Mr. Njie: This was a well written piece. I indeed wish to read more from you with great expectation. Thanks for the piece and may God bless us all. Take Care! Thanks for sharing! SS.Jawara Stockholm, Sweden. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Abdoul Njie" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Tuesday, August 06, 2002 10:32 PM Subject: FWD: PRESS RELEASE FROM THE APRC BRANCH ATLANTA > Culled From > > The Observer (Banjul) > > August 6, 2002 Posted to the web August 6, 2002 > > Banjul > > Gambians in America speak out. > > > Gambians resident in America have voiced out their concerns on the country's > democratic process. > The press release from Gambians in Atlanta was signed by their president > Salifu Jallow, chairman of the APRC Atlanta organisation. > Below we reproduce the full text of the release: > We want to take this opportunity to thank the leadership and supporters of > the United Gambian Organisation of Atlanta (UGOA) for holding such a > historically significant event. We support any initiative to promote > constructive dialogue throughout the diaspora among the Gambian people. We > listened very carefully to the other presenters, Dr Abdoulaye Saine and Mr. > Waa Juwara aka Mbarodi. We also appreciated the input of many of the > audience participants many of them members of the local APRC chapter and > others who voiced their support and commitment. Dr Saine attempted to > present an intelligent and sensitive analysis of the conditions of The > Gambia. > > > However, his concerns, although they may have been well intended, led him to > many contradictions. His failure to take into account the historical > realities of colonialism in his summarisation resulted in his seeking to > place blame for what he perceived as shortcomings and failures of APRC. > Thus, what has been accepted by some Gambians as a legitimate and critical > analysis misses the mark by far. A first year student of International > Economics and Development might find a number of significant points to > criticise his paper. > > > However, he was very respectful and sincere in his presentation and to his > credit, he sought to encourage the audience to conduct critical thinking > about such issues as infrastructure development, medical and health care, > education, and family relationships. We encourage our intellectuals to move > beyond analysis and invest their time and talent in meaningful development > strategies that will help produce businesses and institutions that will > expand opportunities for our people. Intellectuals often spend so much time > demanding that the government do this and that, yet fail to recognise that > in the free market economies of the west, the individual, the organisation, > and teams of entrepreneurs are the driving forces for creating opportunity. > > > The argument that a large number of' "Jolas" are in significant roles in the > government despite their being a minority simply serves to fuel the culture > of ethnic rivalry and tribalism that threatens the long term stability of > The Gambia. How do we profess to be a progressive nation yet look down on > each other because of our tribal affiliations? We cannot afford to promote > one group as being superior to another. > Ethnic superiority is merely the false illusion of superiority based on > tribal affiliation. The leadership of any country reserves the right to > select key people for various positions. The fact is that employment in the > military sector is one of the smallest sectors in our country. > > Finally, Dr. Saine can be assured that the government of President Jammeh > understands how critical the agricultural sector is to our economy. We will > preserve our farmers, our youth, our women, our families and our future. The > APRC government is moving beyond doing a cursory analysis of our problems as > a nation to structuring sustainable growth and development strategies that > will enable us to become a world-class society and a world-class economy. > > Perhaps we should consider these comments: "The Gambian authorities are to > be commended for The Gambia's generally encouraging economic performance > since 1998 under the PRGF arrangement. During this period. > > > The Gambia experienced sustained per capita GDP growth and low inflation and > an improvement in the fiscal balance. The authorities took corrective > measures, including the adoption of an appropriate macroeconomic framework > and supporting policies for 2002-2004 in response to pressures on the budget > that emerged earlier this year. On the basis of the corrective measures, the > Board granted a waiver for the non-observance of the quantitative > performance criterion with respect to net bank credit to the Central > Government, and the second review was completed." > IMF report 12/2001 > > > Speaking on the occasion of the commemoration of his country's National Day > (4"' of July) at his Fajara residence yesterday, Mr McDonald said: "The > United States recognises that The Gambia has made significant progress > towards democracy, the rule of law and respect for basic human rights". > U.S. Ambassador Jackson McDonald, > 5 July 2002 > > "Mr. Chambas who was attending a recent meeting in Ghana of Central Bank > Governors whose countries are working stridently towards abolishing their > individual currencies for a single West African currency told journalists in > Accra that The Gambia's rate of inflation, which is somewhat slower than its > much larger neighbours, stands a good chance of meeting the required > 'minimum inflation', before the deadline, which may not be met by the other > countries due to their seemingly irreversible rate of inflation." > The Independent (Banjul) July 1, 2002 > > There is undoubtedly a place in The Gambia for intellectuals who contribute > to the growth and development of the lives of our people. APRC and our > leader President Yahya Jammeh, will continue to provide the kind of > leadership that will build infrastructure, viable institutions, reduce > infant mortality, improve education, healthcare and the quality of life of > our people. It is questionable whether there is a place in The Gambia for > sterile unproductive intellectuals who believe that criticism and > unqualified scholarship should be masqueraded as a contribution to our > future! > > > Clearly, the Gambian people wherever you find them in the world, all share a > deep and common love for The Gambia and wish to return home. We can hear and > feel the concerns of the Gambia people. We want to point out that a > "constructive dialogue" can indeed be an effective tool for nation building. > The first reality we must face is that President Jammeh is the elected > leader of the people of Gambia, he has not only received that honour once > but for a second term. The promotion of emotional rhetoric and fiery words > from those who lost the election must be tolerated. However, one has to > challenge their sense of patriotism and their clarity on Gambia's role on > the World scene. We have to stop conducting our affairs like a bunch of > quarrelling children in a neighbourhood backyard and realise that we are > rapidly seeking to become a more significant leader on the continent of > Africa and indeed on the world scene. We need a moratorium on this "war of > words". The Gambian people do not benefit from