>From: [log in to unmask] >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: 'Inciting Genocidal Confusion'????? >Date: Thu, 1 Nov 2001 20:55:16 EST > >I agree with the points you raised as it relates to the state of affairs back >home. I believe all of the self assessment, strategy proposals and some sense >of resignation within the opponents of Yahya Jammeh is all premised on >relying on democracy as the sole instrument of change. The fatal flaw in this >approach is the supposition that Yahya is a legitimate politician who is >remotely interested in the genuine contest of ideas within the confines of >participatory democracy. He is not. His declared plan is to collapse every >available instrument of democracy at every level of our small society and >fully exploit that age old Gambian penchant for expediency to perpetuate >himself. By design, he will thoroughly purge the main instrument of power >which is the security services of any and all people he thinks might at some >point pose a hindrance to his subjugation of the Gambian people in the land >of their ancestors. Gambia is already a banana republic in that laws and >separation of powers exists only on paper. Yahya just wants to make sure it >remains his banana republic. That is why he is trying to remove the few >remaining non ethnic Jolas from security services and replace them with >people he can totally count on to implement his designs of tyranny and >enslavement of those that oppose him. Efforts towards bringing change within >the political process are certainly laudable and I have and will continue to >support it. By the same token it is my view that partisan politics will only >be a palliative measure that is unlikely to succeed not for the lack effort >on the part politicians or their supporters, or because of the quality of the >politicians. Neither would it be because the people don't understand the >grave circumstances they face. It would fail because Yahya Jammeh is not >interested and would not countenance a contest that is legal, free and fair. > All of our efforts would only serve to postpone the inevitable. As a >nation and as a people we will have to decide if we want to relinquish our >only country to a guy who has spent the better of the last decade, murdering, >torturing, impoverishing the Gambian people while stealing or plainly >reallocating public funds to himself and his thugs and cronies. We can >achieve this by aiding and abetting a systematic purge in the security >services, the civil service, the village and community of all people >perceive to be opponents; listening to socall religious and community leaders >who are closer to charlatans and are as vile and corrupt as the murderous >regime who e bribe them with the very blood money plundered from the >suffering people. These immoral self proclaimed religious and community >leaders take these monies that are expressly forbidden by the Quran and use >it in some instances on mosque projects. They are willing to set aside >religious injunctions to pursue selfish agendas. They refuse to condemn >wanton murders and instead cuddle and seek favors and recognition from people >whose activities are manifestly Satanic.If you ever wonder what has happened >to piety, virtue and integrity, look no further than under the flowing gowns >of these socalled elders. > Conversely we can view our struggle as an existential one in which the >very life of the only nation we have on this globe is hanging in the balance. >It is absolutely fanciful to assume that a brutal tyrant who has murdered >innocent people would submit to a free and fair process that may usher in a >peaceful transition. Deployment of antiaircraft guns, arming thugs are all >clear indications of a man bent on imposing himself. He is also counting on >his opponents to cower down in the believe that most Gambians would quickly >trade their liberties for personal security. However , history is replete >with determined people who delivered their people from tyranny. I predict >that Gambia will not be an exception. > ><>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<> > >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] > ><>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>