Joe Sambou

>From: Jungle Sunrise <[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 17:25:24 +0000 > >The cycle ended when, in 1994, a gallant young officer and his >comrades came >to the rescue of Gambians. This Alliance of Patriotic Gambians have >come >re-orientate us from the hopelessness and despair we all lived in. >Forwards >ever, backwards never. The revolution is here to stay and will be >consolidated. "Taal bu yalla taal, sannichi matta gainne faye ko. >Li, taal >bu yalla taal la!". > >Have a good day, Gassa. > > >>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 09:08:35 EDT >> >>Sanusi & Bakary, >> >>I am also truely amazed that this notion to bring Jawara back as a >>presidential candidate has even surfaced at all. It goes to show >>you that >>when it comes to Gambian politics, many of us do not have the >>political >>maturity to comprehend what the aim of a political system should >>be. We are >>not able to assess candidates according to their past performances >>and make >>the necessary changes to move forward as a country and as a people. >>It is >>abundantly clear that people make their choices of who to support >>based >>purely on opportunism and what they can get out of it, as opposed >>to >>examining their record of performance. >> >>Unfortunately for Africa, politically, we have evolved into a >>people who >>choose our political allegiances for the above reasons, and the >>future is >>equally as bleak because we are raising generation after generation >>of >>young >>people who watch this scenario and also come to believe that you >>lend >>political support to politicians for what you can personally get >>out of it. >> >>Even in this struggle of ours to unseat this brutal regime that is >>always >>polishing it's cunning tactics of pretending to be a respectable, >>fair and >>democratic government, and where one thought that all of us alike >>were >>motivated by a sense of justice and a love for our people and >>country >>alone, >>one can see factions fall off as we go along. >> >>It is becoming evident that some have been contributing to this >>effort >>because they want the Jawara camp to come back so they can continue >>their >>life of priviledge, or perhaps acquire one as a reward for >>assisting that >>particular cause. >>Others have a totally different agenda with similar allegiances to >>yet >>other >>political camps but nevertheless towards the same end. >> >>Yet another group who are sincere in their pursuit for justice are >>also >>motivated by other things that are becoming clear. They are in it >>for what >>they think they can ultimately get as a reward, and the game >>playing and >>attempts to be the first to do this or that, and even the gathering >>of >>other >>people's ideas and rushing to stake a claim to it are all going on. >> >>How sad for Gambia and for Africa, because we the people are >>ultimately the >>loosers. We are led by people who do not seem to realize that a >>democracy >>is >>not the same thing as a monarchy, and they hold on using all manner >>of >>tactics one can possibly think of, and even ones you never dreamed >>possible, >>and they leave only against their will. >> >>In the instances where these same people have been at it for >>decades >>without >>any meaningful progress in terms of quality of life and other >>achievements >>that are manifest as progress for their countries, and which any >>respectable >>and competent government's performance can be measured by, they >>still >>strive >>to come back, and there are people who support them in this >>venture. >> >>It is indeed very sad that the lust for power seems to be the >>motivating >>factor in all of the instances I have cited here. The charater of >>those who >>aspire to lead us is what ultimately determines whether Africa will >>have >>competent and dedicated leaders who are motivated by the right >>things, and >>not a lust for power. The fact that there are all sorts of game >>playing >>even >>in the factions that claim to be motivated by high ideals kills any >>hope of >>any kind of meaningful change for us anytime soon. One can clearly >>envision >>that even this group of high idealists will be at each other's >>throats were >>they t oibe in positions of power tomorrow. This is a very bleak >>prediction >>for us. >> >>We have not learned any lessons despite 30 years of corruption, >>nepotism >>and >>favouritism in the Jawara regime, and seven years of brutality, >>human >>rights >>abuses and a vittual destruction of our reputation as a respectable >>country >>by people who engage in all sorts of disreputable ventures to make >>money, >>and >>who use our meager national coffers as their own investment >>portfolio. >> >>Even as all this has occurred and continues ot unfold, we have >>people >>standing by on the sidelines, ready to take their turn at >>continuing the >>same >>practices. Oh Africa, when will you have sons and daughters who are >>motivated >>by the high ideals we need to rescue us from all of this endless >>greed and >>lust for power fueled by total disregard for all the reasons >>leaders are >>chosen to work towards. >> >>Jabou Joh >>In a message dated 8/3/2001 3:59:04 AM Central Daylight Time, >>[log in to unmask] writes: >> >> > >> > >> > Bakary >> > >> > Well done, You have definitely made my day. I hate to >> > say it but it appears some of our comrades in the >> > opposition camp are trying to advocate for Jawara's >> > return as Presidential Candidate for the October >> > Elections. The truth of the matter is that the Old man >> > ruled ther Gambia for thirty years. Of those thirty >> > years, so much has happened. Rather than us focusing >> > on those brave Second Republician Politicians-the >> > Darboes, Jattas. Sallahs and the Bah, we seem to be >> > looking on to Jawara as a saviour for our redemption. >> > Moreover, most of us fail to realise that Jawara has >> > been absent from the scene for almost 7 years and any >> > attempt to give him that mantle to lead the opposition >> > coalition would be suicidal. Believe me, Jawara is >> > seen by many as a moderate, but the reality is the >> > average Gambian believe that his return to politics >> > would be suicidal. >> > The only suggestion for us now is to draw up a >> > strategy for coalition against Yahya Jammeh. I would >> > propose that the Coalition should be lead by someone >> > who played little or no part in the last PPP >> > government. This is my take, any other proposals, I am >> > happy to discuss. >> > >> > Have a wonderful day. >> > >> > >> >>---------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >>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. >----------------------------------------------------------------------------