Hi Buharry,
Welcome back!.
Mboge
>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: Part of the whole for social Justice
>Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2001 16:37:17 +0100
>
>Hi!
> I would first of all like to thank the managers for re-subscribing me
>and also take the opportunity to welcome back Sidibeh and Kebba. I would
>also like to congratulate MRDG-UK for their successful program. I was
>determined as I re-subscribed to be a silent subscriber (due to a backlog of
>commitments and time constraints) and just read the interesting debates but
>I can't help breaking that rule as the brilliant piece sent by Amie
>Bojang-Sissoho seems to have escaped attention on the L and it would be sad
>if the brilliant issues she raised, which have relevance both now and in the
>future, should pass by unattended. The brilliance of the points she makes
>stem from the fact that just as many were so preoccupied with getting rid of
>Jawara that nobody seemed to have given a thought about what his successor
>would be, the same could be said to be prevailing now. One should not
>concentrate so much in trying to effect change that one ignores the
>important issue of trying to effect positive, meaningful change and not just
>any kind of change. Positive, meaningful change is change that would right
>the wrongs being committed and ensure the continued propagation and practice
>of good governance. The opposite is the equivalent of jumping from the
>frying pan into the fire. There are many issues that should concern all
>Gambians and Amie starts the ball rolling by giving perspectives from a
>gender/occupation angle.
>
>Amie wrote:
>
>"What guarantee do we have that the mass media, Gambia Radio and Television
>Services - GRTS in this case will practice according to constitutional
>requirements for freedom of expressions, that is without discrimination
>based on gender, political affiliation, ethnicity or religion .. will GRTS
>be used as a tool for enlightenment for the masses and not only a mouthpiece
>for those in power??
>
>That editors and producers have their professional say in what is broadcast
>and are not going to repeat the negatives points of censorship and fear of
>dismissal."
>
>While it is impossible for members of the L to give guarantees, I think it
>is important to give guidelines as there are political parties and others on
>the L who might one day be the rulers of our country. Just as Tombong is
>incessantly lambasted every time he writes something here, I think we should
>move beyond criticism and offer concrete guidelines so that the mistakes
>that have been and are being committed now would not be repeated in the
>future. We should offer guidelines to ensure fair and equal access to the
>national media, define the use of the national media in development issues
>and try to instil codes of conduct in all civil servants and not just those
>in the media, to understand that their loyalty should be to the country and
>not any passing government or individual.
>
>Amie also wrote:
>
>"The present situation may seem as tokenism, but it has brought to the
>attention of the masses that it is possible to have women as leaders in
>national affairs. Where will women stand when there is change? Are they
>going to be chosen as leaders with power, window dressing to mask gender
>politics or just as yai compines to be used as and when it suits the
>politicians?"
>
>The position of women in any society is important and the success and
>advancement of women in a society signals the society's level of
>development. It is therefore important for everyone proposing change to have
>concrete plans for women's development and advancement as equal and valuable
>partners and not just as tools to be utilised when there is the need to sing
>songs and dance dances or rubberstamps for statistical purposes.
>
>Amie further wrote:
>
>"How will the selection processes of political parties ensure fair and
>sincere selection of eligible women to stand for municipal, chieftaincy and
>parliamentary or presidential elections? "
>
>This is also very important in the fight against marginalisation of women
>within the political parties. Maybe the political parties that are
>represented here can address this issue.
>
>Amie wrote:
>
>"Are women's concerns to their right to take informed decisions on family
>planning contraceptive use, to understand why they should not condone
>traditional practices such as early marriage, female genital mutilation,
>nutritional taboos for pregnant women, forced menopause, rape, and more
>recent phenomena such as HIV/AIDS, baby dumping, back-street abortion and a
>host of other concerns that affect them be left to the mercy of some men who
>are after their selfish interest no matter what women go through?"
>
>What institutions, guidelines etc. would be put in place to guard the
>interests of women? For men in decision- and policy-making positions to hide
>behind "it is our culture" and condone harmful practices whilst knowing that
>they would never physically undergo what they are condoning is something
>that should be discouraged. Culture, just like people, should not be static
>but should rather evolve and develop. To take a position that was taken
>hundreds of years ago under completely different environments without due
>regard to the present environment cannot but be fallible.
>
>Amie further wrote:
>
>"Is there going to be so much emphasis on revenge that priorities for the
>masses will be marginalized?"
>
>This is a very important question. For any meaningful, effective and lasting
>peace to take place, an emphasis on revenge should be avoided. This is not
>to say that those who violated and abused their offices and powers should
>not be held accountable just as those under the Jawara regime were held
>accountable. Everyone should be held accountable for the good and bad deeds
>committed whilst in office but the emphasis should be on transparent, speedy
>and fair legal processes. Some might say why when justice has been denied
>many a Gambian at present. To this I say, "Two wrongs do not make a right".
>To avoid another group down the road clamouring for change because of
>unfairness, I think any action taken against anyone should be based on
>fairness. I also think that revenge should not be a priority in the first
>place but rather development issues and the building of the basic
>governmental, economic, social and other foundations of the country.
>
>Amie finally wrote:
>
>"And finally are commitment to policies and conventions be just a collection
>from conferences, workshops at long hours of meetings for academic exercises
>or implementation for the people on whose behalf they have been put
>together."
>
>I hope the results of policies and conventions would be concrete actions
>geared toward the realisation of concrete aims for the betterment of our
>dear country be it under the current or any other government.
>
>I once again thank Amie for her brilliant piece and urge Lers to look into
>the issues she raised. Thanks.
>
>Buharry.
>
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