>From: Joe Sambou <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Give Jawara A Break >Date: Fri, 7 Jun 2002 19:15:20 +0000 > >No, you give Gambians a break and on the contrary, the hypocrisy >lies in >you. What happened to loyalty to one's principles, comrades, and >country? >You seem to share the "Jamfa" mentality that describes Jawara all >throughout >his political career. The man is worst than Brutus if you ask me. >Can you >imagine Mandela being released from jail to join the Afrikaner >Movement at >the expense of not only his comrades in exile, but the countless >many South >Africans that has been massacred and victimized by the Apartheid >regime? >This loyalty to self is what is sinking our country and it is sad to >see >senior citizens leading parade. On a personal note, Jawara can go >to hell >as far as I am concerned. But hey, why should we be surprised. >This is the >same man that in the 1980 mutiny, Kukoi et al held his family at gun >point >with threats to kill them should he attempt a come back, and what >happened? >We all heard over the radio the the whimpering of his wife... Modoor >Ngi Nee >Toog" etc.. His family could have been wiped out as far as he is >concerned >because of his love for self. Not to forget all those that were >forced at >gunpoint to renounce him, and he knew that they did it against their >will. >The same man that set some of his ministers up with his facade of >seeking >their honest opinion regarding his retirement, only to turn around >and sack >folks that honestly spoke their mind. Not forgetting his flip flop >between >the Church and the Mosque for political ends. So, my friends Fafa >is >consistent in his love for self. So, I say give us a break with >your >nonsense about Jawara resting in peace. Jawara owe Gambians big >time and >for this last Judas act to his supporters, I say stick it to him. >It is his >business to be the way he is and I think all Gambians reserve the >right to >judge him based on how they see him. And, yes, you are within your >rights >to emphathize with him, so let others speak their mind too. He is a >weasel >as far as I am concerned. Please read on. > >Give Jawara a Break! > > >The Independent (Banjul) > >EDITORIAL >June 7, 2002 >Posted to the web June 7, 2002 > >Banjul > >One again, the drum of political lilliputism has started thundering >in the >land, renting air and our political dance troupes are fast casting >off their >façade for an all-nude dance to the utter bewilderment and >entertainment of >the civilized world. > >Or else how can we explain the on-going murmuring and even rumblings >in the >opposition camp over Papa Jawara's return to the country whose air >he has >been longing to gulp? How can some people be so hypocritical, >indifferent >and even cynical to the travails of a former president in his late >70s who >had spent eight turbulent years away in tortuous exile, as to engage >him in >a battle for no reason other than returning home when his comrades >are yet >to be pardoned by the government? Who among us, when put in Jawara's >shoes >will not accept to come back home? > >There are certain sufferings that enrich our humanity in that they >make us >sensitive to the feelings of others. Subjecting the old man to >mean-spirited >political bickering amounts to doing him a great disservice. He who >wears >the shoes knows where it pinches. Jawara has suffered enough in >exile and >should be given a break to enable him live the rest of his life in >peace of >body and mind before he joins our ancestors. > >The stance of the hawks in the opposition that he should have fought >for an >extension of the amnesty to a blanket one to cover other members of >his >regime as a condition for his return is too old-fashioned. In fact, >those >blaming him for reciprocating President Jammeh's reconciliatory >gestures are >euphemistically asking for his political martyrdom, which will >neither >benefit him nor the nation. Indeed, there is no pressure he can >apply >indirectly on Jammeh from outside that he cannot effect from within >the >country. > >Judging from political events in the country, it will be difficult >to >convince even an on-looker that our version of political democracy >does not >belong to the epoch of primitive societies. Such societies are >characterized >by mechanical solidarity in which all followers depend on their >leaders for >their position on virtually any issue, rather than exhibiting a dint >of >independent judgement or initiative. > >One can even risk saying we cannot forgive unless our leaders tell >us to >forgive. The fallout from such state of affairs is that there is so >much >bitterness within the ranks of our leaders which permeates down to >the >common man that it now seems our leaders are the major obstacles to >our >peace and tranquility. In our vindictiveness we have forgotten the >golden >rule or categorical imperative that we should do unto others what we >would >want them to do unto us. > >Jawara deserves a rest and we must allow him to rest peacefully. For >heaven's sake give the old pa a break! > > > > > > >_________________________________________________________________ >Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: >http://mobile.msn.com > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or 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] > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~