Thank you very much Sister Jabou for your latest post you couldn't have said it better . I for one feared the worst from those waiting for this moment not to get Yahya out but to regain some glory lost .May Allah protect our people . Luntang ----- Original Message ----- From: Jabou Joh <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Friday, August 03, 2001 3:08 PM Subject: Re: Jawara -Come-back?when will the cycle end??????????? > 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. > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------