Gambia-L: I should like to thank all those who have written privately to me, as well as those on the List who have been asking about my whereabouts of late. Thank you for your concerns about my absence from Gambia-L. I have to reassure you that I am well, but that the pressures of my academic work have meant that I have been unable to follow the Gambia L for over six weeks now. It would be my dear wish to follow the List on a daily basis, but the realities of being a full time research student and needing to keep up with my family life have made it almost impossible. This Easter vacation has given me some free time and the opportunity to check my E-mails – more than 500 of them, and I am still in the process of reading them and catching up on Gambia-related issues. My mind is always on the Gambian struggle, and I have to express my deep appreciation to the indefatigable Kebba Dampha, to Hamjatta Kanteh, to Ebou Colley, to Ansumana Kujabi, to Jabou Joh, to Lameen Barrow, to Prof. Assan and to Saul Khan for keeping the struggle alive and kicking. I should also like to thank Joe Sambou and Dr Saine for their contributions, direction and guidance. As for myself: well, I should like to be contributing on a regular basis to the Gambia L, as well as passing on information from my many sources close to the heart of the Gambia government. However, given my current work commitments and tight academic schedule, this is not yet feasible. Those who are engaged in full time, post-graduate research will confirm the pressures !! As for my sources, I am happy to say that they are all fine, and that they understand that I have had time constraints recently. We have spoken together and have now decided that because this is such a crucial period in the history of The Gambia, I shall resume forwarding their messages to the List, not on a daily basis as in the past, but at least regularly once each week (unless dramatic events unfold at home). Apart from my sources, there are also many concerned Gambians and friends of The Gambia who have, in the past, sent me invaluable information and news on the regime at home. My doors are always open to these people, and they are always welcome to send messages for me to forward to the Gambia L. Could I ask these people to copy messages both to my Hotmail Account and to my e-mail address at school ( [log in to unmask]) so that I do not overlook them. Now that elections in The Gambia are fast approaching, we need to be focusing on the pragmatics of change in our country. We need to be looking at how we can work to unseat Jammeh from the presidency, and what practical steps need to be taken to ensure our success. To this end, I have decided to work directly with The Gambia’s Development Partners, with Political Parties directly on the ground, and with other concerned Gambian groups in the Diaspora in order to expedite the necessary changes in our dear country. All our debates (no matter how important it is to engage in discussion and debate) have now got to be followed through with direct action. I spoke recently with a member of one of the Opposition parties in The Gambia, and he says that although the idea of a United Opposition (or Coalition) has been talked about, so far the practicalities of making it happen have not arisen. The modalities have not been thrashed out. It seems to me to be acutely critical to start work on these at the first opportunity. In Senegal, the Opposition alliance that was formed in the second round of the elections, proved initially successful, but in recent weeks, Prime Minister Niasse has been dismissed by President Wade and the alliance is under some strain. Similarly, in Ghana, the Opposition alliance again formed in the second electoral rounds, proved successful. However, there are already some accusations that the new Ghanaian government is pro-Ashanti, or pro-Akan, and cracks in the alliance are becoming discernible. I do have to say however, that Elizabeth Ohene, the former Deputy Editor in Chief of the BBC’s Focus on Africa programme, who is now the Minister for Media Relations in Ghana, is neither Ashanti nor Fanti, but from the Ebe tribe. The idea of a United Opposition in The Gambia is an excellent one, but it does have to be well thought through, well documented and agreed. It is crucial that those of us calling for Coalition in order to unseat Jammeh and the APRC, should spend time thinking and planning for the HOWs of making a workable and strong alliance. We need to be able to quell the fears of those who are suspicious of alliance in order to persuade them to join one wholeheartedly. I feel it to be my bounden duty as a concerned Gambian, to contribute as fully as possible to the struggle for democracy in The Gambia. Therefore, over the next bit of time, I shall be working on a document – a manifesto – a blue print for a United Opposition, which will spell out the modalities, both pre AND post election. My aim will be to have a draft document prepared by the end of this month, which I shall submit to Opposition Parties in The Gambia, as well as to the Gambia L. I shall welcome constructive comments and suggestions before submitting a final version. I am absolutely convinced that we have to initiate alliance in the very near future, if we are to have success in our aim of overthrowing Jammeh and his regime through the ballot boxes. Reading through postings on the Gambia-L, as well as private mails, I have been amazed at some of the messages I have read, which raise doubts about the reasons for my recent silence on the Gambia-List. I have to assure all those who have written to me, or contacted me by telephone, thinking that I had been scared off the List by pro-Jammeh elements, that nothing could be further from the truth !! Those who know me well, will know that this would NEVER be the case. I am sending my best greetings to all my friends and colleagues on Gambia-L. Ebrima Ceesay Birmingham, UK PS: Brother George Sarr: In going through my e-mails, I read that you had been hospitalised some time ago. I send you belated get well greetings, and am pleased to know that you are making a good recovery. I hope to see you in person in your neck of the woods before the end of the year ! Brother Buharry: I send you my belated and heart-felt condolences on the sudden death of Anna Secka in London, UK. Please convey my sympathies to her husband Adama Crooks and son, small Yusupha. _________________________________________________________________________ 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 and remember to write your full name and e-mail address. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------