>From: malik kah <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: Malik>>Re: call for restraint on abusive adjectives >Date: Sun, 18 Nov 2001 17:20:37 +0000 > >Jallow, you have not refuted my assertions that there exist a strict mode >of >hierarchial relationship in the arm forces. By using Colin powell you are >completely missing the point, I am not saying that members of the armed >forces as individuals do not develpe a sense of critical awareness, far >from it, what am trying to say is that, in the army in Arica >particularly,deliberately exist a methodology of education designed to turn >soldiers into subservient tools, whose allegiance is not to our >constitutions and the rule of law, but essentially to defend the >neo-colonial exploitative class whose intrest and that of the people quite >regularly conflicts. > >This is as oppose to the USA where military take overs are inconceivable, >hence a different focus an emphasis on their roles and content of >teaching, the emphasis are quite different, in the structure of our armed >forces loyalty comes first above all else, in fact any soldier foud >suspicious and waverinng would normally be decommssioned. Because his >primary function which is to defend the ruling class would no longer be >there, hence his raison d 'etre. This the type of military machinery that >exist in Africa, except perhaps for a few exceptions. > >Of course soldiers can acquire political clarity as well as criticality but >only by >virtue of their own quest because they are not equipped for any other >purpose other than to defend the ruling class evenwheras they might be >mismanaging and violating the very spirit and letter of the constitutions >they purported to defend and uphold. A good case in hand for a soldier with a difference, would be >Sankara, >Sankara undoubtedly had political education, he was just not a soldier >whose >sole purpose was to defend a leech class that was bent upon sucking the >blood of the people. Through his personal quest in search of knowledge he >came to the conclusion that there exist class intrests in society,hence he >made the choice to be on the side of the people. His mission became that of >a liberator instead of a dominator. He never went for personal glory and >self aggrandisement, unlike your creed of soldiers whose first jump was to >seize the nations coffers and start enjoying both the wealth and trappings >of power at the >expense of the ordinary masses. Sankara never paid himself exorbitant sums >of money fo overthrowing an exploitative regime, no, instead he worked >tirelessly, sacrificing the opportunity to enrich himself. > >If you had cited such an exemplary soldier who died leaving nothing to his >family, then I would have conceded that you understand the premise of my >analysis, but the very fact that you went to talk about Powell conviced me >that you still lack the clarity of the issues. After all Powel comes from a >completely different background' he is an American soldier therefore poses >no threat of overthrowing the ruling class as oppose to the African soldier >who have both the potential and the tendency and therefore is constantly >watched with an eagle eye by the ruling class. What we want are >soldiers >with political awareness and not just those that are eloquent and >deceptive, > whose ambitions are to hang on to privileges at the expense of national >developement as well as human rights. > >What we are witnessing in the Gambia is a regime that does not want to know >about human rights a regime whose leadership is on record as saying that >human rights is secondary in their agenda. And with a mandate to rule, >people still do not understand why they adopt such an untenable and >misguided > >posture. The only explanation would have to be the concept of commandism, >which is inculcated in all the neo-colonial armed forces whose existence in >the first place is for the protection of the ruling elites intrests and >not >the people, . With such a vocation they must inculcate fear as a mechanism of tcontrol and this very approach >would alienate them just as was the case with the hitherto ruling >classes. They can continue to use unwarranted methods to ensure compliance >by any means necessary but they can never subjugate all the people. > The only >way they can enjoy a guaranteed peace and tranquility is for them to learn >to >dispense democaray and its values without hesitation or paranoia. > If >people are happy with them under a judicious and an equitable climate vote >for them, well then >they can be there for eternity and no one will have a bone to pick with >them, after all a people get the government they >disserve. > > >>From: Ebou Jallow <[log in to unmask]> >>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list >><[log in to unmask]> >>To: [log in to unmask] >>Subject: Re: Malik>>Re: call for restraint on abusive adjectives >>Date: Sat, 17 Nov 2001 17:22:18 -0800 >> >>Mr. Kah, >> >>I read your analysis of Jammeh's decision-making / leadership >>paradigm with some reservation. I would admit that your conclusions >>are alsolutely wrong. Your description of the military command >>structure is correct, and there is a contingent and absolutely >>necessary reason for the vertical structure. And I believe you are >>ignorant of how the military institution works. Your claim that >>"developing a sense of rationality is unknown in the armed forces"- >>is totally absurd. If this was the case, the number one diplomat of >>the Free World, General Colin Powell who served his entire life in >>the military could not have the respect of the entire world, and not >>even mentioning the public eagerness for him to run for the >>presidency. I hope this one illustrious example will suffice. >>Imagine for a second what it takes to fight a battle against an enemy >>determined to end your way of life- it is the most physically and >>intellectually demanding than any other life experience, and yes it >>takes a special kind of a human being to accomplish that mission- a >>person disciplined mentally, emotionally and physically- a kind of >>psychological conditioning that only the military can provide in >>society. >> >>President Jammeh has his own unique style of leadership/decision- >>making( and all of us do have our own idiosyncracies), yet I will >>state that your assertions on Jammeh's "commandism" is an >>overstretch. I have worked with him, and I can testify to that. >> >>===== >>Ebou Jallow >>Georgetown University >>Washington, DC >> >>__________________________________________________ >>Do You Yahoo!? >>Find the one for you at Yahoo! Personals >>http://personals.yahoo.com >> >><<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> >> >>To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface >>at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >>To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >>[log in to unmask] >> >><<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> > > >_________________________________________________________________ >Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp > ><<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> > >To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface >at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >[log in to unmask] > ><<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>