Sanusi, thanks for your response. Like most people, that was the first time I saw Mballow. In fact, I first thought he was with Hamat Bah. Hamat got there around 12:00 and wanted to speak with me and Mballow was there with him. It was when I went to meet with Ousainou the following day, that I knew Mballow was with the UDP. So, how can the organizers do what you are suggesting? Anyone can present themselves as representing the UDP, however, how can one verify that (at the last hour) without word from the UDP hierarchy? Jasseh-Conteh attempted to represent the UDP, but he is also not a member of that party, at least to my knowledge. I join you in putting this discussion to rest, but I just want all of us to be on the same page. Thanks for the healthy exchange.
Chi Jaama
Joe Sambou
Sanusi, thanks for your post and good to hear you
>raise your concerns. This way, all stakeholders would >resolve the issue through dialogue. You are right, I >was amongst the people that cried foul when the UDP >announced that they would not be able to attend the >conference, and your quote below are my words. >However, for you to say that the Mr. Mballow was >treated with contempt by the organizers is a bit >misguided. Actually, it is the UDP that treated Mr. >Mballow with contempt. The UDP knew that Mr. Mballow >was in New York and they knew that their last minute >change of heart would make it impossible for them to >arrive on time for the conference. Why did they not >designate Mr. Mballow as their spokes person if that >was their wish? Why did they opt for Karamba to read >Ousainou's letter to the audience (which was not >allowed), instead of Mr. Mballow? In fact, Karamba >is not an official of the UDP, but was chosen to say a >few words as to Ousainou's whereabouts. You also >spoke of people obsessed with hearing party leaders >give speeches. Again, I think that is a stretch on >your part. All we asked for was an official rep., of >which Ousainou is one. Actually, the only >presidential candidate that was present was Hamat Bah, >and that was his party's choosing. >You stated the following: "Mr Saihou Mballow was
>elected as an Executive member of the UDP during its >first annual congress held at Brikama on 29 May 1998. >Moreover, he was a UDP candidate for the last >parliamentary/National Assembly elections held on 2 >January 1997. The question which one has to ask is why >Saihou Mballow was not given the go-ahead to represent >UDP at this Symposium?" No, in my opinion, the >question you should ask, should be directed to the UDP >hierarchy. Knowing all this, why did they not >delegate Mr. Mballow to represent them, that is the >question. In fact, you recalled when the party >announced that they where not sending anyone, was'nt >Mr. Mballow around? If so, why was he not asked, or >why did Mballow not ask the party, to represent them? >So, you see, the burden of proof is on the UDP and not >the organizers. All the parties that were contacted >sent in reps at the choosing of their governing >council. Why was the UDP the exception? People are >not interested in heavyweights as you stated, any >designated official was sufficient, and Mr. Mballow >was clearly not designated by the UDP. If so, bring >out the proof. > >I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Mballow and he is
>clearly a fine individual and could have represented >his party well. Why his party did not accord him that >trust could only be answered by his party. I hope >this clears the air for you, and thanks for your >contributions in this matter. > >Chi Jaama
> >Joe Sambou
Mr Jassey:
> > > > > > > >With all due respect, you are not setting the
> > > > record straight by saying that the ALD >organisers > > > > did > > > > not reach out to The Gambian community >in the Metro > > > > area and beyond. On the contrary, EVERY >ONE > > > > was > > > > invited to participate in the planning >of the ALD > > > > but > > > > as usual, everyone likes to take the >back seat and > > > > "nit pick". Give credit where it's >due...if > > > > you > > > > feel that the ALD was a two man >show...well that's > > > > because YOU know of two people giving >their all to > > > > make it a success. > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Please criticize constructively!
> > > > > > > > > > > >Astrid Christensen
> > > > > > > > > > > >From: MLJ Conteh <[log in to unmask]>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Reply-To: The Gambia and > > > > related-issues > > > > mailing list ><[log in to unmask]> > > > > > > > > > > > > >To: [log in to unmask] > > > > > > > > > > > > >Subject: Re: ALD Symposium > > > > > > > > > > > > >Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 17:29:57 -0400 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >James: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >I hereby repeat that the ALD > > > > symposium > > > > was a two-man > > > > > > > > > > > > >initiative and that Mr. MBallow had > > > > requested to represent the UDP and you >turned him > > > > down. I hope Mr. MBallow had read > > > > > > > > > > > > >your posting, so that he can set > > > > light > > > > to your denial. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >I am not here to personally attack > > > > you, > > > > but to set the > > > > > > > > > > > > >record straight. I hope you will > > > > reach > > > > out to more > > > > > > > > > > > > >Gambians in metro DC area to be part > > > > of > > > > next year's events. > > > > > > > > > > > > >You indicated that Dr. Nyang was > > > > going > > > > to participate and > > > > > > > > > > > > >you never explained why he did not > > > > show > > > > up. You have a > > > > > > > > > > > > >right to sit on the fence. It is > > > > disturbing that you > > > > > > > > > > > > >work for an organization that is > > > > fighting fearlessly for > > > > > > > > > > > > >the rights of African Americans. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >I hope you have a good year and I > > > > look > > > > forward to working > > > > > > > > > > > > >with you next year. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Naphiyo, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Comrade ML Jassey-Conteh > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >------Original Message------ > > > > > > > > > > > > >From: "James Gomez Jr." > > > > <[log in to unmask]> > > > > > > > > > > > > >To: [log in to unmask] > > > > > > > > > > > > >Sent: May 29, 2001 8:23:14 PM GMT > > > > > > > > > > > > >Subject: ALD Symposium > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Let me start by thanking the entire > > > > participants in the ALD celebration >this past > > > > weekend. > > > > I thank you for taking time out of your >busy > > > > schedule > > > > to join us during our annual Gambian >ALD reunion. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >I want to set the record straight > > > > regarding the ALD symposium last >weekend. The ALD > > > > organizing committee is a non-partisan >organization > > > > and the symposium was NEVER intended as >a campaign > > > > event for a united opposition. This was >communicated > > > > to all parties (APRC, UDP, NRP, and >PDOIS) well > > > > before > > > > their confirmation to participate in >the symposium > > > > without objects. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Our goal was to provide all parties > > > > an > > > > opportunity to present their agenda for >the Gambia > > > > and > > > > to have a civil conversation with the >audience on > > > > Democracy, Human Rights, and the up >coming election. > > > > All parties and members of the Gambia-L >were > > > > informed > > > > about the invited participants and >there was not a > > > > single objection from any party. The >question then > > > > was > > > > the possibility of convincing all >parties to > > > > participate and we succeeded. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Comrade ML Jassey-Conten's statement > > > > on > > > > the ALD being a two-man initiative is >absolutely > > > > nonsense. Gambians on the L and around >the D.C. area > > > > were invited to meeting in preparation >for the ALD. > > > > Their decision not to participate for >whatever > > > > reason > > > > (s) is beyond our control. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >We were communicating directly with > > > > Mr. > > > > Ousainou Darboe regarding his >participation. We > > > > learned of his decision to pull out of >the symposium > > > > from the Gambia-L. When we called and >talked with > > > > him > > > > that night, he never mentioned any >replacement for > > > > him > > > > and I'm sure Mr. Darboe knew that Mr. >Saihou Mballow > > > > and other UDP officials including >Ousainou's brother > > > > were in the U.S. In fact, Mr. Dardoe's >brother was a > > > > > > >=== message truncated === > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >____________________________________________________________ > > >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. > > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >