Yero,
You have referenced names much bigger than mine, so no worries at all about mentioning my name. I wish to clarify though that I have never served
under Jammeh. I was never a minsiter or a salaried official of the Jammeh regime. The National Consultative Committee was created just months after the AFPRC seized power when there was a collective desire to save our country from the fates of Sierra Leone and Liberia. I was invited to be a member while working as an assistant editor at the Observer and I never resigned my post. I was invited by then Justice Minister Fafa Mbye because I had written articles that likened the Gambia to an egg on the rocks that needed to be very carefully handled. I saw my service in the NCC as a service to the Gambian nation, not the AFPRC junta. The NCC was chaired by the late Dr. Lenrie Peters and included members like Bishop Michael Cleary, Bishop Solomon Tilewa Johnson, Gabriel Roberts, Amie Joof-Cole, A. E. Cham Joof, and Deyda Hydara (RIP) among many other prominent persons. If you can imagine what motivated men like Lenrie Peters and Bishop Cleary to agree to serve on the NCC, you will get a sense of why I agreed to be a member of the NCC. At the time of the NCC, the government was repeatedly claiming that "we are not hear to stay" and many gave them the benefit of the doubt. The moment they butchered the NCC recommendations was the moment I started the struggle against Jammeh. I have never looked back and will never look back until Jammeh goes. So in short, I have never served the AFPRC government as an appointed salaried official and it would be a misrepresentation of historical fact to say that I did.
Also, I think the cases of Dr. Sedat Jobe and Dr. Janneh are slightly different. The fact that Dr. Jobe resigned in protest and Dr. Janneh was sacked is significant. As I said in my radio interview with Gainako, Gambians have every right to be critical of Dr. Janneh because he knew what he was getting into before he got into it. He was a severe critic of Jammeh and his government, calling them, among other things, "a bunch of thugs" and saying that people who decided to work for Jammeh needed psychological evaluation.
Personally, I have nothing against Dr. Janneh or Dr. Jobe joining the struggle against the dictatorship they served. But that does not absolve them from taking responsibility for voluntarily working for a government they knew quite well was made up of "a bunch of thugs." I think it is healthy that Gambians on the Post and L debate this issue. At the same time, I do not think it should become an acrimonious and divisve issue. It is okay for us to hold differing opinions on issues of national concern so long as we do not lose sight of the fact that we all share the very same national concern and so are inherently on the same side.
Baba
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[log in to unmask]Subject: RE: [>-<] Interesting times in Gambia....
Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2012 12:26:47 -0600
Dr. Jallow & bro Karim, Thanks for your observations. It is very interesting to see how things are unfolding. I think the conclusion is long gone that Jammeh needs to be picked up, for the interest of the Gambia we all love and cherish. Just a question I have in mind: So we agree then it is quite ok to have key players in our struggle from those that served in both Jammeh's and Jawara Government? Buba Michael Baldeh was PPP's former minister who also served as both editor and one time insider somewhat. Dr. Sedat Jobe also served as foreign minister and later submitted resignation after a certain diplomat was given personal non-grata. A friend of mine here in NY informed me that Dr. Sedat Jobe supported the Government during April 10th and 11th. Our great doctor under rough scrutiny also served as has been exposed. Our own Baba Galleh (excuse me for referencing your name Baba) also helped during the review of the constitution and came up with recommendations that I understand where later butchered to what these misfits wanted to have. LJD served as magistrate at some point and we can give him a plus on the Brikama mosque case (The State Vs. Waa/Karamo Touray et al). Folks, where I am getting at here, and I am not trying to justify anything, but there is a pressing need to wholly unite around a common purpose to defeat the enemy and his forces. What it perhaps boils down to is that we need to be tactical in winning against the evil forces. If we say all those that somewhat served Jammeh and Jawara shouldn’t be part of what we do, then I am afraid that our number will be very small. I understand fully those that are very critical against some of these opportunists. For once I am as always ever ready to take the naive card, as in my view politics is nothing but a 'big brother' association. On a humorous note, If I ever decide to be a Gambian politician, I will for sure establish tens of websites/forums and hire people who will defend me at all cost…because the way I see some of these things being run, it is scary. Best guys, and healthy debate guys….bro Karim, take it easy on your loved ones Joe and LJD. We shouldn’t let our tempers swallow us in these debates that won’t fill our stomachs like my dad used to put it when I was young. Best regards,Yero
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[log in to unmask]Subject: RE: [>-<] Interesting times in Gambia....
Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2012 16:21:56 +0000
Dr Sidat Jobe, Dr Amadou Janneh, Buba Baldeh, Lisa Sherman Nicholas today held a press congress in Dakar about the new wave of illegal arrest of our citizens. Keep it up guys.
Baba we all have to be focus if we are to make impact. Jammeh as you stated have insulted our collective national dignity and fighting that those not need betting and setting standard, Lot of the Guys in Dakar today have one way or another serve the regime but come to their sense that enough is enough!
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Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2012 05:56:43 -0800
I certainly agree with Dr. Jobe. Yahya Jammeh should be arrested and made to pay for his crimes against the Gambian people. That would set an example to any potential despot that they will have to answer to the Gambian people should they decide to abuse their power in any way, shape and form. It is encouraging to feel that in a post-Jammeh Gambia, the people stand ready to assume their rightful authority over the state. Jammeh has nsulted our co;llective national dignity for too long and it is high time that his abuses are brought to the drastic end they deserve. God bless The Gambia.
Baba