* It was in the month of August, and the beauteous bloom of green vegetation everywhere was a pleasant sight. The green foliage of the trees and the tall green grasses were strewn everywhere. Ripe juicy mangoes dangled enticingly from tree branches. Goats and sheep, their bellies full and rounded, grazed peacefully under the sultry and windy afternoon. The croaking of frogs from a nearby pond pierced the quiet and relative calm of the day. The brown cement block building was hidden behind a cluster of palm trees, in a secluded and wooded area in the sparsely populated part of Manjai Kunda. Inside the building fifteen people gathered to have a meeting. The meeting was very discreet, and the participants arrived at the venue separately. Most of them came by taxi. The few who had their own cars carpooled with others in the group that they knew. Most other members of the group were meeting each other for the first time. The atmosphere in the meeting room was relaxed, and everyone was getting to know each other. This was the first time since the early seventies, that a group of intellectuals had gathered to discuss about the fate, and the future of their country. This group appeared different from all previous groups, like the Kent Street Vous, the Black Panthers Movement and the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Foundation, in that the participants were guided by a strong sense of purpose. The previous groups had reached the apogee of their radicalism during the nationwide demonstrations, when President Senghore was the guest of honor of the Gambia's Independence celebration. He had made unpalatable public comments about the country.There was an urban youthful outrage, and the city of Banjul was enveloped in chaos and wanton public destruction. Militant youths, emboldened, carried out running battles in the streets of Banjul with paramilitary forces from the depot in Bakau. The city was placed in a state of emergency. After this incident, youthful militancy and unbridled radicalism lost its edge, as the leaders of the revolutionary groups became the new elites. They managed the commercial and public cooperation infrastructures of the government. They became more and more alienated from the harsh social realities and indulged fully in the parasitic bureaucracy. “We are all gathered here today because we share the same vision and the same ideals for our country,” Sambujang said. Sambujang was a high school science teacher and the moderator of the meeting. When he came back from his studies in the United Kingdom, Sambujang was deeply involved with social issues particularly those pertaining to youths and students. He became a high school science teacher, and showed keen interest in his students not only in the classroom but also in their homes. He visited them regularly and became familiar with their living conditions. He arranged free tutoring for students from less endowed family backgrounds, and he also coordinated student activities geared towards maintaining a high moral standard. He participated in social and community awareness programs. He organized student plays to highlight the contemporary social issues that were malignant to the health of the society. “This is a very historical meeting,” Sambujang continued. “None of us has ever been engaged in politics before. We have never held political office any where in the country, and we have not belonged to any political party. We are gathered here today because of a historical necessity and our duty to respond to the needs and aspirations of the Gambian people.” “That is well stated, Sambujang,” Malanding echoed. “This is a time that calls for sober reflection. This is a time that calls for a serious commitment to the goal of promoting a free, prosperous, and a dignified Gambian citizenry.” Malanding was a political science lecturer at the Gambia college. He held a doctorate degree in political science from a university in Russia. He was lanky and had a propensity to be too gregarious. “What we want to engage ourselves in requires a lot of sacrifice,” Mamburay asserted. “We have to be guided by a strong sense of discipline and purpose." Mamburay was a linguist and a seasoned educator who worked at the Education department. He was involved with developing the schools curriculum for the department, and was well respected as a leading voice in encouraging the introduction of the local languages in schools. He had recently resigned from his position in the government, and had committed himself to work vigorously with others in the group. Rene , 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]