Well Joe, This is what I know for a fact: I recalled back in 1995, whilst on a mission at Phoenix, Arizona the late Rev. Sullivan initiated talks for the save return of Sir. Dawda and his family on humanitarian grounds. I promised him then that I will try and convince Jammeh about the issue. I recalled calling Jawara on several occassions to the chagrin of some AFPRC members, nevertheless Jammeh was short of reluctant since Jawara's position was ambivalent or sometimes vague to say the least. There were factions of old time PPP guards trying to push Jawara on different directions, and it was quite obvious that Jawara was pent up and too old to furnish any solid leadership from exile. The "Jawara myth" long outlasted the opposition's perception of the political realities at play. Thus all these schizophrenic reactions from all corners. It shall be a tragic error if the opposition especially UDP and OJ try to politicize this issue- the outcome will be a complete disaster. The least that Waa Juwara or OJ could do is to thank Jammeh for this noble step, and appeal to the conscience of the Government to extend the reconciliatory gesture to the rest in the Diaspora- This is prudent politics, and I believe the ultimate result shall be un- imaginable. It is time to let go the quintessential "Gambian politics of vengeance". Nobody forced Jawara to accept the amnesty, and I completely trust his wisdom. Jawara's return to the Gambia is of no political consequence, it is a risk that both President Jammeh and Sir Dawda have to take to ensure a healthy trend towards peace and reconciliation. Everybody gains from this move in the long run, and I believe the other "exiles" will eventually return home. All these wild speculations are absolutely unnecessary. Leave the gentleman alone christ sake! Ebou. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~