I am happy that the opposition parties know how some of us feel with the help of the media. Looking forward, one day Gambians in the diaspora will be a powerful lobbying force that governments and political parties will listen to. Senegalese, liberians, Sierra Leonians, Eritians have highly organized groups in the diaspora that influence their governments and opposition parties. One day we will soon follow. MJohnson Read on. The Point Newspaper Wednesday, October 3, 2001 Gambians Abroad Entreat The Opposition To Unite A group of Gambian citizens resident overseas, The Concerned Gambians In The Diaspora, has urged the opposition parties in the country to weld their forces together “and remove the current disastrous and unbearable administration from power in the upcoming presidential elections. In a release signed by Mr. Malamin Johnson, the group called on the GPP, NCP, NRP, PDOIS, PDP, PPP and UDP, to immediately schedule a formal meeting to create a framework for their mutual understanding. Such interaction, the release went on, would be capable of providing the necessary political momentum towards winning the seat of governance for the development of the Gambian nation. The group said that the current political dispensation provided the opportune moment for all opposition parties interested in restoring peace, justice and order in the Gambia to be on the same bandwagon. They reminded the opposition that, “history will forever brand us as the generation of politicians and leaders who put personal and party interests ahead of (those of) national interest. The release urged each of the opposition parties to be given an opportunity to present its requirements for an alliance and examine “competing ideas” based on their individual merits, stressing that an eventual non- adoption of a particular party’s ideological stance should not give a ground for a “walk out.” They counselled that non-partisan individuals such as religious or community leaders with strong moral character, be saddled with the responsibility of presiding over such meetings. The concerned Gambians abroad further affirmed their “collective faith and confidence in our political leaders to work tirelessly for a united opposition,” warning that anything less than a united force would be ignoring the wishes of their constituencies. _________________________________________________________________ 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------