Mr Jeng,
             thank you for sharing your observations on your recent trip back
home. In your writing I sense a keen interest in Gambian politics, a trait
not common in many of our citizens. It is people like you who would be
integral to the kind of transformational politics our country needs because
you are genuinely interested in a good and viable process. I pray that your
efforts and interest continue both for the furtherance of the ideals of your
party and a better Gambia.
         I however want to take issue with your characterization of the UDP
as a party that has used tribalism as an instrument of campaign. You have not
offered any evidence to back an allegation of such serious magnitude  in this
installment of your observations. If you can come up with instances in which
the UDP behaved in any manner public or private that suggests that they are
in any way attempting to divide Gambians along tribal lines, I'd like to hear
it. I am not talking about the often bandied canard that they are  perceived
as a Mandingo party . It is not true. Every student of Gambian politics
understands that any attempt to gain political mileage out of fracturing
Gambians along tribal lines is a loosing proposition in that the people
cannot be readily categorized along strict tribal lines because relationships
have long transcended tribes. My mother is a Fula ,my dad is a mandingo and I
grew up with wollofs and Mansuwankas. I am the typical Gambian in this sense
and like most of  our people i view myself as part of this enduring mosaic. I
do not recognise any difference amongst members of my community and would be
foolish to try rupturing this unique situation for any reason because it
would not any serve purposes regardless of what they are. Ousainou Darboe
understands this even more than I do because he too is a living symbol of the
typical Gambian i am talking about. He is a Mandinka from Niani Dobo who grew
up in the Banjul home of P.S. Njie and is married to two wollof women and has
friends and clients across the entire tribal spectrum of the Gambia. What has
always driven him and his party is what is good for our country and he has
said repeatedly that it will take the collective efforts of all who wish to
do good within a democratic framework. Division of any kind would inherently
defeat that purpose.
          I agree your party has not attempted to divide Gambians along
tribal lines and we are all the better for that. The contest must always
focus on issues and we must work towards evolving a system that focuses the
nations attention tothings that matter. I can assure you that our two parties
are on the same page when it comes to the  practice of real democracy.
Karamba

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