Mr Ceesay, You're entitled to your opinion, but as far as I'm concern, this is a dead issue. Peace. Saul >From: ebrima ceesay <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: Alpha's Proposals for Gambia-L >Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1999 06:33:02 PST > >Saul Khan, > >I saw the piece you sent to Alpha Robinson in private, and I don't think I >can even find the right words to describe how disappointed I was when I >read >your material. > >Actually, your piece reminded me of what a leading African political >scientist remarked to me, during a seminar I attended, just last week, in >Bristol, UK. > >Having heard me speak with lucidity and enthusiasm about my vision for >Africa in the 21st century, the political scientist remarked to me, during >lunch break as follows: "Mr Ceesay, I enjoyed your talk...but I am no >longer >moved by good speeches. Why? Because many of us who are fortunate to be >articulate in speaking and eloquent in writing are the very ones who put >Africa in the mess in which it finds itself today"... > >He continued: "rather than help clarify complex issues for our people, so >that they can make the right choices, many of us who are bright are only >good at confusing our people, by injecting into their minds, very backward >ideas such tribalism etc, ideas that do no good anyone, except harm to a >whole Nation"... > >Now, having read Saul Khan's private e-mail to Alpha Robinson, I am >convinced, more than before, that what the political scientist told me the >other day, in Bristol, does hold water, or some truth. > >Gambia L, I am afraid to say this, but if Saul's private e-mail to Alpha is >anything to go by, then Saul could be a fitting example of one of those >bright Africans - mentioned by the political scientist - who, instead of >clarifying complex issues for their people, are bringing out to the fore, >irrelevant issues that would only create more havoc and chaos on the >African >Continent. > >No one who has been reading Saul's contributions to the L can deny the fact >that the guy is bright and very eloquent. In fact, I must say here that I, >for one, did enjoy reading most of his postings; and, needlessly to say, I >also did learn a lot from his contributions. > >But having said that I must say I was very disappointed when I read the >content of the private e-mail he sent to Alpha Robinson. I would never have >expected a brilliant guy like Saul to have come up with such an unfortunate >e-mail, a mail whose content, in my view, was irresponsible, retrogressing >and, above all, more likely to divide our people, instead of uniting them. > >And, besides, as my able sister, Jabou Joh pointed out yesterday, some of >the issues raised by Saul "have no bearing on the subject raised by Alpha." > >Frankly speaking, I would have expected a guy like Saul - given his wit and >acuity - to have taken the lead in warning against tribalism in Africa in >general, and the Gambia in particular, instead of coming of with >remarks/sentiments that could, in fact, stir up trouble in our society. > >Sincerely, some of the sentiments expressed by Saul in his e-mail to Alpha >are, to say the least, very worrying and disappointing. But I, for one, >have >found consolation in the fact that Gambians have now become more >politically >mature and more critically minded. > >Henceforth, no one can take the majority of the Gambian people for a ride. >Many Gambians can now distinguish between what is sincere and what is not >sincere; what is truthful and what is unreal; what is progressive and what >is retrogressive; what brings peace and harmony and what stirs up trouble. > >I am sure all right thinking Gambians on the L, and outside the L, will >never entertain some of the views expressed by Saul in his private mail to >Alpha. > >The economic and political problem facing our Nation, on the eve of the new >millennium, are quite enormous; and, really, what we need to do, or occupy >our minds with, is to try and come up with concrete ideas on how we can >build a much more better Gambia, for all of us, in the 21st century. > >I am in for a debate, but it has to be a very healthy one, which is >conducted with respect, maturity, decency, clarity, sincerity and >truthfulness. > >In my view, a healthy debate among ourselves is very necessary, so that >with >all the ideas and suggestions being brought forward, we might finally >succeed in devising the right blue print that would help build a better >Gambia, in the 21st century; a Gambia where the people's needs and >aspirations would, at long last, be addressed. > >I must, however, say that, nowadays, the debate on the L is very healthy >and >encouraging. Consequently, it is in the interest of all of us to make sure >that such a trend continues. > >Let us continue to engage in serious and responsible debates so that what >needs rectification in our country would be rectified, and what