Sanyang, thanks for your piece. You set forth some convincing arguments. On Saihou Sisay, I do not know what you mean when you say that he is a 'symbol of Opposition' in the eyes of many ordinary Gambians. Please enlighten me some more. Did Sisay belong to any of the current Opposition parties? Did Sisay have a lot of following in the current Opposition? I still do NOT accept that the 'defection' of the despicable and shameless Saihou Sisay adds 'points' to the APRC. On the contrary, this just shows how desperate APRC is. This shows that the APRC is bedfellows with the PPP regime. Worst still, the APRC is bedfellows with the most corrupt elites of the PPP regime. The rejects. Like I said before, Saihou Sisay was one of the catalyst of the 1994 'coup'. Tens of millions of dalasis were given to this man. He embezzled most of the money and refused to repay the loan given to him. This man perhaps single-handedly bankrupted GCDB. In any case, the more than One Hundred Million dalasis he owed that bank could have gone a long way in salvaging that bank and the Gambian economy at large. When AFPRC stole power from the government, they looked at the people that owed GCDB/AMRC eased up on certain 'friends' of the AFPRC and pounced on Saihou Sisay. Evicted him from his house. Seized all his properties including his cars. It was a pitiful sight to see the vermin riding in a pickup truck as opposed to his 'fancy' cars he bought from the loan he got from GCDB. Now, seven years down the line, for that same man to crawl before the people that tormented him and rendered him destitute, and still expect to carry clout in the society and 'give' APRC some votes, is just mind-boggling to me. In my book, the man lost what little respect he had when he enslaved himself to Yaya. If at all he had voters to give to APRC, the argument can be made that the voters are the kinds of people the Opposition does not need. In my book, the Opposition does not need slaves and their supporters. I CANNOT also remember when Saihou Sisay and Musu Kebba Drammeh 'delivered' votes to their old party (PPP). So, I do not know why you and the APRC thing that these characters have clout. Musu Kebba Drammeh lives in Latrikunda German (part of Serrekunda West Constituency during PPP). Saihou Sisay also lived/lives in the same constituency. If my memory serves me right, I think this was an NCP stronghold during the Jawara regime. Gibou Jagne always won that constituency. I think the only time he lost was when he was jailed in the aftermath of the 1981 coup and he could not campaign. Please correct me if I am wrong. I did not follow partisan politics thoroughly in the 70s and the 80s. If I am right that Serrekunda West was always an NCP stronghold, then I fail to see what clout Sisay carried when he was at his peak and what clout he would carry now after being disgraced and unmasked as a parasite and an opportunist. Because I do not want to be too personal, I will leave it at that for now. But I can tell you that I can think of numerous reasons that will make people to NOT listen to Sisay when he tries to convince them to vote APRC. Same goes for Musu Kebba Drammeh. Secondly, what I referred to as GRTS/Observer propaganda HAS BEEN refuted on the ground. UDP DID say that the people paraded before GRTS were NOT UDP supporters. How else do you want them to refute the misinformation? Did the alleged defectors take UDP membership cards to show to Yaya? Did the alleged defectors bring forth evidence to show that they voted for UDP in previous elections? There is absolutely no evidence (apart from the word of these vermin) to show that they are 'defecting'. So if they come out and say that they used to be UDP supporters, all UDP needs to do is say that that is not true. It is hilarious to me when I see this gimmick repeated on national TV/Newspapers all the time. APRC is pretending to have mass appeal by lying that people are 'defecting' to APRC. They think this childish gimmick will convince real Opposition supporters to join the APRC. This gimmick might convince some on G_L, but it does not convince people on the ground. Those people know each other. They know who was an Opposition supporter and who was not. The closest to a 'defection' the APRC got was when that despicable MP lied that he was leaving the UDP when in actual fact he was kicked out of the Party. What is going on at GRTS and Observer is pure propaganda aimed at fooling people that are ignorant of the realities on the ground. GRTS is banking on the hope that if people in Basse are told that some Brikama UDP supporters 'defected' to APRC, the Basse UDP supporters will also defect, not knowing that the whole story is a gimmick. The Opposition is combating this. They do NOT have access on GRTS to set the record straight, but every time I read a story on Observer talking about 'defections', I also read another story stating that the 'defections' are bogus; what we are seeing is APRC supporters pretending to be UDP supporters. So, this vicious propaganda and lie HAS BEEN refuted on the ground. I agree with you that we should not 'bury our heads in the sand and hope that the Opposition will win in October'. I can assure you that people are WORKING day and night to ensure that the Opposition wins in October. Some of us prefer not to parade all our contributions in the struggle on G_L. I am sure you are also aware of the tireless efforts of the Opposition on the ground. As we write, people are under jeopardy of criminal convictions because they refused to allow the APRC to rig the voter registration process. There are Opposition parties canvassing voters day and night trying to convince them to vote for the Opposition. The work Halifa Sallah and Sidia Jatta does for their constituents is known to everyone (inside The Gambia and abroad). What Hamat Bah and Ousainou Darboe are doing for the struggle is also common knowledge. People are NOT just hoping. People are WORKING tirelessly. I encourage you not to 'dream' on. Continue WORKING for the Opposition. Every decent Gambian should 'abhor' Yaya and should be 'happy to see' Yaya fail in his endeavor to annihilate our people. Do not 'close close your eyes' when Yaya and his cohorts 'register progress' in your mind. But as an Opposition sympathizer I think you should