The Organizing Committee of the ALD deserves our commendation for a job
well done, and the addition of a symposium for this ALD made it also
attractive for some of us. Clearly, the celebration has lost some of its
luster, and of course on a bias note, I can see why July Fourth in
Atlanta has become THE PROGRAM. To digress, for detailed program of
activities for July Fourth 2001, please visit Atlgambians.com or
Gambianreunion.org.

I decided to attend this year’s ALD because of the symposium, and an
opportunity to finally meet Mr. Halifa Sallah in person. I have seen the
man once on TV, heard his speeches over the radio and tape recording of
speeches, and have read his writings and debates on the G-L. For me, the
man is still an enigma, a simple but very complex individual, and a
plain but profoundly deep, and I kept asking myself who is Halifa
Sallah. Interestingly, I have been once characterized as a programmed
fanatic of Halifa Sallah. However, after having the opportunity to meet
the man, spend over an hour in a back seat of an SUV, up and close, that
is a characterization, I would like to wear as a badge of honor.
(Pettiness not intended).

I got up early to a rainy Saturday at the nation’s capital, and I was
really excited and looking forward to the symposium. We arrived at
Howard University around 1.00PM, and as usual few guys were standing
around, included was the NRP leader, Mr.Hamat Bah, a fellow Saloum
Saloum who I really came to respect, or should I say taken much more
seriously. It was sad that for such an important occasion, where future
leaders of our Republic are to discuss issues that are relevant to the
future direction of our nation; and to most of us, is at the bottom of
our priority list. Indifference to issues of governance and discussion
forums is typical among our people. And these same individuals are quick
to blame our political challenges on the doorstep of the UN-schooled,
especially the folks in the provinces. Maybe, we do not need to look
that far.

It was also refreshing to finally meet the faces behind the powerful
wisdom and ideas that we have all come to gotten use to. I met Mr. Saul
Khan, the straight shooter, and a no-nonsense fellow. Yes, he is all
that, but also very down to earth and not as serious as his writings
seem to portray. (Laugh). Also, met Dr. Jaiteh, a very engaging and nice
person, and host of other guys that I have met before. It is really nice
to finally meet some of the people that have become part of my daily
surrounding on cyberspace.

I went to DC to finally meet the man that I believed, among all the
Gambian politicians, he is the most qualify and one of the few that has
the solution to the future development of our Gambia. Either, I am the
most naive Gambian there is, the most gullible for that matter, or
ignorance and deception have taken the country hostage. The ideal leader
for our present Gambia should be someone very knowledgeable, or surround
himself with knowledgeable trustees; someone who is seriously committed
to real development; someone committed to the rights of the poor and all
its people; and someone who has a blue print that address the challenges
facing our nation. When I finally met Mr. Halifa Sallah, no one has to
tell me. A small person in built, with a look buried in the sixties,
dressed in plain clothes with Gambian tailoring all over it, and a
demeanor of a Ghandi or a Martin Luther. He greets everyone with both
hands, with that typical African respect, vacillating from one dialect
to another…. Masdinka, Wollof and Fula. Everything about the Man, his
mannerisms and disposition is shrouded with honesty and truthfulness.
Clearly, in this modern era of packaging of political candidates and
leaders, I would suggest to Mr. Sallah and PDOIS to seek the expertise
of the James Carville, or the late Lee Atwater, political mercenaries
who have perfected the art of making a President.(

As Mr.Sallah took the podium, the hall came to a complete silence; you
can even hear a pin drop. What was evident was that everyone in that
hall knows that this person is worth listening to, and for that we were
not disappointed. The man spewed his argument with passion; backs every
word uttered  with facts and statistics. It is  dishonest to throw
criticisms like dry intellectualism to this man’s argument, unless of
course you are not interested in the truth. And to his oratorical
skills, like men of the cloth, he is definitely gifted. The more I
listened to Halif, up and close I had a mixture of sympathy and sadness,
to a man married to a cause, love of country, willing to take his whole
life time dedicated fighting for the poor, and still has a steep
mountain to climb. He has a blue print that can honestly put the country
to the path to serious development, putting power in the hands of the
people…democracy and the real rebirth of a New Gambia. On the other
hand, Gambians are prone to manipulation; ignorance, poverty, and the
majority have given up or fled the country for greener pasture. He has
been at it for over thirty years, like most of us, he could have sought
for the UN job (nothing wrong with that), immigrate to the west for the
good living, but he stays put, fighting for the rights of the people.
Ironically, these same people are not even helping him in his struggle
for their rights and prosperity. It is sad, and very sad indeed.

The next day, while it was raining, I was in the back seat of an SUV, up
and close with this giant from Africa. The man treats every individual
with utmost respect, and listen to every question with care and
thoughtfulness. At the symposium, because of the time constrain we found
ourselves, I was not able to ask the questions that I really wanted to
ask. These were some of the questions posed to Mr. Sallah: You seem to
have the solution to the country’s development challenges, and to some
of us we would like to see you govern, what are the political strategy
you have in place to bring this into realization? The second question
was in America, there is a political term called electability, and
Halifa Sallah and PDOIS seemed to be suffering from that illness, how
would you respond? The third question was civil disobedience has been
used in the past as a viable political option, and where does PDOIS
stand with this issue? The final question was, who is Halif a Sallah. To
these questions, it was Halifa at its best, and in my nest posting I
will bring you his detailed response to these questions.

I would like to thank the ALD Org. for putting together a superb
program, and please don’t listen to distracters that have never put
anything together, and cannot wait to weight in with tired so-called
constructive criticism. Thank you again Gentlemen, for giving me the
opportunity to be up and close with PDOIS Halifa Sallah, and this I will
cherished for the rest of my life.

Thanks

Musa Jeng

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