is already >right would be protected and preserved. > >Building a genuine democracy is not an easy task, but it is not >insurmountable. It only requires the right mix of enlightened leaders, an >active civil society, institutions that work and, of course, time. > >Anyway, the signs of the time are very encouraging; and, for me, they >signal >a bright future for our motherland. The days when the Gambia has had a >docile civil society had long gone. Henceforth, let us vigorously >scrutinise >all our politicians, be they in government or in opposition, so that those >who are sincere and committed to the cause can be discerned from those who >are not genuine. > >Hamjatta and Saul have started scrutinising PDOIS' role during the >transition period and beyond, and it would be very healthy if such a >scrutiny, as insinuated by Jabou and a few others, is also extended to >other >politicians and political parties in the country, as well the media, >including my own role during the transition period if you will. > >I am confident that this scrutiny, if conducted fairly and objectively, the >Gambia, as a country, would be the only WINNER. It would enable us to >identify those politicians who are genuinely committed to the principles of >transparency and accountability and those who are not. > >In my view, the era when our politicians regard the people as mere >supplicants who must beg them (the politicians) for favours is about to >fade >away in Gambian politics. > >I may sound over optimistic here, but I am of the view that sooner rather >later, our politicians must wake up to the reality that they either have >deliver the goods, or risk being voted out of office by their electors. > >Let us, therefore, continue to be on our toes, probing, listening and >asking >vital questions, especially with regard to how our country is being >governed, so that we can help build a much more developed and prosperous >Gambia in the 21st century. > >Having said so, let me now return to the main issue, which is Saul's >private >e-mail to Alpha Robinson. Saul, let me make it very clear to you that I >don't know Alpha well, but I could sense/feel that the brother was genuine, >and had no hidden agenda whatsoever, except a love for his country and her >people, when he sent his proposals to the L. > >By the way, Saul, I was in the Gambia during the 1996 elections; and I can >tell you, in all honesty, that Alpha's comment regarding tribal politics >during the 1996 election was a fair/legitimate comment. Indeed, there was >evidence that there were A VERY FEW politicians who, on their own will, >tried to urge some of the voters to vote along tribal lines. > >But the important thing here is that the leaders of all the political >parties in the Gambia, as far as I know, had, at the time, openly >encouraged >the voters to elect their leaders, based on their programmes and policies, >and nothing else. > >In my view, it would be very unfair and irresponsible for that matter, to >accuse the leaders of the political parties of having a tribal agenda. >However, having said that it was also a valid comment for Alpha to have >suggested that there were certain politicians (although not any of the >party >leaders I must add here) who tried to inject tribal sentiments during the >1996 elections. > >The other day deposed president Jawara accused Mr Jammeh of injecting >tribalism in some parts of his government, but if you really observe >Jammeh's appointments very clearly, it becomes clear as a sunny day that >two >KEY factors come into play, when he considers people for appointments; and >these two factors are loyalty and trust. > >I may wrong here, but, in my eyes, what Mr Jammeh looks for when appointing >officials is someone who would be trusted and loyal to him. And needless to >say that Mr Jammeh can find such a person in any of the tribes in the >Gambia. > >As for Ousainou Darboe, a BBC colleague of mine, Mick Slatter, who came to >cover the 1996 presidential election, had asked him during a press >conference, held by the UDP, a few days before the election, whether his >party had a tribal agenda, or whether it was formed along tribal lines. > >And, in reply, not only did Mr Darboe dismiss such claims as nonsense, but >he also cited the fact that the deputy leader of his party, Yahya Jallow, >is >Fula, while Ebou Manneh, a senior figure of the party is Wollof. > >Furthermore, Lawyer Darboe also revealed that one of his wives is Wollof >and >that many of the friends were, in fact, Wollofs, Fulas, Jolas etc. So >brother Saul, let's be very careful with this talk of tribalism in the >Gambia. Let's bury the word under the carpet once and for all, because it >is >like playing with fire. > >I'll take this opportunity to call on you, to use your NOUS in a positive >manner, so that we can save beautiful Gambia from the mayhem and >destruction >tribalism has brought in other parts of Africa. > >By