Mr. Jassey Conteh,
Reading your exchange with Amadou Jallow and going back a number of aritcles you sent to the list, I think I am perhaps right in concluding that no one else has with equal diligence harped on this elusive question of Gambian Unity. You have, at least, by insisting on unity at various levels within the Gambian polity sufficiently registered your concern for our collective fate. Besides, it compounds Abdoulie Jallow's old question of what we should do, jostling our consciences from the cosiness that derives from straddling big issues.
That much good, I would concede, comes from your raising the Unity flag. But only that. First because Unity per se is no goal worth chasing, capturing and remodelling into a fetish which, by a sleight of hand, produces a problem-free Gambia. This repetitive mantra about Gambian disunity produces the dangerous illusion that once we get united we should be on our way to Xanadu. Well, that will not happen. There are different political parties in Gambia, in all simplicity, because those who formed those parties have different visions and beliefs as to how a progressive Gambia should look like and how to bring that look about. Naturally, a common dislike of the APRC could be strong enough to effect a tactical alliance between the parties in opposition. But that is not exactly a united opposition. The question of what to do with a post APRC Gambia could prove more divisive than the combined strength of the unifying ideals. (I have elsewhere put forth my opinion as to why the opposition could not build an anti-APRC alliance for the last elections).
Secondly, a liberal democratic outlook cannot rely on the notion of an abstract unity in the quest for progress. Neither does a Marxist outook tolerate such an illusion. The contest of ideas, and the natural inclination to resolve social contradictions is fed by the constant struggle of groups of people to improve their lot (class struggle) and the contest between creeds. Groups of Gambians with similar interests should get together, draw practical programs that would improve their lot within the framework of the law, and get to work, instead of waiting for a unity that will remain elusive.
Finally. The disunity of Gambians has become a funeral psalm in many of our communities everywhere. It is psychologically satisfying to blame our backwardness in many areas on our disunity. But believing that the Gambian character is innately divisive only helps block the creative energies that should otherwise be harnessed to free us from our complicated miseries.
Thanks to you all........
Cheers,
Momodou S Sidibeh
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jassey Conteh" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, December 11, 2002 2:41 AM
Subject: Re: The case of two Abdoulie A. Jallows
> Mr. Jallow:
>
> Thanks for your candid response. Since our abiltiy to rescue The Gambia can
> only happen if we are united, we must initiate policies that may have positive
> effects on our country.
>
> I wish you the best in your studies. I noticed that you at the University of
> South Dakota. I am glad that you are reaching new horizons.
>
> Good luck.
>
> Comrade ML Jassey-Conteh
>
> On Mon, 9 Dec 2002 13:59:21 -0500 Malanding Jaiteh <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
>
> > Mr. Jallow, you may not be aware of this but
> > someone brought to my attention
> > that we now have two Abdoulie A. Jallows. That
> > is perfectly alright with me
> > since your mail headers can tell the
> > difference. However, some G-lers may
> > not have the ability to tell the difference. As
> > such we ask you both to find
> > ways to differentiate yourselves. Thanks.
> >
> > Malanding Jaiteh
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: The Gambia and related-issues mailing
> > list
> > [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
> > Behalf Of Abdoulie Jallow
> > Sent: Monday, December 09, 2002 12:46 PM
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: Gambia In a Downward Spiral
> >
> >
> > Mr. Conteh;
> > Thank-you for the brilliant analysis of what is
> > happening on the grounds in
> > our dear motherland. You couldn't have said it
> > better. The Gambia is in a
> > desperate situation yawning for someone to come
> > to the rescue.
> >
> > As you rightly pointed out, prices of basic
> > commodities are skyrocketing at
> > an alarmable rate. The dalasi, which use to be
> > Gambia's pride in the sub
> > region due to it's stability, is now nothing
> > other than a laughing stock.
> > Gambians would rather be in possession of
> > physical commodities than the
> > dalasis. Businessmen would in the same way be
> > rather paid in foreign
> > currency than the dalasi. What makes this
> > situation even worst is that
> > salaries have not been adjusted to makeup for
> > the rising prices.
> >
> > T
> > he Gambian youths are the one that are most
> > affected by these
> > developments. Jobs are unavailable and yet
> > still the government is on their
> > ass daily accusing them of being lazy and
> > aimless. Education is at its
> > darkest moments in the Gambia. Teachers are
> > underpaid and under
> > appreciated. The only hope left for our youths
> > is to find a way out of the
> > country and seek heaven somewhere else even if
> > that means having to put up
> > with all the woes that go with being an
> > immigrant in a foreign land.
> >
> > What makes the situation in the Gambia scary is
> > that the government is
> > either ignoring or failing to acknowledge their
> > bad economic policies. In
> > an effort to shift the real debate of the
> > economy from Gambians, the
> > government resorts to intimidation and
> > suppression. Being a realist, I know
> > very well that those tactics would work but
> > just for a short period of
> > time. The government will have to face the
> > reality of their bad policies
> > one way or
> > the other. Which begs the big question, what
> > if anything can be
> > done to alleviate the situation in our country.
> > The answer to that question
> > is what everybody on this list seems to be
> > failing to address in a profound
> > manner.
> >
> > Some people call for unity in the opposition.
> > That we know is almost
> > impossible. The opposition in The Gambia seems
> > to be more in opposition
> > among themselves than to the government. Some
> > call for some form of revolt.
> > We also know that would in essence be a long
> > way from accomplishing
> > anything. So now that we've talked the talk,
> > it's about time we walk the
> > walk. Whatever that walk would entail, it would
> > be up to every one of us.
> >
> >
> > -----------Have a great day
> > everybody---Abdoulie Jallow
> >
> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> >
> > To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of
> > postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
> > at:
> > http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
> > To contact the List Management, please send an
> > e-mail to:
> > [log in to unmask]
> >
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> >
>
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>
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