I never knew Joe Sambou is called "Joe Tennis." As far as I know, Joe Gomez is called "Joe Tennis." However, both are Gambian soccer legends. Seedy ----- Original Message ----- From: "George Sarr" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Monday, March 21, 2005 5:17 AM Subject: Re: [>-<] Pro-Democracy Group Challenges Coalition > [ This e-mail is posted to Gambia|Post e-Gathering by "George Sarr" <[log in to unmask]> ] > > > <<Joseph ("Joe Tennis") Sambou, an Accountant and one of the founder > members of the STGDP started collecting money for this fund. After a > series of long debates and discussions over the Internet, which were > sometimes very heated, the majority came to the conclusion that Save The > Gambia Democracy Fund, as it was initially named, should do more than just > help victims. >> > > What VICTIMS!!! That, my friends, is 100% pure, USDA grade A prime cut > bullshit that you see being spewed. Chei! > > > (__) > /oo\################ > \||/################\ > \/ ################ | > ###########BULL# | > ################ SHIT > | | | | > > > > > > > I have something to say. Can I say something? Of course. I'll be back as > > soon as I'm done eating this lovely steak. Bear with me.... > > > > Pro-Democracy Group Challenges Coalition > > > > Urges NADD to expedite the process of choosing a flag bear > > > > > > By Baba Galleh Jallow > > > > > > Save The Gambia Democracy Project (STGDP), a U.S.-based group of > > Gambians dedicated to the promotion of democracy, human rights and good > > governance in the country has challenged the National Alliance for > > Democracy and Development (NADD), to build on the momentum they have > > generated so far "by wrapping things as expeditiously as possible" and > > to expedite the process of choosing a flagbearer for the coalition in > > the October 2006 elections. > > > > > > In an exclusive interview with The Independent, STGDP chairman Kebba > > Foon also challenged the Gambian people to work hand in hand with the > > forces of democracy inside and outside the country to bring about what > > he called "the much needed system change." Below we reproduce the full > > text of Mr. Foon's interview with The Independent's Founder Editor Baba > > Galleh Jallow. > > > > > > Q. What is the origin of the STGDP? Why was it formed? > > > > > > Mr. Foon: The Save the Gambia Democracy Project was conceived on the > > Internet; on the Gambia L and the Gambia Post forums used by Gambians > > and friends of The Gambia in the Diaspora to discuss issues concerning > > The Gambia and Gambians. An idea was suggested by Dr. Abdoulaye Saine - > > a prominent Political Scientist and Professor at Miami University in > > Ohio - to set up a fund in which Gambians and friends of The Gambia in > > the Diaspora will contribute to help the victims of the April 10th. and > > 11th 2000 student massacre, the private media and in a nutshell, the > > victims of the APRC tyranny. Joseph ("Joe Tennis") Sambou, an Accountant > > and one of the founder members of the STGDP started collecting money for > > this fund. After a series of long debates and discussions over the > > Internet, which were sometimes very heated, the majority came to the > > conclusion that Save The Gambia Democracy Fund, as it was initially > > named, should do more than just help victims. STGDP was formed in order > > to get to the root causes of the predicament of the Gambian situation: > > dictatorship, lack of respect for the rule of law by the current > > administration and non-adherence to the principles of democracy. The > > mission of the STGDP as stated in our constitution, is to create an > > environment in The Gambia within which democracy and all its instruments > > can be nurtured and enhanced for a better Gambia. STGDP shall > > accommodate all Gambians and friends of The Gambia regardless of their > > religious, economic, regional, social, political or ethnic background. > > These goals will be accomplished by working with Gambians and Gambian > > Associations around the world. > > > > > > Q. When and where was the STGDP formed? > > > > > > A: STGDP was formed in Atlanta, Georgia on February 18, 2004. This was > > the date when the organization and its structures were formally launched > > and its officials elected. However, STGDP was very active prior to its > > formalization. The launching of the organization took place on the > > campus of Morehouse College in Atlanta, which was fitting to start this > > journey to freedom from tyranny and the establishment of true democracy > > in The Gambia because it is the alma mater of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. > > who spearheaded the Civil Rights Movement in the USA in the 1960s. > > > > > > Q. What is the structure of the organization, roughly speaking? > > > > > > A: We have a management committee that consists of the Chairman (myself) > > Kebba Foon, Vice Chairman Mustapha Ceesay, Secretary General Musa Jeng, > > Treasurer Banka Manneh, Public Relations Officer Sigga Jagne, Auditor > > Saloum Njie, Political Liaison Maila Touray and regional coordinators > > all over United States who represent the organization in their > > localities. We also have a fund raising committee which is very vital to > > the organization. > > > > > > Q. Your term limit of one year expired last February. Why has there been > > no election of a > > > > new chairman yet and what are the plans in this area? > > > > > > A: We had been involved in a lot of work in strategizing and planning > > for the upcoming election next year and because of this we did not start > > on time to plan for our congress in February. As chairman of STGDP, I > > was out of the country for over three weeks in December and January. > > Because of the above reasons, we were unable to hold our annual congress > > to elect officials of the organization. We voted on this issue and an > > over whelming majority of our members voted to hold the congress during > > the July 4th Gambian reunion in Atlanta this year. > > > > > > Q. The STGDP clearly played a pivotal role in bringing the opposition > > parties together to form NADD. What were the major steps in this > > process? > > > > > > A: Yes, we played a pivotal role in bringing the opposition parties > > together to form NADD. AGERA (the Atlanta Gambian Emergency Relief > > Association) invited all the political parties in The Gambia to send a > > representative to a conference on July 4th 2003 to meet with Gambians in > > the Diaspora and discuss a way forward in the political affairs of the > > country. We took the opportunity to organize a meeting with the leaders > > and representatives