OK brother Demba. You raise some significant points. Thanx for your thoughts. I'm thinking it'd be a good idea to show our solidarity with the families of Koro, Deyda, Chief Manneh, and Kanyiba kanyi if we hold candle light vigils on the anniversaries of their murders and abductions. what do you think? Will you support such an idea? 

 

Haruna.

-----Original Message-----
From: Demba Baldeh <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Fri, Mar 12, 2010 2:53 am
Subject: Re: M K JALLOW on ALIEU MBOGE AND THE PROFESSOR [Courtesy The Gambia Echo]

Haruna,

 

Am sure you know where I was coming from. If anyone will remain standing and fighting alone it would be me. I don't stand up because others are but rather it is something I believe in my heart and bones. However, we cannot take away the fact that a lot of frustration comes from Banjul. From very smart career civil servants, to opposition leaders and from ordinary Gambians who sometimes make you second guess the very fight we are standing up against. This is the same pattern we have seen recently from our top former security personnel who seems to adapt a reconciliatory message towards the regime in Banjul.

 

Many of our fellow citizens in the Diaspora simply wants to take the easy way out And that is to have the privilege to visit Banjul anytime without running into trouble with the regime. Fewer and fewer are coming out publicly to stand against the injustices in Banjul and that is no different from what Alieu Mboge and others are doing. We saw the same pattern coming from several fronts and it just makes you wonder how long just how long our fight is going to take?

 

Historically though it is not unusual for people who struggle to see justice sometimes question or reflect on why they are fighting in the first place. A clear example would be in the height of the civil rights movement when Dr. King made a speech telling his audience how discouraged he sometimes felt because everything he stood for seems to have been turned against his person. The rise of black militancy against non violence was a difficult time for Dr. King. Malcolm even quote "went so far as to call King's tactics “criminal”: “Concerning nonviolence, it is criminal to teach a man not to defend himself when he is the constant victim of brutal attacks.” http://www.biography.com/articles/Martin-Luther-King-Jr.-9365086?print

 

So while people still question the need for Diaspora Gambians to stand up againt the regime in Banjul, those with little knowledge of history knows the price that is being paid for doing nothing. This was my point and it is a reality that we have to deal with in this fight.

 

Thanks for the rejoinder...

 

Demba

 

 

On Thu, Mar 11, 2010 at 6:40 PM, Haruna Darbo <[log in to unmask]> wroteg

Brother Demba,

 

I am enticed to share your sentiments however this caught my eye. I understand the frustration but I want to advise something:

 

1. We should not assess Yahya based on how another assesses him. Just get the facts (I know they are hard to come by) and use your own instincts to come up with your conclusions.

 

2. Just because nothing came out of Yahya's multitude crimes against our fellow citizens, does not warrant our own disengagement. JDAM shared with us some notes about Nazi Germany and I think you are aware of those. One of the reasons why nothing comes out of Yahya's crimes is exactly the mentality of Its not me and mine. We should inculcate the paradigm of shared and wanton sacrifice in our psychy so that in a few years, we will be talking about prosecuting criminals than hiding from them and giving them free reign. La-Guinea was like that prior to sept 28th 2009.

 

I do understand your frustration. People like ALieu Mboge are part of the permutations of criminality. They must be viewed with the proper perspective. They are themselves too insignificant to guide our decision-making as a people. Our uncle Mathew doesn't mince words you know. He is oft given to undue excitement however.

 

Haruna.

 

In a message dated 3/11/2010 3:24:56 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, [log in to unmask] writes:

As my many close friends insists "why bother if you know the outcome would be to victimize you and your love ones" They insinuate that many have disappeared and and students killed but nothing came out of it. Why do I think it would be different for me? I just keep struggling with this mindset because I do believe like many others that the long term consequences could be disastrous politically and economically for the future of  our country. May be ... just may be am wrong, but I know it shouldn't have to happen to innocent citizens. May be am alone, but I doubt it... And history will be the judge.

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