Haruna, sister Fatou is spot on many issues. I commend her for the editorial. Suntou On Wed, Mar 24, 2010 at 2:54 AM, Haruna Darbo <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > But for the "forcing the opposition to form an alliance" part, I am in > total agreement with Fatou's sentiments and anxieties. Haruna. > > Is Yaya Jammeh Our Perfect President? > by Fatou Jaw Manneh > > > > > > > > > Methinks so. > Well the saying goes that a leader is a reflection of its people and that > cannot be more accurate than in the Gambia. > Yaya Jammeh is the chosen leader of the Gambian people and it’s high time > that Gambians in the Diaspora get to > grips with that. Don’t mind the disappearances, the arrests and the dead. > Actually the more people disappear, the > more ‘patriotic’ Gambians become. > For the frightening reports from back home, well ,what are we going to do > about it.? If Gambians on the ground are > not ready to take matters into their own hands, who are we to question the > status Quo? > > The same Gambians giving us these scary reports back home are the same > people, who will do whatever it takes to > get jobs from Jammeh. Whether it be giving in a neighbor or an uncle, if > it will throw a few crumbs on their way, go for it > please. Does the name Sheik ring a bell? > > Gambian journalists should be commended for saying it as it is. The whole > world truly knows who “the rotten ones are". > Looking back, no wonder, the slave trade flourished in the Gambia, not only > because we had a port for it, but because > we don’t wiggle ourselves out of terrible situations. We wait for others to > come help us. Bakary will sell Lamin to a slave > trader John Williams, hoping the trade will cede before they get to him. Am > sure they used to pride themselves in > throwing their uncles into the net than saving them. In this APRC era, it > is called Patriotism, am not sure about the > terms in those days. (Lamin Dee Toubabala, Allahlay Nyingfo), Give lamin to > the white man; it is God’s will. It is no > different now so we better come to terms with it. > > In 2007, when I got arrested from the airport in Banjul and detained at the > NIA headquarters for 6 days, little did I know > the epiphany that awaits me. I was so upset that fear was completely out of > the equation. I thought well, if there is going > to be any showdown, here it comes. Before the pickup truck turned into the > NIA gates, I PRAYED TO God to give my > Mum and my two sons all the strength necessary to carry on should incase > anything happens to me. And I vowed that, > if this is my final day on earth, so be it but am not going to shed a tear > in this NIA compound. > The heat, mosquitoes, dirty bathrooms and endless interrogations began. > Each of their questions was answered direct > and to the point and to the best of my knowledge. Then the circus court > case started and it took one year and six > months. > > Well, if you think, Yaya Jammeh is gross and cruel, come meet some of his > subjects, among the Gambian masses. Don’ > t get me wrong here, a lot of Gambians I believe harbor the same disdain > about Gambia’s problems but the bottom- > line is, WHO IS GOING TO BELL THE CAT? I appreciated all the “you are a > hero”, “God brought you here for a > reason”, and the ninety names of Allah verses brought to me on a continuous > basis but I would have preferred if we all > carry a hammer and sword with Allah’s ninety names when Chief Manneh was > abducted, when the witch hunters came > for our grandparents and uncles, when Deyda Hydara was shot dead and when > the GPU 8 got arrested.I hate violence > but do we have to sit still whilst our loved ones are individually picked, > smeared, jailed or dissappear and never to > come back? > > I cannot thank more, ordinary Gambians whom I’ve never met come to give > some encouragement with all the prayers. > But you don’t fight a dictatorship, behind corridors with God’s name tucked > under your shirt. > IF you believe that there is no god but God,and that there is no ultimate > power but God's, you don’t go beg the king > for your brother’s disappearance, or pleading to the witch hunters for > mercy? No one individual has power more or > over the other. The ultimate power is with God and we can do a whole lot > of good for our neighbors and friends if we > as Gambians believe in God and help ourselves. Believing in God is not just > going to the mosque, memorizing the > ninety nine names of Allah and trekking to Touba. It is about having faith > and fearing no other human being that is out > there to harm you. Down with the hypocrites calling themselves Muslims. > Down with the haters, the cruel and the > unpredictable, the greedy and the selfish!! > > In as much as disgusting Jammeh’s policies are, how about the judges and > lawyers who ignore the law in favor of > Jammeh. How about the Gambian people who instead of getting up to defend > their brothers and neighbors, resort to > reporting them, or forming a delegation to either thank Jammeh, for a > stupid mistake or beg him for mercy. Over and > over and over again. We create the monster in Jammeh, clapping for him > anytime