Hamjatta, It's been almost a week after you promised Buharry that you will respond to his Questions. I hope you will do so ASAP. I really enjoy your writings but if you fail to answer these questions, I and many will start to utilise the DELETE button on your e-mails and consider you as one of those who are just out to attack those helping to shape a better Gambia. Have a nice day Amadou " Intellectual Dishonesty is a crime" >From: MOMODOU BUHARRY GASSAMA <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: Taking Stock >Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 04:17:54 +0200 > >Hi Hamjatta! > When you wrote "over to you gentlemen", I assumed as one >of those who has recently praised Halifa and co. that your invitation >included me. Before going to the issues you raised, I don't think there is >anything wrong with expressing one's appreciation of the personalities >behind PDOIS and the personal sacrifices they have made for our country. >That is a prerogative we are within our rights to enjoy. I for one am truly >impressed by Halifa and co. and I take pride in making it known. In fact, >you impress me and I have made it known on a number of occasions on this >list and the first time I made it known was during your first debate with >none other than Halifa. I had and still have the prerogative to declare >that Halifa, you and anyone else impress me. Declaring such is in my >opinion a better alternative to what we have seen lately on the L. > > That aside, you wrote: "Indeed, writer after writer merely >stresses the point the Geat Leader, Halifa himself, makes in his missives >to the Jammeh since the April murders. They claim there is no credible >alternative to the Great Leader sitting in his Churchill's Town HQs penning >letters which implore the dictator to have a rethink on his strangle hold >on the Gambian people and advocating that elections [even if as their >deliverance are being muddled by throw-away threats by the gov't which cast >question marks over them ever taking place] and the political process are >t! he only viable options existing to the Gambian people to deal with >Jammeh." > > Maybe other writers claimed that there is no other option to Halifa >penning letters. I can therefore not comment on that because I don't agree >with the statement. As to whether the political process is the only viable >option, I feel that the political process coupled with continuous internal >and external pressure is a much better alternative than the repeated calls >for violent means of bringing about change. Whereas change that is brought >about politically can offer tested leaders who have had a chance to explain >their policies and programs to the people, change that is brought about by >violent and sudden means offers a Russian roulette alternative. It is >granted that there is a possibility that such a change of government can be >effectively and efficiently executed without loss of life and destruction >of property and that such a change can produce a leader who has the >interests of the nation at heart. However, the dangers associated with that >method are plenty and cannot be ignored. Something can always go wrong even >with the most carefully planned operation and the result can be devastating >for our country. Another risk, given that the people executing such >operations can be any Tom, Dick or Harry, is that we might have someone who >is worse than Yaya. Much, much, much worse. What do we do then? Pray that >someone else violently removes him? Isn't that akin to creating a coup >industry whereby anyone with guts and the blessings of a marabout can >attempt to overthrow a government? What are the implications of such an >industry on the stability and security of our country? Another risk is that >people propagating for a violent change of government might be doing so out >of a wish to revenge personal wrongs meted out by the government or by >Yaya. Instead of "praying" Yaya to "Tan" (just joking) and getting on with >it, they might use the Gambian people as pawns in an endeavour that could >go wrong with horrendous consequences. What would happen if such people >succeed? Would they kill and imprison everyone associated with Yaya? Is >that good for the continuity of our country as a viable entity? Even though >the political option is not the panacea to The Gambia's ills or even a >likely solution, the risks associated with the violent option are many. (On >a less related note, acquire IP tracing software and trace some of the IP >addresses of some of the people propagating violent change in The Gambia >and claiming to be in The Gambia, "on the ground", "in the this" or "in the >that" and you'll be really surprised when you see some writing from Russia, >England, US etc.) > > You also wrote: "If as these Alumni of PDOIS/Foroyaa are >gloating about the success or inevitability of success of the strategy of >their party, surely it's about time one takes them to task and ask them to >empirically state how the aforesaid strategy has made any concrete >difference since the gruesome murders of April 10 and 11. It is time we ask >ourselves what is working or