the way, it is very encouraging to note that, in actual fact, tribal >politics is already fading away in some African countries. > >Let me also take the opportunity to report on some of the positive >developments taking place on the African Continent, on the eve of new >millennium. > >It was refreshing to hear at the Bristol seminar that some of the leaders >in >Africa have now woken up to the reality that African development will >become >a reality if and only when they are able tap the continent's rich human >resources overseas. > >Consequently, a few African leaders, who aware of the fact that the return >of such human resources will serve as a leverage for accelerated >development, have begun attracting their citizens abroad back home. And >already the dividend is paying. > >There are now a few African countries that have started doing very well in >economic terms; and, for me, all these developments signal a bright future >for the Continent in the 21st century. > >I am sure if the Harold Macmillan, the British Prime Minister who >accurately >predicted the end of colonial rule in a speech to the Parliament of South >Africa could be resurrected, he would repeat in clearer terms his historic >statement that a more devastating wind of change was blowing in today's >Africa. > >This wind will dismantle the pillars of repression and tyranny in Africa, >following which an Africa which will accord all her citizens a very decent >and dignified living would be built once and for all. > >In fact, an unnoticeable renaissance has already started transforming our >continent, although I must be quick to add that the transformation is very >slow. An Africa in which governments are becoming accountable to their >citizens; in which real progress is being made to reduce poverty is already >under way. > >Take Mali, for example. Under president Alpha Oumar Conare's leadership, >economic growth has been restored and, most remarkably, the country has >sprouted over 1,000 radio stations, making it one of the most "tune in" >countries on the globe. > >Another good example is Botswana. At independence in 1966, Botswana was one >of the world's poorest countries; but today, it boasts of a vibrant economy >with 15 consecutive years of budgetary surplus and substantial foreign >exchange reserves. The life expectancy of its citizens has risen from 49 to >65 years. > >Ghana is also reported to be doing well in economic terms. The inflation >rate which remained 60 per cent from the mid 1970s to the mid 1980s, had >dropped to 10 per cent. Economic growth is now chugging along at a healthy >5 >per cent. > >Also Ghana's fledgling stock exchange has burst onto the international >scene >and, presently, it boasts of a capitalization almost $2 billion dollars. > >By the way, there are now over 15 African stock markets, and Afica is also >reported to possess 54 per cent of the world's cobalt; 32 per cent of its >bauxite; 52 per cent of its manganese; 81 per cent of its chromium stocks. >South Africa alone is said to have 84 per cent of the world's reserve of >platinum. > >Also, 20 per cent of US oil imports now come from Africa; and American >investors are finding Africa highly profitable. In fact, the average annual >return on the book value of US investments in Africa in the 1990s was over >25 per cent, compared to less than 10 per cent worldwide. > >Still talking positively about Africa, let me also inform some of you who >do >not know, that African infant mortality rates have also declined from 165 >to >per 1,000 - 30 years ago to 97 per 1,000 today. > >Also, average life expectancy has risen from 40.1 years to 51.3 years. The >aggregate African growth rates in 1995 and 1996 averaged twice that of the >previous decade, and in 21 African countries, the economic growth rate is >at >least double the rate of population growth. > >Furthermore, in 1996 and 1997, 26 African countries conducted multi- party >elections. It is true that many Africa countries still remain under >military >dictatorship, but, at the same time, there is also a good number of African >States that are making headways both in political and economic terms. > >I'll conclude with these remarks, but I forgot who uttered them: "when we >want to rise, we will. When we are ready to grow, we can. The only thing >holding us in place right now, are the things we do." > >Ebrima Ceesay, >Birmingham, UK. > >PS: D.A Jawo, welcome on board, and I hope you'll find Gambia L useful. I >am >sure if time permits you, you will do some good writing for the L. By the >way, how is the Gambai Press Union doing? Hope things are okay. My warmest >regards to Pap Saine, Deyda Hydara, Yorro Jallow, Alieu Badara Sowe (borom >Jasigui) and all the rest of the crew down there. > >______________________________________________________ >Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L >Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------