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T O P I C R E V I E W |
Momodou |
Posted - 19 Jun 2021 : 15:39:40 GAMBIA-L Digest 59
Topics covered in this issue include:
1) Re: Africa-How bad is it ? by binta@iuj.ac.jp 2) Re:Domestic violence from CNN by binta@iuj.ac.jp 3) Re: Female Genital Mutilation. by BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA> 4) Re: Gambia's president takes over defence ministry (fwd) by binta@iuj.ac.jp 5) apology by "ALPHA ROBINSON" <garob1@cip.hx.uni-paderborn.de> 6) Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT by momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou) 7) RE: Female Genital Mutilation. by Ebrima Jawara <aeujawra@reading.ac.uk> 8) Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT/ LONG by Musa Sowe <chemsm@panther.Gsu.EDU> 9) Fwd: NIGERIA-ECONOMY: Keeping Out the Dirty Laundry by momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou) 10) Fwd: DEVELOPMENT: Governments Lag in Social Commitments by momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou) 11) Fwd: SIERRA LEONE: Donors Hesitate to Fund by momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou) 12) (Fwd) Update on Daily Observer Online (strat. com) by momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou) 13) (OLD) INVITATION TO OUR NEW MEMBERS!! by BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA> 14) Re: Gambian/Malian Businessman jailed by Lamin Camara <masada@octonline.com> 15) Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT/ LONG/COMMITTE MEMBERS by MJagana@aol.com 16) Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT/ LONG/COMMITTE MEMBERS by binta@iuj.ac.jp 17) FGM by Muwanaidi Syonya Abdalla <9420057@talabah.iiu.my> 18) Re: Tobaski by KBadjie338@aol.com 19) Re: Gambia's president takes over defence ministry (fwd) by Latir Downes-Thomas <latir@earthlink.net> 20) Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT by Latir Downes-Thomas <latir@earthlink.net> 21) Re: Africa: How bad is it? by Serigne Mamadou <9220373@talabah.iiu.my> 22) Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT by J GAYE <J.Gaye@Bradford.ac.uk> 23) The banking question by "Per E. Grotnes" <perg@nfh.uit.no> 24) Re: ISSUE OF PRIVATE MAILS by "M'BAI OF" <O.F.M'Bai@icsl.ac.uk> 25) Re: ISSUE OF PRIVATE MAILS by "M'BAI OF" <O.F.M'Bai@icsl.ac.uk> 26) Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT by Abdou Gibba <Abdou.Gibba@smr.uib.no> 27) new member by Ylva Hernlund <yher@u.washington.edu> 28) Re: Female Genital Mutilation. by Ylva Hernlund <yher@u.washington.edu> 29) RE: Female Genital Mutilation. by Ylva Hernlund <yher@u.washington.edu> 30) Re: Gambia's president takes over defence ministry (fwd) by "Dr. S. G. Kamara" <73244.2701@CompuServe.COM> 31) Re: Tobaski by umjawara@cc.UManitoba.CA 32) Re: Gambia's president takes over defence ministry (fwd) by Latir Downes-Thomas <latir@earthlink.net> 33) New Member by sarian@osmosys.incog.com (Sarian Loum) 34) Re: Female Genital Mutilation. (fwd) by "E.Semega-Janneh" <E.Semega-Janneh@law.hull.ac.uk> 35) Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT by "PA-MAMBUNA O. BOJANG" <paomar@iglou.com> 36) Re: Gambia's president takes over defence ministry (fwd) by BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA> 37) Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT by Abdou Gibba <Abdou.Gibba@smr.uib.no> 38) Re: Gambia's president takes over defence ministry (fwd) by Abdou Gibba <Abdou.Gibba@smr.uib.no> 39) Re: Gambia's president takes over defence ministry (fwd) by "ALPHA ROBINSON" <garob1@cip.hx.uni-paderborn.de> 40) Re: Gambia's president takes over defence ministry (fwd) by "Malanding S. Jaiteh" <msjaiteh@mtu.edu> 41) Re: New member -Reply by Yaikah Jeng <YJENG@PHNET.SPH.JHU.EDU> 42) Fwd: SIERRA LEONE-POLITICS: Peace Process Under Siege by momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou) 43) New Member by sarian@osmosys.incog.com (Sarian Loum) 44) New Member by Amadou Scattred Janneh <AJANNEH@pstcc.cc.tn.us> 45) Fwd: Opposition says Gambian cabinet unconstitutional. by Latir Downes-Thomas <latir@earthlink.net> 46) Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT by Musa Sowe <chemsm@panther.Gsu.EDU> 47) Re: Opposition says Gambian cabinet unconstitutional. by Latir Downes-Thomas <latir@earthlink.net> 48) Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT by ahmed tijan deen <tijan@wam.umd.edu> 49) Re: NGO/Initiative Info Request by ahmed tijan deen <tijan@wam.umd.edu> 50) Re: Opposition says Gambian cabinet unconstitutional. by Tamsir Mbai <mba4224@etbu.edu> 51) Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT by BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA> 52) Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT by momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou) 53) Jammeh's Cabinet/ Lattir-Downes & Tamsir by "Dr. S. G. Kamara" <73244.2701@CompuServe.COM> 54) FWDing an Intro by ABDOU <at137@columbia.edu> 55) Fwd: Mugabe's Vision of New Africa by Latir Downes-Thomas <latir@earthlink.net> 56) Meningitis in West Africa. by Mbk007@aol.com 57) Fwd: Man Pays for School Band Trip by Mbk007@aol.com 58) Re: NGO/Initiative Info Request by "Malanding S. Jaiteh" <msjaiteh@mtu.edu> 59) ZIMBABWE / ILLEGALS (L ONLY) By LAWRENCE BARTLETT/HARARE by Amadou Scattred Janneh <AJANNEH@pstcc.cc.tn.us> 60) Re: NGO/Initiative Info Request by Andrea Klumpp <klumpp@kar.dec.com> 61) Re: FWDing an Intro by BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA> 62) Re: Fwd: Man Pays for School Band Trip by "Inqs." <nfaal@is2.dal.ca> 63) Re: Female Genital Mutilation. by Andrea Klumpp <klumpp@kar.dec.com> 64) MAN PAYS FOR SCHOOL BAND TRIP by Mbk007@aol.com 65) circumcision once again by =?iso-8859-1?Q?Asbj=F8rn_Nordam?= <asbjorn.nordam@dif.dk> 66) Re: circumcision once again by Francis Njie <francis_njie@il.us.swissbank.com> 67) Re: Tobaski by MANSALA@aol.com 68) Re: circumcision once again by Ylva Hernlund <yher@u.washington.edu> 69) Re: Tobaski by ABALM@aol.com 70) Re: Gambia's president takes over defence ministry (fwd) by Yaya Jallow <yj0001@jove.acs.unt.edu> 71) Self Intro by fjanneh@juno.com (Fatou K Janneh) 72) (Part1) CIRCUMCISION REVISITED by BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA> 73) RE: Self Intro by MAKE THAT VISION A REALITY <ABARROW@rr5.rr.intel.com> 74) circumcision by =?iso-8859-1?Q?Asbj=F8rn_Nordam?= <asbjorn.nordam@dif.dk> 75) FWD:SENEGAL by "Jobarteh, Momodou" <Momodou.Jobarteh@hordaland.vegvesen.telemax.no> 76) Re: circumcision once again by Ylva Hernlund <yher@u.washington.edu> 77) Fwd: F.Y.I by sarian@osmosys.incog.com (Sarian Loum) 78) Fwd: UNITED NATIONS: UNDP Unearths Six-Million-Dollar Fraud by momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou) 79) Subscribing for the Daily observer by "PA-MAMBUNA O. BOJANG" <paomar@iglou.com> 80) THE BUCK, THAT IS THE QUESTION!!!!!! by BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA> 81) New member by momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou) 82) Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT by Andrea Klumpp <klumpp@kar.dec.com> 83) Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT by "William O'Donnell" <billod@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu> 84) position announcement by "Malanding S. Jaiteh" <msjaiteh@mtu.edu> 85) FWD:Rex looks up to diamonds by "Jobarteh, Momodou" <Momodou.Jobarteh@hordaland.vegvesen.telemax.no> 86) Transfer of presidential powers. by Latir Downes-Thomas <latir@earthlink.net> 87) Gambians at University of Michigan?? by "Malanding S. Jaiteh" <msjaiteh@mtu.edu> 88) How Ignorant people can be!!! (fwd) by Senessie Turay <9210077@talabah.iiu.my> 89) Re: How Ignorant people can be!!! (fwd) by Yaya Jallow <yj0001@jove.acs.unt.edu> 90) Re: How Ignorant people can be!!! (fwd) by TOURAY1@aol.com 91) Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT by Musa Sowe <chemsm@panther.Gsu.EDU> 92) Re: Transfer of presidential powers. by Tamsir Mbai <mba4224@etbu.edu> 93) Re: Transfer of presidential powers. by Mbk007@aol.com 94) Re: How Ignorant people can be!!! (fwd) by Mbk007@aol.com 95) Subscribe Daily Observer by iscorr@total.net (Ebrima Sama Corr) 96) CIRCUMCISION REVISITED (PART1) by BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA> 97) Re: How Ignorant people can be!!! (fwd) by "NJIE OMAR E" <964NJIE@alpha.nlu.edu> 98) (PART2) CIRCUMCISION REVISITED by BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA> 99) African women and peace (fwd) by mjallow@st6000.sct.edu (Modou Jallow)
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Date: Sun, 9 Mar 1997 17:09:14 JST +900 From: binta@iuj.ac.jp To: Yaya Jallow <yj0001@jove.acs.unt.edu> Cc: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: Africa-How bad is it ? Message-ID: <199703090804.RAA09144@mlsv.iuj.ac.jp> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Yaya,
Thanks for a good piece. I can see that you are a good advocate of private-sector led growth. A paradigm that continues to pervade the international economic circles as a 'panacea' to our problems. Coincidentally, I worked in the Ministry of Trade and Industry in the Gambia where the catch phrase was this same 'private sector growth' thing. I have always subscribed to it, while taking due cognisance of my country's social, economic and political structure. It is true that the private sector can serve as an engine of growth, especially if the necessary institutional mechanisms are in place. But here is where the problem is,and it's here that the imperfections of the market mechanism manifest themselves. In a bid to encourage foreign(private)investment, the government put in place an Investment code' that gives tax and import duty privileges to a whole set of industries, some of which I believe do not deserve it. Take for example that a dealer in gold and other precious metals could be given import duty exemption. Tell me, what sort of economic linkages does this have with the nation? Put differently, how does this aid in national development? While the role of government must be well defined and curtailed to the rational minimum, perhaps our state of development necessitates government intervention.
On the issue of education, maybe I failed to communicate well. But how could I criticise the acquisition of education for personal well-being if I myself is engaged in that very act? Wouldn't that be ridiculous? My contention is that if we seek education only to fill our pockets without the realisation that our education is more a means to bettering the lot of our people, then that education is defective. In the process of serving our people, it is but fitting that we maintain a lifestyle commensurate to our contribution. Unfettered personal greed may foster development, but I wish to maintain that greed is not a virtue. A system that feeds on greed will inevitably implode. In this situation, the addition of the parts produces a sum that is far less. Equally put, in that society, the riches of those individuals will not manifest itself in a better society. Let me state my position on education more succinctly: Even religion has enjoined on us the acquisition of 'education even unto China'. Education is the backbone of development and it must be seen as such. But if we take it to be merely a means to personal enrichment and stop there, then that education is not as useful to society as one that is more a means to both personal and societal enhancement. Oh! Maybe I have made my point even more hazier! A practical Gambian example is the way students (educated people) are visualised by our older people. I am sure you must have once done something 'wrong' while you were young and an elder retorted by saying ' oh, these students'. You know what that means. Sorry if my statement is still unclear....
Once again, thank you for your illuminating views.
Lamin.
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Date: Sun, 9 Mar 1997 18:10:04 JST +900 From: binta@iuj.ac.jp To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re:Domestic violence from CNN Message-ID: <199703090905.SAA09585@mlsv.iuj.ac.jp> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
The issue of domestic violence rages on even in monogamous Russia!
Lamin.
Domestic abuse: Russia's tragic, hidden secret
>From Moscow Bureau Chief Eileen O'Connor
MOSCOW (CNN) -- For police officers at militia station No. 118, responding to complaints of domestic abuse is a nightly, often fruitless drill.
On a recent evening, they arrive at an apartment to find a frightened woman, threatened by a drunken husband. Police lead him away.
The wife, however, refuses to file a complaint and there is no arrest. And no guarantee the situation won't happen again.
"We get two or three calls a night," Officer Victor Ivanovich said. "Usually it's tied to alcohol." But severe housing shortages also make tempers flare. Because of the scant supply of apartments, even many divorced couples are forced to live together -- often with tragic results.
It is estimated that 60 percent of the women murdered in Russia every year are killed by their husbands. Domestic violence occurs in 25 percent of Russian families. Yet it is rarely discussed.
At a recently opened crisis center, workers don't field many calls, because not many women know they can or should get help.
"There is no awareness yet that violence is not allowed. I mean, legally it is not allowed. Very often, even neighbors, they would rather blame a woman, a battered woman, than help her," said Marina Besplokhova, director of the center. Help came too late for Natalya Ivanovna, convicted of killing her husband. She says she acted in desperation after complaining for years of abuse. Ivanovna went to thepolice and, ultimately, the courts for relief but got nowhere. She was refused a divorce.
"This went on for 10 years. And during the entire 10 years, no one tried to help her," said Ivanovna's attorney, Vera Strebizhe.
Strebizhe, who carries around Ivanovna's journal of abuse, is once again appealing to the courts on her client's behalf. But this time she is appealing for the woman's freedom.
Ivanovna was sentenced to 10 years in prison for her husband's death. It was her way of finding an answer.
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Date: Sat, 09 Mar 1996 15:10:48 +0300 From: BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: Female Genital Mutilation. Message-ID: <31417548.6435@QATAR.NET.QA> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Ebrima Jawara wrote: > > FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION > > Or female circumcsion as it is sometimes called, is widely practised in > The Gambia. The 'operation' is rarely performed with surgical tools, > skill, any knowledge of anatomy or the use of anaesthetics. > > Its aim is to prepare girls for marriage by helping to ensure their > premarital purity. It lessens sexual desire, and so reduces the temptation > for girls and women to have intercourse before marriage - very important > where virginity is an absolute prerequisite for a bride-to-be. Some Moslem > groups beleive it is demanded by the Islamic faith. Any proof of this? > Other groups hold beliefs about human biology and use circumcision as > contraception. In some cultures, female genitals are considered unclean, > and circumcision serves literally to smooth and ritually purify them. > > Genital Mutilation has staggering physical and mental health consequences > for women. Infections (frequently fatal), haemorrhage, and other extreme > long-term physical complications are common. The extent and degree of > sexual and mental health problems can only be guessed at, because > circumcised women are often hesitant to discuss a subject that means > little to them, or is embarrassing - their sexuality. > > THE ABOVE WAS TAKEN FROM WOMEN IN THE WORLD. > > I do believe that: Female Genital Mutilation is PRIMITIVE and BARBARIC. > With no real place in a modern society. However one's culture should be > respected and preserved, > But at what cost? Is it good for the society as a whole? The whole act of > female circumcision is a strain on already stretched medical services. The > women have to see gynaecologists for horrendous complications brought > about by the primitive butchering of their private parts. The celebrations > cost a lot of money. The families have to give sacrifices as well as pay a > fee to have their daughters ciurcumcised. Costing more money. Any type of > development must include increases in life expectancy and the general > welfare of the whole of the society. By mutilating women are we not > depriving them of their own development, and thus the development of the > country? I will do my bit to eradicate this primitive act by ensuring that > any daughters I do have in the future will not be subjected to any forms > of genital mutilation. If one other person reading this long and perhaps > boring piece, should decide that their daughters will not be mutilated, I > think some good would have been done. > > I HOPE I HAVE NOT OFFENDED ANYONE, AND IF I HAVE, I DO APPOLOGISE. ANY > FEEDBACK, NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE WILL BE MUCH APPRECIATED. > > GOD BLESS, > > EBRIMA JAWARA.
MR.JAWARA!! THE PROBLEM WITH YOUR ANALYSIS IS THAT YOU TOLD US ONLY THE BAD ASPECTS OF FEMALE CIRCUMCISION.THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO ARE BEST QUALIFIED TO EXPLAIN OUR CULTURE TO THE WORLD ARE WE OURSELVES.YOU AND I KNOW THAT THE LAST REMAINING BASTION OF AFRICAN PEDAGOGY IS THE SCHOOL OF CIRCUMCISION.NOWADAYS,THE ONLY TIME THAT OUR ELDERS COULD TEACH US PURE AFRICAN VALUES NOT DISTORTED EITHER BY ISLAM OR CHRISTIANITY IS WHEN WE GO TO THIS SCHOOL.THAT IS WHY I AM SOMEWHAT SAD THAT YOUR ANALYSIS SOUNDS LIKE THE AUTHOR WAS BORN IN OTTAWA OR GENEVA OR .... IT IS TOTALLY UNFAIR TO REDUCE THE ENTIRE THREE OR SO MONTHS OF INTENSIVE SCHOOLING TO JUST THE CHOPPING OFF OF THE CLITORIS OR THAT ADDITIONAL FLESH AROUND THE PENIS.ITS MUCH MORE THAN THAT,AND YOU KNOW IT.SO,AS A GAMBIAN AND AN AFRICAN,PERHAPS YOU OWE IT TO ALL OF US TO FIND TIME AND TRY TO RETELL US THIS STORY IN A MUCH MORE COMPREHENSIVE MANNER.AND ITS ALSO CONFUSING TO ME THAT NONE OF THOSE WHO HAVE TAKEN UP THIS SUBJECT IN THE PAST MADE ANY MENTION OF THE MALE ONE,AS IF THAT IS A PICNIC!! WELL,MINE WAS NOT;AND I KNOW A LOT OF MEN WHO FEEL THE SAME ABOUT IT.
REGARDS BASSSS!! -- SZDDˆð'3Af¨
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Date: Sun, 9 Mar 1997 23:42:29 JST +900 From: binta@iuj.ac.jp To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: Gambia's president takes over defence ministry (fwd) Message-ID: <199703091438.XAA11575@mlsv.iuj.ac.jp> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
At least a new cabinet is now in place---a good move in the right direction. Can anyone on the List enlighten me on the issue of the presidency in a situation where the president is incapacitated. What does the Constitution say about succession? In the absence of the President, who takes over? Vice President, Secretary General, Speaker of the House, or Minister to the President? I remember that just a few weeks ago Ecuador had a problem of succession.
Lamin.
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Date: Sun, 9 Mar 1997 16:33:02 + 0100 MET From: "ALPHA ROBINSON" <garob1@cip.hx.uni-paderborn.de> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: apology Message-ID: <4CA54EB471D@cip.hx.uni-paderborn.de> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Date: Wed, 5 Mar 1997 11:29:04 -0500 Reply-to: gambia-l@u.washington.edu From: Ceesay Soffie <Ceesay_Soffie@ems.prc.com> To: GAMBIA-L: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: RE: polygamy, violence, troublemakers ... X-To: "'gambia-l@u.washington.edu'" <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
TRANSLATE, PLEASE.
SOFFIE.
>---------- >From: ALPHA ROBINSON[SMTP:garob1@cip.hx.uni-paderborn.de] >Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 1997 11:38AM >To: GAMBIA-L: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List >Subject: Re: polygamy, violence, troublemakers ... > >Hi Du, > >Das hier ist eine Friedensnachricht (keine Violence, keine >Troublemakers .
Dear list members, I am terribly sorry for this mail which somehow found its way to the list. It was really meant to be a personal mail to Andrea Klummp and certainly bears no meaning whatsoever to Gambia-L. Sorry.
Alpha
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Date: Sun, 9 Mar 1997 17:51:14 +0000 From: momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou) To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT Message-ID: <19970309165211.AAA18338@LOCALNAME>
On 8 Mar 97 at 9:17, ASJanneh@aol.com wrote: > How does one contribute to the organization(s) that you already > have?
The organizations I have in mind are:- a) GaSTech (Gambians in Science & Technology) b) The Gambia Islamic Organisation For Technical Training c) The Gambian Organization in Bergen (Norway)
I am sure there must be some one here on the list who is a member of GaSTech who can answer your question of how to become a member and contribute.
As for the Islamic Organisation For Technical Training, it is planning to open an institute called " THE GAMBIA ISLAMIC INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY." Of course, it would be open to all Gambians regardless of their creed. Here are some of the disciplines the Organization envisages for the Institute:- 1) Computer Science 2) Nursing plus health studies and Pharmacology 3) Mechanical and Electrical Engineering 4) Carpentry and furniture making 5) Sewing and Embroidery 6) Research and techniques in development issues
This is very ambitious and by no means conclusive and other suggestions are welcome. Just write to Bass ( KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA) if you need more information.
I have also read here on the list, that there is an organization in Bergen which is sponsoring the schooling of at least one person and you should be able to get more information of how to contribute through Abdou or Famara.
As for the Danish / Gambian Friendship Society (Gambias Venner) , perhaps that is irrelevant for the list except those living here in Denmark and Gambia but I can name a few of their activities. The number of school children in The Gambia being sponsored by the associations members was 278 last year (as at May 1996). They collect hospital beds, Handicap chairs and other materials, school furniture etc. here in Denmark and a total of 13 containers of 40 feet were sent to The Gambia last year. Last year the assistance to clinics with materials and hospital beds was extended to Sukuta (W.D) and Njarba-kunda (NBD).
On the list here, you already know that we are trying to get a Gambian news paper on the WWW. The committees responsible are working on things right now. I have already mentioned that there was a suggestion that " a small percentage of the revenues go to a development fund managed by ourselves that will be used for development-oriented activities in the Gambia." We need at least 100 members but at the moment we only have 50. Those interested in subscribing to the Daily Observer Online can send a request to (mcamara@post3.tele.dk). We agreed that the subscription fee is to be US$10 per year.
> PS: Have you done anything in Kombo South yet?
In the question of which schools we should help when the time comes; I think we can either divide The Gambia into zones or give a number to all the schools, then let one or a group of none Gambians here on the list choose some random numbers/letters and take the school(s) chosen.
Regards Momodou Camara ******************************************************* http://home3.inet.tele.dk/mcamara
**"Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible and suddenly you are doing the impossible"***
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Date: Sun, 9 Mar 1997 18:19:44 +0000 (GMT) From: Ebrima Jawara <aeujawra@reading.ac.uk> To: Gambia-L <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: RE: Female Genital Mutilation. Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.95q.970309175337.7474A-100000@suma3.reading.ac.uk> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/PLAIN; charset="US-ASCII"
Mr. Kolleh Dramme,
Sir, perhaps you read the story too fast, or failed to get what I was trying to get across. Firstly I did state the apparent good aspects of FGM - i.e. to prepare a woman or child for marriage, maintaining her chastity, stopping her from being promiscuos, etc. unless of course you have some better aspects you do not want to divulge. I also did state that it is much important to know one's roots and heritage. But at what cost? Is it sensible to engage in archaic and barbaric rituals just for the sake of maintaining one's roots? Should Americans living in the Southern States keep the tradition of the KKK, just because it is part of their heritage? FGM was practiced in England in Medieval times, but it has been stopped, because it is unproductive. In China it was the custom to make girls wear shoes a few sizes too small, in order that they should have small feet, because small feet were considered attractive, that has been outlawed. Was that not a part of Chinese heritage and culture?