practically workable as we struggle with the >dictator." > > It is empirically impossible to measure whether PDOIS' strategy >vis-à-vis the April massacre has had some effect just as it is empirically >impossible to determine if it didn't have an effect. Why? Because even if >one were to institute a study, the available variables would render coming >to a conclusion practically impossible due to, among other reasons, the >multi-pronged reaction and handling of the massacre. That aside, one can >see that the total and universal condemnation, including but not limited to >PDOIS' approach, has had an effect no matter how small. Yaya could have >reacted when he came back from Cuba in his usual fashion and picked up the >line of his officials, which so infuriated the Gambian people. He didn't. A >commission was instituted. That also is an indication of the effect the >pressures had. The Government's fear in releasing the Coroner's Report also >indicates a fear of the reaction of the people assuming that the report is >damning. I am not saying that all this is the panacea to the issue of the >April massacre. It might even be counter-productive to the desire to get to >the truth but at least giving in to the pressures levied by among others, >PDOIS, is an indication of the effect that penning letters at Churchill's >Town or strongly condemning brutal acts from Oxford can have. The letters >of PDOIS and the actions of others made it possible for the ban on the UDP >to hold rallies to be lifted. That also is testimony, no matter how small, >that the PDOIS strategy is having an effect. > > On the issue of the political parties staging civil >disobedience measures, maybe all the political parties can give you an >answer. I personally respect the decisions of the parties to either engage >in such or not, given that they are more in tune with the realities on the >ground than I am. I respect the fact that such a move is a strategic one >that has to consider timing,practicability, risk not only to one's self but >also to supporters, resources and a host of other variables and has to be >done after the parties feel that they do not have any other option. Whilst >I can see the benefits of such a move, I can also see risks involved which >include giving Yaya the opportunity to declare a state of emergency, >rounding up all the political leaders and indefinitely postponing the >elections. It has happened in other countries. > > Hamjatta, I have tried to deal with the issues you raised. I however >have some questions for you if you don't mind, given that you wrote: "It is >time we ask ourselves what is working or practically workable as we >struggle with the dictator." The questions are: > > 1.. What has been your strategy since the April massacre as a concerned >citizen to ensure that justice is served? > 2.. How is it different from PDOIS'? > 3.. How have you implemented the strategy or how do you intend to >implement the strategy? > 4.. Can you guarantee or at least gauge whether the results of your >strategy will have a higher success rate than PDOIS'? > 5.. What do you base such predictions or pronouncements on? > 6.. What alternative approach can you proffer to deal with the current >political impasse in The Gambia given that PDOIS' approach is not, in your >opinion, working? > 7.. How do you intend to institute your alternative? > 8.. What do you expect PDOIS and the other political parties to do in >the meantime? > 9.. Given that you feel that the political process is not a workable >alternative, do you believe that the only available or workable option >would be a violent overthrow of the Government? > 10.. When? What if that is not possible in the next one, two, five, ten >years? > 11.. Should the political parties stop all operations and wait for the >alternative you propose or do you believe that they are obliged under the >Constitution of The Gambia and their own to propagate by lawful means their >beliefs? > Sorry for the long list of questions. Anyway, The Gambia is in a >quagmire and I don't think that PDOIS or their supporters claim to have the >universal remedy for the country's woes. What they claim is to have small >steps which are pursued through pressure be it in the form of letters or >otherwise. PDOIS and their supporters are however not the only people to >have a claim to The Gambia. If the other stakeholders, in the form of >political parties and concerned citizens, contribute in their small ways a >cure will eventually be found when all adds up. Thank you and have a good >evening. > > > Buharry. > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L >Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >You may also send subscription requests to >[log in to unmask] >if you have problems accessing the web interface >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________________________________________________________________ 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 You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask] if you have problems accessing the web interface ----------------------------------------------------------------------------