Mr Sallah, When you insisted on this round of our debate, I was hoping to hear something different from you. Maybe some long-overdue confession that would help redeem your image. But alas, this is the same old Halifa Sallah blowing smoke. I tried to calm you down after your initial angry challenge, and you subsequently toned down your rhetoric, but it seems you're still eager to stick it to some people again. So, to all those who care for the truth, let the record show that it's Halifa Sallah, not Saul Saidykhan who is the first to use insults like "pinpricks," and insinuations that I and Hamjatta are puppets for some "charlatans," who have chosen to remain in the background. Nothing -absolutely nothing, could be further from the truth! The simple truth is that, myself and Hamjatta, are a rare breed of Gambians who are not intimidated by a so-called super intellectual like Halifa Sallah. We are independent minded people who just don't give a hoot what any Gambian's title/position is. Truth is more important to some of us than cheap popularity. Period! Speaking for myself, I'm not coy about my beliefs at all. I've stated clearly what I think of the PPP people. I've said what I think of the NCP, and other political players in the Gambia. I've said that my view of the PPP ten years ago is different from my view of the PPP today. I have a lot more respect, and sympathy for the PPP today than I ever had for them as the ruling party. Especially for Omar Amadu Jallow -OJ. I'll come back to that. But, just for the record, and out of decency, stop this ridiculous insinuation that we're doing someone else's dirty job for them. It's simply false! Ironically, you started your piece by attacking me for lying, and fabricating things. Isn't that what you're engaged in here? Who are these "charlatans" we're working for? Give me the proof Mr. Honor & Integrity! Remember, the L is watching. Your knack for inducing self-serving amnesia won't work this time. I demand proof, or an apology! Regarding this liar accusation, I find it amusing. I've been called many things, but liar is new. If you were to take a little stroll right outside your HQ in Churchill's Town, chances are you'll meet someone within ten minutes who knows Saul Saidykhan. Some are bound to tell you that I have a hot temper when you push the wrong button, or that I don't know who to pick fights with. Hell, someone might even tell you that I'm crazy. But a liar? Print me a T-Shirt that says "Liar, Liar." I'll gladly wear it. It's not what's outside or some false label that matters. What I said is simple: principled or not, if you were to accept a position in Yaya Jammeh's cabinet, he'll use you, dump you, and try to discredit you like he did seventeen/eighteen other professionals since 1994. Your principled stand has nothing to do with what I'm saying here. The professional people that this Yaya has used and dumped all have their private principles, I'm sure. This man has disgraced some of the most honest Gambians I know. Their honor and integrity hasn't saved them. Your's won't. That's all I'm saying. So, where is the lie here? What don't you understand about this logic? Regarding this lengthy discussion on you running under a PDOIS ticket, and I saying you don't see anything wrong with Yaya running for president, you're simply employing your usual tricks to deceive feeble-minded people. If you were to blow any more smoke than you already have, I'll have to call you Mr. Saro (GPMB.) Simply put, you blow more smoke than the groundnut mills did, when Saro was Saro! I merely asked you to clarify what you said back in 1996 regarding Yaya Jammeh running for president. Yaya was, and remains a Referee and Player at the same time. I posed a simple question to you regarding the fairness of that arrangement. Refusing to honestly answer the obvious, you have since tried to confuse my entire contention by talking about your principles not allowing you to tell anyone not to run for office, and that you saw something wrong with his presidency, that's why you supported an alternative candidate and policy. And I'm the one who doesn't want to accept the "naked truth." Why can't you accept the plain truth that Lt. Jammeh conducting an election in which he is a candidate (Referee and Player,) was inherently unfair, and a very bad omen for the quest of true democracy in the Gambia? Every honest Gambian I know has criticized the unfairness of the '96 elections, but you. Yet, you continue to lob insults and labels to others for questioning your motives. What could be more "naked truth" than the fact that the 1996 elections were bound to be a farce from the word "go" because of the underlying arrangement? And you talking about someone dodging "naked truth?" Why are you quiet about the lie that this so-called democratic transition has been Mr. Honor & Integrity? Any how, you'll have to try your tricks with some of the dim bulbs who worship everything you say. I'm not one of them. However, your postings have some interesting parts. Since, you've decided consciously to deceive Gambians, I can only assume that these few candid admissions are "Freudian slips." Against your best wishes, the truth is coming out. For instance you said: "As far as I am concerned, it was Jammeh's option not to participate in an election and ensure that all the rules of fairness and impartiality were put in place." Really? I thought you were in this for a better Gambia? A decent, law-ruled Gambia. Why should an illiterate like Yaya Jammeh be allowed such luxury? Where is the gallantry of a fighter like Halifa Sallah who stands up and demands justice? Why didn't you take such an approach with Jawara? During the PPP era, you were always saying what will not