"*Stay tuned as Gainako brings you a comprehensive Interview with Halifa Sallah on a broad range of issues like; State of Affairs in the Gambia, Obama's & African" GON* ** *Hi Uncle Suntou,* ** ** ** *After a long day, I am just getting to check on the L. FYI, for the part quoted above we are still working on getting it done which i believe we owe to all our readers. As soon as we progress on it, we will make it available. Suggestions and dessenting views are welcome always. * ** *thanks for the forward.* ** *yj* ** On Thu, Jul 16, 2009 at 10:29 AM, SUNTOU TOURAY <[log in to unmask]>wrote: > This interview by Halifa is brief but???? > > Read closely folks > www.gainako.com > > "I was only here to Launch a Book" Says Hon. Halifa Sallah > > > [image: Halifa Sallah.jpg] > Halifa Sallah > > NADD鈥檚 former presidential candidate and author of 鈥淭reatise on Founding a Federation > of African Republics: The Road to African Unity, Democracy and Development > 鈥揟he Third Phase of Pan-Africanism鈥�sociologist sharply reacted to > Gainako鈥檚 story which in the eyes of many gave the impression that the > renowned sociologist, Mr. Sallah was in Atlant(USA) to negotiate with > other opposition members. > > Speaking with Gainako on the phone, Hon. Sallah emphasized that he was only > here to launch a book. 鈥淚 was only here to launch a book.鈥�Said Hon. Sallah > during a short discussion with this paper. > > According to Hon. Sallah, he was present at the STGDP meeting only as an invited > observer. > > Below is a brief conversation with Halifa to clarify matters further. > > > > > > *Mr. Sallah:* I was invited by AGERA to launch a book which has been done > successfully. > > > > > > *GON:* Mr Sallah, we have earlier on received information and published > that STGDP had arranged for a conference of various interest groups and > individuals in the Diaspora could you shed light on this and in what > capacity were you invited? > > > > > > *Mr.. Sallah:* I guess you know that while I was on my trip the bail of my > colleague Sam Sarr and five other journalists have been revoked. What I > expect from STGDP or any other organisation in the US at this stage is to > give solidarity to those who are struggling for freedom of expression to be > protected in the Gambia without which there can be no freedom to make > informed choices.I am not aware of any preliminary talks among oppostion > parties nor was I invited to participate in any such talks. > > > > > > *GON: STGDP* organised a symposium and Mr Kemeseng Jammeh and Mr Ebou > Manneh were present, was this not related to preliminary talks on unity? > > > > *Mr. Sallah:* I am not sure why the two of them are in the US. I came to > launch a book and I became an observer in a number of their programmes > including a symposium on how unity of the opposition could be effected. > > I could see that the opinions are divided and they could not reach a > consensus. This is because of the fact that they are putting the cart before > the horse. One has to know what the Gambia needs at the moment. The Gambian > people are tired of all types of omnipotent political leadership that > aspires to be in office for life. If we want to inspire the people all > political leaders in the country who want change should become active in > safeguarding the fundamental rights of the people and in expanding the > democratic space. This is the way to remove fear and make the holding of a > free and fair election possible. > > Secondly all must be committed to having a political leadership after > President Jammeh that will be in office only for five years to put in place > a democratic constitution, institutions and culture which will put an end to > the political culture of self perpetuating rule and an omnipotent executive > without any checks from institutions or civil society. > > I have told them that even though I am a potential Presidential candidate I > will be willing to give my support to any credible person , even an > independent candidate from civil society who is willing to serve only for > five years to give the Gambia a democrtic take off by the end of his or her > mandate. I also emphasized that it will be a waste of time to sit with any > political personality who is not committed to a transitional arrangement.. > > Currently I am holding weekly meetings in the Gambia to inspire even > supporters of the APRC to accept the transitional arrangemet as the basis of > giving Gambia a new start. If all parties and support groups like STGDP do > the same change is inevitable in 2011. However if the focus on sitting on > tables to discuss about who should be the next president instead of how to > go to the field to defend the rights of our citizens and remove fear we will > just be wasting time again like we did before the 2006 elections.I hope the > new information will help you to rectify the notion given in your earlier > reports > > Gainako also wishes to clarify that both Kemeseng Jammeh and Ebou Manneh of > the UDP were in the United States for different missions and that their trip > only coincides with the STGDP conference which was planned several months > ago. They therefore took that opportunity to attend the conference as > listeners and not as any official representatives to this conference. > > *Stay tuned as Gainako brings you a comprehensive Interview with Halifa > Sallah on a broad range of issues like; State of Affairs in the Gambia, > Obama's & African* > > > 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://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html > > To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: > http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.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 > -- yj There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger. To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask]