Sidi: Thanks for the update on Prague from Prague. It gives the demonstrations a special touch. I applaud the demonstrators for their stance and like you, hope they do not go the violent. "From Abidjan and now Prague", you have covered the events well. Do you have a career change in mind? Be safe. Regards Abdoulaye sidi sanneh wrote: > > While we sit it out at the Conference Centre in the middle of Prague with > the police busy with the demonstrators outside the perimeteres of the site, > I thought of whiling away the time with this piece , which is an excerpt > from Trevor Manuel's Opening statement this morning. > Quote > There is a story that Vaclac Havel tells of this beautiful city (Prague), > long before he was president. A stone window ledge had fallen from a > building and killed a woman. A local writer commented that the public > outrage that ensured was too parochial and failed to recognise humanity's > enoumous progress. The next week, when another window ledge fell, the > public wisely ignored the writer. To quote Vaclav Havel, the people "had > understoood that the so-called prospects of mankind are nothing but an empty > platitude if they distract us from our particular worry about who might be > killed by a third window ledge..." > > Window ledges in Prague in the 1960s may be another space from, say, a > health clinic in Mozambique that is washed away by the floods, but the > lessons are the same. The lessons then, as now, is that unless we take > account of our reality and are prepared to do something about it, nothing > changes. End quote. > > There are lessons in Trevor Manuel's statement for all of us and I hope hope > that the demonstartions currently going on outside the Conference Center > will leave the rest of the window ledges in this beautiful city in tack and, > of course, that there is no bloodshed as those opposed to the workings, and > indeed, the existense of the IMF and the World Bank, exercise their > constitutional right to free expression. > > Hamjatta, I received your note and I could not agree more with the view that > the left is extremely organised which is being amply demonstrated literally > and figuratively in the streets of Prague as I write this note. > > Sidi Sanneh > Prague > > >From: "Jeng, Beran" <[log in to unmask]> > >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list > ><[log in to unmask]> > >To: [log in to unmask] > >Subject: FWD:United Democratic Party Leadership Threatened With Death > >Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 10:01:25 -0400 > > > >United Democratic Party Leadership Threatened With Death > > > > > > > > > >The Independent (Banjul) > > > >September 25, 2000 > > > >Banjul > > > >Unimpeachable sources have intimated to The Independent that members of the > >APRC > >Youth Wing have threatened to attack and kill United Democratic Party top > >brass > >including Ousainou Darboe, Lamin Waa Juwara and Lamin Shyngle Nyassi to > >avenge > >the death of Alieu Njie an APRC supporter who allegedly died following > >clashes > >between opposition and ruling party supporters in Basse earlier this year. > > > >According to the sources, members of the ruling party's youth wing have > >threatened to 'attack, disrupt and kill' members of the UDP leadership and > >their > >supporters anytime they hold rallies outside the Greater Banjul Area. The > >sources also added that APRC militants have planned to attack UDP convoys > >going > >to or returning from rallies. They further suggested that those making the > >threat are 'determined to kill at least 50 UDP supporters.' The alleged > >threat > >to assassinate UDP leaders, the sources emphasised, came as some > >undisclosed > >members of the APRC youth wing reportedly incensed over the death of one of > >their supporters, wanted to 'get even'. > > > >Meanwhile, a letter dated 18th September from the UDP addressed to two > >state > >authorities suggested that its leadership has got wind of the alleged > >threat. > >The letter sent to the Secretary of State for the Interior and the > >Inspector > >General of Police, the UDP notified them of the alleged threat to carry out > >'the > >carnage'. Not only did the letter mention the alleged determination by some > >members of the APRC youth movement to assassinate UDP leaders and their > >supporters, but it also alleged a systematic programme of extermination > >starting > >with Ousainou Darboe's personal bodyguards. > > > >The letter, which was copied to the chairman of the Independent Electoral > >Commission also claimed that the reported presence of the movement's > >members at > >a rally in Farato 'was part of their scheme to cause trouble, which was > >only > >averted by the presence of the Police Intervention Unit'. > > > >The letter had also notified state authorities of a planned UDP rally in > >Brikama > >on September 23, requesting for necessary action and precaution from state > >security agencies to avoid what the party's leadership called a 'national > >catastrophe'. It also reiterated the party's commitment to the laws of the > >land > >and its readiness to co-operate with law enforcers in ensuring peace and > >stability in the country. > > > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > >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 and remember to write your > >full name and e-mail address. > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > _________________________________________________________________________ > Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. > > Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at > http://profiles.msn.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 and remember to write your full name and e-mail address. > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 and remember to write your full name and e-mail address. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------