Sister Jabou Joh, I have been quite busy during the past few days and had not been able to respond to a number of issues of interest on the L, one of which is Mr. Jassey-Conteh's invitation to start fund-raising. When Abdoulaye Saine posted the Constitution of the Save the Gambia Fund, I understood that it was not a finished document, that there was room for ammendments. That was my reason for advancing suggestions, which were perhaps fortunately, ignored. You have spoken for me. I have no wish whatsoever to be party to such an obviously skewed process. Had I known what I now know, I would myself have advocated for an alternative. I salute you for helping us see beyond the mundane and obvious. Momodou S Sidibeh ----- Original Message ----- From: <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Sunday, August 17, 2003 12:12 AM Subject: Re: Opposition Coalition/ let us organize!!! > Brother Laye Bamba, > > I agree with you wholeheartedly that having different factions in this > affiar, or factions in regards to any effort we undertake to take us forward is not > ideal. > Infact, George Sarr can tell you that I had a very heavy heart when an > alternate list was first set up because I felt that this would be divisive. > > However, I was part of the Coalition funds list that was set up after I > called Joe Sambou on the telephone to discuss the issue of the fund and the lack of > response to enquiries by interested Gambians. It was then that he informed me > that a list had already been formed, and that I can ask George Sarr to add me > to the list. I did that with the impression that it would be one that all > interested parties would be invited to join. > > Prior to that, someone had asked me if he can nominate me to be part of the > committees they were going to organize, and I told them I would be glad to be > part of a committee but again, I assumed that the organization would be > inclusive of all Gambians who want to participate, and that these committees would be > how all participants would be organized into different focus groups. However, > this individual later infored me that he had submitted names of people he had > nominated, including mine, but that these were over-ruled by some people, and > a list was then set up i guess by these same people. > After being informed of this, it was with trepidation that I added my name to > the list, but I did it anyway because I believed that no one had the right to > eliminate any Gambians who have interest to participate in this matter, and i > did not want to assume any negative thoughts before joining the group. > > After my name was added to the list, a non Gambian who is part of the group > advocated that only those who pay into the fund should be allowed into the > group, and that all over the World, it is the people who control the money that > make the decisions, and this is a direct quote. George Sarr and Haruna Darboe > objected to this view, and so did I although I had not said a word prior to > this because of the hostile atmosphere on the list. George Sarr also indicated > that the only criterion for joining should be that one is Gambian, and that > he would delist himself if the prevailing opinion is to exclude Gambians based > on payment into the fund. > > Then it was advocated that a vote be taken on the matter and it came out that > the majority of the handful in the group agreed that only those who have paid > into the fund should be allowed to join. > After that, one member demanded the names on the list so they can "remove > those who do not belong there" and there was further commentary that no one who > had failed to pay into the fund will be allowed to make any decisions here, > plus a few unsavory remarks i would rather not go into. > Haruna Darboe was delisted and I am not sure who else was, but I frankly > expected that I would be delisted too since I had not paid into the fund. > > Then it was further advocated that the list be closed from accepting any more > members even though to my count, there were no more than 12 peopl at most on > the list. It was at this point that I decided it was time to bow out and i > sent an email to the list explaining my reason for leaving. I never received one > single comment from anyone informing me that there was any effort under way > to open the list to all Gambians, although to be fair, you Laye, had written an > email to the list advocating that payment into the fund should not be the > criterion for joining the list. > Mr Gaye sent me an email later saying that they had a problem with one > individual who was belligerant and so this was the individual that they did not want > on the list. > I repeated my position regardign the criteria they had adopted and which i > cannot be party to. > It is a fact that there has been enquiries on G-L, by interested Gambians > regarding the effort under way, and to which no one has responded. Infact I > can say that we have been completely ignored, and I wrote an email to this > effect, and no commentary from anyone followed. > > I do understand that Joe Sambou has been dealing with bereavements in his > family, and my heart truely goes out to him and his extended family, but others > could have responded because I am sure they saw the enquiries and comments just > like you saw this one and have responded to it. However, no one responded to > give any explanation in an effort that is a Gambian effort, ,not a private > affair. You have said you are organizing the effort, but I think that should have > included extending an open invitation to Gambians who are interested, or at > least giving an update of any efforts under way to include everyone in thsi > effort, especially when people have taken the time to send enquiries ot this > list. > > The focus of the list when I left was not an inclusive list and that was the > majority opinion and since I do not want to be part of any effort that > excludes Gambians especially in the determination of our destiny, I had no choice but > ot leave. Todate, I have not seen any effort by any of the people on the list > I left to respond to any enquiries, provide an updates, respond to any > opinions or extend any invitations to have their compatriots join them in this > effort. > > Therefore, i decided that since we cannot afford to be spectators and since > we do not have to limit ourselves to the decision of others in this matter, we > had no choice but to start to organize ourselves and not set any limitations > on criteria for Gambians to participate in this effort because the very > essence of the effort is to have Gambians be participants in the political decision > making process, and that infact, this is the very begining of a model for > that. > > Sidibeh, Conteh and others, as well as myself had simply expressed our > opinion that we need to confer as a general body first and do our part towards what > it takes to make a coalition a reality first, and that this takes the > involvement of all Gambians. The group you are part of disagreed, making payment > into the fund the only croiterion for joining the list and failed