Sister Jabou wrote: "...Jammeh would have found other means of making good on his threats against these men. He made the promise himself for all Gambians to hear and record. He stood before Gambians and dared to say that some people will not witness the 2006 elections". Well Sis, my point of departure is simply that the threats themselves were the effects of President Jammeh's knowledge of the purported forgeries. So again, whatever means he finds to make good on his threats will have been indirectly produced by the decision by the Senegalese authorities to make him privy to the contents of documents of dubious origin and authenticity. Consequently, even now, when NADD should have been strategising for the campaign, consolidating it positions in different constituencies, selecting its flag bearer, the little resources they have in terms of money and time, are going to be channeled into securing the unconditional release of its leaders. Yes, it is unfortunate that we should call Senegal a foreign country, despite our ethnic affinity with its people. But I have no doubt that the regimes in both countries will be pursuing their national interests, or rather the interests of the power elite, even if that should be detrimental to the wishes and hopes of large sections of their populations. Senegal, has shown time and again that it has little regard for the security of ordinary Gambians: The second most violent student demonstration in Gambian history was prompted by the severe beating of Gambian villagers by armed Senegalese soldiers in the early seventies. The soldiers crossed the border and attacked villagers in the North bank. Days after the tragic killing of Eku Mahoney in October 1980 at the police depot, Senegalese air force personnel landed at Yundum international airport and forced its closure. (And you know, I was a trainee communications officer at the airport, and I was on duty, and a certain colonel Ngom, a graduate from the university of Dakar, said to the air traffic controller and myself that he could not explain the reasons behind the order; that he was simply following them). Others had embarked and occupied MacCarthy Square in Banjul. It was nothing short of an invasion. President Jawara went on the air and lied that their presence was on account of a joint military exercise! Then came the Kukoi rebellion, and perhaps more than a thousand Gambians were killed by Senegalese soldiers; and then the Confederation and its lopsided arrangements in favour of Senegal.. Senegal will pursue its strategic objectives irrespective of who is Gambian president. So while Jammeh-bashing is in vogue, it is perhaps all the more necessary to cast a glance across the the border once in a while. Many thanks, Momodou いいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいい 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] いいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいい