I hope Mr. Ceesay and the rest of folks who always dispute my concept that elections are cheated before voters go to polls will now see what i was talking about.

Catch you later

PF Manneh

>From: Jabou Joh <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: Election Boycott, Attn:Jabou >Date: Tue, 25 Dec 2001 12:17:24 EST > >Gassa, > >I was not arguing for or against the reasons the UDP/PPP colaition decided to >boycoitt the elections, but if what you say is true, there are indeed many >inconsistencies in their position, but it would appera that there are also >incinsistencies in the position of PDOIS because the ydid participate in the >elections organized under Roberts and are preparing to partivcipate in the >national assembly elections. I gues there are incinsistencies all over the >place. > >My point was that given the allegations of foreign voters voting in the last >electionsa, coupled with the last minute decision by Gabriel Roberts to >change the rules at the last minute ans allow those not on the register to >vote, and with the allegations of shuffling around of voters from one >district to another and the report that there will be more voters in some >areas in the coming elections than in the presidential elections, it seems >that there are all kinds of illegalities in this process and to participate >in it is tantamount to acceptance of them. Therefore, I think that the >right thing would be not only to boycott these elections., but that the >opposition parties should have embarked on an effort to bring the >presidential elections to a halt in view of the last minute shanges made by >Gabriel Roberts and which should have made anyone "smell a rat" >I will let the UPD/PPP alliance argue their own reasons for the boycott and >the inconsistencies. >Of course, my main point was to let you know that you continue to argue about >the merits of so called progress being justification for your support for >this regime even as they violate every law, abuse every right and turn our >country into a ploice state. >I fail to understand why supposedly intelligent Gambians cannot demand >progress along with the safeguard of our civil and constitutional rights and >freedom of speech etc. A distatordhip does not have to be part of the so >called progress. It is not the progress we need to debate, but the >lawlessness and tyranny. That is the problem and should be a problem to be >addressed by all of us, instead of just paying lip service to structures >erected by this regime when they are infact robbing us blind and living >extravagantly and tortuting, locking up and silencing anyone who talks avout >these things. I know you give a semblance of criticizing them and nothing has >happened to you, but you are a pawn in their mind game Gassa. > >Jabou Joh > >In a message dated 12/25/2001 10:45:19 AM Central Standard Time, >[log in to unmask] writes: > > > > > > 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] > > > > <>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<> > > > ><>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<> > >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] > ><>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>