On the issue of male circumcision. Do not think that I am an advocate of the women's lib movement. Perhaps I fail to understand the pain one has to undergo during "LELL". I was fortunate enough to have been circumcised by a competent surgeon. I cannot really say that I have suffered any long-term effects because my foreskin was chopped off. But sadly, many women do have long-term effects because their genitals were chopped off. Is there any medical or theological eveidence that any form of human genital mutilation imporoves one's lot? We speak of development, but development has to start from within. From each individual, each household, each village, each community. In this day and age we live in an increasingly globalised world, we cannot afford to cling on to primitive practices and expect to compete with the rest of the world. Like I said before, I will ensure that any daughters I do have will not have to undergo any sort of mutilation of their genitals. You said that it was no picnic.............
Any Feedback, positive, negative, or neutral, will be much appreciated.
Humbly yours,
Ebrima Jawara.
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Date: Sun, 9 Mar 1997 15:16:00 -0500 (EST) From: Musa Sowe <chemsm@panther.Gsu.EDU> To: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT/ LONG Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.95.970309151301.18848A-100000@panther.Gsu.EDU> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
It is good that a very lively discussion on this subject is progressing When I made my first contribution I asked if there was anything similar currently in place. Personally, I am learning about some useful things that are going on that I did not know about. There are numerous suggestions on this issue and there are ideas in many of them that we can incorporate into one. As we do so we should think of the following among many others: --simplicity and practicality --cost effectiveness --trust issue
My experience has been that each one of the above, if not handled properly, can slow down or completely halt any progress made. I have found out the hard way that it is good practice to start with something one can handle well in the beginning, work out the bugs, then expand and move on. There are two directions: short term and long term. When I suggested adopting a school or institution in the original proposal, I was thinking of short term intervention and was going to propose a long term one later. Malanding, Modou Camara, Jagana and others have already done that now and it is time now to put all the ideas in one package, sort them out and come up with one proposal. (Modou Camara could you inform those of us who joined this net more recently about the "Observer" project: The developmental project(s) chosen.............and how is it going to be administered........or is a committee still working on it?) Connecting with an already established organization has its advantages; we can benefit from the experience and also from the infrastructure already in place. However, we can also learn from all the experience out there and set up a separate unit. The advantage of that is that if it is set up in the U.S we can benefit from tax exempt status and in the long run when fully established we may be able, as an independent group, to tap into resources that we would not have otherwise been able to. Also we can be completely in charge of our objectives and expand as we see fit and run the show exactly the way we want to.
In summary here are some overall suggestions:
1. Get a head count on who is interested in participating 2. Choose volunteers (3 or 4) to work on this issue by setting up a committee e-mail network through which they work out the details and present a draft suggestion on the net. All other members can address their suggestions to this group. Suggestions to be addressed by committee 2. Start with a school. Choose it on the basis of random selection as suggested by Modou Camara 3. Name the principal or headmaster of the school as a point person in the Gambia. Name a point person from among the participants who will communicate to the point person in Gambia as to what our intentions are without creating too much expectation and get a list of areas of need. ( I suggest we focus initially on text books. If cared for properly these can be used for many years on check out basis by students). I don't think that they will need help in identifying text books since that would have already been sanctioned by the education department. But if they do, those among us with knowledge and experience in that area should be ready to help. The point person will then post the list of requested text books (and publishers and cost) on the net. Those who have committed themselves to this endeavor will choose what they want to sponsor, commit to it, write out a check or money order to the publisher. The point person can then collect these checks and mail them to the publisher who will mail the books directly to the principal. If individual contributors are still not comfortable with that idea, then each one can mail their checks directly to the publisher. Our target date for this to begin should be the Fall semester, 1997. The committee will also look into ways of involving others who for what ever reason are not currently on this net. Now, there are details that I have left out here for the interest of time and space. I think we have come to a juncture whereby we have generated enough interest about this topic to request for volunteers to start a committee that will iron out all the details in the various proposals and come up with a draft of one proposal.. I volunteer to be on this committee. I propose that the committee start its work by March 21, 1997. Which means that all volunteers should be in place would have sorted out how to communicate. While that is going on we need to look at establishing something along the lines of what Malanding proposed. I think we, as a collective, have the potential to impact our educational system in a positive way (outside party politics) and I think we should take up the responsibility to do so. We can have the same committee handle this issue, or we may elect to get a set of three other volunteers to do so. I have been part of putting together a tax exempt organization in the U.S before, and maybe some of you also have been, there are a lot of details involved. If there are any legal scholars on this net or out there, it would be a good idea to have at least one of them on the committee. THNKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE. MUSA
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Date: Sun, 9 Mar 1997 21:47:11 +0000 From: momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou) To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Fwd: NIGERIA-ECONOMY: Keeping Out the Dirty Laundry Message-ID: <19970309204528.AAA12512@LOCALNAME>
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*** 05-Mar-97 ***
Title: NIGERIA-ECONOMY: Keeping Out the Dirty Laundry
By Remi Oyo
LAGOS, Mar 5 (IPS) - The warnings posted up at commercial banks here are among the most visible signs of a crackdown announced by Nigeria's authorities against the money laundering and frauds that have earned the country a bad name internationally.
''Our bank is obliged to report to the Central Bank, a transfer to or from a foreign country of funds or securities of a sum greater than 10,000 US dollars or its equivalent,'' reads one warning stuck on the counter of a bank here on Tuesday.
The banks must also report to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, any single transaction, lodging or transfer of funds in excess of ''500,000 naira (6,500 dollars) in case of an individual and two million naira (26,000 dollars) in the case of a corporate body''.
That's not all. The Nigeria Telecommunications (NITEL) has withdrawn the international direct dialing facility from the public phone booths outside the banks and closed all telephone business centres nationwide.
Adamu Mohammed, Special Adviser to Head of State Sani Abacha on Drugs and Financial Crimes, insists that these decisions are part of government's fight against 'white collar crime'.
These crimes are varied and complex in nature: illicit drug trafficking and abuse, money laundering, advance fee frauds, popularly known here as '419' and other financial malpractices.
The most difficult to eradicate, according to experts, has been '419', which derived its name from section 419 of the Nigerian Criminal Code which deals with advance fee frauds
Advance Fee Fraud or 419 is a mechanism used by tricksters to obtain advance payments on services or contracts which later turn out to be fake. Letters sent to the intended victims contain false information meant to give them the impression that they can earn large amounts of money through the senders' services.
The information can relate to ''millions of dollars from funds left by deceased persons ... the sale of crude oil or contracts for the purchase of vehicles, computers and accessories,'' explained the police in a document titled '419 is a Devil's Business' and made available to IPS.
According to the document, signed by Fatima Waziri, the Commissioner of Police in the Special Fraud Unit, writers of scam letters ''often purport to be persons of social distinction, giving themselves such as 'Chief', 'Doctor', 'Prince' or 'Royal Highness' and claim positions of high status''.
''Advance Fee fraud demands surface soon after a link with a would-be victim has been made,'' it added. ''Series of demands for money are made under several guises'', including legal charges, taxes and remittance fees.
''The purported advantages of such proposals lie in the making of huge monetary gains (with) minimal effort,'' noted the document.
According to Special Adviser Mohammed, the fraudster writes 5,000 or more letters to addresses he picks at random in business directories and the ''government does not have the capability to watch every house, every office or every shack of letter writers''.
However, a Task Force on Postal Offences has intercepted more than 4.4 million '419' letters and destroyed some 1.4 million.
IPS has also learnt from reliable sources that security agencies have managed to infiltrate the networks of collaborators at the post offices and is currently listing telephone numbers subscribed to by suspected fraudsters.
The fight against financial scams has also led the Central Bank to place warning adverts in strategic media in Nigeria and abroad.
Foreign missions, too, have wised up to the tricks of the fraudsters. A source who asked a Scandinavian embassy here this week for information on importing medical supplies from that country was asked to make his request in writing and furnish the mission with copies of his bank statement and other relevant details.
As a result of incessant delays in law courts, fraudsters are now being arraigned before the Miscellaneous Offences Tribunal, which also tries alleged drug traffickers. But of the estimated 187 suspects being held for '419', only about 15 are currently before the tribunal.
More success has been recorded in the fight against drug trafficking and laundering, according to the Nigerian authorities. Since 1990, when the NDLEA was established, 1,977 suspects have been arrested and about 46,657 kilograms of drugs seized. There have so far been 678 convictions and 38 acquittals.
The government has also set up a Ministerial Task Force on Drugs and Financial Crimes to formulate national efforts to fight such abuses and state officials use every opportunity to point out Nigeria's commitment to stamping out narcotics and white-collar crimes.
Reliable sources say Abuja is particularly worried about the United States' refusal since 1994 to certify Nigeria as a nation that cooperates in the global anti-narcotics fight on account of what Washington sees as its unimpressive performance in combating drug trafficking.
''Almost all the conditionalities given by the U.S. as prerequisites for recertifying Nigeria have been fulfilled yet the U.S. refused to recertify Nigeria,'' Mohammed told media editors recently in the northern town of Bauchi.
In Abuja at the weekend, Mohammed said the fight would continue despite the U.S. decision. ''We are doing this for Nigeria and our people, not for any foreign country'', he said.
Western diplomatic sources told IPS by telephone here this week that recertification would greatly improve Nigeria's international image and could also have economic benefits.
''Decertifying Nigeria means that the U.S. could veto Nigeria's applications, for instance, for debt relief and credits >From international financial institutions,'' one of the diplomats said. ''Apart from the loss of such privileges, there is also the loss of American aid to fight drug trafficking and money laundering.''(END/IPS/RO/KB/97)
Origin: Harare/NIGERIA-ECONOMY/ ----
[c] 1997, InterPress Third World News Agency (IPS) All rights reserved
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Date: Sun, 9 Mar 1997 21:47:11 +0000 From: momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou) To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Fwd: DEVELOPMENT: Governments Lag in Social Commitments Message-ID: <19970309204528.AAB12512@LOCALNAME>
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Copyright 1997 InterPress Service, all rights reserved. Worldwide distribution via the APC networks.
*** 05-Mar-97 ***
Title: DEVELOPMENT: Governments Lag in Social Commitments, Says Report
UNITED NATIONS, Mar 5 (IPS) - Only a handful of countries have met the goals for improved social conditions agreed to by governments at the 1995 Social Summit in Copenhagen and Women's Summit in Beijing, a new report argues.
The report, 'Social Watch 1997,' is the first annual accounting by several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) of how many of the promises made at those U.N. conferences have been kept. On the whole, the report suggests, nations are already lagging behind on many of the goals they agreed to meet by the year 2000.
For example, only three nations -- Iraq, Nepal, and Zimbabwe -- are on track to halve their 1990 maternal mortality rates before the year 2000. Another eight nations -- Singapore, Iran, Namibia, Senegal, Trinidad and Tobago, Algeria, Australia and Tajikistan -- are on a pace to reduce their 1990 maternal mortality levels in half by 2000 itself.
But 51 nations studied have either failed to cut their maternal mortality rates since 1990, or have actually gone backward, the report adds. Many key nations, including Russia, Cuba, India and China, have reported higher maternal mortality rates in the mid- 1990s than in 1990.
Other social indicators were similarly marked by only a few star performers. Only Afghanistan and Benin recorded significant improvements by 1993 in improving access to primary education; while only Algeria, Burkina Faso, Oman, Thailand and Cameroon met their respective targets to improve access to primary health care.
For some of the NGOs contributing to the Social Watch report, such data confirms the challenges the globalisation of world trade and structural adjustment provide for countries trying to improve social conditions. ''The 'invisible hand' of the market in itself will not solve social problems,'' writes Roberto Bissio, managing editor of the report and head of Uruguay's Instituto del Tercer Mundo (Third World Institute).
''The economic model that is imposed is not 'free','' adds Luis Perez Aguirre of the Uruguayan NGO 'Servicio Paz y Justicia' (Peace and Justice Service). ''On the contrary, it is perfectly totalitarian. It admits no debate, no discussion...The free market does not exist for the poor.''
The 'Social Watch' authors contend that new mechanisms should be developed to monitor how governments uphold the commitments to social development made at the Copenhagen and Beijing summits, notably including a Fulfilled Commitment Index (FCI).
The index, the authors say, is an indicator currently being developed that will track both the distance from social goals agreed to in the summits and the political will to pursue them. But the FCI will take some time to be developed, the report adds, because many nations still do not provide even the basic data from which to base such an index.
Still, argues co-author Gina Vargas, formerly a regional coordinator for the Beijing conference, the FCI can help to push the agenda of the World Action Platform agreed to at Beijing, which she says has hardly been pushed in the year following the Women's Summit.
''Many regional governments still have not defined the areas of urgent action and aims to deal with these (detailed in the platform), nor have the national civil societies significantly broadened their commitment to gender justice,'' Vargas writes.
In many regions, the report argues, women's employment practices have improved, but they still face job discrimination at their new posts. ''For the majority of countries, there is greater discrimination of earnings against women as they go up the educational levels,'' reports Irma Arriagada in a study contained in the report of new employment opportunities for Latin American women.
The report is also critical of the role of international institutions like the World Trade Organisation (WTO), which the authors accuse of ignoring the results of the Social Summit.
Although governments in Copenhagen called on the newly formed WTO to study the effects of trade on least-developed countries, the WTO insists that it will not carry out such a study until governments ''request it through the official channels,'' the report complains.
'Social Watch' also recommends other recent development proposals that have yet to be implemented, including the '20/20 Initiative' adopted at Copenhagen.
The initiative is a mutual contract under which developing nations earmark 20 percent of public expenditure and industrialised nations set aside 20 percent of official development assistance for basic social services.
But Caroline Wildeman of the Dutch Development Cooperation Agency (or NOVIB) -- which funded the report -- notes that the World Bank and U.N. Development Programme have yet to discuss the compact in any of their periodic consultative group or roundtable meetings. (end/ips/fah/yjc/97)
Origin: Washington/DEVELOPMENT/ ----
[c] 1997, InterPress Third World News Agency (IPS) All rights reserved
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Date: Sun, 9 Mar 1997 21:47:12 +0000 From: momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou) To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Fwd: SIERRA LEONE: Donors Hesitate to Fund Message-ID: <19970309204528.AAC12512@LOCALNAME>
------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- Copyright 1997 InterPress Service, all rights reserved. Worldwide distribution via the APC networks. *** 05-Mar-97 ***
Title: SIERRA LEONE: Donors Hesitate to Fund Delayed Peace Process
By Lansana Fofana
FREETOWN, Mar 5 (IPS) - Donors nations have been slow to release funds meant for the peace process in Sierra Leone because of the apparent unwillingness of rebels to respect an accord they signed with the government in November.
According to Jacob Saffa of the Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, donor countries had pledged last September in Geneva to provide 211 million U.S. dollars for a programme to disarm former fighters and reintegrate them into civil society.
But ''only Britain has provided any money so far,'' according to Saffa, who is the programme's planning manager.
U.N. sources here say the main reason why the money has been coming in trickles has been the delay in the implementation of November's peace accord between the government of President Ahmed Tejan Kabba and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels, who took up arms in 1991.
''The peace accord's deadline for the encampment, disarmament and demobilisation of RUF combattants expired last week but the rebels are still foot-dragging,'' a UN envoy told IPS Wednesday. ''I think this may pose serious problems for the process.''
Even Britain has hesitated to commit the entire 35 million U.S. dollars it budgeted for the demobilisation programme. Tony Todd, a consultant here of the British Overseas Development Association (ODA), said that so far, the U.K. had released 1.5 million dollars for the demobilisation centres set up in various parts of the country to host the estimated 10,000 rebels.
''... so far, only 30 rebels have shown up at the designated centres,'' he explained. ''This is disappointing.''
Sierra Leoneans, too, are disheartened by the rebels' attitude especially since they had thought that the Nov. 30 peace accord had really meant the end of the war.
''This is the second major blow dealt to the peace process by the RUF in just two months,'' commented University of Sierra Leone political analyst Joseph Kanu. ''First they refused to send representatives to the Joint Monitoring Committee and now they seem to be saying 'No' to demobilisation and encampment.''
Nominees from both the state and the RUF are supposed to be on the Joint Monitoring Committee, whose task is to watchdog compliance with the November peace accord.
Like many here, Freetown teacher Mariama Bayoh has doubts about the rebels' commitment to peace. ''I think these barriers created by the RUF are deliberate and aimed at resuming hostilities,'' she said. ''We now see that they have started attacking vehicles on the highways.''
However, RUF leader Foday Sankoh told IPS over the weekend in an exclusive telephone interview from Abidjan, where he is based, that he was upset at what he saw as ''the Freetown government's disrespect'' for him.
''I believe President Tejan Kabbah and his government are not sincere about the process,'' he said. ''They have been sending the Kamajors to attack our positions and they insist that I cannot leave Abidjan for Kailahun (an eastern town which the rebels claim as their headquarters) for whatever reason.''
Since the peace accord, there have been many clashes between the RUF and the Kamajors, a militia force of traditional hunters that fought on the government army's side against the rebels.
''I am tired of living in exile,'' complained Sankoh. ''I want to go home finally as soon as the Freetown government gives the go- ahead.''
But many observers here feel that if the peace accord eventually collapses, which some fear will happen, the RUF will be to blame. In the past five weeks, there have been more than ten attacks, purportedly by rebels, on villages and vehicles along the main highway between Freetown and the interior.
More than 20 people have been killed in such attacks since November and property estimated at tens of thousands of dollars looted or burnt, allegedly by rebels.
''Given the spate of attacks in the north and southeast of the country, I believe the cease-fire itself may be heading for collapse,'' said a Western envoy here.
The disarmament and demobilisation process may have stood a better chance of success had the rebels agreed to a UN proposal to deploy about 700 troops to monitor the peace accord. The RUF rejected the plan, stating that they would accept no more than 100 monitors.
The stagnation of the demobilisation has also affected the return of the some 500,000 Sierra Leonean refugees in neighbouring countries. A repatriation drive begun last month by the government and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has ground to a halt because of the insecurity.
Sierra Leone's civil war started in March 1991 when the RUF invaded the country from bases in neighbouring Liberia to topple the then civilian government of Joseph Momoh. Up to 15,000 people are believed to have died in the fighting. (END/IPS/LF/KB/97)
Origin: Harare/SIERRA LEONE/ ----
[c] 1997, InterPress Third World News Agency (IPS) All rights reserved
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Date: Sun, 9 Mar 1997 22:18:09 +0000 From: momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou) To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: (Fwd) Update on Daily Observer Online (strat. com) Message-ID: <19970309211818.AAA19282@LOCALNAME>
------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 22:40:47 -0500 (EST) Reply-to: gambia-l@u.washington.edu From: "N'Deye Marie Njie" <njie.1@postbox.acs.ohio-state.edu> To: GAMBIA-L: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: Update on Daily Observer Online (strat. com)
Gambia-l:
This is just a brief update on the Daily Observer Online. As you might recall in earlier messages, the strategy and technical committees were working closely together to try and bring the Daily Observer Online. We have been trying to get in touch with someone at the Daily Observer who can answer the questions we have regarding the technical set up of the paper, as well as costs related to setting up and maintaining the paper. We have recently managed to get the e-mail of a reliable source who we hope can respond quickly. As soon as we know more, we will let you know.
I would like to encourage you all to keep your interest in subscribing to the paper. A lot of effort, time and energy is being put into this project by a very resourceful and inspirational group of people. I believe it will be a success! So those who have not subscribe yet, please send your requests to Momodou Camara at momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk. We are still taking subscriptions.
We will keep in touch...
N'Deye-Marie N'Jie (Coordinator of Strategy Committee)
---------------------- N'Deye Marie N'Jie <njie.1@osu.edu> Graduate Research Associate ESGP/ Dept. of Food, Agric. & Biol. Engineering The Ohio State University 590 Woody Hayes Drive, Columbus OH 43210-1057 <614-688-3445 (W); 614-292-9448 (Fax)> -----------------------------
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Date: Sun, 10 Mar 1996 03:16:33 +0300 From: BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA> To: GAMBIA-L@U.WASHINGTON.EDU Subject: (OLD) INVITATION TO OUR NEW MEMBERS!! Message-ID: <31421F60.4CB1@QATAR.NET.QA> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
N'Deye Marie wrote:- > > New Business: > > 1. we need to decide on a subscription fee for the Daily Observer. Since > only about 50 people out of the targeted 100 people expressed interest in > subscribing , it was suggested by the technical committee that we raise the > fee from $10 a year to $20 a year. What do you all think??? We need to make > a decision right away. your response is needed! > > 2. As far as our responsibilities, we do need to decide on who will be > responsible for recieving the money sent in by subscribers. There are two > accountants (that i know of) in this group -- N'Dey Drammeh and Momodou > Jagana. My suggestion is to have these two handle the money part. One > person recieves it and both double check and then send it to the tech > committee or who ever is suppose to get all the money ( i have to double > check on this with abdou/francis). Ndey and Momodou let us know and talk to > each other too. Folks, we need to decidee how the payments will be made > (personal checks or money orders). I suggest no cash or credit cards, for > the obvious reasons. We do want to keep a documented account of all payments. > > 3. I also need someone to work with me in answering questinos that potential > subscribers may ask. If any one of you feel that you are knowledgeable > enough about the group to handle questinons, let me know. > > 4. We also need two volunteers to act as 'secretaries' who will send in > progress reports to gambia-l and to the technical committee. This is > something that will probably be done whenever we have something to report > on. It will not be a lot of work because I know we are all busy with other > things. So if you read your mail regularly ( say once a day or a couple of > times a week), please volunteer for this position. > > 5. That's all I can think of right now. Send in you suggestions if > anything else comes to mind. Also let me know what you would like to do. I > appointed the accountants because I happen to know what they do. So go > ahead and send in your brief introductions/experiences/abilities... > > I'll send in a list of the people who are interested in subscribing. > > Thanks!! > > 3 > ---------------------- > N'Deye Marie N'Jie > Graduate Associate > Dept. of Food, Agricultural & Biological Engineering > The Ohio State University > 590 Woody Hayes Drive, Columbus OH 43210 > <njie.1@osu.edu; 688-3445 (W)> > -----------------------------
NDEYE! WITH REGARDS TO THE $20,I AGREE. -- SZDDˆð'3Af¨
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Date: Sun, 09 Mar 1997 21:03:41 -0800 From: Lamin Camara <masada@octonline.com> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: Gambian/Malian Businessman jailed Message-ID: <3323962D.6245@octonline.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
ASJanneh@aol.com wrote: > > This may be of interest to you! > > Amadou Scattred Janneh > > --------------------------------------------------------------- > MIAMI (Reuter) - A Gambian businessman who bribed a U.S. customs agent in a bid to ship two military helicopters to Gambia was sentenced Tuesday to eight months incarceration and fined $250,000 by a Miami judge. > > Foutange Dit Babani Sissoko, head of Negoce International, had pleaded guilty in January to making illegal payments. > > Three business associates were also given fines and custodial sentences. > > The U.S. Attorney's Office said Negoce International purchased two Bell TH-IF helicopters in Miami but failed to have the necessary State Department approval and licences to export them. > > Customs agents seized the helicopters in Miami after the company tried to ship them out. Serge Comminges, a French senior vice-president of Negoce International, and Moumouni Dieguimde, a Gambian, paid a customs agent part of a bribe in exchange for releasing the helicopters. > > Negoce International office manager Mariama Darboe, also from Gambia, later made a second payment, the Attorney's Office said. > > Judge Michael Moore sentenced Sissoko to eight months incarceration -- four months in jail and four under house arrest -- and a $250,000 fine. > > Comminges was given four-and-a-half months in jail and a $5,000 fine, Dieguimde four months in jail and a $5,000 fine, and Darboe was sentenced to four months house arrest and three years probation. Negoce was also fined $50,000. > > The four men have been free on bond since they were first charged last August and must surrender to the authorities to begin their sentences. > > 17:47 03-04-97
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Date: Sun, 9 Mar 1997 23:38:26 -0500 (EST) From: MJagana@aol.com To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT/ LONG/COMMITTE MEMBERS Message-ID: <970309233313_-1807724910@emout05.mail.aol.com>
Dear Musa and All Glers
I think this is a great oppurnity to make a positive impact in the education sysytem in the gambia. For any kind of voluntary work ( other than LEGAL), I shall be willing to offer my service nad personal finance.
momodou jagana.