he fires, detains and jail our fellow > Gambians.Creating an excuse for him anytime he pounced on someone.When > shall it end? > > I was living in America, bombarding Jammeh for all the atrocities and > thinking Gambians are just mere victims not > knowing that that Gambians themselves are their own enemies. The APRC > establishment champions and celebrates > cruelty.It is a cartel of mischievous and cruel Gambians that will stop at > nothing in extending harm to their fellow men. It > has layers of powers and clubs and individuals all with power in their > hands and unleashing it as they see fit on their > fellow Gambians. No wonder if they are dumped out of the cartel, they fear > for their lives because then their safety is > not guaranteed from any individual within the APRC, who can harm one, for > your car, your house, your wife or if you > dare share a girlfriend or a SHE eying on ones husband. So it is left to > Gambians to stand up against brutality, > injustice, disrespect and humiliation. > > There is an unending tale as to who did what to whom and why, each reason, > bogus and trivial beyond comprehension. > The terror starts from the top and trickles down to the cleaner at the NIA. > It is common knowledge for Directors to have > or know people at the NIA that have to be constantly watching their back, > in case some Patheh within the unknown > APRC hierarchy decides to smear them. > > Watching Gambians go about their funny and mischievous ways have baffled me > throughout my stay, not to mention > the labeling and name calling that was attributed to me, so they can excuse > themselves, in their heads of my > predicament. I was angry at my own ignorance of my country folks and the > way we coordinate our affairs. > Gambians have abused the word patriotism, again and again just so they > are spared Jammeh’s rod and can use it as > an excuse too, to blindly follow him. > > When I refuse to run and all their tricks fail for me to drop the case by > asking to beg or offering to row me out of > Banjul, they clearly declared war on me, just so they can break me down and > get rid of my court problem. Some family > members and some friends whom I’ve revered as my heroes, all turned against > me. They began to spread news that I > am mad, I’ve lost it and they will shamelessly come to verify whether am > indeed coocoo. > All well taken but if our grandfathers, grandmothers and neighbors are > snatched and forced to drink concoctions that > can be fatal, and Gambians openly thank Jammeh for cleaning the communities > of witches. Don’t you think something > is wrong with us too and not just Jammeh? > > What am trying to say is that Gambians, will give all their sons and > daughters and neighbors to the lion, rather than > collectively find a way to get rid of it. Just in the name of being scared. > They want to have it both ways. Give some fake > support to Jammeh to the fullest because he will not tolerate anything > less, whilst they cry to us for help. Not realizing > that the Diaspora Gambians have no standing army and are also as fragmented > and not a collective force to be able > to effect any change on the ground.We can only compliment their efforts. > > Whilst some of my colleagues argue that there is no strong opposition on > the ground, i beg to differ. Gambians have to > rise up, trash the opposition if necessary, or force them to form and > alliance. The power of the people lies not in the > hands of Jammeh or the opposition leaders but with ordinary gambians. I > just read a strong commentary from a cool > brother on the power of the people and what ordinary people when united can > achieve but alas.Without action,the only > revolution that is going to be celebrated might just be the so called July > 22nd revolution. > > Gambians had a chance for a revolution when NADD was formed, when our > grandmothers and fathers were > individually collected and forced to drink the somewhat fatal “kubeyJarra”. > When our own sons and daughters got shot. > when Deyda Hydara got shot, When chief Ebrima Manneh disappeared.When > Kanyiba Kanyi disappeared. These > incidents were all a call for a revolution. Gambians in the diaspora > cannot abandon what they do to go back home for > a reveolution.We can only compliment and help. But our fellow gambians at > home would rather be humiliated , fired > ten times over and then hired back than do anything to the contrary to > gain their liberty. > > So the debacle is here to stay unless we get up and sacrifice, protect our > dignity,and demand our liberty. Freedom is > never dished out. It is earned. > > Fatou Jaw Manneh > [log in to unmask] > > > "We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which > we really stop to look fear in the face... > we must do that which we think we cannot". > > —Eleanor Roosevelt > > ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ > 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] > ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ > ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ 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] ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