Comrades: I again want to thank Sister Jabou Joh, Brothers Edrissa Njie and Toure for their support in calling for a boycott by the opposition. We have introduced a stance that I hope will finally be adopted by the opposition. The introduction of such a noble stance is in its infancy. I want to reiterate that I will contribute to fund the opposition and will continue to send my monthly subscriptions to Brother Joe Sambou. Though some members of the opposition have paid their contributions, I want to propose that we send in monthly contributions. I also want to encourage the leadership of the opposition parties to engage the IEC in strategy and conditions for participating in the presidential election. If these conditions are violated, which I know they will, then the opposition has no choice but honorably boycott the elections. I again want to thank everyone in this debate. Naphiyo, Comrade ML Jassey-Conteh ------Original Message------ From: edrissa njie <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Sent: May 3, 2001 10:43:44 PM GMT Subject: Re: WHY I CALL FOR A BOYCOTT Brother Owens, Come October, Gambia shall be free only if a UNITED OPPOSITION sticks together at those elections to say out loud in ONE VOICE: NO TO THE DICTATOR!!!!! Edrissa. >From: Sanusi Owens <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: WHY I CALL FOR A BOYCOTT >Date: Wed, 2 May 2001 11:56:34 +0100 > >Comrade Conteh > >I beg to defer on this issue. Any attempt by the >opposition to boycott the October Elections would be >regarded an act of treachery to the gambian people >anxious for change. > >I note your reasons for boycotting the forthcoming >elections. However, I remain of the view that they do >not warrant opposition parties to boycott any >elections. > >You will remember that in October 1996, there were >rumours that UDP will boycott the parliamentary >elections, on condition that certain steps are taken >by the PIEC(IEC). Following a fruitful negotiation >between the UDP and the IEC,the UDP lifted its threat >of boycotting the elections. According to analysis the >UDP "poor" performance is a direct result of their >protracted negotiations with the PIEC(IEC). In other >words, they entered the campaign platform a bit late. >In fact it was reported that the UDP Candidate for >Serrekunda East had already started campaigning for >Halifa Sallah, believing that the UDP won't be >participating in these election. > >My suggestion to the opposition is as follows; > >Organise a multi-party conference and discuss the >problems they are encountering. > >Submit recommendations to both IEC and the APRC on how >the elections should be conducted. > >Coming to the reasons which you believe should warrant >a boycott, I beg to say that these could be addressed >separately.In fact some of these do not warrant a >boycott. I refer you to the following; > >(1)I do not believe that the continued ban on Sir >Dawda and his former minister is sufficient enough. >Yes the continued ban on first Republican politicians >is unlawful, but there is an avenue which these >politicians should have taken. The likes of SM Dibba, >Assan Musa Camara and many others should have taken >their case to the law courts and not expect a Moron to >repeal Decree 89. >OJ Jallow has already taken up this issue and I pretty >sure a just decision would be delivered on his behalf. >It is without doubt that Decree 89 is contrary to the >1997 Constitution, a point already mentioned by >Justice GSB Janneh in the OJ Jallow Case. >(2) With regards to the unlawful firing of civil >servants, once again, I consider an issue unworthy for >the opposition to boycott any election. Civil Servants >who feel affected by the constant hiring and firing, >should resort to the law courts. > >(3) Concerning "One man rule by dictator of >kanilai",to be honest with you, this should be a good >reason why the opposition should participate in the >elections. If not, how are we going to say Good Bye to >Yahya and his reign of terror. Remember that in the >past some opposition parties in other African >Countries have used this as a factor for their >boycott, only to see the Dictator being re-elected. > >Classic examples are > >Ghana in 1996-Opposition decided to boycott the >parliamentary elections. > >Benin 2001-Joe Soglo decides to boycott the second >round of the Presidential Elections > >Cameroon in 1997-SDP boycotts the parliamentary >elections. > >The ultimate result in all these boycotts was that the >ruling party stayed in power and received recognition >from the International Community. > >With all this in mind, my suggestion for the >opposition is to start making plans for pre-election >conference on how a free and fair election should be >conducted in the Gambia. I personally think to >advocate for a boycott without making proper >presentation to the relevant authorities is certainly >a disservice to the Gambian majority yearning for >change. > >Come October Gambia shall be free. > > >Have a wonderful day > >Sanusi > > > > >--- MLJ Conteh <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >Comrades: > > > > May I begin by thanking Sister Jabou Joh and Mr. > > Edrissa > > Njie for their courage in endorsing the opposition > > to > > boycott the forthcoming presidential election in The > > Gambia? I also want to thank PDOIS for its > > courageous > > foresight in intimating its desire in boycotting > > future > > elections in The Gambia. I emphatically want to > > repeat > > my call that no single opposition party in The > > Gambia > > can claim to have the soul right to our struggle. > > > > In a more simplistic term, Gambians must understand > > the > > underlying decisions or conditions that are > > conducive > > for a free and fair elections. No opposition > > political party can ignore the plights of the > > disbanded > > politicians under Sir Dawda's legal government whose > > rights are repeatedly been violated by moron > > dictator yahya > > jemus. No genuine free thinking Gambia who claims > > to > > induce himself or herself with political rhetoric > > can > > unilaterally avenge the political plight of the > > majority > > Gambian with a self-imposed political agenda in > > freeing > > The Gambian people. Our journey in this > > far-reaching > > struggle is a testament that ignorance and > > selfishness > > will result in the opposition wondering after the > > unfaithful > > day in October of what really happened to our > > struggle. > > > > Does this mean that a new generation of Gambians > > will seek > > to salvage The Gambia in a traditional Gambian > > style? I am of I the opinion that my > > conscience and willingness > > to speak the truth will enforce me to join others > > after > > the dictator rigs the elections. I cannot > > consciously advocate for a participation > > in the elections when those innocent Gambians who so > > vehemently fought for the rights of all are > > been constantly violated. Politics should not be > > based on an ideology of vocation where individuals > > are only > > interested in their own achievements at the > > detriment of > > society. It is indeed refreshing that our attitudes > > and convictions must be yielded in a phenomenon of > > political indifference for the good of society. We > > have > > engaged in substantive dialogue for the good of The > > Gambia. We believe in one kind that the dictator of > > kaninlai is the worst thing that ever happened to > > The > > Gambia, and therefore our attitudes in summation > > must be > > sanctioned to a capacity of good will. The Gambian > > country under the dictator of kaninlai is doomed to > > fail > > and as such our collaborative efforts must be > > guiding > > principles for a better and free Gambia. > > > > For those of us who have voiced our sentiments in > > this > > struggle, we must clearly define our intended > > purpose > > and draw parallel to historical precedents in > > understanding > > our engagement with the enemy. Why rock or ride a > > broken > > car that will stall at any moment? Why subject > > yourself > > to intimidation by the enemy who continues to deny > > you > > the right to political process? Why engage in > > disunity > > and refuse to admit that our own individual > > political > > satire against each other will backfire on our face? > > Why will the opposition guaranty the dictator the > > right > > to deny us another five or six years of freedom? > > The > > opposition should know better. Please follow the > > lead > > of PDOIS and plan to boycott future elections if > > Mr. Johnson and Mr. Fatty are not reinstated. > > > > These are the following reasons why I call for a > > boycott: > > > > 1. Continued disbanding of Sir Dawda and his former > > ministers. > > 2. The unlawful firing of Bishop Johnson and Mr. > > Fatty. > > 3. The murder of innocent Gambian students. > > 4. Dictator yahya jammeh's continued donation of > > public > > funds to social organizations without > > appropriation. > > 5. Continued one man rule by the dictator of > > kaninlai. > > 6. The buying of votes in the last bi-elections in > > Central Badibou and Kiang East constituencies. > > 7. The control of the media by the illegal > > government. > > 8. The unlawful imprisonment of Mr. Dumo Saho et al. > > 9. The unlawful firing of The Gambian civil > > servants. > > 10.The use of local chieves as propaganda tools > > against > > our comrades. > > 11.The establishment of the NIA aka KGB and > > continued > > harassment of our comrades. > > 12.The innocent rape and killing of a Gambian school > > girl. > > 13.The torture and butcher of Mr. Ebrima Barry. > > 14.The recent law passed by the house that is > > retroactive > > in protecting the security forces. > > > > Comrades, I am certain that numerous violations and > > illegal > > activities by the illegal government of the day will > > serve as reasons that dictator yahya jemus will use > > all > > costs to continue his terror against innocent > > Gambians. > > > > I want to reiterate that if the opposition > > participates > > in the presidential election, I will continue to pay > > my contribution to help in unseating the dictator > > despite > > the fact that I strongly advocate a boycott. > > > > Naphiyo, > > > > Comrade ML Jassey-Conteh > > > > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > 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. > > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > >____________________________________________________________ >Do You Yahoo!? >Get your free @yahoo.co.uk address at http://mail.yahoo.co.uk >or your free @yahoo.ie address at http://mail.yahoo.ie > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >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. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------