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Date: Mon, 10 Mar 1997 14:33:02 JST +900 From: binta@iuj.ac.jp To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT/ LONG/COMMITTE MEMBERS Message-ID: <199703100529.OAA18248@mlsv.iuj.ac.jp> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Gambia-l,
Although I stay far away from many of you, I subscribe to the education project wholeheartedly. Please do count on me.
Lamin Drammeh.
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Date: Sun, 9 Mar 1997 21:44:57 +0800 (SGT) From: Muwanaidi Syonya Abdalla <9420057@talabah.iiu.my> To: Gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: FGM Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.91.970309205014.24093C-100000@talabah.iiu.my> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
TO ANY MEMBER INTERESTED TO ANSWER MY QUESTIONS. I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE DEBATE ON FGM ie (FROM BOTH EBRIMA AND BASS)AND SOME QUESTIONS CROPPED UP TO MY MIND.DOES FGM REAL ERADICATE PROMISCUITY OR PROSTITUTION? OF COURSE THIS QUESTION APPLYS TO COUNTRIES WHERE FGM IS PRACTISED. MY SECOND QUESTION IS:THE REASON FOR CUTTING OFF THE GENITALS OR EVEN SEWING IT UP IS TO PURIFY;IS IT EXTERNAL PURIFICATION OR INTERNAL (BODILY)? BECAUSE TO MY HUMBLE UNDERSTANDING EVERYTHING ON THIS EARTH WAS CREATED FOR A PURPOSE.ONE POSSIBLE REASON THE FEMALE ANATOMY WAS CREATED WAS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST EXTERNAL HAZARADS(e.g dirt.....) FURTHERMORE IT HELPS THE BODY IN THE PROCESS OF INTERNAL CLEANSING (MENSTRUATION e.t.c), THUS ALTERING WITH WHAT NATURE HAS PROVIDED FOR IS JUST HINDERING IT AND CREATING MORE PROBLEMS (ie complications during menstruation). AT THE SAME TIME IT PROTECTS IT FROM THE OUTSIDE AS MENTIONED BEFORE. THIS IS OF COURSE IS BESIDES OTHER REASONS FOR IT'S EXSISTENCE. COULD ANYONE CLARIFY TO ME ON THIS MATTER PLEASE? I ADVANCE MY APOLOGIES IF I HAVE OFFENDED ANYONE. REGARDS, M.S.A
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Date: Mon, 10 Mar 1997 00:47:37 -0500 (EST) From: KBadjie338@aol.com To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: Tobaski Message-ID: <970310004736_1350340870@emout13.mail.aol.com>
This is kawsu i did not hear from you in a long time. how are you and all the guys out there. i know i owe you a call which i never did but i want you to accept my appology.iam really busy with school work but you might say that does not matter. thanks
kawsu
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Date: Sun, 9 Mar 1997 22:17:36 -0800 (PST) From: Latir Downes-Thomas <latir@earthlink.net> To: gambia-l <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: Re: Gambia's president takes over defence ministry (fwd) Message-ID: <857985722@mail.earthlink.net>
Lamin wrote:
> At least a new cabinet is now in place---a good move in the right > direction. Can anyone on the List enlighten me on the issue of > the presidency in a situation where the president is incapacitated. > What does the Constitution say about succession? In the absence of > the President, who takes over? Vice President, Secretary General, > Speaker of the House, or Minister to the President? I remember > that just a few weeks ago Ecuador had a problem of succession.
Section 65 in chapter 7 states that if the Office of the President becomes vacant the Vice President "shall assume the office of the President for the the residue of the term of the former president."
It also states that the Speaker should assume the office "if there is no Vice-President in office at the time..."
For peace sake, it is good to see that a cabinet is now in place but the slick maneuvering has not resolved the issue entirely. Section 70 states clearly that "There shall be a Vice-President of The Gambia..."
As I see it, this cabinet is INCOMPLETE and according to Section 70, somewhat unconstitutional. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you see it), there isn't a provision that states exactly how long the Office of the Vice-President can be vacant as it presently is. Subsection (6) only states that: "Whenever there is a vacancy in the Office of Vice-President..., the President shall, appoint as Vice-President a person qualified to be appointed to that office.
I think the whole situation is rather ridiculous. The fact of the matter is that should anything happen to the President, Singhateh cannot assume the Presidency before he reaches the age of 31 unless the constitution is amended or he takes over by force. Since that is the case, why not just appoint a Vice-President and get on with the business of governing the country?
Peace.
Lat
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Date: Sun, 9 Mar 1997 22:20:23 -0800 (PST) From: Latir Downes-Thomas <latir@earthlink.net> To: gambia-l <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT Message-ID: <857985889@mail.earthlink.net>
Momodou Camara wrote,
> My point is that before talking about starting a new project, lets > try to realize the ones we have already started.
I agree. Brainstorming on this new initiative should be encouraged but I also feel that more effort should be placed on getting the Observer Online project going.
Once the project is up and going I see no reason why it can't be used for other initiatives such as this.
I would assume that a payment structure would be in place where funds will transferred back home. Why not use this same structure along with the Observer people in Bakau to help fund the chosen institutions. Apart from the $10 subscription fee (which I believe is TOO small), additional donations can also be taken.
Just a quick thought!
Peace.
Lat
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Date: Sun, 9 Mar 1997 23:01:00 +0800 (SGT) From: Serigne Mamadou <9220373@talabah.iiu.my> To: Modou Jallow <mjallow@st6000.sct.edu> Cc: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: Re: Africa: How bad is it? Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.91.970309221934.26919D-100000@talabah.iiu.my> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Hello Everybody! I feel very grateful to Modou Jallow for raising this interesting topic for discussion. I do not think it's appropriate for me to give any answer to all questions raised, especially on unstability, widespread poverty, and illeteracy. I think just offering my opinion is not good enough. I should say something that evryone else should benefit from. However, I do not rule out the impact of colonialism on Africa. But that's where I would stop. I think it is high time for Africans to bear the responsibility of whatever is going on in Africa and stop pointing fingers at others. As Mr. Grotnes has already made it clear, ills like corruption are present everywhere in the world. I do not need to cite any example, it's been already done. But what I would like to say is that in countries like Indonesia, corruption is helping boost the economy, while in Africa it's taking us backward. The thing is that leaders of such countries like the South East Asian nations, though corrupt, do not forget their responsibilities towards their people. They do embezzle, but the population is always given its share, reason why economies are booming. They are dictators, perhaps. But one could call them "benevolent dictators" compared to African dictators. Tribal sentiments are definitely a problem. But I do not think lingustic differences are, or else they should not be. On the other hand, I would support that a ligua franca would be very helpful. Mr. Modou Jallow gave the Indonesian example. Let me tell you that Indonesians speak one language, Bahasa Indonesia, since 1945, I guess. They do have hundreds of languages. But only the Bahasa is officially spoken and every Indonesian understands it. This system may not work in Africa, because it is not one nation like Indonesia and it has not been programmed to be. Just for the sake of correction to Mr. Modou Jallow, poverty has not been eradicated in Indonesia. You have to travel to that country to see. In fact, that's the reason why thousands of Indonesians are flogging into Malaysia for better prospects. I visited Indonesia and I know about the situation. However, the country is still doing well economically. The problem as I see it, is three-fold. Comparing Africa to Asia, we find that Asian leaders are very patriotic, dedicated to the cause of their countries to death. Which we lack in Africa. Besides, Asians are very law abiding and are ready to sacrifice anything as far as the leader wants them to. Which we do not have in Africa. Furthermore, Asians are very hardworking, from the leader down to the last person. We wouldn't like it but African are not. I think all these factors combined are responsible to the present situation in the African continent. Thanks to everybody. Hope to read other contributions. Wassalam.
Serigne.
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Date: Mon, 10 Mar 1997 09:24:54 +0000 (GMT) From: J GAYE <J.Gaye@Bradford.ac.uk> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Cc: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.970310091734.3958B-100000@kite.cen.brad.ac.uk> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
On Fri, 7 Mar 1997, Francis Njie wrote:
> > >> HELLOW EVERYONE; How about adopting a school or some other institution > >> back home and providing some of the school's needed supplies, text books > >> etc. on an occasional basis> > This is a noble idea and I would spare time, energy and resources in support of it. Our educational system is not, and probably has never been in the best of forms. It needs a lot of support from all concerned Gambians to remedy the situation.
J.Gaye >
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Date: Mon, 10 Mar 1997 09:33:13 GMT From: "Per E. Grotnes" <perg@nfh.uit.no> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: The banking question Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19970310105133.266f496a@draugen.nfh.uit.no> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
I still feel uninformed about how financing, especially of small enterprises, can happen in The Gambia. I got one answer, but by having fingertrouble I deleted the message before I could understand it. Could that someone send me directly his "thesis", please One additional question: by reading most of the introductions I get the feeling that most of you study economy in some form or other. Is there such an enormous lack of such expertise in The Gambia, or are you trying to educate yourselves away from home? I am certainly wrong in my assessment of your background? perG
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Date: Mon, 10 Mar 1997 11:08:14 +0000 From: "M'BAI OF" <O.F.M'Bai@icsl.ac.uk> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: ISSUE OF PRIVATE MAILS Message-ID: <199703101104.LAA21525@netmail.city.ac.uk> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
is that it MR. WHEEL-BARROW??????!!!!!!! OR HAVE YOU GOT MORE RUBBISH TO SAY ..................
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Date: Mon, 10 Mar 1997 11:30:51 +0000 From: "M'BAI OF" <O.F.M'Bai@icsl.ac.uk> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: ISSUE OF PRIVATE MAILS Message-ID: <199703101127.LAA26211@netmail.city.ac.uk> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
well mr. plump or klump, thats your opinion so stick to it and let me stick to mine . Is there anything wrong with that??? I hope not.
omar.
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Date: Mon, 10 Mar 1997 14:18:52 +0100 From: Abdou Gibba <Abdou.Gibba@smr.uib.no> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT Message-ID: <2.2.32.19970310131852.00684040@golf.uib.no> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
At 17:51 09.03.97 +0000, Momodou Camara wrote:
>I have also read here on the list, that there is an organization in >Bergen which is sponsoring the schooling of at least one person and >you should be able to get more information of how to contribute >through Abdou or Famara.
HI GUYS!! I brought up this case earlier to share our experience from what we have been doing and how. Our organization (Gambian organization - Westland <Bergen> Branch) have sponsored two needy ex-students of Gambia High School. This was in the form of financing their school fees, book bills and uniforms through their entire high school education ("6th form" included).
Now, what we did was to first identify our targets through the help of a former member of our organization, now residing in Gambia, and the then Principal of Gambia High School who happens to know the needy ones. Follow-ups were then made when ever we made any payments. This was done by people from our org. who happens to travel home. NOTE: THERE WAS NO GEOGRAPHICAL PREFERENCES OF WHOM THESE SPONSORSHIPS SHOULD GO TO. WE FELT THIS IS COMPLETELY IRRELEVANT. So realizing such incentives is just as simple as that. The most important issue here is the WILL and DEDICATION.
My suggestion to when it comes to selecting the school(s) is, that 1,2,or 3... school(s) (depending on our resources) be randomly selected every year with the assistance of a contact person back home and a consultation with the Dept.of Education or Regional Education Offices. The selected schools can individually identify the form of assistance they need because priorities differ from place to place. While you can provide a computer to a school in Bakau with electricity, it is pointless to do the same for a school in Dasilami without electricity. Many schools will benefit from this form of an annual random selection over an extended period.
Momodou's call for supporting already existing organizations is not a duplication of efforts as some members feel. I think it's more of strengthening the efforts of these organizations. With additional resources, their effectiveness could be improved. Moreover, this will spare us all the work and time we would need in the case of setting up a new organization. This part is just an observation of some po stings but it could also be regarded as a support of Momodou's suggestion.
I hope this could contribute to the already long list of suggestions.
KEEP UP THE FAITH!! ::)))Abdou Oujimai
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Date: Mon, 10 Mar 1997 08:30:40 -0800 (PST) From: Ylva Hernlund <yher@u.washington.edu> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: new member Message-ID: <Pine.A41.3.95b.970310082525.29710D-100000@dante33.u.washington.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Please include on Gambia-l Dr. Evelyn Newman Phillips, assistant professor of anthropology at Central Connecticut State University and former resident of the Gambia. Her e-mail address is Phillipse@ccsu.edu Thank you, Ylva H.
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Date: Mon, 10 Mar 1997 10:10:45 -0800 (PST) From: Ylva Hernlund <yher@u.washington.edu> To: BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA> Cc: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: Re: Female Genital Mutilation. Message-ID: <Pine.A41.3.95b.970310100122.35924A-100000@dante34.u.washington.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: QUOTED-PRINTABLE
I find these pieces extremely interesting, as part of my research in Gambia focuses on the way in which the ritual context of "FGM" (i must add I am much more comfortable with the less inflammatory term "Female genital cutting"...) has changed. It is my impression that in Gambia (as well as in many other places) the "bush school" is often shortened or done away with all together. Many young women I have spoken with in Bakau told me that they were circumcised individually, often in someone's home and with little or no accompanying ritual or "transmission of cultural knowledge." Young people who work with BAFROW's Youth Advocacy Group often stressed to me that this is why the custom has (at least in urban areas) become "completely meaningless." It is in this context that I find so intriguing the attempt of BAFROW to conduct non-cutting puberty rituals: the actual cutting is eliminated, but the ritual context is revived as is the bush school (similar efforts are under way in Kenya and have met with enthusiastic support from the communities involved) I will not go on for too long about this now but would be extremely interested in hearing Gambia-l'ers thoughts about this issue (ie "restructured puberty ritual" without actual female "circumcision")=20 Best, Ylva Hernlund
On Sat, 9 Mar 1996, BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH wrote:
> Ebrima Jawara wrote: > >=20 > > FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION > >=20 > > Or female circumcsion as it is sometimes called, is widely practised in > > The Gambia. The 'operation' is rarely performed with surgical tools, > > skill, any knowledge of anatomy or the use of anaesthetics. > >=20 > > Its aim is to prepare girls for marriage by helping to ensure their > > premarital purity. It lessens sexual desire, and so reduces the temptat= ion > > for girls and women to have intercourse before marriage - very importan= t > > where virginity is an absolute prerequisite for a bride-to-be. Some Mos= lem > > groups beleive it is demanded by the Islamic faith. Any proof of this? > > Other groups hold beliefs about human biology and use circumcision as > > contraception. In some cultures, female genitals are considered unclean= , > > and circumcision serves literally to smooth and ritually purify them. > >=20 > > Genital Mutilation has staggering physical and mental health consequenc= es > > for women. Infections (frequently fatal), haemorrhage, and other extrem= e > > long-term physical complications are common. The extent and degree of > > sexual and mental health problems can only be guessed at, because > > circumcised women are often hesitant to discuss a subject that means > > little to them, or is embarrassing - their sexuality. > >=20 > > THE ABOVE WAS TAKEN FROM WOMEN IN THE WORLD. > >=20 > > I do believe that: Female Genital Mutilation is PRIMITIVE and BARBARIC. > > With no real place in a modern society. However one's culture should be > > respected and preserved, > > But at what cost? Is it good for the society as a whole? The whole act = of > > female circumcision is a strain on already stretched medical services. = The > > women have to see gynaecologists for horrendous complications brought > > about by the primitive butchering of their private parts. The celebrati= ons > > cost a lot of money. The families have to give sacrifices as well as pa= y a > > fee to have their daughters ciurcumcised. Costing more money. Any type = of > > development must include increases in life expectancy and the general > > welfare of the whole of the society. By mutilating women are we not > > depriving them of their own development, and thus the development of th= e > > country? I will do my bit to eradicate this primitive act by ensuring t= hat > > any daughters I do have in the future will not be subjected to any form= s > > of genital mutilation. If one other person reading this long and perhap= s > > boring piece, should decide that their daughters will not be mutilated,= I > > think some good would have been done. > >=20 > > I HOPE I HAVE NOT OFFENDED ANYONE, AND IF I HAVE, I DO APPOLOGISE. ANY > > FEEDBACK, NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE WILL BE MUCH APPRECIATED. > >=20 > > GOD BLESS, > >=20 > > EBRIMA JAWARA. >=20 >=20 >=20 > MR.JAWARA!! > =09=09THE PROBLEM WITH YOUR ANALYSIS IS THAT YOU TOLD US ONLY > THE BAD ASPECTS OF FEMALE CIRCUMCISION.THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO ARE BEST > QUALIFIED TO EXPLAIN OUR CULTURE TO THE WORLD ARE WE OURSELVES.YOU AND I > KNOW THAT THE LAST REMAINING BASTION OF AFRICAN PEDAGOGY IS THE SCHOOL > OF CIRCUMCISION.NOWADAYS,THE ONLY TIME THAT OUR ELDERS COULD TEACH US > PURE AFRICAN VALUES NOT DISTORTED EITHER BY ISLAM OR CHRISTIANITY IS > WHEN WE GO TO THIS SCHOOL.THAT IS WHY I AM SOMEWHAT SAD > THAT YOUR ANALYSIS SOUNDS LIKE THE AUTHOR WAS BORN IN OTTAWA OR GENEVA > OR .... IT IS TOTALLY UNFAIR TO REDUCE THE ENTIRE THREE OR SO MONTHS OF > INTENSIVE SCHOOLING TO JUST THE CHOPPING OFF OF THE CLITORIS OR THAT > ADDITIONAL FLESH AROUND THE PENIS.ITS MUCH MORE THAN THAT,AND YOU KNOW > IT.SO,AS A GAMBIAN AND AN AFRICAN,PERHAPS YOU OWE IT TO ALL OF US TO > FIND TIME AND TRY TO RETELL US THIS STORY IN A MUCH MORE COMPREHENSIVE > MANNER.AND ITS ALSO CONFUSING TO ME THAT NONE OF THOSE WHO HAVE TAKEN UP > THIS SUBJECT IN THE PAST MADE ANY MENTION OF THE MALE ONE,AS IF THAT IS > A PICNIC!! WELL,MINE WAS NOT;AND I KNOW A LOT OF MEN WHO FEEL THE SAME > ABOUT IT. >=20 > =09=09=09=09=09REGARDS BASSSS!! > --=20 > SZDD=88=F0'3Af=A8=03 >=20 >=20
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Date: Mon, 10 Mar 1997 10:15:16 -0800 (PST) From: Ylva Hernlund <yher@u.washington.edu> To: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: RE: Female Genital Mutilation. Message-ID: <Pine.A41.3.95b.970310101144.35924C-100000@dante34.u.washington.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
One more thing...I would be interested in list members' thoughts on the difference between males and females with respect to the medicalization of circumcision. It is my impression that it is becoming increasingly common for boys to be circumcised in clinics, whereas the same cannot be said for girls. There is a big debate in the literature over conducting circumcision under medical auspices...does it save lives and lessen risks in cases where circumcision would definitely have taken place either way? Or does it "legitimize" and further entrench a practice that should simply be done away with all together? Or both? YH
On Sun, 9 Mar 1997, Ebrima Jawara wrote:
> > Mr. Kolleh Dramme, > > Sir, perhaps you read the story too fast, or failed to get what I was > trying to get across. Firstly I did state the apparent good aspects of > FGM - i.e. to prepare a woman or child for marriage, maintaining her > chastity, stopping her from being promiscuos, etc. unless of course you > have some better aspects you do not want to divulge. I also did state that > it is much important to know one's roots and heritage. But at what cost? > Is it sensible to engage in archaic and barbaric rituals just for the sake > of maintaining one's roots? Should Americans living in the Southern States > keep the tradition of the KKK, just because it is part of their heritage? > FGM was practiced in England in Medieval times, but it has been stopped, > because it is unproductive. In China it was the custom to make girls wear > shoes a few sizes too small, in order that they should have small feet, > because small feet were considered attractive, that has been outlawed. Was > that not a part of Chinese heritage and culture? > > On the issue of male circumcision. Do not think that I am an advocate of > the women's lib movement. Perhaps I fail to understand the pain one has to > undergo during "LELL". I was fortunate enough to have been circumcised by > a competent surgeon. I cannot really say that I have suffered any > long-term effects because my foreskin was chopped off. But sadly, many > women do have long-term effects because their genitals were chopped off. > Is there any medical or theological eveidence that any form of human > genital mutilation imporoves one's lot? We speak of development, but > development has to start from within. From each individual, each > household, each village, each community. In this day and age we live in an > increasingly globalised world, we cannot afford to cling on to primitive > practices and expect to compete with the rest of the world. Like I said > before, I will ensure that any daughters I do have will not have to > undergo any sort of mutilation of their genitals. You said that it was no > picnic............. > > Any Feedback, positive, negative, or neutral, will be much appreciated. > > Humbly yours, > > Ebrima Jawara. > > >
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Date: 10 Mar 97 16:10:04 EST From: "Dr. S. G. Kamara" <73244.2701@CompuServe.COM> To: GAMBIA-L <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: Re: Gambia's president takes over defence ministry (fwd) Message-ID: <970310211003_73244.2701_FHO38-2@CompuServe.COM>
Latir Downes-Thomas writes:
> As I see it, this cabinet is INCOMPLETE and according to >Section 70, somewhat unconstitutional. Fortunately (or >unfortunately, depending on how you see it), there isn't a >provision that states exactly how long the Office of the >Vice-President can be vacant as it presently is.
The cabinet may be incomplete but it is absolutely constitutional. President Jammeh is maneuvering and buying time through constitutional means. The decision to leave the V-P position vacant now may not be popular, but it is constitutional.
President Jammeh should be commended for respecting the constitution by refraining from appointing Singateh as V-P. As I said two weeks ago, assigning to him as much cabinet responsibility as the constitution allows short of the V-P appointment is Jammeh's best alternative, and indeed his prerogative as President. If, as time goes on, the Gambian People approve a constitutional ammendment, then well and good. For now, he is acting within his authority.
Regards,
Kamara.
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Date: Mon, 10 Mar 1997 15:18:50 -0600 (CST) From: umjawara@cc.UManitoba.CA To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: Tobaski Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.970310151450.18716A-100000@toliman.cc.umanitoba.ca> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Hello Aba, Tobaski (Eid'ul Adha) is supposed to be arround April 18. It is always 2 months and 10 days, in the islamic lunar calender, from Koriteh (Eid'ul Fitr).
Alieu.
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Date: Mon, 10 Mar 1997 13:56:38 -0800 (PST) From: Latir Downes-Thomas <latir@earthlink.net> To: gambia-l <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: Re: Gambia's president takes over defence ministry (fwd) Message-ID: <858041954@mail.earthlink.net>
Kamara wrote:
> The cabinet may be incomplete but it is absolutely > constitutional. President Jammeh is maneuvering and buying > time through constitutional means. The decision to leave > the V-P position vacant now may not be popular, but it is > constitutional.
You are correct. I think "unconstitutional" was definitely the wrong word for me to have used there.
> President Jammeh should be commended for respecting the > constitution by refraining from appointing Singateh as V-P.
Perhaps he should but one must ask the crucial questions: If the overall goal was/is to amend the constitution why wasn't it done? Is there dissent within his own party that prevented it from happening? Does he intend on keeping the position vacant for the remainder of his term or his he waiting for the country to slip back into it's apathetic mode and try again for an amendment?
> As I said two weeks ago, assigning to him as much cabinet > responsibility as the constitution allows short of the V-P > appointment is Jammeh's best alternative, and indeed his > prerogative as President. If, as time goes on, the Gambian
I would also like to know why Jammeh gave Singhateh all these responsibilities where he has little experience, like Water Resources and strip him of the one responsibility where he is most qualified, namely Defence. I find that rather odd.
I'd love to hear what you think.
Peace.
Lat
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Date: Mon, 10 Mar 1997 14:26:56 -0800 From: sarian@osmosys.incog.com (Sarian Loum) To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: New Member Message-ID: <199703102226.OAA16492@thesky.incog.com>
All,
Dr. Evelyn Newman Phillips has been added to the list. Welcome aboard and please send in your intro to gambia-l.
Sarian
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Date: Mon, 10 Mar 1997 14:26:46 +0000 (GMT) From: "E.Semega-Janneh" <E.Semega-Janneh@law.hull.ac.uk> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: Female Genital Mutilation. (fwd) Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.970310142522.21870A-100000@humus2.ucc.hull.ac.uk> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Sun, 9 Mar 1997 19:43:51 +0000 (GMT) From: E.Semega-Janneh <la7es1@humus2.ucc.hull.ac.uk> To: BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@qatar.net.qa> Cc: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: Re: Female Genital Mutilation.
Dear Mr Drammeh, I fail to grasp the reason how you could even think of comparing Male Circumcision to females'. Firstly, male undergo such operation mostly for health reasons and the operation is done by competent doctors. Whislt with women, there has been no scientific proof that it prevents promiscuity or aid women in any way. Since, it is rarely performed by professionals, young girls are faced with major health risks, which i have known to even result to infertilty. For what??? just to promote promiscuity.I don't hear anyone advocating for men to be chaste!!! As for maintaining our roots, i think there are more effective ways which can be adopted rather than such barbaric method, which in my opinion is only suppressing female sexuality and reinforcing male domination in the name of the false aasumption that, "it's good for her". I congratulate Ebrima for his accout as it gives a wider picture, one which most of tend to overlook or should i say conveniently ignore.
thank You EBI
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Date: Mon, 10 Mar 1997 22:16:37 -0500 From: "PA-MAMBUNA O. BOJANG" <paomar@iglou.com> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT Message-ID: <3324CE95.2763@iglou.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Abdou Gibba wrote:
> My suggestion to when it comes to selecting the school(s) is, that 1,2,or > 3... school(s) (depending on our resources) be randomly selected every year > with the assistance of a contact person back home and a consultation with > the Dept.of Education or Regional Education Offices. The selected schools > can individually identify the form of assistance they need because > priorities differ from place to place. While you can provide a computer to a > school in Bakau with electricity, it is pointless to do the same for a > school in Dasilami without electricity. Many schools will benefit from this > form of an annual random selection over an extended period. >
Mr Gibba, your ideas are great. However, the proposal still require more critical thinking. If we take a loook at the hassle our brothers and sisters have to go through daily in order to get to school in greater Banjul area (Banjul, Serrekunda, Bakau) then we probably might want to give up the idea of providing any modification for schools in these areas. That to me will simply mean adding salt to the hassle the vast majority of the Gambian students go through. All the good schools in the Gambia are located in the greater Banjul area and as a result, students from Basse, Koina, Bansang, Kartong, Badibu, you name it, are forced to first find lodging in these areas and then find there way to get to school and back every day. Only if you 've been a victim of this hassle can you know how difficult it is, and believe me it is extremely a difficult struggle. I'm pretty sure quite a bunch of us on this list have gone through that and you can all bear with me that it is an extremely difficult struggle and for that matter "very" disadvantageous. It is disadvantageous because ... (1) student victims of such a hassle will often get home late, sometimes very late, and would therefore not have enough time in the evening to study and do home work. (2) Some of them are not treated accordingly by their guidians (one who lodges them) and this I believe have major effects on their studies ( may be a little bit controversial, but I'm sure quite a few of us have experienced it). With regars to what is stated above, I think it will be more helpful if we rehabilitate some of the secondary schools in the provinces, say in Badibu, Kaur, Bansang, to atleast match the standards of schools in greater Banjul. By doing that, we will... (a) help reduce the hassle of boarding school buses, taxis, or even trucks that most students have to go through in the morning and in the afternoon. (b) Help provide, say a native Kaur student going to a school in Kaur equally rated as Gambia high School, similar priviledges a native Banjul student enjoys going to Gambia High School in Banjul. (c) help reduce over crowding in greater Banjul areas which ofcourse will redude crimes/theft. Let us not stand aloof and watch this beckoning ship cast adrift. The future of our nation relies heavily on the education of our youths. Our governments, especially Jawara's, have totally negleted that route, but its not too late to correct it. We should and I believe we will take this matter in our own hands and set it straight. It is a great proposal, so throw in ideas.
GOD BLESS!
Pa-Mambuna Lexington.
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Date: Mon, 11 Mar 1996 09:48:39 +0300 From: BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: Gambia's president takes over defence ministry (fwd) Message-ID: <3143CCC6.269B@QATAR.NET.QA> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Dr. S. G. Kamara wrote: > > Latir Downes-Thomas writes: > > > As I see it, this cabinet is INCOMPLETE and according to > >Section 70, somewhat unconstitutional. Fortunately (or > >unfortunately, depending on how you see it), there isn't a > >provision that states exactly how long the Office of the > >Vice-President can be vacant as it presently is. > > The cabinet may be incomplete but it is absolutely > constitutional. President Jammeh is maneuvering and buying > time through constitutional means. The decision to leave > the V-P position vacant now may not be popular, but it is > constitutional. > > President Jammeh should be commended for respecting the > constitution by refraining from appointing Singateh as V-P. > As I said two weeks ago, assigning to him as much cabinet > responsibility as the constitution allows short of the V-P > appointment is Jammeh's best alternative, and indeed his > prerogative as President. If, as time goes on, the Gambian > People approve a constitutional ammendment, then well and good. > For now, he is acting within his authority. > > Regards, > > Kamara.
DR.KAMARA! THANK YOU FOR YOUR EVEN HANDEDNESS.WE APPRECIATE THE MEASURED AND BALANCED MANNER IN WHICH YOU HAVE CONSISTENTLY PRESENTED YOUR VIEWS.
PLEASE KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK DOWN THERE!!
REGARDS BASSSS!! -- SZDDˆð'3Af¨
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Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 08:29:40 +0100 From: Abdou Gibba <Abdou.Gibba@smr.uib.no> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT Message-ID: <2.2.32.19970311072940.00685740@golf.uib.no> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
At 22:16 10.03.97 -0500, PA-MAMBUNA wrote: >Abdou Gibba wrote: > >> My suggestion to when it comes to selecting the school(s) is, that 1,2,or >> 3... school(s) (depending on our resources) be randomly selected every year >> with the assistance of a contact person back home and a consultation with >> the Dept.of Education or Regional Education Offices. The selected schools >> can individually identify the form of assistance they need because >> priorities differ from place to place. While you can provide a computer to a >> school in Bakau with electricity, it is pointless to do the same for a >> school in Dasilami without electricity. Many schools will benefit from this >> form of an annual random selection over an extended period. >> > > > Mr Gibba, your ideas are great. However, the proposal still >require more critical thinking. If we take a loook at the hassle our >brothers and sisters have to go through daily in order to get to school >in greater Banjul area (Banjul, Serrekunda, Bakau) then we probably >might want to give up the idea of providing any modification for schools >in these areas.........
PA-MAMBUNA! I agree with the entire content of your piece. I am a very profound advocate of decentralization of all sectors and so if the aim of the list members is to promote the decentralization of our education system through your ideas,.....nothing could be as perfect as that. I mean even in the provinces, the type of hassle you mentioned exists. My experience is, school children travel several miles (by foot) to and fro smaller villages to the nearest one with a school. Even though I never encountered these journeys myself I've seen others come to and go from my village every school day of their entire primary school education. If one goodwill person could improve all those situations, what a great gesture would that be.
KEEP UP THE GOOD FAITH!! ::)))Abdou Oujimai
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Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 08:59:35 +0100 From: Abdou Gibba <Abdou.Gibba@smr.uib.no> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: Gambia's president takes over defence ministry (fwd) Message-ID: <2.2.32.19970311075935.0069f3ec@golf.uib.no> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
At 16:10 10.03.97 EST, DR. S. G. Kamara wrote: > > >.......The cabinet may be incomplete but it is absolutely >constitutional. President Jammeh is maneuvering and buying >time through constitutional means. The decision to leave >the V-P position vacant now may not be popular, but it is >constitutional. > >President Jammeh should be commended for respecting the >constitution by refraining from appointing Singateh as V-P. >As I said two weeks ago,......
DR. KAMARA! two weeks ago when a list member advocated for a "civil disobedience" in Gambia, I commended you on the very professional and balanced way you analysed the situation. I commend you once again and would like to let you know that you are the kind of DOCTORS and/or PROFESSORS our country could not do without. Your kind, I wouldn't hesitate (even in a deep sleep) giving the hard task of leading our country. You are far different from those docs and profs who are ONLY fishing for "scandals" and the negatives which they will always find, anyway, with or without Jammeh. Their motives, what ever they are, are left to them to face their own conscience. If anything evil is involved in this aspect, GREAT GOD will always be our protector.
KEEP UP THE GOOD FAITH DOCTOR
::)))Abdou Oujimai
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Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 09:28:30 + 0100 MET From: "ALPHA ROBINSON" <garob1@cip.hx.uni-paderborn.de> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: Gambia's president takes over defence ministry (fwd) Message-ID: <4F341966E72@cip.hx.uni-paderborn.de> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
> Date: 10 Mar 97 16:10:04 EST > Reply-to: gambia-l@u.washington.edu > From: "Dr. S. G. Kamara" <73244.2701@CompuServe.COM> > To: GAMBIA-L: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> > Subject: Re: Gambia's president takes over defence ministry (fwd) > X-To: GAMBIA-L <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
> >
> > The cabinet may be incomplete but it is absolutely > constitutional. President Jammeh is maneuvering and buying > time through constitutional means. The decision to leave > the V-P position vacant now may not be popular, but it is > constitutional. ...........
Could the respected DOCTOR please enlighten us on which part of the constitution he is refering to when he contend that the decision to leave the vice presidency is constitutional?
respect, Alpha
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Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 09:48:43 -0500 (EST) From: "Malanding S. Jaiteh" <msjaiteh@mtu.edu> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Cc: msjaiteh@mtu.edu (Malanding S. Jaiteh) Subject: Re: Gambia's president takes over defence ministry (fwd) Message-ID: <199703111448.JAA11905@oak.ffr.mtu.edu> Content-Type: text
> > > Date: 10 Mar 97 16:10:04 EST > > Reply-to: gambia-l@u.washington.edu > > From: "Dr. S. G. Kamara" <73244.2701@CompuServe.COM> > > To: GAMBIA-L: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> > > Subject: Re: Gambia's president takes over defence ministry (fwd) > > X-To: GAMBIA-L <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> > > > > > > > > > > The cabinet may be incomplete but it is absolutely > > constitutional. President Jammeh is maneuvering and buying > > time through constitutional means. The decision to leave > > the V-P position vacant now may not be popular, but it is > > constitutional. ........... > > Could the respected DOCTOR please enlighten us on which part of the > constitution he is refering to when he contend that the decision to > leave the vice presidency is constitutional? > > respect, > Alpha > > Alfa, I am not an expert on constitutional matters, but my believe is that while the constitution requires that there be a President at any time it does not say that to the post of a Vice President. Also as Dr Kamara pointed out Jammeh's manoeuver may not be popular but perfectly legal. Please correct me with reasons if otherwise.
Malanding jaiteh
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Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 09:59:27 -0500 From: Yaikah Jeng <YJENG@PHNET.SPH.JHU.EDU> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: New member -Reply Message-ID: <s3252d70.006@PHNET.SPH.JHU.EDU>
hi william, my name is Yaikah Jeng and i am from the Gambia. i am currently pursuing my master's degree in public health (part-time) and working full-time as a research assistant (measles research) in the dept. of molecular microbiology and immunology at the school of public health in east baltimore. maybe we can get together some time and talk about the gambia. yaikah
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Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 17:30:59 +0000 From: momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou) To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Fwd: SIERRA LEONE-POLITICS: Peace Process Under Siege Message-ID: <19970311162929.AAA20314@LOCALNAME>
------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- Copyright 1997 InterPress Service, all rights reserved. Worldwide distribution via the APC networks.
*** 07-Mar-97 ***
Title: SIERRA LEONE-POLITICS: Peace Process Under Siege From All Sides
By Lansana Fofana
FREETOWN, Mar 7 (IPS) - An attack in which 14 government soldiers were killed has added a new dimension to the problems besetting a peace process launched by a three-month-old accord between Sierra Leone's government and rebels.
Since the Freetown administration and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) signed the peace pact on Nov. 30 last, there have been many clashes between RUF rebels and a paramilitary force of traditional hunters called Kamajors who fought on the government's side during the 1992-1996 rebel war.
However, Thursday's clash was different, involving supposed Kamajors, on the one hand, and government soldiers on the other. It occurred near the settlement of Magburaka, 20 kms from the northern town of Makeni.
According to a survivor, a group of soldiers were accosted by Kamajors who accused them of being rebels. ''Even when we explained to them that we were soldiers and that we were on patrol to comb the area of marauding rebels, the Kamajors would not listen,'' he said. ''They simply opened fire on us at point blank range, killing 14 of my colleagues.''
Lt. Col. Gabriel Mani, commander of the military brigade in Makeni, 150 kms north of Freetown, suggested that the attackers could have been rebels.
''It was all a case of mistaken identity and the antics of rebels who disguise themselves as Kamajors and attack government positions,'' he said. ''This acrimony has to be resolved immediately if the soldiers and Kamajors are to work together in maintaining a cordial relationship.''
The Kamajors became involved in Sierra Leone's war in 1994, when the morale of the soldiers appeared to be sinking following gains by the RUF on the battlefield.
The then military government engaged their services in the hope that, given their alleged mystical powers -- they are believed to be able to appear and disappear at will -- they would drive fear into the rebels, bolster the morale of the soldiers and turn the tide of the war.
However, relations between the allies later degenerated, leading to bloody clashes between them. The worst incident was recorded in mid-1996 when soldiers attacked and massacred over 100 Kamajors in the east and south of the country in circumstances that have still not been clarified.
The latest incident is likely to cause further bad blood between the two groups, says military analyst Francis Deen. ''It is going to be very difficult for the soldiers and Kamajors to work together because of mutual suspicion,'' he said. ''Already, lots of blood has been shed and so it would take time to heal the wounds.''
''The unfortunate aspect is that the Kamajors seem to have been thoroughly pampered by the civilian government and I think that's dangerous,'' added Deen.
Some soldiers feel that they were better off before the National Provisional Ruling Council, the military government that had ruled Sierra Leone since 1992, ceded power to a civilian administration following general elections held in March 1996.
Some senior army officials who had allegedly benefitted illegally from the war and the fact that the NPRC was in power are reportedly dissatisfied with the exit of the military regime.
There have been reports of soldiers defecting to the RUF and others have expressed their unwillingness to pursue the military option now that the peace agreement appears to be breaking down.
''Who am I going to die for? A civilian regime that does not care about the welfare of soldiers or a people that are ungrateful?'' one private asked IPS. ''After all, let the Kamajors fight. It is their day now.''
Diplomats here are worried that the November accord is in jeopardy. ''We know of several cases of cease-fire violations in the north and southeast and the delays in the implementation of the terms of the agreement may allow room for an escalation of the hostilities,'' a Western envoy commented Friday to IPS.
The only group liable to benefit from the latest incident is the RUF, which has been waging a running battle with the Kamajors since the accord.
The rebels, who have not been reporting to disarmament camps set up throughout the country, might be tempted to escalate their attacks given the disunity in the state's camp.(END/IPS/LF/KB/97)
Origin: Harare/SIERRA LEONE-POLITICS/ ----
[c] 1997, InterPress Third World News Agency (IPS) All rights reserved
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Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 09:43:34 -0800 From: sarian@osmosys.incog.com (Sarian Loum) To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: New Member Message-ID: <199703111743.JAA16912@thesky.incog.com>
All,
Fatou Scattred-Janneh has been added to the list. Welcome aboard and please send in your intro to gambia-l.
Sarian
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Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 12:45:11 -0500 (EST) From: Amadou Scattred Janneh <AJANNEH@pstcc.cc.tn.us> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: New Member Message-ID: <01IGDKM0M8U4002N8J@PSTCC6.PSTCC.CC.TN.US> MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Gambia-l:
Fatou K. Scattred-Janneh has just joined us; we expect an intro from her soon.
Amadou Scattred-Janneh
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Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 09:59:55 -0800 (PST) From: Latir Downes-Thomas <latir@earthlink.net> To: gambia-l <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: Fwd: Opposition says Gambian cabinet unconstitutional. Message-ID: <858114161@mail.earthlink.net>
Opposition says Gambian cabinet unconstitutional
BANJUL, March 10 (Reuters) - Gambia's opposition chief accused President Yahya Jammeh on Monday of acting unconstitutionally by appointing a cabinet without a vice-president.
"The absence of a vice-president in the so-called cabinet is indicative of the fact that there is still no cabinet as envisaged by section 73 (1) of the constitution," United Democratic Party leader Ousainou Darboe said in a statement.
Darboe, a top lawyer who was Jammeh's main rival in a presidential poll in September, said the post of vice-president was enshrined in the constitution Jammeh swore to uphold.
"There is no discretion vested in the president to appoint a cabinet without a vice-president," added Darboe. He said he intended to challenge the president in court in a move he said could lead to impeachment.
In his first appointment as civilian president, Jammeh last week named former vice-president Edward Singateh to the new post of Secretary of State in the president's office, with responsibility for the National Assembly, civil service, fisheries and natural resources. *** Singateh, a retired army captain and one of the young officers who staged a coup with Jammeh, was responsible for defence in the last administration. Jammeh now holds that post.
Political analysts said Singateh would effectively remain vice-president but could not be formally named as such because of a constitutional requirement that the holder be at least 31.
Darboe told reporters that Jammeh's action undermined constitutional provisions for a smooth transition in emergency.
"Since we do not have a vice-president, the speaker and his deputy who are more than 65, cannot replace the president if he resigns or dies, and in the constitution we must have a vice-president," to take over, he said.
The full cabinet list, published in the official Gazette on Saturday, showed a government of 12 members, excluding Jammeh, who won election as president in disputed elections last September.
On Monday, Jammeh appointed former interior minister Lamin Bajo to the ministry of youth and sports after dropping him from the initial lineup.
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Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 13:42:28 -0500 (EST) From: Musa Sowe <chemsm@panther.Gsu.EDU> To: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.95.970311133700.15696A-100000@panther.Gsu.EDU> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Hi Musa, > I don't know how serious you were about you proposal, but > the members of the list, myself included are very interested and > enthusiastic about it. I was asked to initiate a sign-up of interested > parties, but I thought you might like to, seeing as it was your idea in > the first place. What do you think? > Look forward to hearing from you. > Thanx, > Nkoyo. > > > NKOYO; YES I AM EXTREMELY SERIOUS ABOUT IT, AND I AM EQUALLY EXCITED THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE EXCITED ABOUT IT. SO PLEASE, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND PUT A COMMITTEE TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN AT LEAST BEGIN TO SORT OUT ALL THE IDEAS THAT HAVE BEEN ALREADY EXPRESSED AND ALL THE OTHERS OUT THERE. IF YOU RECEIVED MY MARCH 9 MAIL, I ALREADY VOLUNTEERED TO BE ON SUCH A COMMITTEE. SO, IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, PUT THE COMMITTEE TOGETHER AND DECIDE THE NEXT STEP. DUE TO SPACE LIMITATION ON THE NET AND ALSO TIME LIMITATION, IF YOU WISH (OR ANYONE ELSE INTERESTED TO TALK SOME MORE ABOUT THIS ISSUE) YOU CAN REACH ME FREE AT MY TOLL FREE NUMBER: 1-800-860-1000 (120207) THE NUMBERS IN THE BRACKETS ARE THE CODE. THANKS MUSA
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Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 10:50:11 -0800 (PST) From: Latir Downes-Thomas <latir@earthlink.net> To: gambia-l <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: Re: Opposition says Gambian cabinet unconstitutional. Message-ID: <858117177@mail.earthlink.net>
First of all I would like to make it clear that this story was posted on the wire AFTER I wrote my initial message late Sunday night.
I also made it clear earlier in response to Dr. Kamara's posting that I was wrong in using the word "unconstitutional" although the phrase was "INCOMPLETE and ... somewhat unconstitutional". I say all this now only because I seemed to have indirectly received some flack for what I said.
Again, while I agree that all the maneuvering by President Jammeh has been within his authority as prescribed in the constitution his saving grace right now is the vagueness of Subsection 6 in Section 70 that, as I mentioned earlier, only states that when there is vacancy in the office of Vice-President, "the President shall, appoint as Vice-President a person qualified to be appointed to that office."
The vagueness is in the fact that the provision does not state how long the office should be vacant, if it can remain vacant or that the President should "immediately" appoint a Vice-President. What it does say however is that "There shall be a Vice-President of The Gambia..."
It would seem to me that although he may be wrong about the actual constitutionality of the President's moves, Mr Darboe might have a point in that the issue should be resolved in the courts.
Section 127 of the Constitution states - " The Supreme Court shall have an exclusive original jurisdiction for the interpretation or enforcement of any provision of this Constitution..."
I think if the case is properly presented, Mr Darboe may be successful in making the Courts force Jammeh to appoint a Vice-President.
Again, in the interest of a fruitful discussion, I would love to hear what others have to say on this issue. I would also like to know, especially from those who have responded to the issue thus far, whether, in light of the apparent manipulations in the Jawara administration, you believe that what is going on right now is right , whether you endorse the President's moves and, most importantly, why do or do not.
Peace.
Lat
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Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 14:42:55 -0500 (EST) From: ahmed tijan deen <tijan@wam.umd.edu> To: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.95.970311142239.15733A-100000@rac8.wam.umd.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Hi homeboys/girls,
About adopting a school or a student is a very good idea ,but there are lots of school in the gambia and how are we going to meet the needs of all these schools and the students. The reason why am concern is because this is a big project and we need to be committed 100% to tthis proposal. I would like to help with the education of our brothers and sisters in the Gambia especially in the sutiation we are on now with the new unstable govt.But first I would like to subscribe to the newspapper deal first then we can go ahead and start a new project . Who would I contaact for this matter.Please enlightening me .
Thanks AHMED TIJAN DEEN.
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Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 14:57:17 -0500 (EST) From: ahmed tijan deen <tijan@wam.umd.edu> To: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: Re: NGO/Initiative Info Request Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.95.970311144623.15733B-100000@rac8.wam.umd.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
On Fri, 7 Mar 1997, Raye Sosseh wrote:
> Instead of supporting one particular school, we should > either work with Mrs. Jow and the Ministry of education, > the library or some other local organization in providing services > that everyone can use. > Not for profit bookstore/Cyber center - where students > can get info., buy books and do basic computing. This could be somewhere > in the library or the ministry could provide space. We will initiate > the project and monitor how well it does..... if the feedback is good, > we'll then work on extending it to individual schools....or atleast > hope the ministry or someone else extends it to other schools or other > locations. > > > > > ************************************************************** > * Raye Sosseh * > * George Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering * > * Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332 * > * Internet: gt8065b@prism.gatech.edu * > * * > * Quote of the week * > * ----------------- * > * "You can live to be a hundred if you give up all * > * the things that make you want to be a hundred." * > ************************************************************** > > Mr.Sosseh, your idea is good but we don't want to involve the govt.but have a private foundation that will help and sponsor all the schools if possible which I think we can do if we really stand for it. This dosen't mean that if the govt. is willing to work with the project we are going to turn them down it is to just protect our investments aand make sure the right sschools get the help.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND WE ALL CAN LIVE AND THINK POSITIVELY.
