Sorry for butting in this late, but I thought i should add my voice to this important question. Firt, I don't KB is defending the Jawara record. I think he is simply challenging any attempts to distort the historical record. In any case, to be a Jawara revisionist is far better than being a Jammeh mouth piece. (For some reason, people tend to distance themselves from the PPP era as if it was all bull...; that attitude is unfortunate. One needs to be familiar with what had happened or had not happened and compare the Gambia with other countries in Africa in similar position. Both the good and the bad of the jawara era should be understood- anyway all that's another matter) As people say in Gambia, "the worst about jawara is better than the best (if any) about Jammeh". Also, to me KB's wise warehouse does not seem to be emaciated as hamjatta suggested. Don't forget that KB and anybody who abhors the record of this regime must keep talking about the killing of our children, as kb does so well. This is not just an issue it is the ISSUE because it typifies the inner character of the regime. The Nazis were great inventors, but because they were killers, the just- minded has never commended them for their developmental efforts. Also, I don't imagine any body familiar with apartheid to talk about the progressive development projects of the white racist regime, while the vast majority lived in abject poverty. It is good to be balanced in one's analysis, but it is only when the other party in the debate genuinely shares that approach. Have you seen in any of jobe's supercilious postings as reference to to good or "progressive" efforts before 1994- or was it all bad really? Brother Saul is a very sharp analyst and I like his subtle humour. But, I was taken aback when I read part of his recent posting that brother hamjatta responded to. I thought that anybody in the opposition who has been so strident in his condemnation of this regime, as saul has, would have been sufficiently informed about the historical record. If not he should make efforts to educate himself. But to suddenly turn around and call the efforts of the regime progressive, based on information provided by one of the regime's staunchest propagandist, is rather interesting. I can understand commending jobe for his personal efforts in defending what he believes in, but agreeing with him on the record of the regime in such benevolent manner is another thing.As hamjatta said, the big, and i might add, relevant picture, should be the road map. A regime like this does not deserve any form of commendation; even if they succeed in turning around the poverty situation, or start drilling oil in the gambia. the fact that they killed their own people, and continue to dehumanise our society they are not fit to rule . And as long as they remain unrepentant and outside the bell curve of human decency they do not deserve any commendation. George got it right they do not desrve any credit. Some of you may remember Wa Juwara (UDP) praising Jammeh when the J 22 Movement was "disbanded" (as reported in the local papers. Well, was it not the "disbanded" movement that spearheade the Basse ambush? There you have it> The inevitable end of all infidels and raw dictators is often tenebrous; the battlot box is rarely the sure path for their exit. Here, I find, Kats warning signs to be very important. The reason why we have the kebba jobs on this is partly because of the energy they got from the by-elections. Imagine another "victory" in October, there would be many kebba jobs here. This is why the oposition should remain resolute (if they believe in their calling), and not be swayed by the need to be a "reasonable' debater with unreasonal people. About the election, some have called for a boycott and KB has strongly argued against that and advanced the option of a united front in the ranks of the opposition. That's important provided it is possible. Senegal has shown how powerful the opposition can be when they see a common enemy. I am not sure that all the opposition elements see yaya and his regime in the same way- that's is a problem. AT _________________________________________________________________________ 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------