try and counteract that 'progress'. For instance instead of buying into the gimmick that people are 'defecting' to the APRC from UDP (progress according to you and the APRC), don't you think you should put APRC on the spot to prove that those alleged defectors were indeed UDP supporters? At the very least, don't you think you should give more credence to UDP when they say that those vermin were NOT their supporters? Again, none of us should close our eyes to APRC 'progress'. The critical issue though, is what do we do with our opened eyes? How do we look at that 'progress' and counteract it? How do we convince the misguided APRC supporters to leave their party or at least desist from lying about being former UDP members? How do we convince Tombong to do his job properly and stop spreading these lies? Does it make sense for us to swallow APRC propaganda and throw in the towel and say that the Opposition has already lost the election? I realize that you do not advocate this position either. I agree that we need to look at our shortcomings in order to make improvements. It is wrong to just look at the shortcomings and stop at that. That is counterproductive. Sanyang, I agree with you that we deserve the best in The Gambia. We should eradicate ALES in our midst. As I said yesterday, I personally will NOT settle for anybody other than Yaya. But I will accept any of our current Opposition leaders any time to replace the criminal and moron leading our country. I have no quarrel with your choice of a candidate or party. To answer your question though, frankly, I have NOT yet reached a stage where I have decided on which of the three Opposition parties or leaders I want to support in the coming elections. I still believe we have a chance to form a united front for the October elections. I will pledge my support to any leader chosen by a United Opposition. I will reassess my position later when I am of the view that a Coalition will NOT happen. I hope and pray that it does NOT come to that. KB >From: Lamin Sanyang <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: Who is your choice? Dampha >Date: Fri, 15 Jun 2001 10:36:35 -0000 > >Dampha, you wrote: >>Sanyang, correct me if I am wrong, but I hope you are NOT trying to tell >>us >>that APRC 'scored some points' over the Opposition when the shameless >>Saihou >>Sisay 'defected' to the APRC from PPP (that does not exist anymore). I >>also >>hope that you did NOT buy into the GRTS/Observer propaganda that '600 UDP >>followers' defected to the APRC. > >Yes, brother, that is exactly what i am trying to put across. Dampha, >Saihou >Sisay and Musu Kebba Drammeh represent in the eyes of many ordinary >gambians >'symbols of opposition'. By pledging their firm allegiance to jemus, they >are taking with them some numbers badly needed by the UDP, the PDOIS, and >the NRP. What you refer to as GRTS/Observer propaganda is yet to be refuted >by those on the ground. My point is NOT hanging anybody's dirty linen by >zooming their shortcomings but refusing to give in to wishful thinking. As >an elections' proponent sympathetic to the Opposition i choose to >concentrate on trying to improve the weaknesses on my side of the fence >than >burying my head in the sand with the hope that come october we will win. I >refuse to dream on. I abhor jemus and the aprc, i am happy to see them >fail, >but at the same time i refuse to close my eyes when they register >progress. >And fact is they are harvesting bumper. Now, my worry is what are we doing >wrong in the opposition that is delivering platinum on jemus' lap? Their >latest strategy, one that is winning over electorates is cause for concern. >Dampha we all know the aprc shortcomings, no one is ignoring their crimes. >Reports are coming from all over; the Independent & Point newspapers, >Ebrima >Ceesay's sources, the recent Ebou Colley narrative all speak volumes on the >jemus-aprc atrocities. These reports get the attention due them from >different List members. And Dampha i must say you speak/write well for most >of us. People like myself do not see the need to repeat the same things >when >you are through. On the other hand, an area we consciously avoid is 'what >are OUR shortcomings and how can we improve?' . > >Dampha, can you recall the PPP congress in mansakonko when Jawara declared >that he was going to retire? Video tapes captured all sorts of emotional >outbursts. In some clips the Saihou Saballys were dancing 'kingho' in >frenzy. On the ground, moaning, were the Aja Fatim Mbengas, not to mention >the Alhagi Abou Sallahs. On their return to Banjul at Mccarthy Square, a >more pronounced demonstration of sentiments was witnessed. 'Jawara, you >cannot retire. Baaba Jawara, this cannot be. Nna kebba, if you leave who >can >take after you'. Jawara decided to stay, the disappointment of many and a >frustration to the opposition. Among the most bitter NCP stalwarts was the >slogan 'anybody is better than Jawara'. Jawara brought in senegalese >soldiers to massacre us claiming he was sending a message to Kukoi Samba >and >anyone contemplating on a similar venture. July 22nd 1994 gave us jemus. >The >devil reincarnated, banned the NCP and murdered our children in broad day >light. Reminds me of Arap Moi. According to Kenyans, Moi seldom comes after >an opposition directly. First, he sends 'a warning'. Armed soldiers raid >your compound. You are tied and pushed in a corner to be witness to the >murder of your family, with the children going first. Lord of the earth and >heavens, we will struggle, we want the best. No one is 'fantazing' that >Sidia Jatta , Hamat Bah or Ousainou Darboe are capable of being killers. My >slogan is 'only the best'. This does not mean that the person should be >short of human fallibilities, not a junior jesus. But simply the best. My >choice is the PDOIS and Sidia. Dampha, who is your choice? > >For the rest of the analysis i refer you to Yusupha's response. Yus, my >brother, we are in sync on this one. > >Joe Sambou, thanx for the address, you will get my $20. I will be proud to >have my name on the list. >Minos > > > > > > > > >_________________________________________________________________________ >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. >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------