AHMED TIJAN DEEN UNIV OF MARYLAND
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|
1 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
Momodou |
Posted - 19 Jun 2021 : 15:39:53 Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 15:25:50 -0600 From: Tamsir Mbai <mba4224@etbu.edu> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: Opposition says Gambian cabinet unconstitutional. Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19970311150928.38cf36cc@etbu.edu> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Fellow Gambians, I am not well versed on the constitutionality or lack thereof of president Jammeh's supposed maneuvering to buy time for the appointment of Edward Singhateh as vice president. What is absolutely clear is that i find it totally counterproductive to commend Yaya for this apparent skill to be able to maneuver round the constitution. If anything, i think he should be CONDEMNED for tinkering with our constitution only to satisfy the portfolio of one of his cohorts. As far as i am concerned, this issue should not have achieved the attention that it did. I say so because the constitution is very clear on the minimum legal age limit at which a Gambian could assume the office of vice presidency. Since Singhateh did not meet this requirement, what Yaya should have done was appoint someone else right away to fill that position. I don't think we lack qualified personnel in The Gambia for that office. More importantly, i don't think it is so much important to satisfy Edward as it is to honor the constitution. In this case, Yaya and his party demonstrated a flagrant disrespect for the constitution and the intellectualism of the Gambian people. Why go through so much pain to find a loophole in the constitution so that Edward can essentially carry the duties of the vice presidency without being officially named one. I contend that if the same amount of time and resources were invested in finding a qualified VP, we would not be without one today. It is true that the VP is not the ultimate determinant to a viable nation, but for the sake of respect to the many learned Gambians, i think Jammeh has disregarded Gambian intellectualism. Back to the issue of why we should not commend Jammeh for "respecting the constitution by refraining from appointing Singhateh as V-P" as Dr S.G. Kamara put it. What we need to do here is to distinguish the fact that what is constitutional (if it is), is not necessarily right. if you recall, a few days ago, the United States vetoed a proposed United Nations resolution for the prohibition of Israel to continue building new Jewish settlements in the occupied territories in Palestine. The entire world cried foul to this act of sheer disregard for doing the right thing amid clear reason for doing so. At this juncture it is important to note that the United States is a permanent member of the U.N, which guarantees it a veto power. This power effectively says that the U.S and the other permanent members can say no to anything and it would mean NO. But, just because the U.S acted on the constitutionality of its authority doesn't mean that they should be commended for "respecting the constitution" of the U.N. Just like the entire world condemned the U.S for failing to do tthe right thing, we should condemn Jammeh for spending so much time and resources to tinker with the constitution in order to satisfy Edward. I maintain that this is tantamount to dishonouring the constitution. This is not a personal attack on you Dr Kamara. I just happen to disagree that we should commend Jammeh, given the delay and clear maneuvering to satisfy ONE individual.
Peace to everybody. It's Tamsir.
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Date: Tue, 12 Mar 1996 01:22:43 +0300 From: BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT Message-ID: <3144A7B0.6659@QATAR.NET.QA> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
ahmed tijan deen wrote:
Hi homeboys/girls,
About adopting a school or a student is a very good idea ,but there are lots of school in the gambia and how are we going to meet the needs of all these schools and the students. The reason why am concern is because this is a big project and we need to be committed 100% to tthis proposal. I would like to help with the education of our brothers and sisters in the Gambia especially in the sutiation we are on now with the new unstable govt.But first I would like to subscribe to the newspapper deal first then we can go ahead and start a new project . Who would I contaact for this matter.Please enlightening me .
Thanks AHMED TIJAN DEEN.
AHMED! IF YOU WANT TO SUBSCRIBE IN THE OBSERVER PROJECT PLEASE,CONTACT Modou Camara(MOMODOU.CAMARA@POST3.TELE.DK) SO THAT HE WOULD ADD YOUR NAME TO THE LIST OF POTENTIAL SUBSCRIBERS.AND THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST!!
REGARDS BASSSS!!!
-- SZDDˆð'3Af¨
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Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 23:27:24 +0000 From: momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou) To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT Message-ID: <19970311222558.AAA14998@LOCALNAME>
On 11 Mar 97 at 14:42, ahmed tijan deen wrote:
>But first I would like to subscribe to the newspaper deal first >then we can go ahead and start a new project . Who would I >contact for this matter. Please enlightening me.
Dear Mr. Deen, I have added your name to those interested in subscribing to the Daily Observer Online, so we are now 52.
Peace Momodou Camara ******************************************************* http://home3.inet.tele.dk/mcamara
**"Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible and suddenly you are doing the impossible"***
------------------------------
Date: 11 Mar 97 19:33:16 EST From: "Dr. S. G. Kamara" <73244.2701@CompuServe.COM> To: GAMBIA-L <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: Jammeh's Cabinet/ Lattir-Downes & Tamsir Message-ID: <970312003316_73244.2701_FHO59-1@CompuServe.COM>
Hello all!
A few quick comments on some of the earlier postings by a few people.
Lattir-Downes made a statement in his last posting to the effect that regardless of the outcome of Mr. Darboe's protest, the best outcome might be that the Gambian Supreme Court might force President Jammeh to fill the V-P position. I think you are quite right on this. Mr. Darboe is doing exactly what he should; to exert pressure to counteract Jammeh's delaying tactic. This is politics in action!
Tamsir wrote that Jammeh should not be commended but condemned. Let me back up and say that I am just as guilty as you are for taking an extreme position. By this I mean that an action should not receive only one or the other of these two extreme rewards. Jammeh has respected the constitution so far. He has done nothing as yet to disrespect it. Yes, he has not appointed a V-P. But he has not said that he will not appoint one. He has only delayed it. He could make the arguement that he is still evaluating candidates. This is all hypothetical. This is tactical delay that is buying him time. Don't get me wrong, I do not approve of such maneuvers. But to say that he should be condemned for the delay is way too extreme. But yes, pressure should be exerted on him. Personally, I think that the first cabinet appointment should have been the V-P, who should have spent a few days working with the President to make the rest of the cabinet appointments. But this is a matter of choice, style, or perhaps even of expediency. It is not a constitutional violation.
Again, Mr. Darboe's strategy is the best politically. Remember, frequently, a constitution remains silent on some issues or details, such as, in this case, the exact length of time to assemble a cabinet, or more specifically when to appoint the V-P. President Jammeh might delay, Mr. Darboe will exert pressure, and if and when the issue gets to the Supreme Court, a decision shall be rendered which will most likely impose a time limit on the abeyance. President Jammeh will then have no choice but appoint a V-P. Hopefully, the litigation process with the courts will not take three years! I don't think it will.
Regards,
Kamara.
P.s.
Tamsir, NIF. This is all a mature exchange in which we must not only be tolerant, but appreciate each other's different views. As a matter of this is what brings life and beauty to the "bantaba".
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 20:54:51 -0500 (EST) From: ABDOU <at137@columbia.edu> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: FWDing an Intro Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.95L.970311205339.20529A-100000@terve.cc.columbia.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
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From: PHILLIPSE@CCSUA.CTSTATEU.EDU Received: from CCSUA.CTSTATEU.EDU (ccsua.ctstateu.edu [149.152.20.1]) by mx3.u.washington.edu (8.8.4+UW96.12/8.8.4+UW96.12) with SMTP id QAA04189 for <GAMBIA-L@u.WASHINGTON.EDU>; Tue, 11 Mar 1997 16:13:14 -0800 Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 19:14:21 -0500 (EST) To: GAMBIA-L@u.WASHINGTON.EDU Message-Id: <970311191421.20271295@CCSUA.CTSTATEU.EDU> Subject: Greeting
Hi There, I am glad to have an opportunity to join this community. I am Evelyn Newman Phillips, an anthropologist at Central Connecticut State University, who once served in Peace Corps/The Gambia. I lived in Keneba and Bakau from 80-84. As an Applied Anthropologist I examine the displacement of urban communities by racism, tourism and public policies. Peace, Ev Phillips
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Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 19:57:00 -0800 (PST) From: Latir Downes-Thomas <latir@earthlink.net> To: gambia-l <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: Fwd: Mugabe's Vision of New Africa Message-ID: <858150066@mail.earthlink.net>
Mugabe's Vision of New Africa
Mar. 11, 1997
DUBLIN, Ireland (PANA) - Africa is poised to become the world's new region of opportunity and the continent's major priority is to create durable democratic systems in which pluralism is fully entrenched, Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe said on Monday.
Addressing academics, politicians, journalists and leading personalities at a colloquium organised by the Harvard University of the United States and the Irish Times newspaper, Mugabe said despite negative international media reports, Africa was taking measures to create peace, stability and economic prosperity on the continent.
Africa's Recognition of its Past and Remedies for Its Future, was the theme of Mugabe's lengthy address which traced Africa's history and presented realities of the continent.
Africa has been dubbed the dark continent in spite of the fact that there is probably more light and sunshine on the African continent than on any other land mass on this planet. Africa is much more than a story of tragedies, he said.
While conceding that post-independent African leaders had made mistakes, it was folly to blame Africa's backwardness on bad governance.
Today Africa is indeed pulling out of the dark age, an age of unreason, cruelty and irrationality. But it is a dark age into which it was plunged by others, not by itself. We go into history to learn and not necessarily to apportion blame. A proper appreciation of what happened will instruct our steps today and so help us avoid the pitfalls of the past.
Mugabe said Africa was now determined to resolve conflicts afflicting the continent, most of which he blamed on colonialism and the cold war.
He said under colonialism, ethnic African groups were kept apart and made liable to be suspicions of each other while during the cold war, leaders of independent African countries were either rewarded or punished by the two super-powers for their ideological preferences.
The shift was costly for Africa because its most principled leaders, those who sought to retain the people as their constituency in defiance of outside powers, became the targets of deliberate destabilisation policies while those who collaborated as pliant clients often became blatantly corrupt dictators, now dependent on the might of their foreign masters to remain in power.
Given what African leaders had to contend with, that the continent has held up the way it has, is itself a source of both wonder and satisfaction, said Mugabe.
He said as Africa took measures to ensure peace and stability through the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and regional organisations, the environment for investment and economic development would improve.
Lack of major industries in most countries remained the major obstacle to development and the main reason for Africa's rising indebtedness, he said, adding that international terms of trade, despite the successful Uruguay Round negotiations which led to the establishment of the Wold Trade Organisation, remained biased against Africa.
He said by stressing the opening up of all markets while seeking to protect information and knowledge, particularly intellectual property rights and technology, the WTO exposed Africa to exploitation.
Just as I believe inequality and unfairness can engender political instability at the domestic level, so do we view inequality and unfairness at the international level as making for instability and injustice in international relations, he said.
It was for that reason Africa was pushing for the democratisation of the United Nations by including African and Latin American countries in the Security Council.
Mugabe said the continent, with a few exceptions, had embraced democracy and that the genius of its people was once again being unleashed.
Most of its governments are becoming more and more accountable to the people. It can already see an era of peace in the horizon and with it the flourishing human spirit.
The people of Africa have resolved never again to remain the object of history, but to transform themselves into its subject. They it is who shall determine the destiny of their continent and co-operate with others as equal partners. They were their own political liberators, they are sure to become their own economic liberators, he said.
Mugabe said as Africa sought more socio-economic ties, it was also looking at other developing countries in such regions as Asia and South America in the spirit of South-South co-operation.
Copyright © 1997 The Panafrican News Agency. All Rights Reserved.
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Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 01:42:22 -0500 (EST) From: Mbk007@aol.com To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Meningitis in West Africa. Message-ID: <970312014219_1780891692@emout01.mail.aol.com>
The Associated Press
GENEVA (AP) - A meningitis epidemic has killed more than 1,500 people in West Africa, according to the World Health Organization. Altogether, 11,000 people have been infected in Benin, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Ghana, Mali, Niger and Togo. The worst hit is Burkina Faso where 5,571 people have been infected and 724 have died, the U.N. health agency said. The reason for the outbreak is not known. WHO is appealing for $6.3 million to buy and distribute vaccines and medicines to the affected regions, spokesman Philippe Stroot said today. ``So far we have only $3 million, so we have only half what we need,'' he said. Africa suffered the largest ever epidemic of the disease last year when more than 150,000 people - most of them children - were infected and 16,000 died. Another 16,000 were left with brain damage or paralysis. Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, and can be caused by a virus or bacteria. With treatment, only 1 percent of infected people die. AP-NY-03-08-97 0754EST Copyright 1997 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without prior written authority of The Associated Press.
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Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 01:42:44 -0500 (EST) From: Mbk007@aol.com To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Fwd: Man Pays for School Band Trip Message-ID: <970312014243_-1372195412@emout06.mail.aol.com>
--------------------- Forwarded message: Subj: Fwd: Man Pays for School Band Trip Date: 97-03-11 16:38:03 EST From: YAHYAD To: Mbk007,Jkrubally To: mdarboe@olemiss.edu To: mdarboe@shepherd.wvnet.edu
Check this out.
Yahya. --------------------- Forwarded message: From: AOLNewsProfiles@aol.net Date: 97-03-11 12:57:23 EST
<HTML><PRE><I>.c The Associated Press</I></PRE></HTML>
MIAMI (AP) - The marching band members in their green-and-white uniforms caught the eye of a wealthy businessman as they crossed a hotel lobby. With the help of his interpreter, Foutanga Dit Babani Sissoko learned the 50 teen-agers performing Saturday at a bar mitzvah were members of the Miami Central Marching Rockets, who needed to raise $150,000 for a trip to New York and an appearance in the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade. ``I would like to help,'' said the 52-year-old man from the West African nation of Mali. He wrote a check and walked over to the band, and the interpreter asked the teens to guess how much he was giving them. ``We were saying in the little hundreds,'' said drum major Anthony Gamble, 17. The most anyone ventured was $2,000, The Miami Herald reported today. The check was for $300,000. ``The kids screamed and hugged him and cried,'' said Central High administrative assistant Rodney Reed, the band's escort. ``I had to pull them off to keep them from hurting him.'' ``I didn't believe it,'' said band director Shelby Chipman, who heard about the windfall when the group returned to school. Last week, a federal judge in Miami gave Sissoko, a hotel and casino operator, the lightest possible sentence for trying to pay off a federal customs agent to speed the export of two helicopters to the Gambia - four months and a $250,000 fine. With credit for time served, Sissoko will have to serve another 45 days, then spend four months in an apartment before being deported. Ambassadors from Togo, Senegal and Mali as well as the ranking Gambian diplomat in the United States appeared at the trial on Sissoko's behalf, as did former U.S. Sen. Birch Bayh of Indiana. The businessman was invited to an assembly at Central on Wednesday. ``We're going to present him with a band watch, a plaque with the band's picture and one of our band flags,'' said Chipman. And Sissoko will finally get to hear the band play. AP-NY-03-11-97 0718EST <HTML><PRE><I><FONT COLOR="#000000 SIZE=2>Copyright 1997 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without prior written authority of The Associated Press.<FONT COLOR="#000000 SIZE=3></I></PRE></HTML>
To edit your profile, go to keyword NewsProfiles. For all of today's news, go to keyword News.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 09:07:38 -0500 (EST) From: "Malanding S. Jaiteh" <msjaiteh@mtu.edu> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Cc: msjaiteh@mtu.edu (Malanding S. Jaiteh) Subject: Re: NGO/Initiative Info Request Message-ID: <199703121407.JAA13074@oak.ffr.mtu.edu> Content-Type: text
> > > I will be adding some info to my Web page this weekend about the > budding/established non-governmental organizations and initiatives I know of > that are (directly) relevant to the Gambia. I hope this addition becomes a > useful repository for anyone interested in getting things done in/for the > Gambia. > > I don't have much of a list presently. Please help me make the content > worthwhile by sending along summaries of initiatives you have started, are > thinking of starting, or simply know of... along with contact names, contact > e-mail/snail-mail addresses, phone/fax numbers, etc, if possible... > > Thanks... > > - Francis > PS: Here's a list of the orgs I know of and intend to post info about... > I. GaSTech (Gambians in Science & Technology) > II. The Gambia Islamic Organisation For Technical Training > III. NACOMM (National Communiquo) > IV. Crossroads Africa, Inc >
Francis, you might want to contact The Association of Non-Govermental Organization (TANGO) for a comprehensive list of NGOs in the Gambia. Perhaps someone on the list would know their address.
Malanding
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 10:06:41 -0500 (EST) From: Amadou Scattred Janneh <AJANNEH@pstcc.cc.tn.us> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: ZIMBABWE / ILLEGALS (L ONLY) By LAWRENCE BARTLETT/HARARE Message-ID: <01IGETD8E2OI002WNA@PSTCC6.PSTCC.CC.TN.US> MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
DATE=3/12/97 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-211308 TITLE=ZIMBABWE / ILLEGALS (L ONLY) BYLINE=LAWRENCE BARTLETT DATELINE=HARARE CONTENT= VOICED AT:
INTRO: POLICE IN ZIMBABWE HAVE REPORTED THE DEATH OF A YOUNG ZIMBABWEAN WOMAN WHO WAS EATEN BY CROCODILES AS SHE TRIED TO CROSS THE LIMPOPO RIVER TO ENTER SOUTH AFRICA ILLEGALLY. LAWRENCE BARTLETT IN HARARE REPORTS THE INCIDENT HIGHLIGHTS THE DESPERATION OF SOME ZIMBABWEAN BORDER-JUMPERS SEEKING A NEW LIFE IN SOUTH AFRICA.
TEXT: ZIMBABWEAN POLICE DIVERS HAVE CALLED OFF THE SEARCH FOR THE BODY OF 25-YEAR-OLD SIBONGILE MOYO, SUGGESTING THAT SHE HAS BEEN EATEN.
MS. MOYO'S BOYFRIEND TOLD POLICE THAT HE SAW HER ATTACKED BY MORE THAN ONE CROCODILE AS SHE TRIED TO CROSS THE LIMPOPO RIVER BORDER BETWEEN ZIMBABWE AND SOUTH AFRICA LAST THURSDAY.
POLICE INSPECTOR BOBBY MURWIRA ISSUED A PUBLIC WARNING TO POTENTIAL BORDER JUMPERS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF CROCODILES IN THE LIMPOPO. BUT OBSERVERS SAY THIS IS NOT LIKELY TO STOP PEOPLE DESPERATE FOR WORK FROM TAKING THEIR CHANCES.
THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN ZIMBABWE STANDS AT MORE THAN 40 PERCENT. AND ALTHOUGH SOUTH AFRICA HAS ITS OWN JOBLESS MILLIONS, THE COUNTRY IS MORE DEVELOPED AND IS SEEN HERE AS OFFERING OPPORTUNITIES FOR A BETTER LIFE.
BEATING THE CROCODILES IS JUST THE FIRST OF THE PROBLEMS FACED BY ZIMBABWEANS TRYING TO ENTER SOUTH AFRICA ILLEGALLY, WITH A GAUNTLET OF FENCES, BORDER GUARDS, AND POLICE TO FOLLOW.
THE MOST POPULAR ROUTE FOR WOULD-BE IMMIGRANTS IN THE PAST WAS TO ENTER SOUTH AFRICA LEGALLY FOR A BRIEF VISIT AND SIMPLY NEVER RETURN TO ZIMBABWE.
BUT LAST YEAR, SOUTH AFRICA ANNOUNCED THAT IT WAS CLAMPING DOWN ON THE ISSUING OF VISAS TO ZIMBABWEANS AFTER NEARLY 90-THOUSAND OF THEM REMAINED ILLEGALLY IN SOUTH AFRICA DURING THE PREVIOUS 18 MONTHS.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE SOUTH AFRICAN EMBASSY IN HARARE SAID VISAS WOULD NO LONGER BE ISSUED TO PEOPLE WHO ARE UNEMPLOYED, WITHOUT FAMILY TIES IN ZIMBABWE, OR WITHOUT ENOUGH MONEY TO COVER THE COSTS OF THEIR STAY IN SOUTH AFRICA.
THAT MOVE, TAKEN BECAUSE POST-APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA HAS BECOME A MAGNET FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM COUNTRIES THROUGHOUT THE REGION, IS BELIEVED TO HAVE PROMPTED INCREASING NUMBERS OF DESPERATE ZIMBABWEANS TO TAKE THEIR CHANCES WITH THE CROCODILES OF THE LIMPOPO. (SIGNED)
NEB/LB/JWH
12-Mar-97 6:40 AM EST (1140 UTC) NNNN
Source: Voice of America
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 16:37:02 +0100 From: Andrea Klumpp <klumpp@kar.dec.com> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: NGO/Initiative Info Request Message-ID: <3326CD9E.E55@kar.dec.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
http://grove.ufl.edu/~alyons/ngo_toc.htm
.... could be helpful
Regards, Andrea
Malanding S. Jaiteh wrote: > > > > > > > I will be adding some info to my Web page this weekend about the > > budding/established non-governmental organizations and initiatives I know of > > that are (directly) relevant to the Gambia. I hope this addition becomes a > > useful repository for anyone interested in getting things done in/for the > > Gambia. > > > > I don't have much of a list presently. Please help me make the content > > worthwhile by sending along summaries of initiatives you have started, are > > thinking of starting, or simply know of... along with contact names, contact > > e-mail/snail-mail addresses, phone/fax numbers, etc, if possible... > > > > Thanks... > > > > - Francis > > PS: Here's a list of the orgs I know of and intend to post info about... > > I. GaSTech (Gambians in Science & Technology) > > II. The Gambia Islamic Organisation For Technical Training > > III. NACOMM (National Communiquo) > > IV. Crossroads Africa, Inc > > > > Francis, you might want to contact The Association of Non-Govermental > Organization (TANGO) for a comprehensive list of NGOs in the Gambia. > Perhaps someone on the list would know their address. > > Malanding
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 1996 19:24:04 +0300 From: BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: FWDing an Intro Message-ID: <3145A520.5092@QATAR.NET.QA> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
ABDOU wrote:
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From: PHILLIPSE@CCSUA.CTSTATEU.EDU Received: from CCSUA.CTSTATEU.EDU (ccsua.ctstateu.edu [149.152.20.1]) by mx3.u.washington.edu (8.8.4+UW96.12/8.8.4+UW96.12) with SMTP id QAA04189 for <GAMBIA-L@u.WASHINGTON.EDU>; Tue, 11 Mar 1997 16:13:14 -0800 Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 19:14:21 -0500 (EST) To: GAMBIA-L@u.WASHINGTON.EDU Message-Id: <970311191421.20271295@CCSUA.CTSTATEU.EDU> Subject: Greeting
Hi There, I am glad to have an opportunity to join this community. I am Evelyn Newman Phillips, an anthropologist at Central Connecticut State University, who once served in Peace Corps/The Gambia. I lived in Keneba and Bakau from 80-84. As an Applied Anthropologist I examine the displacement of urban communities by racism, tourism and public policies. Peace, Ev Phillips
MIS PHILLIPS! YOU ARE MOST WELCOMED TO THE Bantabaaa! WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES IN THE GAMBIA FROM TIME TO TIME.I AM SURE YOU HAVE BY NOW TAKEN YOUR SEAT UNDER THE TREE IN THIS BANTABAA.SO, PLEASE FEEL AT HOME,AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK DOWN THERE!!
REGARDS BASSSS!!
-- SZDDˆð'3Af¨
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Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 12:25:38 -0400 (AST) From: "Inqs." <nfaal@is2.dal.ca> To: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: Re: Fwd: Man Pays for School Band Trip Message-ID: <Pine.A41.3.95.970312122216.193248B-100000@is2.dal.ca> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
This is a tad ridiculous! All the needy people at home he couldn't help, that was D3,000,000 he just gave away to sponsor people to prance around at Macy's. African hypocrisy never ceases to amaze me.......
