or PDOIS. If anything, people
should be saying that I favor NRP more because I do not ever remember saying
a bad thing about them. But of course, when people want to be negative and
spread lies, the last thing they do is look at things objectively and
rationalize. It is in no ones interest in the Opposition to pit one party
against the other. Like I said yesterday, I will not criticize any party for
not attending the ALD symposium if they put forth a genuine and logical
reason. Likewise, I will not criticize any party for attending the
symposium. Both positions are consistent with having a victory in October.
According to reports I saw so far, UDP is not belittling the ALD symposium
or shunning the Diaspora. If I recall from Karamba's message, they merely
'postponed' the visit. They will come in due course. On a final final note,
I just hope that the UDP revisit Hamjatta's suggestion the other day about
'Press Releases'. With all due respect to Karamba (whose efforts are no
doubt very commendable; I wished I could contribute as much as he does in
this fight) UDP could have done a better job explaining their absence. They
could have told us what we learnt from Ebrima's Sources. In short, they
should have gone further to explain to us the 'pressing local concern' that
prevented them from attending. To me, their reason is very genuine and
understandable, but the delivery of such was lacking. Again, I do not know
what transpired between the party and the ALD organizers but I would have
thought that since the party saw it fit to announce to G_L that they were
coming, they should also inform G_L the reasons behind their withdrawal in
the eleventh hour. It is still not late to liaise with the ALD organizers
and put together a statement clarifying UDP's position vis-a-vis the
symposium and the formation of a United Opposition.

Sanusi, thanks again for your contributions. I have a slightly different
take on the way forward for a government formed in the aftermath of a United
Opposition victory in October. I will find time and respond to your post
later today or tomorrow. Suffice for me to say that you raised some very
pertinent issues that the parties need to think about as they negotiate for
a United Opposition. They have to at least reach a consensus on some of your
issues if they are to form the coalition.
KB



>From: Sanusi Owens <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: UDP delegation postpones US trip
>Date: Wed, 23 May 2001 10:05:49 +0100
>
>Mr Ndow
>
>Lets not jump into conclusion. UDP initially agreed to
>attend the Washington Forum. Unfortunately, we are now
>told that owing to circumstances beyond their control,
>it had to be cancelled.
>Although it is allege that UDP postponed the trip due
>to the on-going voter registration, people fail to
>realise that Ousainou Darboe is currently on bail for
>a bogus murder charge.Moreover, the case is still
>pending in the Court of Appeal and a ruling is due
>soon as to whether the High Court were right to grant
>him bail. Who knows whether the state have granted him
>clearance to travel or have refused it at the last
>minute.
>
>I find it difficult to equate UDP's last minute
>cancellation of their trip to that of PDIOS'S failure
>to attend the London Meeting. PDIOS never regarded the
>London Meeting as significant and even question the
>notion of travelling to London just to brief British
>MPS on Gambia's human rights situation. For background
>reference please go through the Archives and read what
>PDOIS's position on the London Meeting.
>
>With regards to your comments on a united opposition,
>sorry to say but you seem to  get it wrong. The UDP
>Leader and some members of the National Executive
>Committee have supported the idea of having a united
>opposition.
>
>Mr Ndow
>
>If you appear to be a PDOIS sympathiser, then surely
>please ask Halifa Sallah and Co whether they support
>the idea of a united opposition. Up to last month,
>PDOIS were against the idea of a united opposition
>which in my view is quite understandable.
>
>On that note I would urge all those disappointed with
>the UDP's absence to be considerate and understand the
>situation.
>
>Have a wonderful day
>
>Sanusi
>--- Ousman Jallow Bojang <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Mr.
>Ndow,
> > I am not surprised that the UDP pulled out just in
> > less than a week to the
> > Washington forum. I certainly cannot understand what
> > could this be. I want to
> > think that a political party does not have to have
> > its leader in the country
> > to be able to monitor the registration process.
> > Anyway, it is very true that our country and
> > democracy is at stake here. Our
> > nation I understand is filled with so many
> > foreigners, and being surrounded
> > by Senegal, registration of voters is probably the
> > most important thing right
> > now. I just do not know how come the UDP did not
> > knew about this before
> > making any commitments. And if the other parties can
> > send in their leader or
> > a delegation, why not the UDP?
> > There must be more to this than just the
> > registration. That is my take of it,
> > but hey, who am I to make that 'assumption'?
> > When PDOIS failed to attend the London meetings, the
> > noise was above the
> > roof, but now that it is the UDP, it is a different
> > refereeing. I have made
> > my conclusion since that the UDP does not want a
> > United Opposition, and I can
> > assure you that they will not call for such. Knowing
> > how and when the UDP was
> > formed, I can make this conclusion very strongly.
> >
> > Ousman Jallow Bojang.
> >
> >
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