My Dear Friend,
Its i must say really good to hear from you.Its very nice to know of your
travel plans.I dont want you to be paranoid either.Well you must
make the Danish Authorities be aware of where u  are at all times
and what your plans are all the time just so they can provide you with
assistance should you need it.I want to say iam sure they arent that
crazy to mess with you but given what i know i cant in all good conscience
say any such thing.
   I am ok thank God.I am stationed in New York City. I met the Danish
representative at the United Nations on Friday.There was a meeting
organised by the youth representatives of various Nations. These
youths are the ones sent by their various countries to the UN summit
and General Assembly.The united Nations has a youth forum to which
i belong.The members meet and discuss issues on global youth issues.
I was norminated to attend as a youth representatives for the Gambia
but my attendence was blocked by the Gambia Mission to the United Nations.As
far as i know my application was denied.I was dissappointed but less so
surprised.
   Well last Friday the various representatives that attended the GA
met with the Forum members and other interested youth activest arround the
world to discuss ways and means to facilitate further international
dialogue.This is  how i met your delegates.I was captivated by his enduring
interest to listen and respect our pleas as
developing nations youth representatives even though we had
   I felt it was absured and immensely rediculous to have to seek
official clearance from such Governments like our own to attend any such
meeting that will in effect counter their claims of democracy
and decent governing.But to my amazement some very highly recognised
foreign diplomats cannot imagin such Governments are allowed to exist
by people in this day and age;you can imagin by frustration trying to make a
case in a limited time given no friends that seem to relate to me.Your youth
delegate was exceptionally willing to listen and emphatise with delema.It is
my plans to work with him and other African Youths to bring our plight to
international attention.
  Since your country is seem to be so open and the government accessible to
every citizen i thought you can link him to our national
problems.He has some experience working with some human right groups in
Africa already.
  Its very good that you know some inner circle folks in the Government tell
you the truth i only know some of them through the phone.As you know our
culture is very friendly though sometimes grossly undemocratic and
authoritative.For reasons of their security
and privacy i cannot openly disclose my friends and relatives identity
but i will send you a private mail to that end.I hope you understand me
given the circumstances.
   I think that your connections to our land and your sentiment to
our issues are only human.I want to thank you for your tireless efforts in
putting you so deeply committed to our process to become
democratic.I must confess i sometimes ask myself will i be this committed
like some from the west if the human right violations where a western
issue.With such thoughts in mind i perplez'every so often.
But i want to think that i will lash out at injustice where ever it breeds.I
know one thing our knowing eachother makes a world of difference. I think
Africa must open her doors not only to foreign aid
loans and technology but even more imperitive is for our people to learn to
respect each other if not love each other but tolerate and dignify each
other just because all humans deserve such treatment.
Honestly if this commodity is packetable and exportable it is in much more
high demand than antibiotics and spiritual dogma...this is my personal
opinion ofcourse.
   I would like it if you can meet the president that is Jammeh it will be
much too easy for you than many Gambians on the L.Since we are conditioned
to put visitors first that leverage is i believe still potent.Please extend
our collective grieviance to him with regards to
our brothers and sisters that died under his administration and the many
that continues to languish in dispair and pain because he is too proud to
call it quit.Let him know if you personally meet him that we
are judging not base on personal interest but based on results of his
job as the Chairman and later leader of our country.Caution him not to act
out of fear but courage and compassion.
  I had the opportunity to ask him briefly about human right issues on his
last year visit to the united states had he maintained his resolve
to do away with the injustices to human rights and put the Gambian masses
first those kids will still be alive.I think if any good can come of their
death it is to use their pain and suffering to prevent any such occurances.



>From: Asbjørn Nordam <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: attn Mr.Nordam, Kalilu Camara ON POVERTY REDUCTION MEANS
>Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2000 14:31:21 +0200
>
>Mr. K. Camara,
>I´m still here, but I´ve been so busy that it´s been long time since I
>wrote
>anything to the list.
>Glad to hear from you. I do hope that you are OK and manage.
>
>I wonder where you are living and what you are working with, since you have
>met one danish delegate to the UN ? I don´t know the man, but I know that
>every year we send some young people to the UN assembly, most of them
>members of  the different political parties youth organizations, so they
>can
>get experience and meet youth from all over the globe.
>
>Tomorrow sunday I will go first to London, and tuesday morning continue to
>The Gambia for 3 weeks stay - if THEY let me in.
>I have friends who has trained in Libya with the "inner-circle" around Mr.
>President, and several of my friends were very active in Moja-G. Specially
>one friend who knows certain people very well has warned me. He think that
>I
>have been too active criticizing the President. So he told me not to go
>alone, be careful where I´m going, who I´m talking to. And always in the
>morning have someone I inform, and again by night, that I´m back home and
>secure. I refuse to be paranoid. Over the years I have visited all kind of
>people, friends, families, people in office, ministries, as well as local
>alkalis, peasants etc. I think I know how to behave, and I want to see with
>my own eyes, listen with my own ears, and make my own judgements on the
>situation. I try to respect all, no matter religion, race, postition,
>education, political orientation. And what has happen in The very many
>years
>I have visited The Gambia has led to my "criticism". I went to the danish
>authorities many years back and told them what I believed about the
>Jawara-era democracy. And I am - as a human being- upset of every tyrant
>who
>oppress or harass his own people, no matter if it´s Pinochet, Milosoviz or
>Jammeh. But because I know so many people in The Gambia, what happens there
>are "closer" to me, than what is going on in Malysia, Yugoslavia or Chile.
>Nearly every time I get information from The Gambia, there are people
>involved, who I know personally or know something about, or have visited,
>or
>know their compound. It´s  like it all happened here in Denmark. So I don´t
>think I have anything to worry about. If this government can not take
>criticism from a tourist or man like me, it´s up to them.
>
>Well, this time I plan to see if I can meet some from the APRC party, and
>maybe discuss what I experience. I wanted to go now because I thought that
>maybe the local elections would be held, even I doubted since the april
>incident.
>
>Else my plan is to go up river, as far as possible. I have never been far
>up, only up to Soma, Mansa Konko, Farrafenni. Last time Halifa Sallah
>promised me that I could go with his people for two-three days to see the
>project they are involve into. And I will try to find people who I only met
>on the Gambia-L, for in. Modou Mbey, who is now back from Taiwan after a
>very successful study. And my list is so long - as always of people I got
>to
>see and say hello to. Every time my list expand because I meet more and
>more
>relatives, friends and their extended families, and still I have to see my
>friends from the very beginning, my first tour back in 78, those  from
>Kartong etc.
>
>From where in The Gambia  are you ? Where is your family living ?
>
>Before it´s will be to long letter, I will finish here. I also have to pack
>my suitcase and ensure that I have everything with me.
>
>But it´s been very nice to get the letter and greetings from you.
>
>Regards from Asbjørn
>
>
>on 21/10/00 12:55, kalilu camara at [log in to unmask] wrote:
>
>
>
> > My dear friend Nordam,
> > I have the pleasant opportunity to meet Jeppe Bruus Christensen
> > he is Danish youth activest.He is a member of the Danish Delegation to
> > Un general assembly 2000.
> > Iam wondering if you are still on he is interested to meet with folks
>like
> > you.
> > kalilu
> >
> >
>
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