Katim, Saul, and everyone else;

Immense thanks for your feedbacks, all of you. While remaining open for more ideas and suggestions, I want to put in some more detail to help shape a trend:

1. The discussion that Saul's response generated is healthy, yet we need to remain focused on the key issue of the moment : The campaign for solidarity with all the victims of the April massacre :

2. I do not see any problems with creating and building a new all-Gambian organization as a Gambia-L initiative. It does not have to be an umbrella oragnisation now; this sort of status must be earned - as Saul succinctly put it. But I am thinking that this must be registered as an NGO (non-governmental organisation) in the Gambia with people there on the ground to man it. With a minimum objective of monitoring Human Rights issues, matters relating to development and democracy,  and opening up direct channels for communication with the government.
It should provide a registered, legitimate and official representation of the opinion of its members - obviously from Gambia-L, and even those not subscribed to Gambia-L. 

3.
I am still insisting on non-partisanship, as opposed to Dr. Saine, because we need not not be and should not be seen as an instrument of any one political party, be it that party  is in government, or in opposition. This organisation should simply be pro-Gambia, especially because issues of democracy, human and people's rights will still need struggling for never mind which political party is in power. It simply has to be critical of power. Are we all not now familiar with the notion "Not to Believe in any Gods, Gods that Always Fail"?

But as Dr. Saine again, seems to misunderstand, this does not mean we should not take any sides. I specified in the articles you commented, that we must stand on the side of the poor, the unrepresented, the marginalised, and the voiceless. Always.

4.
While this may yet be a matter for the future, I am thinking that such an organisation needs a sort of organ, a journal of opinion of some sort. To reach a broader Gambian public I tend to believe that we must reach beyond the web. Inspite of the optimism Gambia-L generates, the fact remains that very very few Gambians in the country are wired. I am here incorporating earlier suggestions advanced by Katim - an electronic journal for enhancing Gambian scholarship, reasearh, and culture.

5. This sort of organisation will need serious funding, and Saul has come up with a viable option. But depending on what we agree upon, there is no reason why we cannot lobby the European Union, the US Institute for Democracy, and many other agencies to provide funds for office room and staff for the organisation. This is quite possible.

I think I have already said too much, so let us all keep on thinking.
Thanking you all for your time.

Momodou S Sidibeh


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Katim S. Touray 
  To: [log in to unmask] 
  Sent: Thursday, April 20, 2000 8:10 AM
  Subject: Re: UNDERSTANDING THE APRIL MASSACRE (2)


  Hi folks,

  First, I would appeal to all and sundry to take some time and read Momodou Sidibeh's 2-part posting entirely, and carefully.  May I, before going further, express my sincere gratitude to him for his brilliant, and well-thoughout contribution to the ongoing exchange of ideas about recent events in The Gambia, and what to do next.  I have certainly found his historical analysis timely, and educative, and I hope those of you who are more versed in the history of Gambian politics follow Momodou's example, and take us all back to school.

  I would also like to touch on a number of issues Momodou has raised, as well as his suggestion for the creation of a non-partisan Gambian organization.  Mr. Sidibeh has lamented the Gambian not to follow-through on important issues, and backed his claims with a number of examples.  Without a doubt we, are all guilty of most, if not all the charges levelled at us by Momodou, and I guess the best way to repent is to make sure that we all work sincerely toward mending our ways.  Speaking for myself, I will confirm that Mr. Sidibeh did indeed write to me a while back, asking me about what happened to Dr. Saine's proposal to have process of reconciliation and national healing.  I recall telling him frankly that I did not know much about what became of it, and admitted dropping the ball.  Or words to that effect.