Burama, thanks for your thoughts and I agree that Gambians need "Political Leverage" - that thing that makes Yaya be sleepless. We shall never gain leverage as long as our mindset persist. How can we get leverage when those that have a following are hell bent on embarking on form over substance to eternity? They said it a thousand times that they will NEVER take the people to the streets. So how on earth can they ever offer leverage when they focus on political niceties? For those of us who are on the outside, we are too comfortable to risk our comfort. We can reorganize all we want and that is what has been happening the last 10 years with one think tank after another and all sorts of interest groups to overlap/overtake/undertake/undermine each other, only to have more to mushroom and the cycle continues like never die. Now, if time and longevity is on your and my side, we shall be exposed. As long as Yaya continues to have very restful nights, we shall talk about what we need to do in 20 years time and to repeat it to his natural death. It would be very naive of us to think that Yaya will spend the pass 19 years arming, killing, and maiming to prolong his existence only to change to espouse democratic values. Why do we think he has been arming and killing all this while? All he spent on arms, why did he not spend it buying toys and mansions around the globe or marrying 20 wives? This game is about life and death and he understands that very well. Where are all those he came to power with? If killing them was not important, why are they not alive today? How about all those that were around him that flood Mile II?
Not so long ago there was euphoria that Senegal was going to "Help US" get rid of Yaya. Why is it that we expect others to fight our fight? Again, if we wait for that, we shall be here to lament about that in 20 years to come. There is not just one thing that we need to do to get rid of Yaya but many things piecemeal or concurrently. While some storm our embassies, others to form militias, politicians to cultivate grassroots militancy within their ranks, civil society to take to the streets for redress, political party leaders to stand up against murders, thuggery, King Mentality, etc. Anything short of this direct resistance will be a continued waste of our time. We have lived this nightmare the last 19 years and so there nothing we do not know that is going on. We know what is expected of us, we are just not interested in doing it. If our mindset changes, we shall achieve change. Being outgunned is no excuse to not mobilize to fight. Saddam, Asad, Mubarak, Hitler, Amin, etc. had way more arms than their country-folk that had enough of them, yet that did not stop their populations to take them on. Let's face it the "Doff Rek" mindset does not permit us to rise up collectively.
I read some where that the "Opposition Leaders" met. For what? If it is their usual diet, then "Yallna Ange Be Ress Ak Jaama", for that would be their greatest product.
Joe
> Date: Fri, 25 Oct 2013 10:47:07 -0400
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [G_L] The Opposition Party Leaders Meeting
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> Question: Is it 'meeting of the minds'?
>
> I don't think we're there yet but there is always an opportunity if people meet to discuss common concerns with a view to formulate some collective action.
>
> Gambian opposition has always work under very strenuous political conditions. I applaud them for that when some us jumped ship long ago. Bravo compatriots!. That said, we (all of us) have contributed to the prolong poor political environment in The Gambia. In fact, funnily, some of the seeders of these kind of politics are today in our midst trying to weed they broadcast i the first place.
>
> Notice that this is not the first time opposition party leaders met over common concern. And I'm not talking about the NADD formation fiasco.
>
> They had a declaration after one of the elections on the fraudulence of the processes (I forgot which election) with demands. None of such demands were met yet they've continued to contest in every other election at least in some form. I'm not advocating for election boycott but the point is demands should have some meaning/consequence or less by make demands.
>
> I followed closely the recent meeting over the different media houses and like many Gambians am impressive they came together once again. I look forward to their follow-up to their concerns/demands.
>
> However am not sure how much it will all mean to Yahya and his clique. This is because either the Opposition Parties and/or the Larger Struggle do not have any political leverage. That gave Yahya no incentive to listen or care what we say or do.
>
> Please lets cultivate 'Political Leverage'. It can be don't either through the parties (in fact that will be faster to implement) or by us (citizen activists) or some combination. Regardless of how and where it will need some reorganization, restructuring and some different kind of works and focuses.
>
> Until we get there, I'll argue the meeting is not yet 'meeting of the minds'. It is something else! I hope am wrong!
>
> Burama
>
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