Comrade Jassey-Conteh
Good to see that you have move on.
Well, I beg to say it but based on the Gambia's
current political situation, it would be wrong for a
united opposition if elected into office to rule for
the entire 5 year duration. Lets face it, a united
opposition would have been solely set up to get rid of
Yahya Jammeh and the APRC. To quote a phrase "seek ye
political kingdom and all other things shall be added
unto it" -Kwame Nkrumah's CPP political slogan. Once
this task is accomplished, the need for the opposition
parties to return to their respective platforms is
essential. I can't see UDP/NRP/PDIOS standing on a
same platform for a longer duration, since all of them
have different political ideologies.
With this in mind, the United opposition if elected
should remain in power for a period of not more than
24 months in which they should embark on reviewing the
bogus transitional period set up by the defunct AFPRC,
I am sure you will agree with me that we never had a
proper transitional programme.The AFPRC Transitional
Programme was primarily set up to legitimise Yahya and
the APRC in office. Take for instance Decree 89 and
the Transitional Agreements of the Second Republican
Constitution Decree 89 was introduced primarily to
make Yahya and the APRC have an easy ride for the
Presidential and Parliamentary Elections. The Likes of
Sherriff Mustapha Dibba and many others who spent most
of their political career in the opposition had to be
denied the opportunity to contest the Presidential
Election.
Our current constitution is in need of proper reform,
so many unnecessary laws have been incorporated in
it.The United opposition if successful will have to
honestly review this constitution.
With regards to my initial suggestion for a Truth and
Reconciliation Committee, I will have to replace it
with a Truth and Restitution Commission, so many
people have suffered under the AFRPC/APRC regime and
it would just if some of them are compensated for the
brutality meted on them by the AFPRC. Having said so,
a truth commission will only be successful if we
embraced reconciliation to a certain extent, going to
a commission simply to seek justice may be right but
for us to get the truth, one needs to grant amnesty to
some of the perpetrators who have decided to reveal
the whole truth about their activities.
Any alternatives or criticisms to my suggestions are
highly welcomed, as this is just a debate.
Have a wonderful day
Sanusi
--- MLJ Conteh <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >
Mr. Owens:
>
> I am glad that we have reached a plato in
> recognizing
> our desire for a free and democratic Gambia. We in
> the opposition must acknowledge our crusade, and
> thus
> work in uniting rather than tearing each other
> apart.
> We are in this struggle together, and therefore our
> inconsistencies and selfishness will result in
> the dictator furthering his evil
> ideology.
>
> If the opposition sets up a unity initiative, any
> government elected freely by Gambian people must be
> given
> the green light to rule. It will be disastrous to
> set
> a transition government for 18 months and call for a
> special election. A boycott by the opposition will
> force
> the dictator to eventually oblige to a free and fair
> presidential election. Mounting pressure on the
> dictator
> may even force him to resign so that a transition
> government can be set.
>
> The Truth Commission should be set after the
> dictator's
> defeat. I do not recommend a Reconciliation
> Commission.
> There should not be any reconciliation until those
> responsible for evil deeds against The Gambian
> people
> face justice.
>
> In the event that the opposition prevails, laws
> passed
> by the rubber stamp legislature will become null and
> void. The Gambian people will be glad
> to live freely. This is why I do not add
> any sense to the passage of the indemnity law under
> dictator yahya. This illegal law will
> cease to exist under a democratic government. After
> all, the kaninlai dictator has been the greatest
> violator
> of laws passed by his stooges.
>
> Naphiyo,
>
> Comrade ML Jassey-Conteh
>
> ------Original Message------
> From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Sanusi=20Owens?=
> <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Sent: May 22, 2001 8:07:41 AM GMT
> Subject: Re: Mr. Owens: Re: My opinion. - Kebba
> Dampha
>
>
> Comrade Conteh
>
> Thanks for the clarification.
>
> Lets move on now on a fresh debate as time is of the
> essence. If there was a United Opposition for the
> October elections what policies should be included
> in
> their manifesto?
>
> (1) Suppose the United Opposition were to unseat
> Jammeh, Should they set up a transitional government
> for 18 month and call fresh elections?
>
> (2) Set up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to
> investigate into the human rights abuses committed
> during the defunt AFPRC/APRC regime.
>
> (3) Nullify the decisions of the Commissions of
> Inquiry set up during the Jammeh era.
>
> Happy to hear your views and that of others on this
> issue.
>
> Have a wonderful day.
>
> Sanusi
>
> --- MLJ Conteh <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >
> Mr. Owens:
> >
> > I want to assure you that I do not hold hard
> > feelings
> > relative to our disagreements. In fact the more
> we
> > disagree, the quicker we both realize that
> dictator
> > yahya is the worst thing that has ever happened to
> > The Gambia.
> >
> > My stance for a boycott on the condition that
> issues
> > raised by the opposition are not obliged by the
> > dictator
> > is in fact a genuine theory in dealing with
> > dictators.
> > History has told us from time to time that you
> > cannot
> > take a lawyerly attitude with those that overthrew
> > an
> > elected government. It does not make any sense to
> > set
> > conditions not followed by the opposition and the
> > dictatorship.
> > What good will it do for us come October when the
> > dictator
> > steals the election? Are we going to cry for
> > another five years?
> >
> > I hope you reconsider contributing to the election
> > fund drive
> > in the event that you endorse a boycott. When the
> > boycott
> > strategy is applied, it will only be temporal
> > because there
> > will be pressure on the dictator to hold free and
> > fair elections.
> > The Gambia cannot be an isolated basket.
> >
> > Naphiyo,
> >
> > Comrade ML Jassey-Conteh
> >
> > ------Original Message------
> > From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Sanusi=20Owens?=
> > <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Sent: May 21, 2001 5:21:53 PM GMT
> > Subject: Re: My opinion. - Kebba Dampha
> >
> >
> > Yus and KB
> >
> > Thank God both of you have now realise that the
> > battle
> > of words should come to an end.
> >
> > To be honest with you, your constant tussles was
> > only
> > a mere distraction to the reality.
> >
> > With 6 months to go before polling for the
> > Presidency,
> > both of you could be instrumental in making some
> > positive suggestions to the opposition on how to
> win
> > the next elections if they are to be held on a
> level
> > playing field. I await your response on that
> aspect.
> >
> > Comrade Conteh
> >
> > Sorry for not responding earlier to your email.
> >
> > It appears you are so keen to see me make a
> > financial
> > contribution towards the Election Fund, since I
> have
> > been merely talking without making any positive
> > "contribution".
> >
> > Well, As you may know I am currently residing in
> the
> > United Kingdom and if I should make any financial
> > contribution, then surely this should sent to the
> > Mrdguk. With that in mind I shall contribute once
> I
> > am
> > pretty certain that the opposition are going to
> > contest the Presidential and Parliamentary
> > Elections.
> >
> > Moreover,I must be frank with you that your stance
> > on
> > boycotting the elections without exhausting all
> > other
> > avenues, does n't in any manner convince me to
> > contribute towards the Election Fund. To cut it
> > short,
> > why should I contribute when people like you are
> > advocating for a boycott?
> >
> > Please note that my reference to your affiliation
> to
> > the defunct National Convention Party was just an
> > example of when a political party ever boycotted
> an
> > election in The Gambia. I know as a fact that
>
=== message truncated ===
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