Dear Mr. Forster, In case you haven't heard, at least 12 school children have lost their lives in The Gambia and as a result the entire country and friends of The Gambia around the world are in mourning. I consider your posting to be ill-timed and in poor taste to say the least. I am not being rude, just brutally frank. Sidi Sanneh --- Thomas Forster <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > I forwarded Ebrima's piece on poverty eradication to > a friend who is > a Ugandan and below is his response. > > Tom > > *********************** > > > > > Hi all, > > This is my response to Ebima. I don't know how well > he > understands Ugandan history. But if he does then he > misrepresented the facts. There is no double > standards on this > issue by the west. In Uganda today, we enjoy the > best African type > of democracy. To say that Uganda is a one party > state shows how > little he understands our system of government. We > don't have > parties. All party activities are banned. We all > belong to a > movement system whereby anyone is allowed to stand > for office on > his/her own merit rather than voting so and so > because he/she is > from labour party rather than Alliance despite > his/her short- > comings. We vote according to capability. Is the > individual > capable? If by any chance he/she is incapable for > one reason or > the other, the electorate has the right to recall by > a vote of no > confidence. Other than the government, where else in > the world > does this type of democracy exist. Not even at the > cradle of it in > UK where you can change parties and still represent > the people > who did not vote for you. > > > > And talking about Western double standards, let me > inform you that > > while your Foreign Minister, Robin Cook, is > calling on President > > Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe to hold multi-party > elections in Zimbabwe in > > May 2000, as scheduled, there is in fact a country > in Africa, Uganda, > > which is still a one-party state, and yet, as far > as I know, Mr Cook > > is not saying anything about it. > > > > In Uganda, opposition parties are banned, but the > West has never > > complained about it. In fact, didn't President > Bill Clinton visit > > Uganda in 1999, during his Africa tour? Well, let > me now tell you why > > the West refuses to take President Museveni of > Uganda to task: The > > Western Governments like President Museveni > because he is a strong > > defender/proponent of IMF and World policies in > Africa, period. > To say that President Clinton also visited Uganda > in 1999 is > another sign that Ebima does not understand what > takes place in > Uganda. I think there few African leaders who can > take a stance > and stick to it. In uganda there have been some IMF > policies which > the government has refused to implement and some > which have > been reenegotiated. So it is a matter of leaders > standing up and > explaining in unequivocal terms to the west what > they want. The > west will listen. > Another reason is that since 1971 Uganda has been in > turmoil until > 1986 when Museveni came to power. It is the same > parties which > were involved so with their participation in > violence how can > someone be sympathetic. > In 1996, there was presidential elections whereby > anyone was > allowed to stand, Museveni won. > > Freedom of speech is very important and anyone can > say what > she/he likes so some opposition politicians have won > seats and > sad bad things about Museveni, but they still live > in Uganda, not in > prison as it used to be, so how can someone who > understands our > history advocate for political parties? > > > > Anyway, let me conclude on a brighter observation; > by saying that in > > any case, those of us who are here, should, all > the same, thank God, > > because despite all these minuses in Western > Societies that I have > > cited, ranging from abject poverty, multiple > crimes to homelessness, > > the Western World, in my honest view, still offers > more opportunities > > for man than other places in the world. > Doesn't the above paragraph really say much about > his inclination? > > > > Yes, the system here doesn't favour minorities, > especially blacks, but > > one can still find consolation in the fact that a > man/woman can push > > some of these prejudices and discrimination behind > him/her and do well > > for himself and his family. > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of > postings, go to the Gambia-L > Web interface at: > http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? 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