|
Hi folks, Mathew wish to
respond to some comments regarding his interview.
below is his reaction: S,
please post for me. thanks.]
I thank our Suntou for
forwarding your thoughts to Ellen.
[It is unfortunate that of
all the issues raised in my interview with Pa Nderry, someone would chose
to hightlight the one issue that is most divisive and
contentious.]
Indeed Uncle. It is equally
unfortunate you must admit, that of all of Yahya's criminality you chose
to highlight his intractable tribalism. The other points you raised
in the interview
are scarcely contentious.
You will admit perhaps that your readers are in agreement with all the
other issues and that there could therefore be no contention where there
is agreement
in the main. So naturally,
the only points of contention would be highlighted in
review.
[Surprisingly too, it was
found convenient to dismiss my acknowledgement that Jammeh has victimized
more Jolas that probably any other tribe, and that Gambian Jolas hate
him
just as much as anyone
else.] Mathew.
I did not dismiss this point
of yours. What I share with you is that Yahya's victimization of
other, Jola or no Jola, is criminal. Not tribalist. Would you agree?
Whether Gambian Jolas hate
Yahya more or just as much
as anyone else certifies the proposition that Yahya may not be tribalist.
An insiduous criminal maybe, but not
tribalist.
[No one is more sensitive to
the issues of tribe and its potency than I, but I am one who refuse to let
political correctness get in the way objective analysis, even if it hurts
a few.] Mathew.
Out of courtesy I will grant
that your sensitivity to tribalism and its potency is superlative.
However, I encourage you to pause and look again at your objective
analysis to see if you
can discern the perspective
of your "detractors". It should comfort you that none of these
"detractors" is known to hang a lantern on political correctness; Bailo,
Pa Musa, Haruna. It would therefore be unreasonable for us to requisition
political correctness of other. Hell I couldn't save my life if it
depended on political correctness.
[It is true Gambia's
problems are not problems of tribe, but no one will deny that it is the
power and sympathy of tribe that is primarily driving Jammeh's agenda now,
even if the larger percentage of jammeh enforces are Jolas from Casamance.
] Mathew.
Part of Gambia's problems
issue from tribal considerations as it is the case in all multi-ethnic
nations. The difference is whether Gambia recognises that and is trained
toward ameliorating its
negative impacts on National
life. Perhaps we cannot see that because one person Yahya Jammeh seems to
control National life so. I agree with you that tribal considerations are
the achilles'
heel of Yahya's criminality.
The larger percentage of those Jammeh enforcers who are Jola are
accomplices in Yahya's crimes. I could not discern Yahya or the
accomplices being tribalist by
that criminal enterprise.
This is not to say that neither Yahya nor those accomplices are not
tribalist. They could very well be. BUT NOT by virtue of their
criminality. I think Mathew if you are
supremely sensitive to
tribalism and its attendant malaise, you will agree with me that what you
have shared in your interview and in this defense does not a tribalist
make of Yahya.
[I don't want to nor would I
stoop to Jammeh's level, but I refuse to disregard the fact the 50% of all
the ministerial positions are held by Jolas;]
Mathew.
I commend you Uncle for
rising above the gratuitous criminality of Yahya. The fact that 50% of all
ministerial positions in Gambia are held by Jolas does not a
tribalist make of Yahya. Besides
those Jola ministers may be
as qualified as any other citizen. And if their citizenship is
questionable, then obviously it is criminal of Yahya to appoint them
ministers in Gambia. But we have not established that the Jola ministers
are not Gambian citizens yet have we?
[or that for the past ten
years only one Fula has ever been appointed minister; Fatoumata Tambajang,
and her term was brief.] Mathew.
The fact that only one Fula
has ever been appointed minister by Yahya, and to a brief term, is
ill-advised, even unconscionable. But that still does not make Yahya a
tribalist. That is a matter
of sagacity and proprietary
discretion.
[But it does not end there.
For the past eight years there has only been one Mandinka minister as
far as I know.] Mathew.
Like the Fula situation
above, the Mandinka situation is perhaps ill-advised, even unconscionable,
but does not a tribalist make of Yahya.
[Additionally, no one will
deny that almost everyone in the highest eclehons of bureaucratic
power is either from the Fonis, Kombos or the Greater Banjul/Serekunda
area. The military, NIA, States Guard and Police are all headed by Jolas,
and in governmental institutions where a Jola is not the head, a Jola
would occupy one of the most positions in that agency. I guess it is too
early to forget the case of the recently disgraced and now indited Lamin
Sabi Sanyang, who was more powerful than Dodou Bammy Jagne or every other
ambassador he served under. Given the ratio of Jolas to Fulas or
mandinkas, what are the chances that they would hold a disproportionate
number of higer civil service positions?] Mathew.
All these instances you
shared above Uncle point more to potential malfeasance and criminality
than to the tribalism of Yahya. The questions we ought to be
focusing on are Yahya's criminal conduct and the
prospective prosecution of that criminality. You will agree with me
that if you let a fox guard a hen-house, the chances of decimating your
koop are extremely high.
[Also, what are the
chances of Jolas to Fulas or Mandinkas or provincial residents to those of
the Kombos and Greater Banjul/Serekunda.] Mathew.
Possibly very
high.
[I hope no one will
insinuate that I am anti Jola, because that would be the hight of
falacy. Just ask everyone in Nema Jola Kunda.]
Mathew.
Uncle, I do not believe you
are anti-Jola. However, I understand how another may perceive that,
especially a Jola. And it is not a matter of fallacy or fact. It will have
been a matter of unfortunate perception. We do not have to ask anyone,
certainly not the folk of Nema Jola Kunda to verify your sentiments toward
Jolas. They are no more Gambian than ourselves and besides, their acumen
in discernments may not be superior to ours.
[In the interview, I put
forward ideas and challenges we all face as gambians, and at the very
least, I would have hoped that what merited real discussion is the
way forward in the effort to rid us of Yahya Jammeh. I expect
reasonableness and objectivity from all of us. calling me dillusional will
not solve our problem, moreover I am not the problem; Jammeh is.]
Mathew.
The recognition
that you are not the problem, and that Yahya may be a bigger part of
Gambia's problem is why we have been and continue to be trained on a way
forward and efforts to rid us of Yahya. It is in fact why we shared our
perceptions of you and your interview with Nderry. We are not just
beginning to discuss a way forward or effort to rid ourselves of Yahya
after your interview. Our very lives are consumed with that conversation.
I am pleased you expect reasonableness and objectivity because that is
exactly what Bailo and I were soliciting from you and our fellow citizens.
In your interview, you shared with us what the NMRDG plans to do
within the conversation of a way forward and ridding us of Yahya Jammeh.
You shared the contours of the reasons why you began the organisation in
the first place, and may I congratulate you on the founding of NMRDG for I
think it is a laudable idea, but save for the
allegation that Yahya is a tribalist, nothing about what
you shared seemed contentious or new to me. Haruna.
From: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> |