Note: Because of a very bad "Flu" which has forced me into bed since Sunday evening, I was unable to browse the Internet yesterday being Monday. Therefore, for the first time, I am seeing yesterday's nasty editorial of the Independent newspaper, in which they unjustifiably attacked me and Cherno Baba Jallow simply because we took issue with them on their earlier editorial entitled: "Time for a Re-think." Anyway, having just finished reading the Independent editorial, it was my wish to take some quality time and work on a more sober, a more appropriate and a more comprehensive response; but after a second thought, I felt obliged to send a quick reply NOW in a bid to set the record straight. So take note that this is part one of my response, but please do watch for part two as well. ******************************************************************** Dear Editors: Re: Disappointing Rejoinders I beg to differ with the writer of the Editorial of yesterday's date (17th July) that my rejoinder to the Independent's earlier editorial (10-13th July) was in any way disappointing or sour. All of us in the public eye, whether we are the President of the country, one of the Editorial Board of a Gambian-based Newspaper or an independent and exiled opponent of the current regime like myself, are used to being criticised, held to account for our views and recipients of a range of public approbation or disapprobation. The whole of my rejoinder to the first of the Independents' editorials was made in good faith, and I strongly object to any suggestion that this was not the case. In my rejoinder, I responded to 10 specific issues which were raised by the editorial: namely: 1. The origin of power of the AFPRC/ now the APRC. 2. The supposed civilian nature of the current regime. 3. The nature of the so-called "successes" of the APRC regime. 4. The poor state of our Health Service. 5. The state of our roads. 6. The state of our electricity supply. 7. The state of our Judiciary. 8. The harassment of individuals and groups and the murder of innocents in our country. 9. The economic decline of our nation. 10. The questionable state of our national media services. You could argue that my ten responses as outlined above, gave backbone to my disappointment with the political regime in The Gambia, but it is totally unfair to claim that my rejoinder was a disappointing one: it was a considered, carefully-researched piece backed by a wealth of evidence from both my sources in The Gambia and the "public voice" of Gambian citizens. I have not ANY hesitation in admitting that I feel a degree of "sourness" in my heart, intellect and spirit, when I consider how the APRC regime has brought my country to its current desperate straits. Of course, I feel sour and despondent as well as angry, because my country has been brought to its knees. There is no dispute about the results of six years of misrule by a military band of thugs. But let there be no mistake: my "sourness" is directed towards Yahya Jammeh and his minions: it is not aimed at people who are also playing a part on the stage of life in today's Gambia: nor does it epitomise any "lack of good faith" on my part. I am a journalist/reporter who, in December 1996, had to leave his homeland for three reasons: to enhance my intellect; to avoid trumped-up charges of treason against the government being brought before me; and, more importantly, to protect my family who were increasingly the subject of threats and intimidation. Yes, Mr editors, I left the Gambia for the UK, but let us not be under ANY misapprehensions about my (or any other person's condition in the UK or in the Diaspora). Life here in the West (without a financially sound sponsor) is infinitely harder than at home: In fact, in my case, I even made more money while I was in the Gambia than here. As a BBC correspondent in the Gambia during the transition period, I made - apart from being paid an annual retainer fee - about £50 pounds each time I sent a report which would not even last for fives minutes. And, Mr editors, here in the UK, like many Gambians abroad, I am also not cushioned by my extended family in my struggle for survival: in the West, Mr editors, I am totally on my own. I do not claim Social Security payments from the UK government. I am attempting to survive independently on a small salary, and I am doing the best that I can to maintain an effective Oppositional voice to the current despotic Gambian leadership. Dear editors, please note that I AM NOT SITTING OUT HERE IN AN IVORY TOWER: my lifestyle is anything but that. I struggle to maintain e-mail contact with The Gambia List and my sources in The Gambia, and I am doing this at my own expense, without a personal computer linked to the internet. (My personal computer is still not connected to the Net). You claim that I am speaking in "extremely irrational" terms with a mindset aimed at destroying the Independent Newspaper's credibility. Nothing could be further from the truth. I try to couch all my postings to Gambia-L in non-prevocative, impartial and unemotional language. I am not out to seek to destroy anyone's credibility. I am merely trying to speak the truth as it impacts on Gambian life and institutions at present. I certainly grant you that I am a dedicated opponent of Jammeh and his policies, but that does not mean, as you imply, that I am "casting aspersions on others suffering hell on the ground". I am in the UK because I put myself on the line: I seek only to report the truth as it comes to me from my many sources and contacts in The Gambia. Why should you think that I do not empathise and sympathise with those Gambians who have been able to stay safely in The Gambia ? My sources are putting themselves at incredible risk by posting their messages to me electronically and on regular telephone lines. They are the ones who report to me about the "hell on the ground" that characterises The Gambia in July 2000. My dearest wish is to return to the country of my birth, where my family lives: How can you chastise me in your newspaper and imply that I am not coming home right now to "fight the battle on the ground"? I am doing my best as an honest and a true concerned Gambian citizen abroad so as to put forward a credible opposition to the thugs who are ruling our nation. If I came home now, what realistically would be my personal fate? For sure, within a very short time, I should be at best be languishing in one of our prisons awaiting trial for treason (like so many fellow Gambians): at worst I should be dead/murdered. Dear editors, I am not an idealistic fool: I am rather an informed pragmatist. I am not going to be the rotting corpse whose resting place was known only to the perpetrators of my murder. I will not compromise my ideals for short-term gain: my aims are longer term, and my mind-set is on putting our wonderful country back on the right track as soon as possible. Mr editors, my postings on Gambia-L over the last three years have been characterised by rationality, good faith and honesty: ABOVE ALL, HONESTY. I have never, ever in my life been accused of "cowardice" or "dishonesty" and I take great exception to this editorial which implies both these things in my personality and actions. Where are your grounds for these accusations ?? I have never been anything but an honest and forthright critic of the current political regime. I have never been anything but a supporter of those who have been unfairly criticised, implicated or charged. I am a supporter of truth, justice and impartiality. My cynicism is in direct relation to the inequities of the APRC regime. Make no mistake about this: my arguments and opposition relate to Mr Jammeh and his policies, and not to any Editor of any newspaper or media interest. I have never posted any article on electronic mail which was less than honest, less than representative of The Gambian majority point of view. I make my postings to The Gambia List in good faith, and I never claim ownership of the postings: they are not mine; they belong to those concerned and anxious fellow citizens who feel it necessary to speak their truth to the international community through my auspices. I attempt to avoid cynicism because our country needs realists and pragmatists in these early days of democratisation. As a "rational and honest reader of your editorial policy", I am fully able to appreciate the nature of your editorial policy: however, I remain deeply suspicious of your comments and pronouncements, because I do not fully understand "where you are coming from". The Editorial Board of the Independent Newspaper either supports the Jammeh regime, or it does not. Your editorials have been equivocal in nature. Where exactly do you stand ?? Mr editors, believe me, Gambians are no fools! You made some pertinent negative comments about the Jammeh regime in the editorial of 10-13th July, but the overall tenor of your opinion column (as perceived by your wide readership both at home in The Gambia and abroad) was pro-Jammeh. There was an overtone of "you scratch my back". In the light of your comment that "their (mine and Cherno's) motives, though carefully couched in the language of healthy debate, are absolutely clear to us", I would ask you, in all honesty, to delineate which of my motives or language were not in the best interests of the future of our Gambian nation ? Mr editors, I am not afraid to engage in debate about any issue, nor do I seek to close any doors of communication on my differences of opinion with the Independent's leader writers. I remain open to any genuine debate on issues which affect my country. Mr editors, I wish I had the resources or the backing to start up my own independent newspaper in the west: it is a fine dream, and I endeavour in my daily life to make it a reality. However, I remain a realist: I shall continue to do the best that I can for my country with the small resources that are available to me. I urge the editorial writers of the Independent to continue their debates and communications with all Gambians who feel the need to speak on behalf of their country. Please do not try to silence our voice because we are not based in The Gambia. Our views are as pertinent and as vital as anyone else's. We Gambians who have been forced to flee our native land have "urgent and serious matters of national concern to attend to". Ebrima Ceesay Birmingham UK Postscript: Baba Galleh!! Why did you address your posting on the List to me on Wednesday 12th July in these terms ????: "Sir Coach, "Thanks for your brilliant rejoinder. We respect your right to your opinion and do not expect that you will like everything that we write". Baba Galleh - what has gone wrong that the tenor of your postings to me (and to Cherno Baba) have changed so much in substance in four days?? You know the reasons for my being abroad better than most: you also know that I have never been a "minimalist" in my commentaries on Gambian realities. You of all people know that I am not "parsimonious with the truth". I am exerting myself in the UK to inform The Gambian people as fully as I can. My matters, in terms of peace and restoration of democracy in The Gambia, are as urgent and serious as yours. Why would you refuse to enter into any further debate or communication with me or Cherno? We write what we are led to believe by our sources in The Gambia (as well as from our own convictions). What "serious matters of national concern" do you need to attend to, which are in any way different from mine or Cherno's ?? Anyway, in part two of my reply, I'll outline the lessons you need to learn if you TRULY call yourself an editor of an "Independent" newspaper. ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail 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 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------