GOT LOST DUE TO MY ILLNESS—KOUKOIE SAMBA SANYANG WRITES

I FEEL VERY PROUD AND HIGHLY HONORED

KOUKOIE SAMBA SANYANG

Oh for Heaven’s sake!

I feel very proud and honored that Gambians still remember me, think of me, love me, criticize me and hate me. It is a normal thing and very healthy for the Gambian society because great societies survived or perished because of the struggle. If the fear of criticism, the lack of a fruitful free thrashing  out of ideas and sincere dialogue Gambians will never have great thinkers, great teachers and daring selfless leaders. I think that with our political differences there is no cause for concern or fear. But if anyone thinks he/she is above other people he/she may really be standing all alone, a self deceiver, a day dreamer of an unearned glory.

I wish Gambians acknowledge and see the fact that even a broken clock has always the right (correct) time twice a day. Let us understand it this way that at the time when the clock got broken and its hands stopped at 1.00 pm, then we have a reality that at every 1.00 pm or 1.00 am the broken clock has the right (correct) time and no one can deny that.

One thing we have to know is that people hate each other along the line in their struggle for a better life to an extent that their interests collide. One fact is that the life of man is full of contradictions, and it is theses contradictions that give either a positive or negative results.

In a revolutionary struggle varied great views gives great debates giving birth to great democratic revolutionary societies. Based on this reality and truth, no one should tell me Koukoie who I am and deny my identity and the reality of my political struggle for freedom and justice.

I am less than what people say about me but more than what they think of me. Don’t judge me if you don’t know me. I strongly believe that if your friends don’t tell you the truth hire your enemies to tell you the truth.

When I speak and act with responsibility, it is not only to play politics or engage on adventurism to make a name as my Gambian opponents think and label me. I am not interested in fame or becoming an icon for anyone. I am doing my duty and responsibility and I need no seal of approval from anyone to wage the struggle for freedom and justice. In my revolutionary life fighting for freedom, democracy and justice, I have dreamt of seeing the great revolutionary ideals of freedom and justice materialize in my dear country the Gambia and Africa in general and to witness the unification of Africa but now I wonder if this will even happen to exist for my children and grandchildren to see.

In our this moment of hard and bitter struggle for freedom and justice I wonder why self made enemies of Koukoie Samba Sanyang say with arrogance and ignorance that they have what rights I do not know to punish me, and that they shall sell me to I do not know to what justice system if I do not repent for my greatest sin; "Yes, my sin-- my greater sin... and even my greatest sin is that I organized and let a peoples revolution exposing and overthrowing settler PPP neocolonialism in the Gambia and threatening the very existence in neighboring countries of settler neocolonial regimes and we bravely discarded the system of political and economic exploitation by the world's greatest empires. This at the cost to myself, my comrade’s lives, our families; and at the risk of losing our lives, our honor and our properties. With God's blessing and the iron will of the Gambian people, we fought this savage and dreadful system of international espionage, state-sponsored terrorism and neocolonialism.

We were well aware that our fate must serve as an example in the future throughout the African continent but especially within the West African [ECOWAS] sub-region in breaking the chains of slavery and servitude to imperialist and neocolonial interests." Fellow Gambian brothers and sisters I ask myself this question if you were raised by your fathers and mothers for your enslavement, for the neocolonial market?

I wonder if you do not suffer from neocolonial brutality and murder. Where you raised to be driven off in neocolonial chains?

Shame on you!

You say I am a terrorist because I stood up right to brave neocolonialism. I wonder if you have got the chance to learn that I have a better right to be free, independent and for respect of my rights as a human?

I wish to point out to you that it would have been a greater sin for me if I have remained inactive, a big coward and remained enslaved like you, allowing neocolonialism to rob me of my birth right and enslave me. Have you got to learn that human rights are a mutual and reciprocal, and if you take away my liberty and life what a greater it will be?

Before Allah (God) and high heaven is there a law for one man which is not a law for every other man?

If you or any other speculator on my body and rights wish to know how I regard my rights, they need but come to me and lay their hands on me to enslave or imprison me rather than writing foolish uneducative articles on free online newspapers that aims to divide the Gambian people. Once again I will renew my call for anyone who thinks I am a criminal to take me to court.

Can’t you understand that this very useful mouthpiece and voice of the voiceless is for educating Gambians rather than childish talk and show boys cases?

In the same breath and almost in the same sentence, you say, and speak on my behalf that I know I am a criminal. Fellow Gambian brothers and sisters self made enemies of Koukoie Samba Sanyang did your fathers and mothers not transfer to you the duty of patriotism, bravery and nationalism?

If you are brave freedom fighters and human rights defenders stop believing that great America and Europe will liberate the Gambia for you and force democracy and justice on the Gambian people. Why not stand up with bravery like our Arab brothers and sisters who dare sacrifice their lives and win the war of liberation and are proudly building democracy, the rule of law, administrative justice to finally reconstruct their beloved countries.