of all the major opposition parties in The Gambia to > > discuss the idea of a coalition. The meeting was a success and the > > present coordinator for NADD, Mr. Halifa Sallah was elected in that hall > > at Morehouse College by his peers. I will take this opportunity to > > congratulate him and all the party leaders for keeping their promise and > > going ahead with making NADD a reality. I will reassert what I promised > > them in that hall again and that is we in the Diaspora will also keep > > our promise to fund NADD. The process that led to the creation of NADD > > started from that meeting at Morehouse College after which the leaders > > promised us that they will go back home and start deliberating on > > forming the coalition, which they did. > > > > > > Q. STGDP is involved in facilitating the coalition process. What are the > > major steps taken in this direction so far? > > > > > > A: STGDP had been in consultation with the coalition from the time the > > parties started deliberating after they left Atlanta to the signing of > > the MOU in January of this year. Actually I was supposed to witness the > > signing of the MOU but due to some delay in logistics, I left Banjul > > four days before the signing ceremony. We are partners with NADD in this > > process to create a level playing field in the political arena and > > ultimately true democracy in The Gambia. We asked the leaders to go back > > and engage in the dialogue to forge a coalition and most importantly to > > put the country first and put aside all their differences in order to > > save our dear country. We contributed our ideas in the formulation of > > the MOU. Our next challenge is to raise the much needed funds for NADD > > to conduct a formidable campaign next year and bring about the much > > needed system change in the country. > > > > > > Q. There has been some delay in NADD choosing a flag bearer for the > > coalition. What has been the problem and what's the situation now? Is > > the STGDP helping facilitate this process? > > > > > > A. I do not think there is a deliberate delay in choosing the flag > > bearer. From my discussions with Mr. Halifa Sallah while I was in the > > Gambia, the plan was to sign the MOU first, set up the Secretariat, > > register NADD with the IEC as a political party, go on a nation wide > > tour as a group to inform the Gambian people about NADD and its aims and > > objectives, and then start the process of choosing the flag bearer. > > Therefore, I do not think that they are delaying the choosing of the > > flag bearer; they are going according to schedule. We at the STGDP are > > asking the coalition partners to expedite the process. Anyhow, I will > > take this opportunity to suggest to the NADD executive that in choosing > > the flag bearer, they should consider more than anything else, that the > > flag bearer should be one who can effectively execute the aims and > > objectives of the coalition. We understand that all the opposition > > leaders are capable of being the flag bearer but we can only have one > > flag bearer. It is already clear that whoever is chosen with the support > > of all the parties which consist of NADD will definitely clinch victory > > come October 2006. > > > > > > Q. What are some of the difficulties encountered by the STGDP so far > > both at home and in the Diaspora? > > > > > > A. Getting the information out to the people to create awareness both in > > The Gambia and the Diaspora. > > > > > > Q. And what would you say are its major successes? > > > > > > A. First, helping forge the coalition and staying engaged with the > > coalition partners; the cohesiveness of the STGDP management committee; > > and the constant engagement of the general members in all matters that > > affect the organization's goals. These are some of our major successes. > > > > > > Q. Do you see the STGDP continuing beyond the 2006 elections and if so > > what role do you foresee it playing, particularly in the event of a > > coalition victory? > > > > > > A. Yes STGDP will definitely be here beyond the 2006 elections. This > > organization is here to stay and we are not just about regime change > > which is only a step towards changing the political culture to one where > > leaders will be accountable to the people. Our goal is to have this > > organization be the watchdog for good governance and the rule of law in > > The Gambia. Our biggest strength so far has been the diversity of this > > organization. It consists of members from all political affiliations and > > members who do not belong to any political party and that explains why > > it is seen as an organization of conscience. > > > > > > Q. What activities are the STGDP currently engaged in? > > > > > > A. We are engaged in several activities such as raising awareness of the > > existence of the organization, fund-raising and identifying local > > coordinators around the world, among other things. > > > > > > Q. Any final words to the coalition and the Gambian people? > > > > > > A. To the coalition partners we say: we are proud of you for the awesome > > job you have done so far. So let us build on that momentum by wrapping > > things as expeditiously as possible. We are here as your partner and we > > are all in this together. > > > > > > To the Gambian people we say: we are sons, daughters and friends of The > > Gambia and are just playing our part in helping establish good > > governance and the rule of law. As democracy is a prerequisite for > > development, we have to nurture and put its institutions in place in > > order to bring about better and prosperous living conditions for the > > entire nation. > > > > > > Q. How can STGDP be contacted? > > > > > > You can contact us through our website: www.sunugambia.com or by email > > at [log in to unmask] > > > > > > > > ô¿ô > > ~ > > > > -- > > Au Revoir > > ____________ __o > > -/ _/ _________ -\<,_ > > _/ / _/_/_/ (_)/(_) > > _/_/ eor _/ g_/e _/_/ > > [log in to unmask] > > http://www.gambiapost.net > > > > > > > > « L'un des fondements de la morale tient dans l'emploi judicieux des > > mots adéquats, au bon moment et au bon endroit. » > > > > > > > > « "Sahn joong moe low ful how jee yah ching wong" - "When the mountain > > has no tigers, the monkey will also declare himself king." Chinese > > Proverb » > > > > > > > > « A bird is in the air but its mind is on the ground (Mandinka)- > > Wherever you are it is important to remember where you come from > > and what is important. » > > > -- > Copyright © 2004 GambiaTALK® is a registered trademark of The GAMBIA POST > T NETWORK. 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