Colleagues, The controversial decree 89 is no more and the formal politicians are organising themselves to come back on the political scene. The most interesting issue is the coming back of the former president Jawara. Jawara is the only president the Gambia has ever had b4 Jammeh. He was in power for over thirty years.He had all and every chance to build and developed the country in those thirty years but misuse all.For thirty years all jawara and his regime can tell us is that they were democratic and had good human right records.That was good but not good enough for 30 years. For 30 years Jawara could not see that he had to give chance to others who will try what he cannot deliver. on several occasions he tried his tactics of testing the ground by saying that he will stand down when he did not really meant it until he was force out. If there any political problem in the Gambia now, Jawara can only be part of it. If he gave up power at the right time, then may be we are talking about another president but not Jammeh. He just could not turn his back to State House and say Good-Bye. If after being forced out of power after 30 years, Jawara want to tell us he has some meaningful program for the Gambia. It will be very hard to believe. To me the only programe he has is to regain the prestigue and digity of power that he is ready to do anything for. I have no problem for Jawara to return back to the Gambia. He is after all our first president and more over he is a citizen like everybody. I will be among those to welcome him home. The only office I will like to see Jawara is what I will call the "THE OFFICE OF THE FORMER PRESIDENT" somewhere in Banjul or the Kombos.In this office Jawara should be able to use his political and deplomatic experience to help in the socio-economic development of the country in particular and the sub-region in general.He should be willing to offer advices to any goverment in power.This the roll I can see him with if he really still have the Gambia in his heard. Meanwhile the former PPP can relaunch with another leader and seek the mandate of the people to rule. If the people think that they still have something for the nation and decide to vote for them well and good. All we want is to go forward not backward. Let you think about it and enjoy your weekends. THANKS >From: Jabou Joh <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: Jawara -Come-back?when will the cycle end??????????? >Date: Fri, 3 Aug 2001 21:53:13 EDT > >In a message dated 8/3/2001 8:35:57 PM Central Daylight Time, >[log in to unmask] writes: > > > > However, in our quest to return > > our country to sanity, we must not forget that Jawara and his > > compatriots can do a lot to help us get to where we need to > > be. Its still many Gambians willing to listen to Jawara or >OJ. > > If thse folks come to help the opposition back home, let us > > welcome them with open arms. Right now, the situation in the > > Gambia is desperate and we need desperate situations. Whatever > > Jawara and his folks did in the past, posterity shall decide. > > Jawara may be our history but we should use our history as a > > yardstick for our present and future. Let us not just cast >the > > old man into oblivion. He has a role to play. If the man > > wants to come back to help the opposition unite and restore > > sanity to our homeland, lets open our doors to him. I am not > > Jawara but I doubt if the old really harbours feelings of > > leading the opposition. Let us not let our emotions dictate >what > > is reality to us. > > > > > > Alagie Barrow > > > > Alagie, > > >I agree. In saying that we need to move on from the Jawara regime and give >the other opposition parties and candidates a chance, we must be cautious >to >realize that this does not mean that Jawara and the old politicians of the >PPP cannot make a useful contribution. Infact, I would say it was imcumbent >upon them to do so simply because the yowe it to the Gambian people to do >whatever they can to help us get rid of this regime. The point is well >understood that Jawara probably cannot aspire to the presidency anymore for >various reasons, but there are also the other members of his former >government they may aim for political office. These people have had their >chance for a longer time than was required, and the best thing all of them >can do for our country is to use their experience to advice and lend >support >to the opposition parties and leave it at that. >Even the notion that Jawara may not be allowed to come home is a rather >stupid one because Jawara afterall is a Gambian. The issue is that the >people >in the former government need to call it a day, and do some "community >service" for a change. > >Jabou Joh > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >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/intl.asp ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------