To remind Gambians again and reposition them in their revolutionary struggle for freedom and justice I wish to proudly tell them that "in leading the 31st July 1981 peoples revolution I was aware and with a firm conviction that I don't see why we need to stand by and watch our dear Gambia and all African countries go neocolonialist because of the irresponsibility of their own political and military leaders not the people." Our struggle was not madness, it was not for the destruction of life and property or for power, position, wealth, and greed or to position one tribe above others but for the total liberation of our oppressed and exploited Gambian people, and for the construction of genuine participatory democracy, a just social system and the economic wellbeing of our hard working masses.

Nevertheless, I was of the opinion that with all these counterrevolutionary critics and actions of the neocolonialists and sell-out intellectuals they will not and could not halt or deter the peoples' iron will to be totally free, never to frustrate their determination and courage to strive for a better life.

Much of the information contained in this glorious period of the 31^st July 1981 peoples revolution is within the well-lighted zone of proved fact known to all Senegambians and Africans in general especially the cause of its failure due to the inhuman barbaric military aggression of the Senegalese invaders. Why do my detractors and enemies embark upon a construction of a shifting mountain of lies and deception to mislead the Gambians without realizing that they are quickly passing from fact into a twilight zone of inference in which they say, not this is true, but only probably this is true, and that thence they pass into a region of darkness lit here and there by a guess, by speculation and lies.

Speculation is a legitimate thought process just as long as the enemies fully realize that they are only speculating. But when my enemies speculate, and at the same time persuades themselves (and also, alas their listeners) that they are drawing sound inferences, and then knowledge does not progress this is self-destruction. Gambians need knowledge that will make great progress.

One must always realize that sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there. They serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson or help figure out who you are or who you want to become.

You never know who these people may be; your childhood partner, your roommate, your neighbor, professor, long lost friend, your former partner, your office boss or subordinate, lover, enemy or even a complete stranger who, when you lock eyes with them, you know that very moment that they will affect your life in some profound way positive or negative.

And sometimes things happen to you and at the time they seem horrible, painful and unfair, but in reflection you realize that without overcoming those obstacles you would never have realized your potential, your strength, and your will power of heart.

Everything happens for a reason.

Nothing happens by chance or by means of good or bad luck.

I am not a bandit, I am not a terrorist, I am not a blood sucker, I  am not a destructive element of Gambian society but a determined patriotic revolutionary freedom fighter, an ardent defender of human rights and social justice who has something great, meaningful and useful to offer and share with the Gambian people. I do not want to make history but to rightly and justly reveal myself to the Gambian people to discover what valuable gift I have for them. I have love for them. Love is the only thing that can be divided without being diminished.

I can hear the sad cries of oppressed Gambians with pain like that of Brother Sulayman Kebbeh and many others and I hear them, understand them and respect their opinions. I hear also the voices of those hypocrites who hate me and judge me wrongly without knowing the truth about me out of mere sentimentalism, hate and hypocrisy.

I can assure you that Allah will answer to your calls. My dear beloved brothers and sisters and comrades in arms it is necessary to free man/women from the curse of power, from the cannibalism of exploitation, in order to release in him/her those creative forces which can continually give his/her life new meaning.

Power degrades man/woman into a dead part of a machine set in motion by a superior will. Culture makes him/her the master and builder of his/her own destiny and deepens in him/her that feeling of communion from which everything great is born.

Man/woman's liberation from the organized force of the oppressive criminal neocolonialism and the narrow bondage of the nation is always the beginning of a new humanity, which feels its wings grow in freedom and finds its strength in the community.

I am not of those who seek for flimsy excuses but I wish to be a prime ironmaster in restructuring the Gambian and African society in line with democratic Panafricanist principles and the rule of law, in the relocation of a new Gambia and not a prime criminal master butcher.

I strongly believe that Allah will make a way a straight path for Gambians where there seems to be no way where the Gambian people are at a total lost.

Allah works in ways we cannot see. Let us submit totally our will to Him.

Allah will make a straight and wide way for Gambians.

Allah will be their guide for sure.

In our struggle for freedom and justice we should not accept to be destroyed by our own honor. We should carefully listen to the inner-power within us that wishes to guide our footpaths to a glorious destiny because pride, arrogance and love for domination should not be injurious to the truth.

Brave Gambian men/women of truth and love let us forget all fears and suspicions which may permanently reside in us and enslave us through greed and need in satisfying our low evil desires. Always remember that jealousy is for the weak, but love and solidarity is for the strongest man/women. Any society that lacks genuine solidarity and mutual aid is doomed to failure.

Oh Gambian politicians do not make a request to Allah or dream and ask the people to sacrifice themselves for you to gain success, wealth, a long life or even power for the destruction of your enemies. Instead, what you should want from Allah and fellow citizens is a "listening heart so that you may govern God’s people, and discern between good and evil."

A politician should be driven by willingness to serve and striving for freedom and justice.

Before concluding I wish to give a strong advises to all Gambians.

If you cannot climb a tree that your father and grandfather has the habit or tradition of climbing to plug leaves for preparing a delicious soup, go near the foot of the tree so that people passing by might think and believe that either you just have descended from the tree or about to climb the tree.

According to the philosophy of history, first a certain idea is born; then it grows, develops, and matures. Then from within it an opposite idea takes root that slowly develops and matures and overwhelms the previous one which ultimately dies.

This struggle is between ideas as well as between systems. A period may be dominated by a certain system (say Capitalism or neocolonialism) a vivid example is the false imposed Senegambian confederation but earlier some time from within it emerges another system (revolution for freedom, democracy and justice) which is the opposite of the previous one, and takes its place.

Whether this perpetual clash is between ideas or between systems, it is a thing between both. According to this philosophy an idea or a system is neither good nor bad itself; nor is one idea or system objectively superior to another. Also, according to this philosophy, an idea or a system does not have the ability to stay forever nor does it have the ability to dominate its opposite for long: contradictory ideas or systems contains within itself the elements within own destruction.

The fact is that it is a cyclic process by which cultures come and goes, irrespective of its merits or ills. A culture cannot remain alive forever nor can another remain dead forever.

It is true that a clash occurs between contradicting ideas, it is not true that all ideas are equal in this clash. Certain ideas have the inherent ability to dominate and prosper as opposed to others. This is the Truth and the latter Falsehood.

In any struggle between Truth and Falsehood it is a continuous process until Truth overwhelms Falsehood which eventually is defeated. We have to make it such that there is constant clash between them. The (constant force of) Truth continues to overcome the (negative and destructive force of) Falsehood until such time that the latter has been clashed and withers away.) This is so because Falsehood has the elements of its destruction within its very foundation and nature.

No doubt one day Truth will manifest itself and that Falsehood will vanish; for Falsehood by its very nature must perish. Therefore, a nation which professes a culture based on Truth will dominate a nation whose culture is based on Falsehood, and the former will continue to do so as long as its culture remains and based on Truth. It would never be the case that a nation based on Falsehood under settler neocolonialist rule (i.e., a nation of oppressors and criminal exploiters) could ever dominate a nation based on Truth (i.e., a nation of true freedom fighters and lovers of justice will always prevail).

Now is the rightful opportune time for a meaningful qualitative and secure marriage of reasoning not of convenience among Gambians and it can only be done and obtained by a sincere dialogue for compromise not war amongst us.

Reality leaves a lot to the imagination. No one can change the past, but you can ruin the present worrying over the future.

As I mentioned above Gambians must know that Love is the only thing that can be divided without being diminished. It is true that for every minute you are angry with someone, you lose five (5) minutes of happiness that you can never get back.

I strongly believe that when the power of love overcomes the love of political and military power for pride and wealth the Gambia, West Africa and Africa in general will know peace. We have to realize that we should be formed and molded by our revolutionary African thoughts. It is absolutely true that those whose minds are shaped by selfless thoughts give joy when they speak or act. Joy follows them like a shadow that never leaves it.

I am of the opinion that the more a person is highly motivated by love, the more fearless and free his thoughts and actions will be. In opting for a frank dialogue between Gambians for our redemption we must aim for the awakening of Gambians from the illusions of separateness, hate and meaningless destructive contradictions.

I believe that it is time people should drop the idea of wanting to becoming someone, because we are already masterpieces. One cannot be improved. You have only to come to it, to know it, to realize it. Don’t let your mind stop you from having good time with your fellow beings defeating all egoist and divisive evil plans.

All that we are is the results of what we have thought. Let us try to modernize our thoughts to rightfully guide our revolutionary actions.

To get out of difficulty one usually must go through it. Love is strengthened by working through conflicts together with fellow countrymen/women. I am ever ready to say what is true, although it may be bitter and displeasing to people. It is true that hard words break no bones but they do break hearts.

The world is mind precipitated, and the volatile essence in the Gambia is forever escaping again into the state of free thought. Nature sends no creature, no man into the world without adding a small excess of his proper quality. "The Almighty Allah (God) Himself cannot do without wise brave men He created."

I apologize if I have hurt people’s feelings. I love the Gambia and Gambians. All those who wish to see me dead must for the love of mankind show my head to Gambians once they kill me for history will give them their rightful place.

But I would like to tell my enemies that my destiny is with Allah my creator and not in my hands or theirs neither do I or them have any control over it. They must know that I am covered by Allah’s shield kept within His Divine defense and security network for He (Allah) created me out of nothing that I worship Him, adore Him, glorify Him, praise Him, submitting my will totally to Him and live His way of life under His Divine Authority, Divine Will and Divine Justice.

My enemies can call me crazy, but I don’t want to talk to someone who wants to wrongly manage Gambia’s social, political and economic life, wrongly develop our social and political reality, or wrongly engineer our struggle for freedom and justice or mislead our dear people.

I want to communicate with someone who wants to service the Gambian people’s needs or solve our problems and I think and believe that responsible and dedicated Gambians are an ideal people and can meet the challenges.

We should never be separate with the Gambian people or create confusion amongst them for they are the source of all power but unite with them to build our destiny. We should work very hard and struggle without fear and mercy to put the demonic forces out of action. This revolutionary cleansing operation will bring a granted survival and it will mean the end of war, oppression, exploitation and the scrapping of all neocolonial evil programs.

KOUKOIE SAMBA SANYANG