be tolerated; what will have to change, etc. Why didn't you leave Jawara to decide everything for Gambians? Why the change of heart? By this "refined" logic of yours, Gambians should jump up and say Allahu Akbar, and ACCEPT anything a dim bulb like Yaya gives us! If you're not the Master of Double Standards, I don't know who is! How do you explain this double standard? But most contradictory of all, you said: "… those of us who neither had the military might nor the support of a mass movement but were trying within our capacity to utilise every tactic in the book to move the country towards a state where political expression and association could be exercised without RISKING IMMEDIATE BANISHMENT (your words, my emphasis,) so as to continue our work of enlightening the people and to ultimately acquire their consent to serve them." Great theory for regular politicians. Not one who has always led people to believe that he's not afraid of anyone. You mean "banish" like in Mile 2/George Town? Or "banish" like in exile? So, that is what your about-face is all about. And you are the fearless leader? No way Mr. Sallah, I'll give you examples of real men/leaders. Can you imagine what would have happened to South Africa if Nelson Mandela and other leaders had adopted your approach: "we don't want to be banished anywhere, so let's use silent tactics to create democratic space." When faced with injustice from a more powerful force, true leaders stand up, and demand justice come what may. They don't fall back on ridiculous "principles" to avoid a confrontation. Read Nelson Mandela's court address at the Rivonia trial, when against his lawyers' advice, he admitted wanting to overthrow the barbaric Apartheid govt. He went on to say clearly why the system had to go. He got life imprisonment. But guess what? Three decades later, he accomplished just that. What would Yaya Jammeh and his cohorts do to Halifa Sallah if you had stood up and spoken for justice? Kill you? Send you to prison? Exile? I thought you said you don't fear any of that? But maybe Nelson Mandela is too big an icon to emulate. How about Lamin Waa Juwara? His principle is simple: "as long as injustice remains the order of the day in the Gambia, prison will be my second home!" And he's not just talking the talk, he's walking the walk! Anytime the APRC thugs attack an innocent Gambian, Waa goes after them. Anytime Yaya fires a cabinet member -scapegoat, and lies about his/her record, Waa goes after him. He has become to Yaya what Halifa Sallah was to the PPP. Yet, you continue to belittle people like him. If we are to believe you, you're the only gallant fighter in Gambian politics. Waa is not using any ridiculous "principle" to avoid bringing Jammeh to task. That's what being a man is all about as far as I'm concern. Who else measures up? Omar Jallow -OJ. Yes, OJ! It's too bad OJ is not online, because I'd like to apologize to this gentleman for thinking less of him because of your criticisms all those years. They say that "adversity brings out the best and worst in people." Well, Mr. Sallah, it has brought out the best in OJ, and the worst in Halifa Sallah. If someone had told me ten years ago that OJ had any strong principles, I'll tell him/her to Drop Dead. But was I wrong! OJ has suffered more than any former PPP cabinet member. He has been arrested, detained, and physically beaten more than any former minister. Someone of a lesser character would have started singing a different tune by now. But not OJ. He continues to risk his life to speak the truth. Any time, the APRC govt. lies about their record (which is often,) OJ comes out to set it straight! That is my kind of man/leader! They can kill him, but they cannot kill his spirit! Again, that is what being a man is all about - as far as I'm concern. So, if OJ were to run against Halifa Sallah today, what would I do? Not only will I vote for OJ, I'll campaign, and raise funds for him! Guaranteed! Why? Because I'd rather be with a leader like him than one like you Halifa, who chickens out when the going gets tough. Bravo Omar Jallow! And a final example of a leader is an American by the name of Oliver North of Iran-Contra fame. Lt. Col North is a man I disagree with on almost every issue. He lives in the same area I do, and he's always on some local radio. However, when it comes to character, he has it. Lt. Col North would have gone to prison in the late 80s but for his leadership record. The politicians were ready to sacrifice him. But the people won't have any of it. You see, about twenty years before his troubles in the mid-80s, North was a Lt. in Vietnam. It transpired that anytime Lt. North's platoon comes under fire, he would literally place himself in the line of fire. He was always the first to attack the enemy, and the last to retreat from danger! True leader, won't you say? So, when the politicians wanted to crucify this man, his former subordinates and colleagues came out to galvanize public support for him. Not only did he not go to prison, Lt. Col North is now a very rich, and popular figure among a large segment of the GOP. I can't stand the man's ideas, but I have tremendous respect for his guts. These are my type of men/leaders, Halifa. You simply don't come close! Just for the record, I'm not saying that other Gambians have the right to ask Halifa Sallah to risk his life for us. If you want to do such a thing, it has to be totally voluntary. But, equally, you do not have the right to mislead an entire generation that you''l stand up for them, when in fact you neither have the guts nor intention of doing so. I have a big problem with that. The way I see PDOIS now, you people should invite Buba Baldeh to be your party standard bearer. He'll fit perfectly in your party! Just a thought. Regarding some of the provocative words you've thrown at me, I can understand your anger and frustration because throughout the PPP era, you had issued all types of challenges to the establishment - for debates, intellectual or otherwise. No one ever took you up on your challenge. The name "Halifa Sallah" therefore became something of an intellectual myth. Someone no Gambian can challenge intellectually. A man school children look up to with adulation. A walking library. A man beyond reproach -intellectual, or honor wise. A man who never fails to remind his audience that he "has tasted everything but death." Intellectual Jambarr, this Halifa. We all wanted to be like him. That is until Yaya Jammeh came calling. But, in any case, who am I, or Hamjatta to take you on when an entire govt. machinery was "scared" of you for a decade? That must be really grinding you inside! Sorry Koto Halifa, but the truth has to come out. You're simply not the man you've led us to believe you are for a decade! You see, some of us are brain dead. Some are simply cowards who fear to speak their mind (even about plain truth,) lest they offend someone else. Some are simply hypocrites. But there is a minority among us who do use our innate resources to search for the truth. And it helps when one is a lover of Sir A.Conan Doyle, or Agatha Christie's mystery like I am. I'm a firm believer in this dictum of Sherlock Holmes'- Conan Doyle's fictional super sleuth: "if you eliminate all the impossibles, whatever is left, is your answer!" Smart guy, won't you say? I'm Mr. Frivolous, but bear with me. This whole debate is about your double standards, and your two-faced approach to Gambian politics. I've seen Halifa Sallah take on Jawara. I liked it. So, when Yaya Jammeh came, I was expecting the same approach. Not only did that not happen, you have in fact toned down your criticism of this decadent regime. In truth, Yaya is worse than Jawara. So, if you are really honest, and sincere about seeing a free Gambia, your criticism of the APRC govt. should be more intense than that of the PPP because the APRC is worse than the PPP. But since 1996 when politicking resumed (ignoring your shameful behavior regarding Koro Ceesay's murder in 1995,) you're almost always a step behind other politicians when it comes to criticizing the Jammeh regime. For the first time last year, you joined other opposition politicians to publicly condemn this criminal regime when they abducted Shingle Nyassi and tortured him for a month. I believe you only did that because more and more Gambians have woken up to your misdeeds, and many have publicly criticized you for it. Why am I saying this? Shingle Nyassi's treatment last year, while terrible, was no worse than what happened to him and four others (including a very fragile woman,) in 1997. On that occasion, they were whipped in a way reminiscent of slave plantations. Where was Halifa Sallah then? Where was your outrage? And this was when your great '97 constitution was already in force. Why are these people unable to sue for redress years after the fact? If such thing had happened during the PPP era, we won't have heard the end of it. So, are you really sincere about being in solidarity with the UDP, or is it merely a face-saving gesture? Sorry to ask, but to accept gestures from you at face value, is to set oneself up. I have no intention of going back to that. So, when I look at all these, and apply Sherlock Holmes' dictum -and weigh it all on a balance of probability, I have to conclude unequivocally that: Halifa Sallah is an imposter! In plain language, a phoney! No two ways around it. Every other alternative explanation falls in the "impossibles" category. So, sorry Halifa, but I just don't buy any of the ridiculous explanations that you've tried to sell here to explain your behavior since 1994. I'll get to this nonsense of creating a "democratic space" next time. It's just ridiculous. Finally, I'll advice you to live by the creed of your newspaper's name: "Foroyaa." You see Foroyaa is a lot more than "freedom" as you all interpreted it. It's one of those Mandingo words that do not lend themselves to a perfect translation in English. If all you wanted to convey is "freedom", you should have stuck with "Fang Soto." Foroyaa denotes honor, integrity, nobility, and other fine qualities of human nature, as opposed to a description of the absence of subjugation. Mr. Jatta or any good Mandingo speaker can tell you this. There is simply nothing more "foroyaa" than sticking your neck out for a defenseless people. They say "power is taken, NOT given/surrendered." By being silent, and letting dictators like Yaya Jammeh have their way, you're not helping matters at all. All they do (and what Yaya did,) is to use the breather to consolidate their rule. You're the only person without a vested interest in that govt. who deludes himself that there's democracy in the Gambia. Simply, what you've helped create is not democracy, but a sham, - a lie! If you choose to continue parading what you've done to the Gambia by bringing about this dangerous farce, that's your choice. But, don't try selling it to me as god-sent. I'll throw it in your face. I'm still waiting for you to make me sorry for my Summer 1996 letter. Please for once, do not be all talk and no action. I'm begging you to hit me hard for that letter. By the way, I did communicate with Hamjatta through telepathy lately, and he's also lamenting your "all smoke and no fire." Please deliver! Stop breaking promises, or telling people things you cannot do! The uncovering of Halifa Sallah continues. Good night! Saul. ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------