Thanks for the clarifcation. I would however like to re-iterate that I am not saying the UDP SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT boycot the forthcoming National Assembly Elections. What I am saying is that their timing has nothing to do with the fairness of otherwise of the electoral process. I also maintain that the continued consolidation of the UDP/PPP/GPP coaliation will, in the long run, do more harm to the UDP than if they sever their links now and engage the other parties as well so as to form a formidable challenge to the APRC and thus contribute possitively in our democratisation process. PDOIS's Vision as posted by Adama states: "Our Vision To safeguard in words and practice the role of National Assembly members as trustees of the power and aspirations of the sovereign Gambian people, who must, at all times, be determined to foster and safeguard liberty, justice, dignity and people centre development in accordance with the dictates of conscience and the people's interests." This, in a nutshell, is what we as a people expect. That is why I said that it will be a big loss to the Gambian people if people like Kemeseng Jammeh are absent from the National Assembly. Another issue I find difficult to understand about the UDP is their inconsistencies. When Bishop Johnson was sacked as chairman of the IEC, they said it was unconstitutional and declared their intention to challenge its legality. While on the one hand PDOIS stated that until the legality of Bishop Johnson's removal was settled by the high court, they will not participate in any elections organized by the new chairman, Gabriel Roberts. On the other hand the UDP while saying that Gabriel Roberts election as chairman of the IEC was unconstitutional, participated in the by elections organized by him. Secondly, even before counting of the presidential election votes were completed, the UDP leader called Jammeh and conceded. While people were applauding him for being a decent looser, he reneges on his earlier decision saying that the electoral process was neither free nor fair. This was done even though his party militants were at all the polling stations, scrutinized thaose who came to vote and then signed the results as representing the will of the people. Thirdly, having written to the IEC chairman voicing their concerns about what they called the massive transfer of voters from one constituency to another and illegal voter registration amongst other griviences and having given the chairman of the IEC what tantamounts to an ultimatum, vis-a-vis, a demand for the IEC to MAKE AVAILABLE TO the UDP HEAD REGISTERS FOR ALL CONSTITUENCIES ON OR BEFORE 22nd DECEMBER 2001. This they said was to "ensure that no illegal registration carried out is further injected into the registration in June". Emphasis, mine. Considering the fact that they made this demand by a letter dated the 19th December, why could they not at least wait until the expiry of their 3 day ultimatum? Again why would the want "to ensure that no illegal registration carried out is further injected into the registration in June", when they already have evidence to the contrary, evidence that has so far not been presented to anybody but rather based on speculation? The whole thing does not make any sense to me or is it a case of selective amnesia on your part? Doesn't the inconsistencies that I pointed out worry you at all? Couldn't they have presented their evidence of any electoral mal-practice to the other parties and take a collective action? Do you want to believe that both the PDOIS and NRP leadership will sit idley by while the APRC in colaboration with the IEC rigs the forth coming election, elections that they will be putting D5,000.00 per candidate to contest? You what Yankuba Touray had to say about the UDP/PPP/GPP boycot? He said it will have no consequence for our democratization process. He posited that the UDP/PPP/GPP coalition used up all their resources during the past presidential elections and don't have sufficient money to field in 45 candidates and campaigne effectively. Could this be true? Just wondering. Have a good day, Gassa. _________________________________________________________________ Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.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] <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>