Saul,
For someone who said that they were just engaged in an unbiased debate to
take our political figures to task, and that your intention is not personal
attacks, l must say that your responses on this issue are approaching
senility. Please do not attack me personally and pour insults and profanity
on me, as we cannot afford another such presence on the L. l do not know Mr
Sallah personally except for what l have been able to gather from the agenda
of PDOIS, and from the writings of the gentleman himself. l am a Gambian who
is poised on assesing those politicians who aspire to lead our nation, and
then making an intelligent choice as to who l think is fit to even attempt to
get the job. l believe that from what all of us have come to know of each
other through this medium, including Mr Sallah himself, any intelligent
person can decipher that l ma not made of the kind of stuff that lends
blind support. Therein lies the difference between my self and those who lend
support to a government that demonstrates on a daily basis that they do not
have th interest of the Gambian people at heart. If my assessments led me
to come to the conclusion that Halifa Sallah had engaged on activities that
were not in the interest of the Gambian people, l think even he himself knows
from what he can glimpse of my views that l will probably be the first person
to be critical of this.
However, Saul, you confuse me, and perhaps even yourself. if you are so bent
on telling us that Halifa is not good enough and that this is why the people
of Serekunda East have not voted for him in so many elections, what in the
World were you doing encouraging your realtives to vote for him?
It is very obvious to everyone that for you, this exchange between yourself
and Halifa is very personal indeed, even though you interject statements to
refute this everytime it is brought up. Saul, l am no hypocrite, but l am
also not someone that will let anyone force any self serving interest down
my throat, and the Gambian public is also fast approaching this same view. If
expressing my opinion enrages you because you want to patrol this forum and
force everyone o demonize Mr Sallah (yes, you say this is not your
intention), then you are engaged in a futile exercise. l am entitled to my
own opinion, and no amount of tongue lashing and verbal abuse directed at me
will scare me to succumb to anyone else's opinion. l say, keep your opinion,
and let those of us who dare to differ with you keep ours, and may the best
man win at the ballot box. That is what is healthy, and nothing else.
In my opinion, those who have done injustice to the Ceesay family are the
ones who killed theor son, whoever they are.The government that also has
done little or nothing to conduct a fully unbiased investigation share the
blame equally. In terms of the '97 constitution, the government of the day
are the ones who are misusing the constitution to their own advantage and
are the ones denying the Gambian people their constitutional rights, and this
very much includes the opposition parties. Therefore, l think that your
attacks are mis-directed. If you want answers about the Koro Ceesay affair
and the mis-use and abuse of the constitution, then you need to take up the
issue with the government rather than those who intervened with the limited
intervention they were allowed in order to salvage at least a portion of our
democratic freedom. This is how some of us understand this whole affair based
on what was presented here.A question l have been dying to ask you is
this, was Mr sallah the sole author and ratifier of the "97 constitution?
Would it have failed to be instituted if he had not compaigned for it? Are
PDOIS and Foroyaa getting special treatment from the government under this
constitution that is not being accorded to any other opposition party or
Gambian? Are they the ones who are denying Gambians their constitutional
rights under this regime?
Now if you have a problem with the fact that some of us have assessed the
presentd evidence and come to a conclusion that is different than that of
yourself, you will just have to live with it, period. Again, please spare me
your teeth-baring, threats , l am just expressing my opinion, and l am
entitled to it.
PS: Since you say your only intention is to look at our politicians
critically, remember that when evidence is presented, each of us has to
digest it and come to our own conclusions, or is it your quest to make sure
that all of us come to the same conclusion you do? Further, in the interest
of looking at all of our politicians critically, It is absolutely imperative
that you have the next candidate lined up so as not to appear to be partial.
There also, remember, each individual will have to make up their own mind as
to what is the truth and what is personal agenda. Have a great Sunday.
Jabou Joh
Jabou,
You've written quite a long piece, but you've SAID very little. Much of what
you've said here is not in contention. But if you can tell the 150K
residents of Serrekunda East that you know more than they do about what is
good for them, you're great Jabou. They've rejected Halifa three times in a
row despite the "great job" he's been doing. Remember, he's not doing that
"great" job in Tennessee, he's doing it in Serrekunda. So, if you would use
your common sense just a little bit, instead of engaging in petty hypocrisy,
maybe you'll realize that something is amiss somewhere.
I have never voted for Halifa or anyone else for that matter. But I did
convince two of my sisters and their husbands to vote for him in '87. I
campaigned for him in my own way in '92 as well. But I have a problem with
Halifa's attitude since the coup - in both the Korro Ceesay case, and the
'97 Constitution especially.
In Korro's case, Halifa and Co had set a threshold at the onset of their
investigation: locating an "eyewitness" to either the murder, or an
accident. According to Halifa's own version, they did not locate neither.
All they had were eyewitnesses who SAW Korro's car NEAR the bridge wall. And
eyewitnesses who saw a DENT on the car. From what he said, their three
reporters working the case did not even see the car themselves. They just
relied on what "eyewitnesses" told them, and with only that, they
erroneously concluded that Korro was killed in an accident! Everything that
has been revealed since, point to something else. Halifa is yet to have the
humility/magnanimity to print a retraction of that unfortunate story, or
better yet -apologize for causing the Ceesay family further pain at a time
when they least needed it. How is anyone sullying Halifa's name/image by
pointing this out? Tell me, Jabou. I'm waiting for him on the '97
Constitution.
The problem in Africa is not the Halifas, it's people like yourself who put
them on a pedestal and tell them they can do no wrong. You, in particular,
are always throwing something at Yaya Jammeh. Don't you realize that Yaya
Jammeh is out of control because his supporters are engaged in the same type
of sycophancy that you're engaged in here. What gives you the right to lob
insults at him then? Because you're unwilling to scrutinize the one you
adore (Halifa,) just like Yaya's supporters treat him. Where is your sense
of justice Jabou? And you are the one who wants true democracy? I thought
you were different, but you're just another hypocrite. You said ". . .the
cronies of yet another generation of opportunists devise ever more
deceitful ways to pull the wool over our eyes." Great. Who are these
cronies? I've never had a relationship (blood/otherwise) with any Gambian
politician. Period. So, what makes me a crony? Tell me Jabou.
You're using the same tactic that Yaya Jammeh uses to dismiss his critics.
Why can't you get it in your head that some of us don't fall for superficial
gimmicks.
And to even think that you subscribe to Alpha Robinson's views. Read that
piece again, and see the crap he wrote about our intellectuals. Alpha has
since realized his mistake, and I hope you'll reconsider as well. There's
nothing wrong with cononizing Halifa. That's your prerogative. But, trying
to demonize those of us whose only crime is to look at every politician
critically, won't work here.
This is the Ramadan, and as a woman, I'm refraining from saying some things
now. But if you want to engage in taking cheap shots at Halifa's critics,
you've chosen the wrong people here. You can either follow the debate to
it's conclusion, or you can stop. Otherwise, be my guest and keep putting
out these ideas! I'm deliberately ignoring several things you've said, but I
dare you to continue this shameless charade. Just Make My Day, Jabou!
Saul.
>>
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