Karamba: I concur with your sentiments. I have these very important questions: 1. Why waste valuable time and resources in endorsing the UDP to participate in an election already won by dictator yahya? 2. Why can't we seek unity rather than selfishly taking different routes to flush out the dictator? 3. What will we do after the dictator steals the elections? I am glad that you have come to the realization that the dictator will do everything to stay in power. Dictator yahya is the worst thing that has ever happened to The Gambian people. We must now realize that unity is the only solution to cure this cancer. Naphiyo, Comrade ML Jassey-Conteh,MBA Greensboro,NC/Kombo East Constituency Original Message: ----------------- From: [log in to unmask] Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2001 14:40:47 EDT To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Reflections With the Presidential elections about three months away, it is increasingly getting crystal clear that the government of Yahya Jammeh has no intention of conducting a free and fair poll. In a bid to achieve their evil aims of thwarting the wishes of the Gambian people, they have a crafted a combination strategy of lying to the international community about their intentions and using every imaginable underhanded tactic domestically to literally enslave our citizens. List members and the people of our country by extension can take solace in the fact that all the international institutions and important friends of the Gambian people from the United Nations, the commonwealth, the EU and US government will oppose vehemently this murderous regime's attempt to cling unto power by unlawful means. When the Commonwealth met in Durban, South Africa at their last heads of government meeting, Yahya's regime was singled out for justifiable condemnation and to avoid sanctions, the government was compelled to undertake specific commitments like getting rid of odious decrees, allowing for equal access in the public airwaves and ending the harassment of opponents. None of these undertakings have been fulfilled by the government and the Commonwealth has taken due notice of the governments steadfast refusal to treat it's citizens according to the norms of the organization. Apparently the Jammeh government believes it can substitute it's written obligations to the Commonwealth with insincere promises of action. It is been months since Secretary General Mckinnon was told that the government would begin removing decrees and upholding actual democracy. They are counting on running the clock on these important changes up to the last few weeks before the elections and then suddenly coming into compliance when it would have no intrinsic value for the Gambian people. It is worth noting that the entire international community have similar sets of objections when it comes to this regime and I expect all of them (UN, EU, US, UK, Commonwealth) to reject as unacceptable a delayed adherence to the stipulations meant to let the Gambian people select their leaders. You would probably soon hear either Sedat Jobe or Yankuba or some other lackey proclaim the government's intention of doing the right thing by removing decrees or opening GRTS to all Gambians . This regime does not want to compete for a mandate because they will not win under any circumstances. What our nation must avoid at all cost is to inadvertently provide an opportunity in which these killers and charlatans can steal an election. To that end, we must all insist on an election that guarantees the full participation of all Gambians under clearly defined rules, supervised by outside monitors and run by an IEC that is legally constituted and is endorsed by all participants. A coalition of all the parties should come together and insist on these basic conditions and demand that the government meet them by a date certain (July 31). If the government fails to respond, UDP, NRP and PDOIS should announce a united boycott of the election and ask their supporters to come to Banjul in their tens of thousands on the 18 of October to reclaim their government from these thugs. The reason for this is announcing only a boycott without forcing a resolution would mean leaving this very regime in place because they can always maintain a ragtag bureaucracy despite the isolation and penury an uncontested election would bring. None participation has to be a definite prelude to removal. Tens of thousands of Gambians marching to take their government cannot be stopped and they won't be. The Jammeh regime is trying to make Gambians what they have never been: unwitting participants in their own doom. The nation must decide if they would lumber along and wallow in their misery or take charge of their own destiny and do what is right by their family, their nation and their GOD. There is no middle ground between the forces of good and evil. As a nation we must decide if a Gestapo like regime drenched in the blood of innocent Gambians would be allowed to stay through lying, cheating and corruption or we would wipe the slate clean and foster a strong democracy. Karamba ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------- Mail2Web - Check your email from the web at http://www.mail2web.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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------