Burama, I am reading through your plan and I once wrote a piece entitled: Citizens for Active Participation In Our democracy. In line with my thinking in that piece, I will offer my ideas alongside yours in the bullet points.
-----Original Message-----
From: Burama FL Jammeh <[log in to unmask]>
To: GAMBIA-L <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tue, Feb 25, 2014 10:23 pm
Subject: [G_L] The Plan (Should I Say A Plan?)
Thought it would be wise to present our proposed plan that could solve our problems in their totality. The removal and replacement of a president is not the primary objective of this plan although that will become a practical possibility should people chooses so. The concept is anchored on the creation of the requisite human capacity that is capable of living a life of democracy. In phases we will make demands and stand our ground to ensure those demands are met.
"Hereunder is the outline of the (a) plan:
Phase 1: Produce and Publish ‘A Comprehensive National Vision - this will be produced from a National Definition of The problem and an Analyses of The Operating Environment which will inform us our Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats (SWOP). The process of production will be consultative and culminate in a National Conference to refine and adopt. The basic idea is to give all a common understand what the ultimate goal not to ask everyone to do exact same thing."
The fundamental objective at this point would be to create an environment that would foster dialogue. An environment that would bring all the stakeholders together to review the governing situation in the country.
The government should be encouraged to organize a national conference in which all the stakeholders would be in attendance. The conference would identify all the shortcomings in our governance structure; all the difficulties that are inherent in the system that creates an unhealthy political atmosphere and a source of chagrin for all of the problems that the Gambian opposition is facing in the country.
The conference would also look into the policy objectives of the government and see if they are aligned to the overall interest and aspirations of the Gambian people. At the end of the conference there would be recommendations that the government would be encouraged to look into and adopt.
This national conference can be in the same framework like the Education Conference that was organized under the P.P.P government to establish a new education policy.
I remember attending that national conference at the Friendship Hostel of The Independence stadium. Halifa Sallah and Seida Jatta were there in attendance as well as countless other Gambian technocrats, educators and intellectuals.
This endeavor should not be linked with what the Gambian opposition should do and should not do. It should not be the basis to establish a vision for the country nor to outline a development strategy, policy goals and objectives.
The role and function of the Gambian opposition parties still remain to be as a government that is not in power; that may have a vision, a development strategy, policy goals and objectives different from that of the government in power. The Gambian opposition should continue to do what they are doing and in the best way they know how to be an alternative to the government.
The idea and concept around this national conference is to examine what is wrong with the governance structure and political environment in the country. And to give recommendations in which the government would be urged to look into and adopt.
"Phase 2: Creation of National Face of The Struggle – a coordinating body that will be tasked to advocate The Plight of The Gambia based on The Vision to both Gambians and The International Community. This body will also formulate project/program proposal that will be sold to the International community for funding including wages of all full-time Operatives/Agents plus other Overhead Costs"
Oftentimes we hear that the government is intransigent. They do not accommodate any suggestions from anybody neither do they want to talk to anyone. Newspaper editorials do give very good policy recommendations and advice on the governing situation in the country, but most of the time these recommendations are ignored and treated with utter contempt and disdain. Thus intensifying the distrust, frustration, resentment, anger and conflict between the people and the government that is supposed to look into their welfare and well being.
Thus the creation of what you called the national face of the struggle would be timely, just that it wont be any struggle.
This is where the Civil Society Organizations would come into play. They would be the ones who would be talking to everyone and can help to create the enabling environment that will make our politics responsive and participatory.
They can also talk to the International community and forge alliances at the same time. Being such an encompassing and representative body they will be obliged to maintain a public persona that is indicative of the important role that they play. Leaders of such civil society organizations should be shuttling in and out of BANJUL frequently meeting all stakeholders and making things happen.
"Phase 3: Creation of an ‘Iron Wheel’ around Gambia – That is to organize/mobilize Gambians in America, Europe, Africa and Asia in Chapters. These will be loosely coordinated with the Central Body while main focus is creation of awareness of the Plight of The Gambia in the base nation. Programs such as meeting with visiting Senior Government Officials from the Gambia, demonstrations at their visits, lobby the base nation’s government, etc – based on the Nation Vision "
Since organizations have emerged as the leading voices of the diaspora struggle, they can work to reconcile and streamline their organizational goals and objectives to meet this recommendation.
Such organizations should also try to have a formidable presence in Gambia so as to coordinate their activities and programs in the country. They should be impartial and bipartisan as much as possible.
If Diaspora organizations cannot fulfill this role, attempts should be made to create and sustain a civil society structure in the Gambia that can respond and meet all the challenges that are inherent in our political dispensation.
The other phases you have outlined deals with the structure, goals, objectives and mission of such civil society entities. The only thing that they should not try to do is to take on the role of a political party.
Their presence should be to encourage and facilitate a dialogue between all the stakeholders; and to help create an environment that is conducive to a healthy political atmosphere.
The rest of your phases also are challenging issues that these civil society organizations can do.
"Phase 4: Going to Banjul – that is a formal contact with The Government of The Gambia with a copy of The Vision and a cover letter through Head of Gambia Mission in our Headquartered nation – say in US, head of Gambia Mission in DC
Phase 5: More in Banjul – a month later establish direct contact with Government (Office of President and Head of Civil Service, Political Parties and all Foreign Missions in The Gambia, Professional Organizations such as Bar Association, Chamber of Commerce, etc., TANGO, etc. with The Vision and covering letter
Phase 6: Open an Africa Region Coordinating Office in Dakar, Senegal– coordinate, advocate, media blister over Gambia, etc. They will be heavily involve on our advocacy will development partner such as tying budgetary aids to meeting demands of our Vision
Phase 7: Going To The People – when relatively safe and we begin to bear influence, we open a Country Coordinating Office in Banjul to be flank with Region Office in each region. Their main task will be people conscientization, organization, and mobilization. They will also run our legal and paralegal need within Gambia. With political parties, NGOs and other civil society organizations we will work out a program real civic education programs and run them
Phase 8: Repeating Steps 3 – 7 over and over until all demands are met………..1,000,000 years. That number is a warning that it will be a long hectic process. This is a big concern of many, yet they seem not recognizing that we have half a century of elections – never made changes. Half a century is pretty damn long time for me – more than my life.
Phase 9: Periodic Review of The National Vision to drop what’s not relevant and/or incorporate new developments should they exist
Phase 10: At maturity turn into A Citizen’s Democratic Observatory Group that will serve as a citizen’s democracy watchdog pinning every government action based on the constitution otherwise drag them to court. Contempt court orders will force us to call people in the streets until lawful demands are met. My Hope is someday the people can seal Denton Bridge with 10s of thousands until our demands are met
What the outline did not say is what will be demanding and doing. That is a subject of the Vision. That is why is important we define the program and come up with what we want.
Important to point are the in-built assumptions of this plan. They’re as follows:
• that we will be representing a dissent voice of Gambians seeking democracy
• that we will convince the International Community on the plight of The Gambia and be the FACE of the struggle
• that we will secure the necessary funding to do what we exist for
• that the increasing informed voices of organized Gambians with the backing of the International Community will be the incentive for Banjul authorities to yield
• that our independent/neutrality backed up with a non-partisan National Vision will speed up social acceptance that will at some point multiply itself
• that the initiative will be headquartered in USA
Most expressed concern Yahya will not agree or listen. That is nothing new and shouldn’t be surprising. That is the first characteristic of a dictator when confronted. He may not listen or want anything to do with us – but as the ‘Iron Wheel’ begins to tighten on him around the world he will not be in it to hold on to power but how to avoid jail or dead. That will most probably not be the case right away but most certainly with time. View the struggle as a simple an algebraic equation (Gambians + Yahya = 1). Currently Yahya currently has all the 1 or very close. Our job is to peel of his hold on to that large portion of the 1. If we got 0.5 he will have 0.5. if we got 1 he will be zero.
What Yahya want, What Yahya will accept or not has zero concern to these efforts. This is about Gambia and the more we amass our voice, secure international community’s moral and financial support the less relevant Yahya become.
Please make time to join the Teleconference
Saturday, July 20, 2013
5:00pm – 7:00pm EST
Conference Call # and Code: (605) 475-5900 & 416 565 6#
Involvement, Comments, Suggestions, Questions
God Bless Gambia
Burama FL Jammeh
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facebook.com/Burama.jammeh
twitter.com/bfljammeh
810 844 6040/810 772 1628
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