Hi Jabou, I really don't like Halifa's political style and i believe that he
won't be a good president. However, i have great respect for his examplary
sacrifice and devotion to improve the political, economical and social
wellbeing of his people. I just don't agree with  the way he thinks certain
things needs to be done but if all the Dr.s and graduate Gambians go back
home and be like Halifa, Waa Juwara, Single Nyassi and Sidia Jatta, they
will make a big difference. I mean a significant difference that will avert
the present atrocities of Jammeh's regime to a respectable government of the
people. Making America and Euroupe as a sanctuary will hardly help the
situation.

Although Halifa often sides with the present regime for reasons best known
to him, he still deserves a big commendation from all Gambians and support
from people who believe in "Halifaism". He is really great!

With great esteem for honest interlectuals serving their people in this
unpleasant situation.
PF Manneh

>From: Jabou Joh <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Jabou: Re: Halifa Sallah, PDOIS & Foroyaa
>Date: Sun, 26 Dec 1999 13:10:06 EST
>
>Saul,
>
>For someone who said that they were just engaged in an unbiased debate to
>take our political figures to task, and that your intention is not personal
>attacks, l must say that your responses on this issue are approaching
>senility. Please do not attack me personally and pour insults and profanity
>on me,  as we cannot afford another such presence on the L. l do not know
>Mr
>Sallah personally except for what l have been able to gather from the
>agenda
>of PDOIS, and from the writings of the gentleman himself. l am a Gambian
>who
>is poised on assesing those politicians who aspire to lead our nation, and
>then making an intelligent choice as to who l think is fit to even attempt
>to
>get the job. l believe that from what all of us have come to know of each
>other through this medium, including Mr Sallah himself, any intelligent
>person can decipher that l ma not made of the  kind of stuff  that lends
>blind support. Therein lies the difference between my self and those who
>lend
>support to a government that demonstrates  on a daily basis that they do
>not
>have th  interest  of the Gambian people at heart. If my assessments led me
>to come to the conclusion that Halifa Sallah had engaged on activities that
>were not in the interest of the Gambian people, l think even he himself
>knows
>from what he can glimpse of my views that l will probably be the first
>person
>to be critical of this.
>However, Saul, you confuse me, and perhaps even yourself. if you are so
>bent
>on telling us that Halifa is not good enough and that this is why the
>people
>of Serekunda East have not voted for him in so many elections, what in the
>World were you doing encouraging your realtives to vote for him?
>It is very obvious to everyone that for you, this exchange between yourself
>and Halifa is very personal indeed, even though you interject  statements
>to
>refute this everytime it is brought up. Saul, l am no hypocrite, but l am
>also not someone that will let anyone force any self serving interest  down
>my throat, and the Gambian public is also fast approaching this same view.
>If
>expressing my opinion enrages you because you want to patrol this forum and
>force everyone o demonize Mr Sallah (yes, you say this is not your
>intention), then you are engaged in a futile exercise. l am entitled to my
>own opinion, and  no amount of tongue lashing and verbal abuse directed at
>me
>will scare me to succumb to anyone else's opinion. l say, keep your
>opinion,
>and let those of us who dare to differ with you keep ours, and may the best
>man win at the ballot box. That is what is healthy, and nothing else.
>In my opinion, those who have done injustice to the Ceesay family are the
>ones who killed theor son, whoever they are.The government  that also has
>done little or nothing to conduct a fully unbiased  investigation share the
>blame equally. In terms of the '97 constitution, the government of the day
>are the ones  who are misusing the constitution to their own advantage and
>are the ones denying the Gambian people their constitutional rights, and
>this
>very much includes the opposition parties. Therefore, l think that your
>attacks are mis-directed. If you want answers about the Koro Ceesay affair
>and the mis-use and abuse of the constitution, then you need to take up the
>issue with the government  rather than those who intervened  with the
>limited
>intervention they were allowed  in order to salvage at least a portion of
>our
>democratic freedom. This is how some of us understand this whole affair
>based
>on what was  presented  here.A  question l have been dying to ask you is
>this, was Mr sallah the sole author and ratifier of the "97 constitution?
>Would it have failed to be instituted if he had not compaigned for it? Are
>PDOIS  and  Foroyaa getting special treatment from the government under
>this
>constitution that is not being accorded to any other opposition party or