On Wed, 12 Mar 1997 Mbk007@aol.com wrote:
> > --------------------- > Forwarded message: > Subj: Fwd: Man Pays for School Band Trip > Date: 97-03-11 16:38:03 EST > From: YAHYAD > To: Mbk007,Jkrubally > To: mdarboe@olemiss.edu > To: mdarboe@shepherd.wvnet.edu > > Check this out. > > Yahya. > --------------------- > Forwarded message: > From: AOLNewsProfiles@aol.net > Date: 97-03-11 12:57:23 EST > > <HTML><PRE><I>.c The Associated Press</I></PRE></HTML> > > MIAMI (AP) - The marching band members in their green-and-white > uniforms caught the eye of a wealthy businessman as they crossed a > hotel lobby. > With the help of his interpreter, Foutanga Dit Babani Sissoko > learned the 50 teen-agers performing Saturday at a bar mitzvah were > members of the Miami Central Marching Rockets, who needed to raise > $150,000 for a trip to New York and an appearance in the Macy's > Thanksgiving day parade. > ``I would like to help,'' said the 52-year-old man from the West > African nation of Mali. He wrote a check and walked over to the > band, and the interpreter asked the teens to guess how much he was > giving them. > ``We were saying in the little hundreds,'' said drum major > Anthony Gamble, 17. The most anyone ventured was $2,000, The Miami > Herald reported today. > The check was for $300,000. > ``The kids screamed and hugged him and cried,'' said Central > High administrative assistant Rodney Reed, the band's escort. ``I > had to pull them off to keep them from hurting him.'' > ``I didn't believe it,'' said band director Shelby Chipman, who > heard about the windfall when the group returned to school. > Last week, a federal judge in Miami gave Sissoko, a hotel and > casino operator, the lightest possible sentence for trying to pay > off a federal customs agent to speed the export of two helicopters > to the Gambia - four months and a $250,000 fine. > With credit for time served, Sissoko will have to serve another > 45 days, then spend four months in an apartment before being > deported. > Ambassadors from Togo, Senegal and Mali as well as the ranking > Gambian diplomat in the United States appeared at the trial on > Sissoko's behalf, as did former U.S. Sen. Birch Bayh of Indiana. > The businessman was invited to an assembly at Central on > Wednesday. > ``We're going to present him with a band watch, a plaque with > the band's picture and one of our band flags,'' said Chipman. > And Sissoko will finally get to hear the band play. > AP-NY-03-11-97 0718EST > <HTML><PRE><I><FONT COLOR="#000000 SIZE=2>Copyright 1997 The Associated > Press. The information > contained in the AP news report may not be published, > broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without > prior written authority of The Associated Press.<FONT COLOR="#000000 > SIZE=3></I></PRE></HTML> > > > To edit your profile, go to keyword NewsProfiles. > For all of today's news, go to keyword News. > >
IF YOU DON'T DO IT, WHAT MAKES YOU THINK IT'LL GET DONE?
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Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 17:49:12 +0100 From: Andrea Klumpp <klumpp@kar.dec.com> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: Female Genital Mutilation. Message-ID: <3326DE88.5B00@kar.dec.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Culled from FOROYAA, 27 February - 6 March, 1997
Adolescent Reproductive Health Workshop for Youths in Bakau Held from 21-23 February, 1997 by GAMCOTRAP
By Amie Bojang-Sissoho, Publicity Secretary, GAMCOTRAP
The UNICEF Representative in The Gambia, Mr. Yusuf Oumar, announced that UNICEF will provide The Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children - GAMCOTRAP with additional funds to the tune of one million seven hundred thousand dalasis (D1.7 million) to continue its training information campaign on traditional practices. The UNICEF Representative made this announcement at the end of a three day workshop on Adolescent Reproductive Health for Youths in Bakau when he officially closed the workshop. In his address, Mr. Oumar said UNICEF is committed to the efforts to eradicate any form of harmful practice. He revealed that =93Operation Rescue=94 is a long term strategy to eradicate female genital mutilation = - FGM and other harmful traditional practices in The Gambia. Elaborating on Operation Rescue, the UNICEF Refpresentative said GAMCOTRAP=92s model training information campaign strategy will be used t= o facilitate the development of a diverse range of multimedia resources, augment the managerial and technical capacity of the trainers, build local partnership, promote advocacy and social mobilization to transform culture without destroying it. He emphasized the need to continue to feature FGM on the national agenda for women=92s empowerment. Mr. Oumar=92s statement revealed that a monitoring and reporting system i= s already in place to ensure that progress and impact are assessed. =93Operation Rescue=94, he said is a three year project which will cost t= wo hundred thousand dalasis. The UNICEF Representative reminded participants that The Gambia is one of the first twenty five countries that have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the African Charter on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, CEDAW, which have all made reference to traditional and cultural practices that are prejudicial to the status of the child, the girl child in particular. Chairing the ceremony, the Vice President of GAMCOTRAP, Sister Isatou Marena, said women and children should not continue to die due to traditional practices such as FGM which can be stopped. Imam Omar Manneh of Fajara Barracks quoted sources which made it clear that Islam has never put the Muslim=92s life at risk. The Representative of the national Women=92s Councillor in Bakau, Mrs. Bintou Bojang said GAMCOTRAP did not only educate the youths on FGM, but on other issues related to adolescent reproductive health. Statements were delivered by youth representatives and the vote of thanks by Kemo Ceesay on behalf of the participants. Present were the Ngansingba of Bakau, Mba Sally Sanyang, Women elders, supporters of GAMCOTRAP and its executive, representatives from the Department of Youth and Sports and Community Development. The Workshop was part of a series of workshops funded by the UNFPA targetting youths, women, religious leaders and health workers.
*******************************************************************
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Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 12:36:03 -0500 (EST) From: Mbk007@aol.com To: nfaal@is2.dal.ca (inqs.), gambia-l@u.washington.edu, ydarboe@walldata.com Subject: MAN PAYS FOR SCHOOL BAND TRIP Message-ID: <970312123409_1217070415@emout10.mail.aol.com>
As we all can see, Mr Sissoko's is definately trying to impress the wrong people. I really don't know his story, but he seem to be having enough cash to throw around. This are the kind of behaviors that will continuously make Africans look stupid in the eyes of other people. The whole world knows the kinds of problems we have at home, and for an African to randomly write a $300,000 check to a school band is really unspeakable. Well now that he can't send those helicopters to The Gambia, he might donate that money to the ministry of education, or to some orgnization that can benefit from it. I REALLY WISH I HAD MR. SISSOHO'S ADDRESS, E-MAIL, PHONE NO., OR SOME FORM OF CONTACTING HIM.
JUST IMAGIN HOW MUCH HELP THREE MILLION DALASIS CAN DO TO MOST OF THOSE PRIMARY SCHOOLS BACK HOME. M. B. Krubally.
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Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 19:59:05 +0100 From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Asbj=F8rn_Nordam?= <asbjorn.nordam@dif.dk> To: "'gambia'" <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: circumcision once again Message-ID: <c=DK%a=_%p=DIF%l=DKDIFS02-970312185905Z-867@dkdifs02.dif.dk> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Even much has been said on the subject "circumcision", it it still coming up under this Bantaba. It=B4s near to TABU for us, who has not undergone that education/circumcision. None of my gambian friends has ever taken that subject up, and I have never felt it was the time to ask. None of my gambian male friends has ever told me, why and how they were prepared themselves, or how they now prepare their own boys for this traditional education/rite. My friend BASS lifts a bit of the curtain in his answer (I would like to hear more about those preparations one day) We have a mutual friend in Stockholm, and I=B4m sorry, that I could not participate in the feast, when his boy (11 years old) last year passed the circumcision (done at a hospital).=20
To fight tradition is a very, very difficult task. Even if the practise of a certain tradition has lost the connextion to the origin context, we often practise it no matter, just because it is TRADITION. And it demands a lot of courage to be the first one, the first in the family to go against tradition, or to break it. He or she will be looked upon as an outsider, and it demands a very strong character to stand up and fight alone against all. It has been done before, else we would still live with a lots of valueless TRADITIONs. How can we help the women to get rid of the FGM and still preserve what I can understand from Bass` note, is the educational part of the rite ? Sometimes we substitute the original act with a ritual one. Could that be done here, and then still keep the 3-months preparation for that rite ? How can we help those women, who want to fight the tradition ? Can we give them any arguments ? What will a mother has to tell -her husband, - her parents, - the other women in the compund, - the relatives,-and her own daughter ? How will you as a husband help her ?
That was just a few thoughts comming, when I read your comments. Among we men, I sometimes come to think of circumcision among us as a cultural sign/signal, but I have not elaborated precisely, what I mean. Maybe later. (Some days ago I read that we have an antropologist among us, so ....). Asbj=F8rn Nordam
Ebrima Jawara wrote: " Perhaps I fail to understand the pain one has to undergo during "LELL". I was fortunate enough to have been circumcised by a competent surgeon. I cannot really say that I have suffered any long-term effects because my foreskin was chopped off. But sadly, many women do have long-term effects because their genitals were chopped off. Is there any medical or theological eveidence that any form of human genital mutilation imporoves one's lot? We speak of development, but development has to start from within. From each individual, each household, each village, each community. In this day and age we live in an increasingly globalised world, we cannot afford to cling on to primitive practices and expect to compete with the rest of the world. Like I said before, I will ensure that any daughters I do have will not have to undergo any sort of mutilation of their genitals. You said that it was no picnic............. Any Feedback, positive, negative, or neutral, will be much appreciated. Humbly yours,"
and BASS wrote: "THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO ARE BEST QUALIFIED TO EXPLAIN OUR CULTURE TO THE WORLD ARE WE OURSELVES.YOU AND I KNOW THAT THE LAST REMAINING BASTION OF AFRICAN PEDAGOGY IS THE SCHOOL OF CIRCUMCISION.NOWADAYS,THE ONLY TIME THAT OUR ELDERS COULD TEACH US PURE AFRICAN VALUES NOT DISTORTED EITHER BY ISLAM OR CHRISTIANITY IS WHEN WE GO TO THIS SCHOOL. IT IS TOTALLY UNFAIR TO REDUCE THE ENTIRE THREE OR SO MONTHS OF INTENSIVE SCHOOLING TO JUST THE CHOPPING OFF OF THE CLITORIS OR THAT ADDITIONAL FLESH AROUND THE PENIS.ITS MUCH MORE THAN THAT,AND YOU KNOW IT.SO,AS A GAMBIAN AND AN AFRICAN,PERHAPS YOU OWE IT TO ALL OF US TO FIND TIME AND TRY TO RETELL US THIS STORY IN A MUCH MORE COMPREHENSIVE MANNER.AND ITS ALSO CONFUSING TO ME THAT NONE OF THOSE WHO HAVE TAKEN UP THIS SUBJECT IN THE PAST MADE ANY MENTION OF THE MALE ONE,AS IF THAT IS A PICNIC!! WELL,MINE WAS NOT;AND I KNOW A LOT OF MEN WHO FEEL THE SAME ABOUT IT. REGARDS BASSSS!!"
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Date: Wed, 12 Mar 97 14:37:50 -0600 From: Francis Njie <francis_njie@il.us.swissbank.com> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: circumcision once again Message-ID: <9703122038.AA00433@new_delhi> Mime-Version: 1.0 (NeXT Mail 3.3risc v124.8483.5) Content-Type: text/plain
>> How can we help the women to get rid of the FGM and still preserve what >> I can understand from Bass` note, is the educational part of the rite ? >> Sometimes we substitute the original act with a ritual one. Could that >> be done here, and then still keep the 3-months preparation for that rite >> ? How can we help those women, who want to fight the tradition ? Can we >> give them any arguments ? What will a mother has to tell -her husband, - >> her parents, - the other women in the compund, - the relatives,-and her >> own daughter ? How will you as a husband help her ?
Forking off of the above thread (!!), how do we make the average Joe in societies that practise FGM see that they are inadvertently selecting themselves out of the phenomenon of existence (well, in principle at least...) if they insist on culture being static?
Because the (wise) elders sitting under (actual!) bantabas in the Gambia would probably not yield easily on this matter, perhaps there should be a state-sanctioned law banning FGM. I would take my chances with relatively educated public officials rather than the average Joe in any attempt to create some momentum towards the obsolescence of the practice.
On the educational value of 'lells', surely these girls could be 'educated' at the rituals without being mutilated. There is, to me, simply no argument here given the overwhelming medical evidence against FGM.
- Francis
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Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 16:51:17 -0500 (EST) From: MANSALA@aol.com To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: Tobaski Message-ID: <970312165115_208744673@emout01.mail.aol.com>
Tosbaski is going to be around april 20 and not March 20.
Momodou Kolley.
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Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 15:21:31 -0800 (PST) From: Ylva Hernlund <yher@u.washington.edu> To: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: Re: circumcision once again Message-ID: <Pine.A41.3.95b.970312151559.32806A-100000@dante29.u.washington.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
The problem with passing a law is, though, that it may very well serve to drive the practice underground (parallels to the abortion debate are often raised...), resulting in a child not receiving medical care in case of a botched circumcision if parents , ngansingbas and others are afraid of criminal prosecution. Most the elder women I interviewed in Gambia said that they would perform the procedure whether it is illegal or not. Also some of the youth that work on peer education oppose legislation as it would splinter communities and families. One boy said: "we cannot make criminals out of our parents." It is a very tricky issue....When the British in 1945 announced that infibulation would be outlawed in the Sudan, people rushed to have their daughters infibulated, resulting in "what some observers called an unprecedented orgy of blood letting." This is why I think what BAFROW is doing is so interesting, i.e. trying to replace this with non-cutting ritual. YlvaH. On Wed, 12 Mar 1997, Francis Njie wrote:
> > >> How can we help the women to get rid of the FGM and still preserve what > >> I can understand from Bass` note, is the educational part of the rite ? > >> Sometimes we substitute the original act with a ritual one. Could that > >> be done here, and then still keep the 3-months preparation for that rite > >> ? How can we help those women, who want to fight the tradition ? Can we > >> give them any arguments ? What will a mother has to tell -her husband, - > >> her parents, - the other women in the compund, - the relatives,-and her > >> own daughter ? How will you as a husband help her ? > > Forking off of the above thread (!!), how do we make the average Joe in > societies that practise FGM see that they are inadvertently selecting > themselves out of the phenomenon of existence (well, in principle at least...) > if they insist on culture being static? > > Because the (wise) elders sitting under (actual!) bantabas in the Gambia would > probably not yield easily on this matter, perhaps there should be a > state-sanctioned law banning FGM. I would take my chances with relatively > educated public officials rather than the average Joe in any attempt to create > some momentum towards the obsolescence of the practice. > > On the educational value of 'lells', surely these girls could be 'educated' at > the rituals without being mutilated. There is, to me, simply no argument here > given the overwhelming medical evidence against FGM. > > - Francis > > >
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Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 20:41:59 -0500 (EST) From: ABALM@aol.com To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: Tobaski Message-ID: <970312203937_1748237032@emout14.mail.aol.com>
Thanks
i'realized the mistake about march vs april, thanks for replying
abba
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Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 21:56:25 -0600 (CST) From: Yaya Jallow <yj0001@jove.acs.unt.edu> To: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: Re: Gambia's president takes over defence ministry (fwd) Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.95.970312213354.1400A-100000@jove.acs.unt.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Hello Fellas,
Regarding Jammeh's political chess game in appointing a V.P, I think once again he is attempting to put the wool across our eyes. It may be true that the constitution might appear vague on this issue but we have to look at the INTENT of the document and those sections relating to the post of vice presidency. The question that need to be asked is: what did the drafters of the constitution had in mind and the people of the Gambia when they voted on the document? I do not believe that Gambians voted for a return to constitutional rule to simply have an incomplete cabinet and a vacant post of vice president.
It seems that Jammeh's "quid pro quo" to singhateh is becoming more important than the order of good governance. I am sorry and I hope the courts will whistle for a half time and restore political sanity to our nation's increasing political quagmire.
Have a good evening to you all.
Yaya
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Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 01:51:55 EST From: fjanneh@juno.com (Fatou K Janneh) To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Self Intro Message-ID: <19970313.014903.10062.0.FJanneh@juno.com>
Gambia-l:
I wish to thank the managers for getting me on board. I may be a new member, but I have followed the discussions through Amadou (Scattred)'s account. I am a Finance major at The University of Tennessee and a part-time student at the Knoxville Institute of Hair Design.
I was born in Dakar, Senegal; I live in Knoxville, TN; and I hope to someday move to Gunjur, Kombo South. Greetings to Sarjo, Pa Abdou, Omar Manjang, Pa Mambuna, and everyone else.
FATOU (Mame Coumba)
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Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 11:15:32 +0300 From: BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: (Part1) CIRCUMCISION REVISITED Message-ID: <3146841E.6423@QATAR.NET.QA> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
MR.E.JAWARA & MIS. E.JANNEH!!
"What became of the Black People Of Sumer?" the traveller asked the old man,"for ancient records show that that the people of Sumer were black. What happened to them?" "Ah," the old man sighed. "They lost their history, so they died."
Three thousand years before the birth of christ,a black Egyptian woman called HAGAR agreed to marry her boss,Abraham,the man who was to become the father and first Patriarch of the Israelites.But before that, Abraham had already been married to his half-sister,SARAH,but because she was already old and could not get children,she allowed him to marry their servant. But there was a problem here!Hagar was a circumcised woman,and in her black religion and tradition,circumcised women could not get married to uncircumcised men.So,the future prophet had to agree to get circumcised at the late age of ninety.Not only that.He had to be taught the religious beliefs of his new wife,of which circumcision is only a small part.Hagar,very soon,gave the old man what he had always prayed to his God for: a male child.The name of this child was ISHMAEL. But,interestingly,SARAH also later on got a child of her own ,which she named ISAAC.But to SARAH's disappointment,her husband was still partial to HAGAR and her son and did not get interested in her even after ISAAC had been born. So,SARAH,out of jealousy and desperation threw HAGAR and ISHMAEL out of her house into the wilderness.The old man was very depressed about this,but could not do anything about it.So,the favorite wife left with the favorite child.
Some one thousand eight hundred years later,another black Egyptian girl from a village called Madian,agreed to marry another future prophet called Moses.Again,there was a problem! This girl was the daughter of the high priest of the village and because of her religion and social status,she could marry this stranger only after he had agreed to cleanse himself, which meant circumcision.So,Moses agreed to get circumcised.And in addition to that,his father in-law taught him lot of the the secrets of his religion that would become crucial for his struggle with his former God-Parent,the Pharoah of Egypt.
We still have a very long way to go before we will get to the SeneGambian region,but,just be patient,we will get there eventually!! Anyone who knows anything about Arab and Islamic history knows that Ishmael ,the son of the black servant thrown out to the wilderness by an angry first wife,was the prophet who built the KAABA,that point in Saudi Arabia towards which every moslem must face when praying.Not only that! That same ISHMAEL is the great ancestor of the prophet, MOHAMMED.In every Gulf country of the present day,there is a Arab Clan called the HAGGARITES or HAGGARIES.They are a nomadic Arab Clan related to the prophet.All of them descended from Abrahams second wife,the black Egyptian woman,HAGAR.
So,now that we have a bit of history,we can safely say the following: without Haggar accepting marriage to Abraham,and Abraham accepting the precondition of getting circumcised,Haggar would not have bothered trying to convert Abraham into her religion,because only cleansed people could be introduced to this Religion..(We know that the God and Religion that Abraham later preached was not an Israelite God or Religion because they always referred to Him in the Bible as the God of Abraham.That was the God of HAGGAR's tribe,in which circumcision was a must.)And without all that,Abraham would not have become a prophet.The same thing applies to Moses. Without his circumcision and conversion to the religion of his black Egyptian wife,his father in-law would not have taught him the theology of his religion,and he would therefore not have been able to effectively counter the distinguished Magicians in the Pharoah's Imperial Palace, let alone rescue his oppressed people from Egypt.(We know also that the God Moses was trying to persuade his people to believe in was not an Israeli God,because,in the Quran,they told him that they could not believe in a God that was hiding in the Sky;they wanted him to come down;they wanted to see him in the open.And that was why when Moses went to Mount Sinai to negotiate the Ten Commandments,the Jews persuaded Aaron,Moses's brother, to build the Golden Calf for them to Worship.That was the Kind of God they knew and were comfortable with.So,the God Moses introduced his people to was the God of the tribe of his African wife.) As for the case of the Arabs,that one is just simple and straight forward:no Hagar means no ISHMAEL,and no ISHMAEL means no Prophet MUHAMMED,and no Prophet MUHAMMED means no Islam, of course.Prophet Mohammed was,throughout his life, never tired of making known to everybody around him that he was a decendant of Ishmael.And one could only imagine! what the state of International culture and Civilization would have been like,had there been no Hagar to rescue Abraham and no girl from Madian to rescue the author of the TEN COMMANDMENTS.
Professor Chiekh Anta Diop had taught us that a Great People has no business reading little histories,and should never have any reason to appologize for anything in their history and culture to anybody.So, now that we have established a semblance of order in the chaotic history of the Middle East,we can now head South.Most of the present day tribes of West Africa originated from the areas of the great Nile River,particularly Upper Egypt and Southern Sudan.Like any other great migrations in history,it took our ancestors a very, very long time before they finally settled down around the atlantic ocean.Infact, it took them hundreds of years to reach this place,generations and generations had died En Route;various elements in their cultures and traditions had either changed, forgotten,distorted or been simply ignored.And, as a result of the enormous difficulties faced and experiences gained along the way,many new things and practices have been incorporated into their way of life.But certainly not everything was lost or forgotten.If that were the case,they would have been dead like the black people of SUMER above.And nothing amply demonstrates that fact more than the three formidable empires of Ghana,Mali and Songhai that they were able to build after settling down and putting the pieces of their live back together.After hundreds of years of treking from our place of origin and still hundreds of years of christianity and Islamisation,there are incredibly still a handful of things that we have not been able or willing to forget or let go.That is not unique to us alone ,of course,because every people have a handful of things that they would hang on to forever, for better or for worse,but that is the whole point.Those things that a given people would never part with no matter what,are the things that define that people,tell them who they are,where they come from,what they should want and expect to have and where they should go.To use the American expression,those are the things that serve them as their COMPASS and ANCHOR.The anchor helps to keep their feet firm on the ground while they use the compass to figure where they should be heading. CIRCUMCISION,the main subject of this article,is of course one of those stubborn and immortal elements not only inWest Africa but in black culture and history in general;but we will talk about that later.In the meantime,we will mention a couple of other minor elements.Professor Diop had told us that most of the tribes of Senegambia come from UPPER Egypt.And he proved that by convincingly showing that the name given to UPPER Egypt in the Egyptian language of ancient times was KAU KAU and that thousnads of years later, that is the same word with the same meaning used for peasants living in the Up Country in Gambia and Senegal.And in the Fula language Kau means uncle,which ,in fact, is the father and figure-head in a matrilineal society.That Gambian town,BaKAU also should ring a bell here!The title given to the Sudanese Queens in ancient times is KANDA.In Mandingo, a Kandaa is,unbelievably,a woman who when she speaks everyone listens to.It is sometimes used for men for the same purpose.All of the towns of Sere KUNDA, Dippa KUNDA,Latri KUNDA and Bundungka KUNDA bear the same title.The(a) changes to (u) as a result of a vowel shift.Now we can talk about the talk of the town,circumcision!!
TO BE CONTINUED.............
-- SZDDˆð'3Af¨
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Date: Thu, 13 Mar 97 00:34:18 PST From: MAKE THAT VISION A REALITY <ABARROW@rr5.rr.intel.com> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: RE: Self Intro Message-ID: <9703130834.utk20777@RR5.intel.com>
Fatou,
Welcome to the Bantaba!
