Comrades:
I sincerely believe that we have to lay low and let our leaders decide the crisis. Remember 2001.
Well, it has just repeated itself. From experience, I stand neutral until the crisis is over.
Naphiyo,
Comrade Jassey-Conteh
-----Original Message-----
>From: [log in to unmask]
>Sent: Jan 23, 2006 12:49 AM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: NADD or the Birth Throes of a Political Alliance
>
>
>Buharry & Sidibeh,
>
>
>The power struggle between the different opposition camps made the
>opposition leadership loose their heads a long time ago and forget that this alliance
>was supposed to have the purpose of being a temporary fix towards a longer
>term solution, simply pooling the voting bases of the various opposition
>parties to unseat a dictatorship and freeing our people from the grips of the
>brutal and mad dictator and then leveling the playing field for all to eventually
>freely participate later, instead of the process being a fulfillment of
>someone's dream of coming to power. It was supposed to be a tool that would
>eventually benefit the Gambian people, not any individual politicians' or group's
>"window of opportunity" to grab power, and with this mad rush for power, one
>wonders if those so hell bent on being the leader would not embark upon all
>manner of games to stay in power once they come to head a transitional
>government if it means so much to them.Will it become an avenue to gain the unfair
>advantage and hang on for decades like Yaya and the PPP before them? Are
>these guys really sincere about this alliance and will whoever finally wins this
>rat race they have created honor the terms of the MOU once they come into
>power or is it just a facade, a masquerade while they are busy trying to
>out-wit each other behind the scenes and as soon as any of them finds a tromp card
>to use against the others, an avenue to go it alone, they will go off on
>their own? If they ever come to a consensus, will the MOU be honored by the
>"winner" once an election is won by NADD or will it be thrown into the dustbin
>once the goal is accomplished while the winner embarks on orchestrating
>another long term multi decade reign? One truly wonders given the current
>situation.
>
>The MOU has limitations on future political activity that it places on the
>flag bearer and the un-ending power struggle that anyone with a brain knew
>would lead to just the fiasco we are witnessing was the reason that a flag
>bearer without affiliation to any opposition party made sense and would have been
>readily accepted without question by these politicians if they had the
>interest of the Gambian people instead of their own interests at heart. Instead,
>they set out to carve a way for them to assume power and that may infact end up
>defeating the purpose of the alliance.
>
>Their egos, quest for power and the belief that any power, even if it is a
>temporary one and even if it contradicts everything the effort was supposed to
>accomplish, belongs to them and them only got in the way. This was evident
>and the hand writing was on the wall when they registered NADD as a political
>party instead of an alliance and it became evident that they wanted to draw
>from amongst their ranks to run an interim government. That was when I lost
>all hope in this venture knowing the inevitable power struggle that will ensue
>and here we are.
>
>This gave the regime an excuse to set them on a course the effects of which
>they are still reeling from. That gross mistake which I believe was fueled
>by each opposition party viewing this an as opportunity to be in power and
>being damned if they were going to let anyone other than them come to power
>when they view that position as rightly belonging to them; is what has led NADD
>down a path that is the opposite of what is written in the MOU they signed
>and it is amazing how this major contradiction is just brushed aside by the
>very people who authored the agreement they all signed. Are these guys so power
>hungry that they cannot even bring themselves to provide an opportunity that
>may enable an interim government that is not drawn from their ranks to come
>in to save our people from a major crisis that may very well bring carnage to
>our country? Anyone who stands in the way of such an opportunity does not
>have the right to represent themselves as a candidate to represent the Gambian
>nation and it's people. Political leadership in a democratic society is a Job,
>paid for by the people, not an inheritance.
>
>One cannot help but ask if some of these politicians are so power hungry
>that they are willing to give up any future political activity within their
>respective parties just so they can be President or is this situation a
>manifestation of their lack of sincerity towards this alliance and an indication of
>things to come?