abusing each other. We cannot > fix our problems or effectively address our social dilemmas across a void of > meaningless rhetoric, hatred, anger and a cycle of vengeance. > > > The leadership of the APRC both here and in The Gambia has much larger > concerns than fiery rhetoric and emotional speeches that do not provide > constructive solutions to our problems. We are reminded of the words of > former Ambassador George W. Haley on the occasion of his 75th birthday: > "Instead of informing the populace about programs and plans, too many public > figures engage in personal attacks and the publication of rumours just for > sensational effect." > > > Because Mr. Waa Juwara is an elder and member of a political party in The > Gambia none of the members of the Atlanta APRC wished to disrespect him, or > criticise him in an open forum. But, frankly many of his remarks were > designed to fan the flames of anger and emotion. He launched a number of > claims and charges without putting forth any real substantial evidence. > Slander and defamation of the character and reputation of the leadership of > the Gambia does nothing to move us forward as a people. It is a disservice > to democracy and certainly not a means to facilitate peace, progress, > productivity and prosperity. > > > Perhaps, he failed to recognise that there was a large number of APRC > supporters and members at this event. Perhaps because no one was rude enough > to get up and shout him down by voicing disagreement with the majority of > sentiments he fostered. > > Many persons in attendance viewed his presentation with a quiet disdain > because it was so negative. His effort to discredit the recent elections and > his unwillingness to acknowledge the gesture of reconciliation by President > Jammeh in facilitating a peaceful and dignified return of Sir Dawda Jawara > to his homeland was unquestionable. Instead he chose to cheapen that > important symbolic effort. > > > We will succeed as a nation with the help of Almighty God, despite the > criticism of the blamers. We have a small but vocal and angry group of > partisans who seem unable to move toward productive contributions to our > peace, productivity, progress, and prosperity. Threats of frustrating the > APRC Government's capacity to achieve its goals are both empty and foolish. > Our leadership, our government, our people are woven together in a delicate > tapestry. APRC seeks to preserve that tapestry and our future. The sacrifice > of patriots will require the elimination of angry, emotional and meaningless > rhetoric. We must move forward, we must stand together. > > > No nation is without its tragedies and social ills. The leadership of the > APRC is deeply committed to moving us forward as a nation. However, we do > not have the luxury of making ourselves look like a nation of buffoons to > the rest of the world. The tragedy of April 2000 touched the lives of all > Gambians. The authorities on the ground made a serious error in judgment. > The students made a serious error in judgment when they sought to take the > law into their own hands and defy the legally constituted authority. A > tragedy was the end result. A tragedy that we will all live with and regret > for a long, long, time. However, it is unethical and immoral to lay the > blame for this tragedy at the feet of the President. Those persons who > continue to blame him personally -the head of state-in this tragedy fail to > recognise the realities of the situation. > > > It does not make sense anywhere in the world for people to redress their > grievances legitimate or otherwise by confronting armed security personnel. > Certainly, we as Gambians do not have to resort to stone throwing and > rioting to solve our problems. The person or persons accused of committing > the crimes that triggered this incident should have been brought to the > proper authority. Whatever legitimate legal and political means to do so > should have been utilised. . The fact is those persons who instigated the > students by fanning their emotions and pushing them into the melee - must > share the blame for this tragedy. > > > We encourage those individuals who want to provide financial support to the > children in need of medical assistance to do so. Dissent should be peaceful > and constructive. We need to sit at the table together as a "Gambian family" > and work through our future as a nation of civilized and intelligent people. > We should understand from this experience that rock throwing and emotional > confrontations in our streets will not bring about justice nor peaceful > resolution to our problems. When people commit crimes, there must be a > process governed by the rule of law to bring them to justice. We are praying > for these families and we are praying for the healing of the nation. > > > The leading nations of the International community: The so-called G-8 > nations are looking at Africa. The Council of Foreign Relations, The > Tri-lateral commission, the Bilderberg Group, The World Bank, The > International Monetary Fund, The World Trade Organisation and other > International strategic think tanks and intelligence agencies are assessing > "their long term interest in the critical resources of the continent. We are > a major gateway to the continent. There is a serious debate raging in > political circles around the globe concerning the future of Africans. Some > are advocating the so-called "benevolent colonialism". > > Still others are simply writing Africa off as a continent of primitive > savages incapable of self-government or of rising to world-class leadership. > Even more terrifying are those who would let the continent be ravaged by > aids, Ebola smallpox, malaria and even more terrifying diseases. We are > burdened with politicians who should be asked: "What did you do during your > term in offices? What substantive legacy and benefit have you left our > people in the many positions that you held?" We have the right to know and > the responsibility to ask. However, those who do not wish to see a stable > African continent, a stable African nation, and a stable Gambia must be > amused at our petty child-like squabbles. We have had some tragedies, we > have had some shocks. But, the Almighty has protected us from the crises in > the Sudan or Rwanda or South Africa. We have emerged in the 21st century as > one of the nations with great potential for a bright and meaningful future. > > > We have our enemies. Our enemies will revel in our so-called freedom to > castigate ourselves on the world's stage. Those people who love to humiliate > and degrade the reputation of our leader, and our country fail to recognise > that the ultimate victim of their tirades and harangues are our own people. > They give our enemies fuel to undermine our future. We must wonder how far > they will go. The vast majority of Gambians want desperately to have a > peaceful, productive and prosperous future. The APRC of Atlanta joins the > APRC of Gambia under the leadership of our President H E Yahya AJJ Jammeh in > a call for peace, productivity, progress and prosperity. The time is at hand > and the future is bright before us. > > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. > http://www.hotmail.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] > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~