I agree with the points you raised as it relates to the state of affairs back
home. I believe all of the self assessment, strategy proposals and some sense
of resignation within the opponents of Yahya Jammeh is all premised on
relying on democracy as the sole instrument of change. The fatal flaw in this
approach is the supposition that Yahya is a legitimate politician who is
remotely interested in the genuine contest of ideas within the confines of
participatory democracy. He is not. His declared plan is to collapse every
available instrument of democracy at every level of our small society and
fully exploit that age old Gambian penchant for expediency to perpetuate
himself. By design, he will thoroughly purge the main instrument of power
which is the security services of any and all people he thinks might at some
point pose a hindrance to his subjugation of the Gambian people in the land
of their ancestors. Gambia is already a banana republic in that laws and
separation of powers exists only on paper. Yahya just wants to make sure it
remains his banana republic. That is why he is trying to remove the few
remaining non ethnic Jolas from security services and replace them with
people he can totally count on to implement his designs of tyranny and
enslavement of those that oppose him. Efforts towards bringing change within
the political process are certainly laudable and I have and will continue to
support it. By the same token it is my view that partisan politics will only
be a palliative measure that is unlikely to succeed not for the lack effort
on the part politicians or their supporters, or because of the quality of the
politicians. Neither would it be because the people don't understand the
grave circumstances they face. It would fail because Yahya Jammeh is not
interested and would not countenance a contest that  is legal, free and fair.
         All of our efforts would only serve to postpone the inevitable. As a
nation and as a people we will have to decide  if we want to relinquish our
only country to a guy who has spent the better of the last decade, murdering,
torturing, impoverishing the Gambian people while stealing or plainly
reallocating public funds to himself and his thugs and cronies. We can
achieve this by aiding and abetting a systematic purge in the security
services, the civil service, the  village and community of all people
perceive to be opponents; listening to socall religious and community leaders
who are closer  to charlatans and are as vile and corrupt as the murderous
regime who e bribe them with the very blood money plundered from the
suffering people. These immoral self proclaimed religious and community
leaders take these monies that are expressly forbidden by the Quran and use
it in some instances on mosque projects. They are willing to set aside
religious injunctions to pursue selfish agendas. They refuse to condemn
wanton murders and instead cuddle and seek favors and recognition from people
whose activities are manifestly Satanic.If you ever wonder what has happened
to piety, virtue and integrity, look no further than under the flowing gowns
of these socalled elders.
      Conversely we can view  our struggle as an existential one in which the
very life of the only nation we have on this globe is hanging in the balance.
It is absolutely fanciful to assume that a brutal tyrant who has murdered
innocent people would submit to a free and fair process that may usher in a
peaceful transition. Deployment  of antiaircraft guns, arming thugs are all
clear indications of a man bent on imposing himself. He is also counting on
his opponents to cower down in the believe that most Gambians would quickly
trade their liberties for personal security. However , history is replete
with determined people who delivered their people from tyranny. I predict
that Gambia will not be  an exception.

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