>
>Because a power struggle between these opposition parties was as inevitable
>as day succeeding night, for them to choose a flag bearer with no political
>allegiance to any of the opposition has been and is the only possible solution
>here and even the terms of the MOU leaves no doubt that this was the idea
>because of the restrictions on future political activity that it places on the
>flag bearer.
>
>Yaya Jammeh is ready with traps for each of these opposition politicians at
>every turn and I must say the course the NADD leadership has taken so far has
>given him and continues to give him all the tools he needs to sabotage this
>alliance, but the opposition is so blinded by the quest for power that they
>don't seem to care that they are giving Yaya endless tools to use against
>them and in the meantime, they have forgotten that they serve the Gambian public
>and this is about the welfare of that public and not that of the
>politicians. One has to wonder if we should not be asking these guys who they represent,
>the public or themselves?
>
>On the other hand, we are also witnessing some people on this forum
>attempting to muzzle journalists when the criticism and commentary from these
>journalists is directed at a politician they support. When the same people who have
>been ranting and raving along with the rest of us about the misdeeds of the
>APRC regime with regard to human rights and press freedom are asking
>journalists to refrain from commentary on what can only be described as a major crisis
>for the Gambian people, are we then to believe that such supporters of any
>future government will not engage in the same suppression of press freedom.
>Are we not to wonder if a request for a journalist to refrain from commentary
>on issues of the day today will not turn into a visit in the middle of the
>night and a trip to mile 2 for journalists tomorrow if the same people find
>themselves in positions of power?
>
> No wonder Africa is in such a mess when we view the politicians in our
>corner as being above reproach and matters that should be for public debate are
>conducted behind closed doors and we do not practice what we preach. So
>freedom of the press is good only when it criticises our opponents and contains
>what we want to hear? Whoever engages in that double standard does not have good
> intentions for that is a guaranteed recipe for the creation of monsters and
>dictators and yet we say we want change and progress. So long as we continue
>to view criticism of our politicians and holding them to account as acts of
>hatred and our political allegiances/affiliations are not dictated by the
>pursuit of truth, justice and fairness for all and that which is for the good of
>all Gambians, but instead are dictated by affiliations based on self
>interest, we are fooling no one but ourselves into believing that we are striving
>for a society where true democracy will exist. So long as we continue to
>refrain from speaking truth to power and those aspiring to represent us because of
>the protection of some potential future personal gain, we will continue to
>create a mafia like culture and cronyism in politics and any claim of
>engaging in a struggle for a free and democratic society is nothing but empty
>hypocritical words because we simply exchange one self interest group for another
>if we are guided by that philosophy.
>
>Are our politicians so feeble that any criticism and scrutiny by the people
>throws them into such a crisis that they will become confused and are not
>able to make the right decision or do those who are busy telling journalists and
>the Gambian public to shut up have hidden agendas that they are afraid would
>be exposed if the journalists and the people are free to make commentary and
>express their views and observations and speak their mind?
>
>So long as we fail to resolve to stand for the truth, speak the truth and
>demand nothing but the truth from those who seek to represent us, we will
>forever be going around in circles no matter what illustrious pronouncements about
>justice, freedom and progress we continue to make. It will all be just empty
>words while we keep repeating the same miserable cycle and the people we
>profess to love so much and whose interest we supposedly have at heart keep
>suffering. So far, It is quite evident that it is not about the interest of the
>people that our politicians and their under-studies have in mind because we
>are at the eleventh hour with the APRC regime and the people cannot take
>anymore and the politicians are fighting over power.
>
>Jabou Joh
>
>
>In a message dated 1/22/2006 4:51:21 P.M. Central Standard Time,
>[log in to unmask] writes:
>
>I don't understand why career politicians within NADD would want to
>lead it now given that they would not be able to participate after five 5
>years. I am therefore appealing to all concerened to think strategically and
>
>selflessly and put the interests of the country first. This is the best
>opportunity the opposition has. If this opportunity is squandered, all I can
>say is "Lord have mercy on The Gambia." Thanks and have a good evening.
>
>
>
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