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Subject:
From:
Hamjatta Kanteh <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sun, 23 Jan 2000 06:39:25 EST
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Jabou,
    I'm glad we have reached a cordial end to all this seemingly endless
haggling about Halifa and CO.
    You have admitted that "perhaps a flaw in judgement on his [Halifa's]
part, and lack of insight as to how things will eventually unfold is a fair
accusation, and making that clear, but nothing more." [Additive mine] If only
our good friend Halifa has owned upto his misplaced enthusiasm, blind
pragmatism, historical immediacy and political expediency that resulted in
what you aptly labelled as "a flaw in judgement," then there would never have
been any need for all the haggling that has preoccupied the Gambia-L for the
past two months or so. But our learned friend it seemed is all talk when it
comes to humility for he won't own upto his peccadilloes. It is precisely
this that I called his attitude as reeking of snooty elitism so common
amongst left wing intellectuals.
    I have noticed that you haven't bothered to refute my assertions that: if
any individual voice in the public realm bears a measure of responsibility on
the tragic inversion of priorities as the Gambia slid towards the abyss, it
is Halifa's.
    I'm surprised that it has taken you just my last posting to get my line
of argument. I have been repeating the same points all this time. Perchance
you were lost in the labyrinth of my prose. For it seems you find fault with
my calling the 1997 constitution as Halifa's "precious constitution" or "your
constitution." You have taken this on the face of it. Or a literary
interpretation. Clearly I was exchanging polemics with Halifa and since he
doesn't find the 1997 constitution faulty enough; for he is stuffily
reverential of it, I used the phrases "your precious constitution" as a stick
to poke him to some positive provocation. Of course the 1997 constitution is
not his or his handiwork alone. I hope you get the point now.
     I hope now our efforts would be geared towards the debate on what sort
of democracy we would like for post modern Africa that is currently raging on
the L. Our compatriots, Dr. Saine, Ousman Bojang, Saul Jawara, Ndey Jobarteh
et al. are making very acute and exciting contributions to this debate. I
hope to hear your sober thoughts on that and many others.
    Good Morning.
Hamjatta Kanteh
hkanteh

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