to respond to > enquiries from their compatriots. > > If there is an effort underway by the already organized group on the list > that has been set up, and for which the criteria for participation is simply > that one is a Gambian and nothing else, then I welcome it wholeheartedly and > will be happy to be part of it. Also, such a group needs to be announced so that > all who are interested can feel free to join, or at least, an update or > comment provided to give an indication that the goodwill to work together is there. > Otherwise, this is a time to have all Gambians take part in this decision, > and we do not have to waste time waiting for anyone to reach a decison to give > us the permission to do so. > > From what I gathered in my brief presence in the already formed list, coupled > with the lack of response, I felt that we simply cannot afford to be > spectators in this matter and so if there is no response, then I shall appeal to those > who share my view that this is a matter we need to decide together to join > hands and move forward because to my knowledge, there was no appointment of > representatives to speak for the Gambians in the disapora. My position is that we > cannot be expected to sit on the sidelines while a few people decide if all > Gambians should have a voice in this matter, nor do we have to lobby people to > allow Gambians open access to this process. Marginalization of people by a > selected few is the cause of our problems and we cannot allow this ot happen > anymore if we are to accomplish our goals. > > However, people have a right to determine the area of focus for groups they > form, and if the already established list is for those who have contributed to > the fund, then that is fine, and i felt that the rest of us will have to > proceed along a more inclusive line. > > In my email to the list before I left, I stated that the last thing that we > need is to have any signs of dissent in this effort because that will only > serve the interest of those who would like to see thsi effort fail, and I did not > want to do anything to show any sign of dissent. > However, the lack of response to enquiries, and the fear that this may end > up disrupting this entire effort left me no choice but to decide to appeal to > those who share my view to come together and work towards making this the > collective proccess it should be. > Again, if there is a genuine effort underway to have open participation by > all Gambians, it will be my pleasure to join it, as I am sure it will also be > the pleasure of others who are very interested. However, it is important to > note that this is not a process where any Gambian has to have the permission of > any other Gambian, or to fulfil any condition set by anyone else to > praticipate. It is our birthright as Gambians to be involved in something too important > to let fall to senseless discord. > > If this effort fails, we would have failed ourselves and those who are > counting on this effort to move us forward, and nothing is more important than that > fact, and it is important to remember that and focus our efforts towards that > alone and we will not let anything else make this fail. > > It is time we set aside our personal egos and get down to the business of > what is really important and we cannot loose sight of that or waste time to > convince those who want to own this process and exclude their compatriots for > whatever reason. I cannot imagine anything more important in this effort than > encouraging full participation by all, otherwise, we would have missed the point > altogether. > > > Jabou Joh > > In a message dated 8/16/03 1:41:40 PM Central Daylight Time, [log in to unmask] > writes:> > > > > <<"I appeal to all those who are concerned and want to participate in this > > effort to send me a private email so that we can discuss how organize > > ourselves and how to move forward. Once we have something concrete in > > place, we can then move on to the business of raising funds.">> > > > > Sis Jabou: > > > > Why do you think that a duplication of efforts, that have long been started > > and is already well underway, is the best solution to a difference in view > > points, principles and ideologies? I don't see your appealing for others to > > join you in forming another 'compin' to "discuss how organize ourselves and > > how to move forward.." as nothing more than duplicating, or perhaps > > antagonizing - albeit unintentionally - wh > > at has already been put in place. > > I urge you to add your effort in making that august body become one that > > will encompass as many different view points and ideologies as it possibly > > can. You seem to have very little patience in that regard. > > > > The logical answer to feeling 'left out' from a body is not always the > > formation of a 'rival' body to the dicatates of what YOU think that body > > ought to be. Especially where the aims and objectives are the same, as in > > this case. > > > > I see no difference in what you claim to abhor so much - political hegemony > > by a few. > > > > Like you, I have expressed my opinion in contrast to the notion that only > > those who have actually "put their money where their mouth is" ought to be > > part of the list-serve that is set up for discussion, which I am currently > > running. But there seem to be the wisdon of majority in that regard so far. > > Unlike you though, I did not opt out and advoca > > te for another 'compin' just > > because my view point does not seem to be considered. I see that as a > > weakness in character. > > > > You have more to contribute as a member of the group with differing > > opinions than one that stands to seek for a group that may be antagonizing > > the efforts of the existing group, even if that is not the intent. We > > should learn to tolerate differences in opinion and strive to work together > > no matter what those differences might be. > > > > On another note, I will not hold brief for Joe and others to whom questions > > were directed, but I am in a position to say that efforts are in place to > > answer some of the concerns raised here and Gambia-post. Joe, God bless the > > bro, have had a couple of bereavements in his family in the past weeks and > > as such, has been unable to attend to some of the issues. I urge all to > > take it a little bit easy on the castigations and exercise a wee bit > > patience for now. > > We must take note that there is a thin line between > > opinions and allegations, especially where there are no facts to back > > opinions. > > > > With all heads and hearts in one place, we can accomplish much more than we > > expect. > > > > > > -BambaLaye > > > > "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that > > matter." > > -M.L King Jr. > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: > > http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l > > 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 Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l > 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 Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~