We are looking forward to your contributions towards developing our mother land, by putting our thoughts to reality.
Again, welcome aboard.
Pa-Abdou Albuquerque
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 12:49:34 +0100 From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Asbj=F8rn_Nordam?= <asbjorn.nordam@dif.dk> To: "'gambia'" <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: circumcision Message-ID: <c=DK%a=_%p=DIF%l=DKDIFS02-970313114934Z-935@dkdifs02.dif.dk> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Bass, thank you very much. I can see how ignorant I=B4ve been. You have enlightened me by given your long history/cultureal/religious lecture. But I=B4m not convinced, that we should practise circumcision the way it=B4s done many places. Our ancestors can not have practiced it a way that become life-threatening, because I don=B4t believe they wanted to = cut down the womens survival-rate.
Now I can see circumcision in a context, and it is very fundamental. As you say practising circumcision including the teaching/educational part of it, makes you the person you are. Do we know, why this ancient african religion recommended, that we should undergo that test, cleansing by cutting something from our genitals ? I can see it as a test, a testamonial, a cultural sign, showing that you has undergone an education, accepted as a man/women of the society, one who can be accepted to prolong the family. It=B4s interesting that the visible mark on you should be put on your genitals, which are maybe the most valuable part of the human body, and maybe also the most "painful" part ? And put there, it will day out and in reminds you of the transformation you have undergone as a human being. If we put the mark "just" on the chin or forehead, visible for every one, it is not the same. To me it=B4s clear now , that this tradition will exist long time among = us because of the above mentionned. But can we change the practise, so we reduce the "damages" of the genitals, not to say the life-threatening practice? When I two month ago read here on the Gambia - I about the different "tecnique" practised, specially the pharaonic circumcision, I come to think that this could not originally has been the practise. It must have been a tecnique "develloped" over time, and for what reason ? Show me that husband, who finds it OK, that his wife suffers so much, and even have a high risc of death, when giving birth to his child. Not to say that man, who can find any plesure having intercource with his wife, when he force such a pain on her. IF we under any form should accept cutting genitals, how should it be ? I=B4m not saying we should. Signals on the human body has always been a part of culture, and there are many ways all over the world. They can be fascinating, repulsive etc. In Denmark tattooing has existed from the first hunter came here, and right now piercing is spreading fast, also puting rings into your genitals, tongue, nipples, ears, lips, nose etc. But I don=B4t think = that bodysignal can be compared to the circumcision-rite one, which is connected to an origin african religion, as described by Bass. Asbj=F8rn Nordam
PS: One of my gambian friends is an "ISMAIL", nice to know.
BASS wrote:=20 "After hundreds of years of treking from our place of origin and still hundreds of years of christianity and Islamisation,there are incredibly still a handful of things that we have not been able or willing to forget or let go.That is not unique to us alone ,of course,because every people have a handful of things that they would hang on to forever, for better or for worse,but that is the whole point.Those things that a given people would never part with no matter what,are the things that define that people,tell them who they are,where they come from,what they should want and expect to have and where they should go.To use the American expression ,those are the things that serve them as their COMPASS and ANCHOR.The anchor helps to keep their feet firm on the ground while they use the compass to figure where they should be heading. CIRCUMCISION,the main subject of this article,is of course one of those stubborn and immortal elements not only inWest Africa but in black culture and history in general;but we will talk about that later.In the meantime,we will mention a couple of other minor elements."
------------------------------
Date: 13 Mar 1997 15:16:59 +0100 From: "Jobarteh, Momodou" <Momodou.Jobarteh@hordaland.vegvesen.telemax.no> To: "Gambia-L -Internet... ." <Gambia-l@u.washington.edu> (Return requested) Subject: FWD:SENEGAL Message-ID: <0045F33280C5B005*/c=no/admd=telemax/prmd=vegvesen/o=hordaland/s=Jobarteh/g=Momodou/@MHS> Content-Identifier: 0045F33280C5B005 Content-Return: Allowed MIME-Version: 1.0
Africa Economic Digest (9 march 1997) vol 18 no 4
SENEGAL
World Bank promises support
World Bank president James Wolfensohn has promised the bank`s support to the country`s private sector. He said he was satisfied with efforts at improving health, education, water, agriculture and the infrastructure. Wolfensohn said the economy, which grew by 5 per cent in 1996, was generally on the right course and that the Bank looked forward to greater co-operation and partnership with Dakar.
Greenwich to provide power
US company Greenwich Air Services has won a contract to build and operate a 50 MW gas turbine power station in the country under a 15 year contract with the state power utility. The project will take 18 months to complete with construction due to begin in july this year. When in operation the station would produce an estimated revenue of $300 million over the life of the contract.
Citibank to provide pre-finance
US bankers Citibank is arranging pre-export finance for edible oil producer Sonacos. The money is to used to finance groundnut oil exports. The facility has a maturity of 11 months from the date of signing with final repayment due not later than 30 November 1997. It is priced at 100 basis points over one-month.
----------------------------------------------FWD END-----------------------------------------------------
I wish to welcome Buba Njie and all the new members
Thanks Alhagi
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 08:16:23 -0800 (PST) From: Ylva Hernlund <yher@u.washington.edu> To: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: Re: circumcision once again Message-ID: <Pine.A41.3.95b.970313081433.61084E-100000@dante34.u.washington.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
This is something as odd as a reply to myself....After I read this again I realized that it could possibly be interpreted as accusing Gambians of being anything less than law abiding people...No offense was meant. I was merely trying to stress how this issue may be far too complex to"solve" with a simplistic strategy like passing a law. Ylva
On Wed, 12 Mar 1997, Ylva Hernlund wrote:
> The problem with passing a law is, though, that it may very well serve to > drive the practice underground (parallels to the abortion debate are often > raised...), resulting in a child not receiving medical care in case of a > botched circumcision if parents , ngansingbas and others are afraid of > criminal prosecution. Most the elder women I interviewed in Gambia said > that they would perform the procedure whether it is illegal or not. Also > some of the youth that work on peer education oppose legislation as it > would splinter communities and families. One boy said: "we cannot make > criminals out of our parents." It is a very tricky issue....When the > British in 1945 announced that infibulation would be outlawed in the > Sudan, people rushed to have their daughters infibulated, resulting in > "what some observers called an unprecedented orgy of blood letting." > This is why I think what BAFROW is doing is so interesting, i.e. trying to > replace this with non-cutting ritual. YlvaH. > On Wed, 12 Mar 1997, Francis Njie wrote: > > > > > >> How can we help the women to get rid of the FGM and still preserve what > > >> I can understand from Bass` note, is the educational part of the rite ? > > >> Sometimes we substitute the original act with a ritual one. Could that > > >> be done here, and then still keep the 3-months preparation for that rite > > >> ? How can we help those women, who want to fight the tradition ? Can we > > >> give them any arguments ? What will a mother has to tell -her husband, - > > >> her parents, - the other women in the compund, - the relatives,-and her > > >> own daughter ? How will you as a husband help her ? > > > > Forking off of the above thread (!!), how do we make the average Joe in > > societies that practise FGM see that they are inadvertently selecting > > themselves out of the phenomenon of existence (well, in principle at least...) > > if they insist on culture being static? > > > > Because the (wise) elders sitting under (actual!) bantabas in the Gambia would > > probably not yield easily on this matter, perhaps there should be a > > state-sanctioned law banning FGM. I would take my chances with relatively > > educated public officials rather than the average Joe in any attempt to create > > some momentum towards the obsolescence of the practice. > > > > On the educational value of 'lells', surely these girls could be 'educated' at > > the rituals without being mutilated. There is, to me, simply no argument here > > given the overwhelming medical evidence against FGM. > > > > - Francis > > > > > > > >
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 09:46:57 -0800 From: sarian@osmosys.incog.com (Sarian Loum) To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Fwd: F.Y.I Message-ID: <199703131746.JAA18133@thesky.incog.com>
----- Begin Included Message -----
>From Sherran.Johnson@Ebay.Sun.COM Thu Mar 13 08:46:48 1997 Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 08:46:32 -0800 From: Sherran.Johnson@Ebay.Sun.COM (CSC account ) To: sunnet@Sun.COM, ziontech@best.com, GColl73684@aol.com Subject: Re: (Fwd) Fwd: F.Y.I
This is what happens when our own don't vote.
Sherran
----- Begin Included Message -----
>From latisha@olympus.manhattan.sgi.com Thu Mar 13 06:22:47 1997 X-Mailer: Z-Mail (3.2.0 26oct94 MediaMail) To: troybell@mindspring.manhattan.sgi.com, sherran.johnson@Ebay, gerri.watson@medtronic.com, sharon.johnosn@Ebay, cmoore@racal.com, darkman@bbs.tonybrown.com, webmaster@everythingblack.com Subject: (Fwd) Fwd: F.Y.I Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Lines: 114
X-MSMail-From: DebraMartn
Check this out. We can't have anything in their eyes. Intergration has hurt us in so many ways. It has helped but it has also hurt us as a people.
Debra
<< << > This is not just hearsay or a rumor. This has been all over the local > (Atlanta) news today. > > State by state, HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) are > being cited for racism. That's right, Black colleges cited for racism. > HBCUs have already been silently facing this battle in Mississippi, > Louisiana, and Alabama. Now it's happening here in Georgia, and don't > think your state (if you don't live in one of these) won't be next in line.
> HBCUs and the government for the states they are in are being taken to > court for not working hard enough to attract white students. Of course > this will soon lead to the end of the HBCU as we know it. > > Worse of all - this is a two edge sword, because these suits not only > involve future integration of HBCUs, but eliminate minority advantages at > mostly white colleges too. This involves admissions, scholarships, loans, > etc. . So not only will it be harder for Blacks at white schools, but at > our own HBCUs also. > > Everyone should be aware of this move by those who have a problem with > Blacks having any opportunities that help us as a people. Write your > legislators, local officials, and anyone else you find appropriate to stop > this ASAP!! We can't sleep on this one, or it will be OUR children who > suffer. > > Proponents of this racist action are claiming these actions will help > Blacks, but don't believe the HYPE!!! > > Please forward this as far and wide as you can, to insure that as many > brothers and sisters get this message as possible. > > You can check the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and you will find a > headline for 3/4/97 that reads the following > (http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/): > > 11 people bring suit against Georgia university system >> >>
--------------------- Forwarded message: Subj: F.Y.I Date: 97-03-12 09:18:37 EST From: LDixon To: DebraMartn
<< > This is not just hearsay or a rumor. This has been all over the local > (Atlanta) news today. > > State by state, HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) are > being cited for racism. That's right, Black colleges cited for racism. > HBCUs have already been silently facing this battle in Mississippi, > Louisiana, and Alabama. Now it's happening here in Georgia, and don't > think your state (if you don't live in one of these) won't be next in line.
> HBCUs and the government for the states they are in are being taken to > court for not working hard enough to attract white students. Of course > this will soon lead to the end of the HBCU as we know it. > > Worse of all - this is a two edge sword, because these suits not only > involve future integration of HBCUs, but eliminate minority advantages at > mostly white colleges too. This involves admissions, scholarships, loans, > etc. . So not only will it be harder for Blacks at white schools, but at > our own HBCUs also. > > Everyone should be aware of this move by those who have a problem with > Blacks having any opportunities that help us as a people. Write your > legislators, local officials, and anyone else you find appropriate to stop > this ASAP!! We can't sleep on this one, or it will be OUR children who > suffer. > > Proponents of this racist action are claiming these actions will help > Blacks, but don't believe the HYPE!!! > > Please forward this as far and wide as you can, to insure that as many > brothers and sisters get this message as possible. > > You can check the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and you will find a > headline for 3/4/97 that reads the following > (http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/): > > 11 people bring suit against Georgia university system >>
---End of forwarded mail from DebraMartn@aol.com
---End of forwarded mail from "Cindi Cadet" <cindi@brainy.manhattan.sgi.com>
--
LaTisha Bell Marketing Representative - SGI "Before you run, check to see if the bulldog has teeth." -Les Brown
----- End Included Message -----
----- End Included Message -----
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Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 21:33:15 +0000 From: momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou) To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Fwd: UNITED NATIONS: UNDP Unearths Six-Million-Dollar Fraud Message-ID: <19970313205652.AAA6316@LOCALNAME>
------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- Copyright 1997 InterPress Service, all rights reserved. Worldwide distribution via the APC networks.
*** 09-Mar-97 ***
Title: UNITED NATIONS: UNDP Unearths Six-Million-Dollar Fraud By Thalif Deen
UNITED NATIONS, Mar 9 (IPS) - The U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) has unearthed a six-million-dollar fraud in a bungled 50- million-dollar U.N. project for the construction of housing and common premises for several U.N. agencies in Asia and Africa.
''The UNDP has been engaged in an extensive investigation spanning three continents, and I am confident that all those involved in wrongdoing or poor management, whether inside or outside of UNDP, will be identified,'' UNDP Administrator Gus Speth says. ''And we shall hold them accountable.''
As one of the largest multilateral development aid agencies, the UNDP has a network of some 134 country offices and 1,331 professional staff, of whom 749 are international and 582 locally recruited field staff.
The fraud involves mostly overpayments that were initially thought to be the result of cost escalation. The overpayments resulted from irregularities in contracting and failures in the organisation's financial controls and management oversight, according to the agency.
The countries where the offices and housing facilities were being built include Cape Verde, Sao Tome and Principe, Zambia, Uganda, Ghana, the Comoros, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, and the Maldives.
''The investigations have no implications for these countries,'' Speth says. ''And it has nothing to do with our development assistance to these countries.''
Speth says the conduct of 16 present and former UNDP staff members is at issue. Two staff members have already been suspended. He declined to reveal their identities in the interest of due process and the success of the investigation.
''Sanctions will be applied to staff members wherever warranted. These could range from dismissal to reprimand, as well as recovery of funds,'' he says.
The investigation also extends to private contractors involved in the project.
Speth says the UNDP and other U.N. entities must be held to a high standard of accountability in their management and openness in relations with the public.
In 1995, the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) acted swiftly to contain a 10-million-dollar fraud in its office in Nairobi. The New York-based agency fired 17 staff members and closed down six of its sub-offices.
''The summary dismissal of staff who had been charged with fraud and serious mismanagement has sent a strong message throughout UNICEF that the organisation will not tolerate dishonest and unethical behaviour,'' UNICEF says in a report to its Executive Board last year.
Since the UNDP project involved the construction of common premises, the 50-million-dollar enterprise also drew on funds from other agencies such as UNICEF and the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA).
But Speth says the UNDP will take full responsibility for the failure of financial controls and management oversight which took place over eight years.
''I will do everything in my power to ensure that something like this never happens again,'' he says. ''I speak for everyone in UNDP when I say that we are very upset by these findings.''
The fraud comes as the UNDP reduces its overhead expenses to cope with a continuous decline in its core resources provided voluntarily by donor nations.
The decline in resources is largely attributed to cuts by the United States, while the growing demands for assistance are coming mostly from the 47 least developed countries (LDCs) -- the poorest of the world's poor.
U.S. cuts have had a disproportionate impact on the UNDP's work, since Washington has traditionally been the largest contributor to the agency. U.S. funds declined from 160 million dollars in 1985 to 113 million dollars in 1995 and 52 million dollars in 1996.
As a result of the 50 percent reduction in funding in 1996, the United States descended from first to seventh place on the list of donors to UNDP programmes. Among the top contributors, Japan provided 101 million dollars, followed closely by Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands. (END/IPS/yjc/td)
Origin: Rome/UNITED NATIONS/ ----
[c] 1997, InterPress Third World News Agency (IPS) All rights reserved
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Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 19:40:58 -0500 From: "PA-MAMBUNA O. BOJANG" <paomar@iglou.com> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Subscribing for the Daily observer Message-ID: <33289E9A.5303@iglou.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Mr. Camara, could you kindly subscribe me for the Daily observer. I would have send this to your personal address, but I delete mails as I read them.
Thanks, Pa-Mambuna, Lexington.
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Date: Thu, 14 Mar 1996 08:27:46 +0300 From: BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA> To: GAMBIA-L@U.WASHINGTON.EDU Subject: THE BUCK, THAT IS THE QUESTION!!!!!! Message-ID: <3147AE4D.337E@QATAR.NET.QA> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
FRANCIS!! SANKUNG IS NOT THE ONLY ONE DISTURBED BY THE FACT THAT INSPITE OF THE NOISINESS OF THE GAMBIA-L,WE STILL HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SECURE AT LEAST A HUNDRED PEOPLE FOR THE Observer Project.PERHAPS WE
SHOULD START CONSIDERING IMPOSING AN ANNUAL FIFTEEN DOLLAR FLAT RATE ON EVERY GAMBIA-LER REGARDLESS OF ONE'S INTEREST IN THE Observer.THIS WAY,EVERYONE WOULD AUTOMATICALLY HAVE ACCESS TO THE Observer WHEN ITS AVAILABLE,AND THE PHILANTROPISTS WOULD HAVE SOMETHING TO WORK WITH BEYOND RHETORIC.
REGARDS BASSSS!!
-- SZDDˆð'3Af¨
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Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 10:39:36 +0000 From: momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou) To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: New member Message-ID: <19970314093835.AAB15930@LOCALNAME>
Gambia-l, Alieu Bah has been added to the list and as a custom, we expect to have an introduction from him. Welcome to the Gambia-l Alieu, please send an introduction of yourself to the list.
Best regards Momodou Camara
******************************************************* http://home3.inet.tele.dk/mcamara
**"Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible and suddenly you are doing the impossible"***
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Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 13:59:31 +0100 From: Andrea Klumpp <klumpp@kar.dec.com> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT Message-ID: <33294BB3.6C8F@kar.dec.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Dear All,
I would like to contribute for a school, too. But as my funds are restricted and as I'm heading to The Gambia end of the year, I have to withdraw my Observer-subscription - sorry.
I would propose to choose a school in the provinces because of decentralization. Why not Georgetown?
What criteria will be put on the selection of books? Has there a committee been established, yet? I have access to cheap office material like pens etc. Shall we contribute material and/or funds? Who is going to collect it? What about individual sponsorship for students? How many people have shown interest or have committed themselves already?
I think it would be a great thing, if we manage to set it up. I am convinced that the visible concern of people abroad is very much encourageing (not only) for students in The Gambia.
Thanx,
Andrea
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Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 09:27:13 -0500 From: "William O'Donnell" <billod@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT Message-ID: <Pine.SGI.3.95.970314092328.4661B-100000@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu> MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
On Fri, 14 Mar 1997, Andrea Klumpp wrote:
> > I would propose to choose a school in the provinces because of > decentralization. Why not Georgetown?
Last time I was in Georgetown (July 1996) the high school there seemed to be doing as well as the schools in Banjul and Brikama. I know that education is a big focus of the Peace Corps in the Gambia. Would it be worth asking them which district would stand to gain the most from this project?
- bill
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ \ William O'Donnell / / Dept. of History \ \ The Johns Hopkins University / / 3400 N. Charles St. \ \ Baltimore, MD 21218 / / http://jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu/~billod \ \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
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Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 10:38:12 -0500 From: "Malanding S. Jaiteh" <msjaiteh@mtu.edu> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: position announcement Message-ID: <199703141538.KAA15003@oak.ffr.mtu.edu>
----- Begin Included Message -----
>From owner-forgrad-l-outgoing@mtu.edu Fri Mar 14 10:27:28 1997 X-Received: MTU Resend v1.1 for forgrad-l X-Sender: bdorr@141.219.149.237 Mime-Version: 1.0 Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 10:27:15 -0500 To: forgrad-l@mtu.edu From: Blair Orr <bdorr@mtu.edu> Subject: position announcement
For your information.
>Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 09:49:11 -0500 >Reply-To: Ecotoxicology Discussion List <ECOTOXICOLOGY-L@LISTSERV.VT.EDU> >Sender: Ecotoxicology Discussion List <ECOTOXICOLOGY-L@LISTSERV.VT.EDU> >From: "Beaulieu, Stephen M." <steveb@RTI.ORG> >Subject: position announcement >To: ECOTOXICOLOGY-L@LISTSERV.VT.EDU > >So far, I have received only two resumes for the position described >below (I posted this description to the listserver more than two weeks >ago). I had originally requested that materials be sent through our >Human Resources office. However, because there is an immediate need to >fill this position, please feel free to send your resume directly to me >(via fax or e-mail is fine). > > > >The Environmental Risk Analysis Program at the Research Triangle >Institute has an immediate opening for a mathematical ecologist to >support ongoing project work in ecological risk assessment. The work >primarily involves developing and applying methods to predict and >evaluate risks to ecological receptors from chemical stressors. This is >not a field position and the majority of project work will rely on data >gleaned from existing data bases and primary literature reviews. The >ideal candidate will have: (1) a strong background in statistics, >systems ecology, and toxicology, (2) a Master's degree with between 1-3 >years of experience, and (3) demonstrated ability with a variety of >software packages, especially software for mathematical analyses (e.g., >Excel, Mathcad) and ecological models (programming experience not >required). The qualifications for this position include (in order of >preference): > >- a Master's degree (or higher) in environmental science or ecology; >- experience in population modeling (e.g., population viability > analysis) and/or community modeling; >- knowledge of modeling approaches to deal with stochasticity, > uncertainty, and measurement error; >- ability to understand and interpret ecotoxicological data on aquatic > and/or terrestrial organisms; >- skills to address ecological risk problems using multivariate analysis > and nonmetric clustering; >- familiarity with risk assessment concepts and tools; and >- basic understanding of contaminant transport through food webs, > including bioaccumulation. > > >Salary and benefits commensurate with experience. RTI is an AA/EEO. > >Please send resume (via fax or e-mail) in confidence to: > >_____________________________ >Stephen M. Beaulieu >Environmental Risk Analysis Program >3040 Cornwallis Road >Research Triangle Institute >Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194 >steveb@rti.org >(fax: 919-541-7155) > >
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Date: 14 Mar 1997 18:06:08 +0100 From: "Jobarteh, Momodou" <Momodou.Jobarteh@hordaland.vegvesen.telemax.no> To: "Gambia-L -Internet... ." <Gambia-l@u.washington.edu> (Return requested) Subject: FWD:Rex looks up to diamonds Message-ID: <0024D33298580004*/c=no/admd=telemax/prmd=vegvesen/o=hordaland/s=Jobarteh/g=Momodou/@MHS> Content-Identifier: 0024D33298580004 Content-Return: Allowed MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Disposition: inline
Africa Economic Digest (9 march 1997) vol 18 no 4
SIERRA LEONE
REX LOOKS UP TO DIAMONDS
Canadian mining company Rex Diamond Mining Corporation says it is banking= on =
unexploited high-quality diamond fields in the country to help secure a =
brilliant future. Rax chief executive Serge Mulle said =ABwe have by what is known today ab= out =
$4,900 million worth of reserves of gemquality diamonds.=BB Last month, the company said the value of the Tongo field, one of the fie= ld =
on which it owns leases, has been estimated by a leading expert at $3,300= =
million with resources totalling 18.9 million carats. Rex also operates three fissure diamond mines in South Africa and sorting= =
and marketing facilities in the Belgian port of Antwerp. Muller said annual output at Rex`s fields in the country and South Africa= =
could amount to 600,000 carats in five years giving it total revenue of $= 120 =
million a year at an average of $200 a carat. The start-up of Tongo field= s =
is expected to take about two to three years. Production at the Zimmi =
diamond mining area is expected to start in mid 1998. Rex might employ 2000 to 3000 people and which would make it the country`= s =
second largest employer after the government. Muller expects other mining= =
companies to be lured to the country. -----------------------------------------FWD =
END------------------------------------------------
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Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 14:22:59 -0800 (PST) From: Latir Downes-Thomas <latir@earthlink.net> To: gambia-l <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: Transfer of presidential powers. Message-ID: <858389172@mail.earthlink.net>
Just a quick note.