>Gambian? Are they the ones who are denying Gambians their constitutional
>rights under this regime?
>
>  Now if you have a  problem with the fact that some of us have assessed
>the
>presentd evidence and come to a conclusion that is different than that of
>yourself, you will just have to live with it, period. Again, please spare
>me
>your teeth-baring, threats , l am just expressing my opinion, and l am
>entitled to it.
>
>PS: Since you say your only intention is to look at our politicians
>critically, remember that when evidence is  presented, each of us has to
>digest it and come to our own conclusions, or is it your quest to make sure
>that all of us come to the same conclusion you do? Further, in the interest
>of looking at all of our politicians critically, It is absolutely
>imperative
>that you have the next candidate lined up so as not to appear to be
>partial.
>There also, remember, each individual will have to make up their own mind
>as
>to what is the truth and what is personal agenda. Have a great Sunday.
>
>Jabou Joh
>
>Jabou,
>
>  You've written quite a long piece, but you've SAID very little. Much of
>what
>  you've said here is not in contention. But if you can tell the 150K
>  residents of Serrekunda East that you know more  than they do about what
>is
>  good for them, you're great Jabou. They've rejected Halifa three times in
>a
>  row despite the "great job" he's been doing. Remember, he's not doing
>that
>  "great" job in Tennessee, he's doing it in Serrekunda. So, if you would
>use
>  your common sense just a little bit, instead of engaging in petty
>hypocrisy,
>  maybe you'll realize that something is amiss somewhere.
>
>  I have never voted for Halifa or anyone else for that matter. But I did
>  convince two of my sisters and their husbands to vote for him in '87. I
>  campaigned for him in my own way in '92 as well. But I have a problem
>with
>  Halifa's attitude since the coup - in both the Korro Ceesay case, and the
>  '97 Constitution especially.
>
>  In Korro's case, Halifa and Co had set a threshold at the onset of their
>  investigation: locating an "eyewitness" to either the murder, or an
>  accident. According to Halifa's own version, they did not locate neither.
>  All they had were eyewitnesses who SAW Korro's car NEAR the bridge wall.
>And
>  eyewitnesses who saw a DENT on the car. From what he said, their three
>  reporters working the case did not even see the car themselves. They just
>  relied on what "eyewitnesses" told them, and with only that, they
>  erroneously concluded that Korro was killed in an accident! Everything
>that
>  has been revealed since, point to something else. Halifa is yet to have
>the
>  humility/magnanimity to print a retraction of that unfortunate story, or
>  better yet -apologize for causing the Ceesay family further pain at a
>time
>  when they least needed it. How is anyone sullying Halifa's name/image by
>  pointing this out? Tell me, Jabou. I'm waiting for him on the '97
>  Constitution.
>
>  The problem in Africa is not the Halifas, it's people like yourself who
>put
>  them on a pedestal and tell them they can do no wrong. You, in
>particular,
>  are always throwing something at Yaya Jammeh. Don't you realize that Yaya
>  Jammeh is out of control because his supporters are engaged in the same
>type
>  of sycophancy that you're engaged in here. What gives you the right to
>lob
>  insults at him then? Because you're unwilling to scrutinize the one you
>  adore (Halifa,) just like Yaya's supporters treat him. Where is your
>sense
>  of justice Jabou? And you are the one who wants true democracy? I thought
>  you were different, but you're just another hypocrite. You said ". . .the
>  cronies  of yet another generation of opportunists devise ever more
>  deceitful ways to pull the wool over our eyes." Great. Who are these
>  cronies? I've never had a relationship (blood/otherwise) with any Gambian
>  politician. Period. So, what makes me a crony? Tell me Jabou.
>
>  You're using the same tactic that Yaya Jammeh uses to dismiss his
>critics.
>  Why can't you get it in your head that some of us don't fall for
>superficial
>  gimmicks.
>
>  And to even think that you subscribe to Alpha Robinson's views. Read that
>  piece again, and see the crap he wrote about our intellectuals. Alpha has
>  since realized his mistake, and I hope you'll reconsider as well. There's
>  nothing wrong with cononizing Halifa. That's your prerogative. But,
>trying
>  to demonize those of us whose only crime is to look at every politician
>  critically, won't work here.
>
>  This is the Ramadan, and as a woman, I'm refraining from saying some
>things
>  now. But if you want to engage in taking cheap shots at Halifa's critics,
>  you've chosen the wrong people here. You can either follow the debate to
>  it's conclusion, or you can stop. Otherwise, be my guest and keep putting
>  out these ideas! I'm deliberately ignoring several things you've said,
>but I
>  dare you to continue this shameless charade. Just Make My Day, Jabou!
>
>  Saul.
>   >>
>
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