Sanusi, I totally agree with you on this. You see the problem with many on the L is that they only rely on what the reporters, particular those of the Independent newspaper, say. Like I have stated before, these online papers do not put online the letters that people write nor do they put online the other opinion coulmns. This, somehow gives a very distorted view of the reality on the ground. Sanusi, be rest assured that the opposition will not unite come October and Yahya Jammeh will win. Have a good day, Gassa. >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: FWD:Jawara's Lost Opportunity >Date: Tue, 7 Aug 2001 12:10:23 +0100 > >Mr Gassama > >This article has to be clearfully scrutunised before >one jumps into conclusion. >(1) For my part, I doubt whether the Pa thinks of >making a political comeback. Giving the cirumstances, >which we are facing, his chances of re-election are >very very slim. Don't forget if he had to contest the >next election, he will be contesting as an Opposition >Candidate, with none of the patronage he enjoyed >during his 30 year rule-The Mafia, The State Vehicles >and the National Radio etc. In addition, the voting >age has been reduced to 18 and a good number of these >youths will vote for Yahya, notwithstanding the events >of April 9/10, 2000. > >(2) From my observation of Gambian Elections, I am of >the view that President Jawara's support was >overrated. Had it not been the participation of the >Banjul Mafia together with other dubious character, >the political landscape would have shifted towards the >opposition as back as 1987. Since the Banjul Mafia are >no longer effective, how will the Pa capture the >hearts of the gambian majority? >(3) My final poiint is can Jawara make a comeback? If >this man is paraded as leader of the Opposition >Alliance, then Yahya Jammeh's second term is >guaranteed. Despite all the talk of human rights >abuses taking place in the Gambia, Yahya's so called >projects will be easy to waterdown the opposition >strength of gaining power. > >It is on the basis that I believe that Jawara's lust >for power is a lost opportunity > > >Any thoughts, happy to discuss. > > >Have a wonderful day > >Sanusi > > > > > >--- Jungle Sunrise <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >Dampha, Hamjatta and co. > > > > Please take note of these developments. Do not say I > > did not warn you. > > > > Have a good day, Gassa. > > > > >From: Beran jeng <[log in to unmask]> > > >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing > > list > > ><[log in to unmask]> > > >To: [log in to unmask] > > >Subject: FWD:Jawara's Lost Opportunity > > >Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2001 14:32:59 -0400 > > > > > >Jawara's Lost Opportunity > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >The Independent (Banjul) > > > > > >EDITORIAL > > >August 6, 2001 > > >Posted to the web August 6, 2001 > > > > > >Banjul, the Gambia > > > > > >Sir Dawda's impending return has raised blinding > > dust in our political > > >landscape. The eddy of confusion that his > > proclamation to return has > > >propelled has drawn confusing and contradictory > > remarks from secretaries of > > >state Sedat Jobe and Yankuba Touray. Sedat says > > yes, he's welcome and free > > >to return. Yankuba says the ex-president should > > face a commission of > > >inquiry > > >for some past deeds. > > > > > >The Gambian people, who in reality should decide > > who takes control of their > > >political lives, are equally and naturally divided > > over the merits and > > >demerits of Sir Dawda's return. Some, like Sedat > > Jobe, say Sir Dawda should > > >indeed come back to The Gambia. Others, like > > Yankuba Touray, would have > > >none > > >of the ancient 'Jawara diko'. The Gambia, they > > argue, should and could move > > >forward without Jawara. As we had indicated before, > > the repeal of Decree 89 > > >is a long overdue step in the right direction. We > > know that like all unjust > > >laws, the decree had always been a law of the iron > > grid, imposed not > > >because > > >of its moral and essential qualities, but to > > satisfy the whims and caprices > > >of a regime that came to power through > > unconstitutional means and that was > > >confidence-starved. We know also, that the decree > > was repealed not because > > >the president has suddenly seen the light and grew > > an angel's heart, but > > >because first, he was forced to; and second, he > > feels confident that he had > > >bought enough Gambians' favours that he had nothing > > to fear from an old and > > >spent guard of politicians. > > > > > >Certainly, Sir Dawda Jawara, apart from his > > nurturing of the democratic > > >spirit in The Gambia, which is by no means a mean > > achievement, has little > > >else to show for his thirty years in power. We know > > that he had allowed > > >himself to be mystified and almost worshipped by > > his cronies. We know that > > >he had nurtured the shameful and harmful mansa > > mentality that continues to > > >be a bane of our national politics. We know that he > > refused to put in place > > >the constitutional framework required to make > > possible smooth, peaceful and > > >periodic change of leadership with the result that > > the equally power-hungry > > >soldiers found an acceptable excuse to step in. We > > know that his extremely > > >sweet tooth for power rendered him blind to reality > > and believe in the > > >fatal > > >illusion that he could be president for life. We > > know, ultimately that Sir > > >Dawda had a chance, an excellent opportunity to set > > this country firmly on > > >the path to eternal bliss and he blew it. > > > > > >We certainly are dead opposed and shall remain > > opposed to the wanton > > >'powertics' of the Jammeh regime. But at the same > > time, we do not > > >sympathise > > >with the excesses of the Jawara regime. The fact > > that he told the BBC that > > >he had no alternative but to accept the invitation > > to lead the PPP shows > > >that the Pa had learnt little in exile. Why could > > he not say 'no, look we > > >need to revamp the party. Let's recruit a new young > > membership. Let's > > >inject > > >new blood into the party. We old guards should be > > active members and > > >advisers, but should not seek leadership roles or > > political office again.' > > >But no, Sir Dawda is still hungry for leadership. > > He still wants to be the > > >great leader who did us more harm than good. He > > still feels and is made to > > >feel indispensable. He is still out of touch with > > political realities. > > > > > >We truly wonder why our African politicians never > > learn. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >_________________________________________________________________ > > >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. > > > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > > >_________________________________________________________________ > > 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. > > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > >____________________________________________________________ >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 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------