Mr Gomez
Thanks for your polite reply. However,it is not for me or anybody else to
formulate a team to recommend that Jammeh limits the number of times he can
run for president. This is a national requirement. Our country belongs to
all Gambians, not just to Jammeh. All members of the APRC have a right to
aspire for the presidency. So does all other Gambians, regardless of party
affiliations. We all know that the absence of institutional structures for
the effective, peaceful and periodic change of leadership is the root cause
of at least 99 percent of Africa's bloody conflicts. In Sierra Leone it was
Siaka Stevens; in Guinea it was Sekou Toure, then now Lansana Conteh; in
Mali it was Modibo Keita and then, Musa Traoare; in Liberia it was William
Tolbert (or Tubman), then Doe. In our own country it was Jawara. We can
never discard the intrinsic truth of the words that "HE WHO MAKES PEACEFUL
CHANGE IMPOSSIBLE MAKES VIOLENT CHANGE INEVITABLE".
Now when the AFPRC took over, their main arguments were rampant corruption
and Jawara's overstaying in power. And I can very well remember Jammeh's
first interview with the Observer on Sunday July 26, 1994 published on
Monday July 27, Jammeh promised to make sure that there would be a new
constitution and that in that constituton there would be a limit as to the
number of times anyone can run for president. Jammeh repeated this promise
many times later. Yet, when he knew he was going to run for president,
Jammeh removed that particular provision from the draft constitution
presented by the constitutional review committee. How would you defend such
an act?
Now Jammeh says he is a pious muslim. So pious that he is always carrying
his prayer beads and apparently calling the Lord's name. We all know what
the Quran and the Bible say about breaking our promises. How does we and
Jammeh himself reconcile this serious anomally?
This, my brothers, is not negotiable. Jammeh owes it to us, to himself, to
The Gambia and to God Almaighty to put in place a mechanism for the
effective and peaceful change of leadership. I am not saying that the APRC
should go with him. But certainly the PRESIDENCY as a PUBLIC OFFICE should
not be monopolised by Jammeh to the exclusion of all the rest of Gambians.
It would be hard to convince anyone that he is not power-hungry if he fails
to do this.


>From: Paul Gomez <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Jobe, Jarju, GomezOr All to say it.
>Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2001 20:56:22 -0000
>
>Mr.Edward Small,
>               I would first of reciprocate your respectful approachy
>saying:"good afternoon brother to you sir!" and then touch on the issue you
>raised, being the term /limits... of the presidency. First of all Mr.Small
>i
>do not think that such an important question should have been adressed to
>the trio(Gomez and the two others only) as "Jammehistic scholars!". This is
>a question to be looked into,discussed and be presented to Jammeh and the
>organs running the country for their perusal from all and sundry.
>
>I promise you 100% that, if you can formulate a team that can discuss this
>issue,forward its recommendations in a very professional way it will be
>forwarded to the respective organs for consideration.
>
>Jammeh said it over and over that he knows he won't stay a president
>forever.Just two days ago he told the students that the future of the
>Gambia
>is their hands.Doesn't that sentence embedd some wisdom for you sir? Lets
>encourage that trend. Jammeh is NOT THAT power hungry as some of your
>Jammeh-attitude-experts are projecting things for us.
>
>So What is your suggestion in that regard Sir?
>Paul.
>
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>>From: Edward Small <[log in to unmask]>
>>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
>><[log in to unmask]>
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Re: Jobe, Jarju, Gomez
>>Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2001 19:35:12 -0000
>>
>>Really folks, I have no doubt that you guys are pretty intelligent. For
>>me,
>>the issue is not whether Jammeh has done anything at all for The Gambia.
>>For
>>me the issue is very political and revolves around one single qestion,
>>which
>>I challenge you to answer:
>>
>>Why is Jammeh refusing to fulfil his promise in 1994 to limit the number
>>of
>>times he can run for president?  One of his excuses for seizing power was
>>to
>>make sure that no future president overstays in power, a tendency that,
>>you
>>guys would agree, could lead to political disaster in our country. Why is
>>he
>>reneging on that promise?
>>
>>Please don't tell me that I should go ask Yaya Jammeh. If you are out to
>>defend him, you must be prepared to defend him on all counts. I look
>>forward
>>to your answer.
>>Pa Small
>>_________________________________________________________________________
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