Amie,
This piece of yours demands many answers. I do not consider myself  in the
position to answer them, for I am neither a woman nor a politician. What exactly
you are talking about is also a mystery to me. I am always of the conviction
that the only people who can "liberate" Gambian women are Gambian women
themselves. The situation as I write this piece is as follows: More women have
held office in Jammeh's diabolical regime than ever before in the short history
of the Gambia. There are even more women in Jammeh's regime than the EU, UK and
US governments put together. With the single exception of Sweden, there is no
nation in this world, that I know of, with more women in government than in
Jammeh's infanticide regime.
It is not enough only to empower women, but to be certain that it's not just
another harem with the likes of  Fatoumata Jahumpa-Cessay, Susan Waffa-Ogoo,
Theresa N'dong-Jatta, or Isatou Njie-Saidy, to name just a few. What have they
done for Gambian women in the years they have been following Yaya Jammeh? I will
tell you: At the time of the students massacre last April, it was Isatou
Njie-Saidy who was effectively the head of state of the Gambia. The statements
of Fatoumata Jahumpa-Ceesay and Theresa N'dong-Jatta after that dreadful event
should not be forgotten. These women joined the boys club and continued playing
the boys game. That's all, for The Secretary of State for Women Affairs is
definitely not a man.
Instead of these women highlighting the plight of Gambian women, they blindly
follow a leader who openly sanctioned FGM. Most of these women proclaimed to
have been "gender activists" before and now that they are in power, FGM is more
rampant than ever and the predicament of the Gambian women has taken a nose
dive.
There are no guarantees that  empowering women will alleviate the repression of
women in our society. I think the best for us, is to struggle collectively for
an equitable society, where the worth of every mankind (or womankind) is valued.

Keep up the good struggle and I wish you and all the ladies on Gambia-L a
peaceful WOMEN'S DAY, except 'my somebody'.

Prince.
__________________________________________________________________________
"If you want to read or hear good things about Yaya, go read the Observer or
listen to GRTS".
KB Dampha

----- Original Message -----
From: AMIE BOJANG-SISSOHO <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2001 15:41
Subject: Part of the whole for social Justice


While individuals and opposition parties struggle for change in upcoming
elections, I would like to bring to the attention of the masses the concerns
I have as a media practitioner and a woman.

What guarantee do we have that the mass media, Gambia Radio and Television
Services - GRTS in this case will practice according to constitutional
requirements for freedom of expressions, that is without discrimination
based on gender, political affiliation, ethnicity or religion?

That editors and producers have their professional say in what is broadcast
and are not going to repeat the negatives points of censorship and fear of
dismissal.

According to IEC figures, most voters are women, about 75% of whom are
illiterate, and the majority of these  are women;  will GRTS be used as a
tool for enlightenment for the masses and not only a mouthpiece for those in
power?

The present situation may seem as tokenism, but it has brought to the
attention of the masses that it is possible to have women as leaders in
national affairs.  Where will women stand when there is change?  Are they
going to be chosen as leaders with power, window dressing to mask gender
politics or just as yai compines to be used as and when it suits the
politicians?


How will the selection processes of political parties ensure fair and
sincere selection of eligible women to stand for municipal, chieftaincy and
parliamentary or presidential elections?  I do not think it is fair to have
the example of Minatta Njie in the last parliamentary election.  She had
just finished school, young and inexperienced to stand for election, even
though I admired her courage to take to the challenge.

Are women's concerns to their right to take informed decisions on family
planning contraceptive use, to understand why they should not condone
traditional practices such as early marriage, female genital mutilation,
nutritional taboos for pregnant women, forced menopause, rape, and more
recent phenomena such as HIV/AIDS, baby dumping, back-street abortion and a
host of other concerns that affect them be left to the mercy of some men who
are after their selfish interest no matter what women go through?

Remember that at present, most oppositional views including so called
sensitive issues are suppressed in GRTS programmes and are they going to do
the same when the opposition are in power?  Or we don't want to risk our
votes attitude is going to play?

Is there going to be so much emphasis on revenge that priorities for the
masses will be marginalized?

And finally are commitment to policies and conventions be just a collection
from conferences, workshops at long hours of meetings for academic exercises
or implementation for the people on whose behalf they have been put
together.

As some of us recover from the Tabaski feast, these are issues to give
consideration.

With great concern,
Amie Bojang-Sissoho.

_________________________________________________________________________
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