***** BETHESDA, Md. (Mar 14, 1997 4:49 p.m. EST) - President Bill Clinton underwent surgery on Friday to repair a torn knee tendon. Aides said he was in good spirits, determined to keep a summit date with Boris Yeltsin and dreaming of golfing and jogging again. ... A regional anaesthetic allows Clinton to remain conscious during the surgery, avoiding a temporary transfer of presidential powers to Vice President Al Gore, who was travelling in California. Copyright © 1997 Reuter Information Service *****
Not to harp on the subject, but this makes me wonder. What if, God forbid, President Jammeh has a slightly more serious accident that required full anaesthesia and was thus temporarily incapacitated? Would we have a constitutional crisis at hand with no Vice-President and qualified Speaker to take over temporarily?
Peace.
Lat
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Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 19:13:56 -0500 (EST) From: "Malanding S. Jaiteh" <msjaiteh@mtu.edu> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Gambians at University of Michigan?? Message-ID: <199703150013.TAA15220@spruce.ffr.mtu.edu> Content-Type: text
Hi folks, do anyone know Gambians at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor? Please send responses at my address msjaiteh@mtu.edu.
Malanding Jaiteh
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Date: Sat, 15 Mar 1997 09:14:22 +0800 (SGT) From: Senessie Turay <9210077@talabah.iiu.my> To: gambia-l <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: How Ignorant people can be!!! (fwd) Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.91.970315091415.26313A-100000@talabah.iiu.my> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 09:26:50 -0500 From: Walton Ekundayo Gilpin <weg10@COLUMBIA.EDU> To: LEONENET@MITVMA.MIT.EDU Subject: How Ignorant people can be!!! (fwd)
This mail is sent with an open mind. Anyone who reads it must form their own opinion of it.
cheers
____________________________________ Remember: It pays to grow old If you stay young. Praise the Lord anyway! 'dayo
---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 11:36:56 +0000 From: Mercella Jones <jones@dcs.qmw.ac.uk> To: weg10@columbia.edu Subject: How Ignorant people can be!!!
Hi Walton,
The content of the following e-mail might disgust you but it is a rude awakening for those who have been sleeping and a sad confirmation for those who were never fooled.Ignorance is alive and well in America but especially at the higher educational institutions.
************************************************************ ******************** * --****** Jokes-- * * * * Here are some of the better ****** jokes I've managed to come upon. Enjoy. *
************************************************************ ******************** Nig-ger (nig'er) n. An African jungle anthropoid ape of the primate family pongidae (superfamily cercopithecoidea). Imported to the United States as slave labor in the late 1700's-1800's, these wild creatures now roam freely-- while destroying the economic and social infrastructures of the nation.
************************************************************ ******************** Do you know why flies have wings? So they can beat the ******s to the watermelons. Why did the nig run when his girlfriend said she wanted to give him a blowjob? He was afraid it would cancel his unemployment benefits.
Did you hear about the little ****** boy who had diarrhea? He thought he was melting.
What do you call three ******s sitting in a garden? Fertilizer.
What do you call a ****** with an IQ of 15? Gifted.
What's the difference between a pothole and a ******? You'd swerve to avoid a pothole, wouldn't you?
How do you get twelve nigs in a Volkswagon? Toss a welfare check in the back seat.
How do you get 400 ******s in an Escort? I don't know, but they figure it out.
What do you call three blacks at a Klan barbeque? Charcoal.
How do you make a ****** nervous? Take him to an auction.
Did you hear about Evil Kneivel's cousin, Ku Klux Knieval? He tried to jump over 50 blacks - With A Steamroller.
What do you call 50,000 blacks in the bottom of the sea? A good start.
Why don't ******s stick their heads out of moving vehicles? Their lips catching the wind will beat them to death.
What do you call a black hitchiker? Stranded.
What do you call two ****** motocycle cops? Chocolate CHiPs.
Why does Georgia have blacks and California have earthquakes? California had first pick.
What happens when you put an Odor-Eater in a ******'s shoes? He disappears.
Why do ******s always have sex on their minds? Because of the pubic hair on their heads.
What did the black kid get for Christmas? My bike.
Why don't sharks attack ******s? They mistake them for whale ****.
Why do ******s call white people "Honkeys"? Thats the last sound they hear before we run them over.
How do you wipe out 250 ape families? Blow up Kmart.
Why can't ******s do push-ups? Their lips hit the floor before their chests touch.
A ******, a jew and a spic get shoved off a building at the same time which one hits pavement first? Who cares.
Whats the difference between ****** ***** and a bowling ball? You can eat a bowling ball. Why do ******s tint their car windows? They don't-- it's the black rubbing off.
How do you get ******s out of your neighborhood? Hide all the good cardboard boxes.
How do you get a ****** to commit suicide? Toss a bucket of KFC into traffic.
Whats another name for the county jail? The house of apes.
******, your termination is growing near With my shotgun I invoke my fear I'll blast you in the legs then blast you in the head I'll laugh at you ****** till your ass is dead You grease dripping melon snatchin car jacking **** I am near, now you're out of luck I'll cripple you ******, then crush your skull It's so much fun to watch you tremble and fall You are worth nothing ******; zero, zip You should be on the farm, under the whip Think you're emancipated ******? **** that! Stupid ******, you're no better than a jap
I HATE ******S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ****** ****** you better beware I'll shoot your black ass and burn your ****** afro hair I'll punch you, kick you, and crush your ****ing rock hard skull Then I'll castrate you ****** and make you swallow your balls I'll tie you up ****** and drag you behind my car I'll drag your ass forever ******, far far far I hate you ******, your rap and your jive I'm gonna kill you ***** you will not stay alive I hate all ******s, the way they behave Whites are superior beings, ******S ARE SLAVES!!!!!!
Kill that ****** he's worse than a fag Blast him in the head with a 44 mag Kick him punch him and crush that bro Douse him with gasoline and burn his fro Hit him with a flashlight and kick him in the head Just make sure that ******s dead Big lipped chicken eating melon stealing bast I can't wait to kill a ****** with a shotgun blast!
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Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 20:15:14 -0600 (CST) From: Yaya Jallow <yj0001@jove.acs.unt.edu> To: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: Re: How Ignorant people can be!!! (fwd) Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.95.970314200452.15379A-100000@jove.acs.unt.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
On Sat, 15 Mar 1997, Senessie Turay wrote:
Senessie,
While I understand your rationale for posting the following contents, I think It's better that you never forwarded that piece. I find it insulting and offensive and I do not believe such contents deserve posting on Gambia-L, because we would be providing coverage for the author of such articles.
This is just my opinion.
Good evening to you all
Yaya > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 09:26:50 -0500 > From: Walton Ekundayo Gilpin <weg10@COLUMBIA.EDU> > To: LEONENET@MITVMA.MIT.EDU > Subject: How Ignorant people can be!!! (fwd) > > This mail is sent with an open mind. Anyone who reads it must form their > own opinion of it. > > cheers > > > ____________________________________ > Remember: It pays to grow old > If you stay young. > Praise the Lord anyway! > 'dayo > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 11:36:56 +0000 > From: Mercella Jones <jones@dcs.qmw.ac.uk> > To: weg10@columbia.edu > Subject: How Ignorant people can be!!! > > Hi Walton, > > The content of the following e-mail might disgust you but it is a rude > awakening for those who have been sleeping and a sad confirmation for > those who were never fooled.Ignorance is alive and well in America but > especially at the higher educational institutions. > > > ************************************************************ > ******************** > * --****** Jokes-- > * > * > * > * Here are some of the better ****** jokes I've managed to come upon. > Enjoy. * > > ************************************************************ > ******************** > Nig-ger (nig'er) n. An African jungle anthropoid ape of the primate > family pongidae (superfamily cercopithecoidea). Imported to the United > States as slave labor in the late 1700's-1800's, these wild creatures > now roam freely-- while destroying the economic and social > infrastructures of the nation. > > ************************************************************ > ******************** > Do you know why flies have wings? > So they can beat the ******s to the watermelons. > Why did the nig run when his girlfriend said she wanted to give him a > blowjob? > He was afraid it would cancel his unemployment benefits. > > Did you hear about the little ****** boy who had diarrhea? > He thought he was melting. > > What do you call three ******s sitting in a garden? > Fertilizer. > > What do you call a ****** with an IQ of 15? > Gifted. > > What's the difference between a pothole and a ******? > You'd swerve to avoid a pothole, wouldn't you? > > How do you get twelve nigs in a Volkswagon? > Toss a welfare check in the back seat. > > How do you get 400 ******s in an Escort? > I don't know, but they figure it out. > > What do you call three blacks at a Klan barbeque? > Charcoal. > > How do you make a ****** nervous? > Take him to an auction. > > Did you hear about Evil Kneivel's cousin, Ku Klux Knieval? > He tried to jump over 50 blacks - With A Steamroller. > > What do you call 50,000 blacks in the bottom of the sea? > A good start. > > Why don't ******s stick their heads out of moving vehicles? > Their lips catching the wind will beat them to death. > > What do you call a black hitchiker? > Stranded. > > What do you call two ****** motocycle cops? > Chocolate CHiPs. > > Why does Georgia have blacks and California have earthquakes? > California had first pick. > > What happens when you put an Odor-Eater in a ******'s shoes? > He disappears. > > Why do ******s always have sex on their minds? > Because of the pubic hair on their heads. > > What did the black kid get for Christmas? > My bike. > > Why don't sharks attack ******s? > They mistake them for whale ****. > > Why do ******s call white people "Honkeys"? > Thats the last sound they hear before we run them over. > > How do you wipe out 250 ape families? > Blow up Kmart. > > Why can't ******s do push-ups? > Their lips hit the floor before their chests touch. > > A ******, a jew and a spic get shoved off a building at the same time > which one hits pavement first? > Who cares. > > Whats the difference between ****** ***** and a bowling ball? > You can eat a bowling ball. > Why do ******s tint their car windows? > They don't-- it's the black rubbing off. > > How do you get ******s out of your neighborhood? > Hide all the good cardboard boxes. > > How do you get a ****** to commit suicide? > Toss a bucket of KFC into traffic. > > Whats another name for the county jail? > The house of apes. > > > ******, your termination is growing near > With my shotgun I invoke my fear > I'll blast you in the legs then blast you in the head > I'll laugh at you ****** till your ass is dead > You grease dripping melon snatchin car jacking **** > I am near, now you're out of luck > I'll cripple you ******, then crush your skull > It's so much fun to watch you tremble and fall > You are worth nothing ******; zero, zip > You should be on the farm, under the whip > Think you're emancipated ******? **** that! > Stupid ******, you're no better than a jap > > > > I HATE ******S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! > ****** ****** you better beware > I'll shoot your black ass and burn your ****** afro hair > I'll punch you, kick you, and crush your ****ing rock hard skull > Then I'll castrate you ****** and make you swallow your balls > I'll tie you up ****** and drag you behind my car > I'll drag your ass forever ******, far far far > I hate you ******, your rap and your jive > I'm gonna kill you ***** you will not stay alive > I hate all ******s, the way they behave > Whites are superior beings, ******S ARE SLAVES!!!!!! > > > Kill that ****** he's worse than a fag > Blast him in the head with a 44 mag > Kick him punch him and crush that bro > Douse him with gasoline and burn his fro > Hit him with a flashlight and kick him in the head > Just make sure that ******s dead > Big lipped chicken eating melon stealing bast > I can't wait to kill a ****** with a shotgun blast! >
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Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 22:04:20 -0500 (EST) From: TOURAY1@aol.com To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: How Ignorant people can be!!! (fwd) Message-ID: <970314220419_720691949@emout11.mail.aol.com>
Hai whoever you are,
I think this is the stupidest joke I've ever read in my entire life cause it's not even funny.It is very stupid and does'nt even deserve to be posted in this Bantaba.
Yours, Lamin
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Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 23:07:26 -0500 (EST) From: Musa Sowe <chemsm@panther.Gsu.EDU> To: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu> Subject: Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.95.970314225117.17250D-100000@panther.Gsu.EDU> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
ANDREA; I ALSO HAVE SOME BOOKS THAT I AM CATALOGING FOR THE PURPOSE OF DONATIONS. WHY NOT YOU AND I START THE PROCESS. YOU PUT TOGETHER WHAT MATERIALS YOU CAN. 1 WILL SEND MY LIST TO THE HEAD OF GAMBIA COLLEGE FOR THEM TO SELECT WHICH OF THE BOOKS THEY WILL NEED SINCE I WILL NOT WANT TO IMPOSE ON THEM ANY MATERIAL THAT THEY WILL NOT BE INTERESTED IN. AS SOON AS I RECEIVE THE LIST BACK YOU AND I CAN PUT HEADS TOGETHER TO SEE WHAT WOULD BE THE CHEAPEST WAY TO SHIP WHAT YOU'VE GOT AND WHAT I'VE GOT. WE CAN SEND THIS AS A ONE TIME DONATION WHILE THE COMMITTEE IS WORKING ON A DRAFT PROPOSAL FOR COLLECTIVE ACTION. IN THE MEAN TIME YOU AND I CAN TEST THE WATERS WITH THIS ONE TIME DONATION AND MAYBE WE WILL LEARN SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE USEFUL FOR DRAFTING THE PROPOSAL. WHAT DO YOU THINK? ANYONE ELSE HAS IDEAS, ESPECIALLY ON THE SHIPPING PART.
HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON , THANKYOU..............MUSA > Dear All, > > I would like to contribute for a school, too. But as my funds are > restricted and as I'm heading to The Gambia end of the year, I have to > withdraw my Observer-subscription - sorry. > > I would propose to choose a school in the provinces because of > decentralization. Why not Georgetown? > > What criteria will be put on the selection of books? Has there a > committee been established, yet? I have access to cheap office material > like pens etc. Shall we contribute material and/or funds? Who is going > to collect it? What about individual sponsorship for students? How many > people have shown interest or have committed themselves already? > > I think it would be a great thing, if we manage to set it up. I am > convinced that the visible concern of people abroad is very much > encourageing (not only) for students in The Gambia. > > Thanx, > > Andrea >
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Date: Sat, 15 Mar 1997 00:02:03 -0600 From: Tamsir Mbai <mba4224@etbu.edu> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: Transfer of presidential powers. Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19970314234516.38d76eb6@etbu.edu> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
At 02:22 PM 3/14/97 -0800, Latir-Downes wrote: > President Bill Clinton underwent surgery on Friday to repair a torn >knee tendon. ... A regional anaesthetic allows Clinton to remain conscious >during the surgery, avoiding a temporary transfer of presidential >powers to Vice President Al Gore, who was travelling in California. > Not to harp on the subject, but this makes me wonder. What if, God >forbid, President Jammeh has a slightly more serious accident that required >full anaesthesia and was thus temporarily incapacitated? Would we have a >constitutional crisis at hand with no Vice-President and qualified Speaker to >take over temporarily? >Peace. > >Lat
This is a thought provoking masterpiece. I must admit, Lat, that I am becoming an admirer of yours. Many a times people fail not for lack of trying, but for lack of a visionary mind. For the sustenance of longevity, our wishes and aspirations must always be translated into prudent programs that cater for the future. Unfortunately, I think Jammeh is still clothed in his boyhood robes. It has always been, and will continue to be a misnomer amongst youths that evil or misfortune will not befall them. I attribute Jammeh's lack of vision for the possibilities of the future to this youthful attitude. Even though I had not specifically thought about Latir's hypothesis, I think the ruling party owes it to The Gambian people to have considered all probable consequences for their actions. I reckon I can fairly assume that this was not done, given the outcome of the delay in appointing a VP. At this point in time, I am going to assume that everyone on this list is aware of the developments in the Gambia relative to this topic of discussion. If that is an accurate assumption, then I suggest that we take a vote on issues like this and mail the tally of the votes to the OBSERVER in Bakau, so that our voices can be heard. It is one thing to discuss the issue here on the list, but unless the government concerned is aware of our existence, then our views and opinions are tantamount to being non-existent. We must be seen as a force to reckon with. Once our support or criticism of the gov't is made public, I think the gov't will at the very least consider that there are concerned Gambian citizens outside the country who are closely monitoring the developments inside the country. Geography should not be an impediment, but if you are wondering how this may help our nation, well, I am too. The not-so-very-evident effect this strategy might have is that being outside the country, the gov't will see us as an external force that has the potential to lobby and obtain foreign assistance in our quest for the maintenance of peace and prosperity in our beloved nation. Once they realise that we can do this, they will respect (not necessarily honour) the views and opinions that we shall continue to make public through the OBSERVER newspaper on a timely basis. The days that we can sit by and watch our nation be plunged into eternal pillory are long gone, if they ever existed. We must continue to trigger the buttons that will enhance qualified and competent people be appointed to help orchestrate the march towards political and economic prosperity. If we fail to do this, then my guess is that our current gov't, much like the one before it, will fail The Gambian people miserably. CAN WE AFFORD IT AGAIN? Enjoy your weekend, everybody. It's Tamsir.
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Date: Sat, 15 Mar 1997 02:07:15 -0500 (EST) From: Mbk007@aol.com To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: Transfer of presidential powers. Message-ID: <970315020715_511012501@emout10.mail.aol.com>
GOOD POINT MAN! YOU NEED NOT SAY ANY MORE.
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Date: Sat, 15 Mar 1997 02:21:25 -0500 (EST) From: Mbk007@aol.com To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: How Ignorant people can be!!! (fwd) Message-ID: <970315022125_-1673162852@emout09.mail.aol.com>
MR. TURE, YOU MADE A BIG MISTAKE BY CIRCULATING THIS SENSELESS ARTICLE, THAT WAS THE MAIN INTENSION OF THE WRITER. PLEASE DON'T FOWARD, OR SHARE SUCH ----------- WITH THE PUBLIC.
M.B.KRUBALLY.
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Date: Sat, 15 Mar 1997 03:17:44 -0500 (EST) From: iscorr@total.net (Ebrima Sama Corr) To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Subscribe Daily Observer Message-ID: <v01540b02af4fc1e19d26@[205.236.86.220]> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Hello,
Could you add my name to the daily observer list.
Thank you.
******************************************************************************** Ebrima Sama Corr 68 Prince Arthur West Apt. 103 Montreal, Quebec Canada H2X 1S6
Tel: 1-514-849-5149 ********************************************************************************
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Date: Fri, 15 Mar 1996 20:12:47 +0300 From: BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA> To: GAMBIA-L@U.WASHINGTON.EDU Subject: CIRCUMCISION REVISITED (PART1) Message-ID: <3149A50D.6934@QATAR.NET.QA> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii
<HTML><BODY> MR.TURAY!! <BR> Thanks for your observation! Consider this: How would it sound to your <BR>children if you want to pass to them the tradition of praying five times a day if they know that <BR>you yourself don't pray? You can't pass something onto your children that you don't have.Pure <BR>common sense! <BR> <BR>There is no one book that would tell you everything about Abraham,especially the circumstances <BR>that surrounded his marriage to Hagar and his circumcision.A good start,though ,would be Genesis <BR>in the Bible.If you have finished with that,you must,and I repeat,you must read THE AFRICAN <BR>ORIGIN OF CIVILIZATION and PRECOLONIAL BLACK AFRICA, both of them written <BR>by Professor Chekh Anta Diop. <BR> <BR>With respect to your allusion that I should "bless" the prophets whenever I mention their names,I <BR>don't believe I literally need to write that down every single time that their names are mentioned;wishing them a blessing in your heart would achieve the same result.As for my <BR>being a Soninke(Sarrahuleh);yes,I am, and very proud of it.But I don't think that has any <BR>relvance whatsoever to the issue under discussion here!! <BR> <BR> REGARDS BASSSS!! <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>Senessie Turay wrote: <BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE>Thanks for your interesting posting but I have some few observations that <BR>I would like to make here regarding Abraham and Moses peace be upon them. I <BR>don't think <BR>that Abraham was circumcised as a result of his marrying Hajarr. He <BR> was commanded by the Almight Allah to perform the rite of <BR>circumcision, he then passed this tradition to his children and the <BR>entire jews society. As for Musa, he got married to the daughter of <BR>Shuaib because of his personality, masculanity sensitivity and honesty. <BR>infact It <BR>was the noble man who asked Musa to marry one of his well cultured daughter. <BR>Lastly, you are a Soninkay, I assume that you are muslim. Remember our <BR>religion taught us to honour the names of the <BR>Messangers of Allah. I am kindly asking you to bless their whenever you <BR>mention their names, Allah will certainly bless you too. I <BR>would be very happy if you can allude me to a book, where i may have the <BR>opportunity to learn more about the history of circumcision, especially <BR>that of Sayyidina Ibrahim (p.b.u.h) <BR> <BR>Nuwari gidey, take care of yourself and Kolley. <BR>Sanusi Turay <BR> <BR>On Wed, 13 Mar 1996, BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH wrote: <BR> <BR><I>> MR.E.JAWARA & MIS. E.JANNEH!!</I> <BR><I>></I> <BR><I>> "What became of the Black People Of Sumer?" the traveller asked the old</I> <BR><I>> man,"for ancient records show that that the people of Sumer were black.</I> <BR><I>> What happened to them?" "Ah," the old man sighed.</I> <BR><I>> "They lost their history, so they died."</I> <BR><I>></I> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BR> <BR>-- <BR>SZDDˆð'3Af¨ <BR> <BR>
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Date: Sat, 15 Mar 1997 12:03:26 +0000 From: "NJIE OMAR E" <964NJIE@alpha.nlu.edu> To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: How Ignorant people can be!!! (fwd) Message-ID: <199703151802.KAA25799@mx4.u.washington.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT
Greetings to all!!
Like Yaya and others, I found those "****** Jokes" very offensive and doesn't deserve any further circulation. Circulating it satisfied the very purpose of that ignorant and stupid author.
It's, Omar E.
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Date: Fri, 15 Mar 1996 22:01:53 +0300 From: BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA> To: "GAMBIA-L@U.WASHINGTON.EDU" <GAMBIA-L@U.WASHINGTON.EDU> Subject: (PART2) CIRCUMCISION REVISITED Message-ID: <3149BE9F.555C@QATAR.NET.QA> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii
<HTML><BODY>
<BR>MR.JAWARA & MIS E.JANNEH!! <BR> <BR>Now we are entering Barbarian Territory ! But before we can put under the <BR>microscope that black practice that both of you characterized as <BR>BARBARIC,we need to check with the non-barbarian races and see how civilized <BR>their anchors and compasses are.It is only then that we would be able to <BR>see to what degree Africans are barbaric.So,we will <BR>take Western Culture,reputedly,the most civilized,the most rational,the <BR>most scientific and the most modern of them all.We will use the word COSMOGONY <BR>here.It means that body of facts, fictions, <BR>theories,and myths that explains to any given people their origin and their <BR>objectives in life, as explained above.And the structure and the form that <BR>the culture of any given people would take would be determined to a large <BR>extent by their cosmogony.So, the Cosmogony of Western Culture is as follows: <BR>The Supreme God is a Male.So when he finished creating Heaven and Earth,he <BR>decided that he would create a creature in his own image,so he created <BR>a male human being and named him ADAM.But somehow he,as an afterthought ,realised <BR>that,without a company,this creature would be lonely and miserable,so he <BR>got him a company.He did that by taking Adam's RIB and turning it into <BR>another human being,and named that human being EVE.After that,he sent the <BR>couple to a Garden called EDEN that was supposed to be their permanent lodging <BR>place.Everything that they could ever have wanted was there.There was no <BR>desease,old age or death.There was one catch though.Everything was free <BR>for the taking of the couple except one thing: the Fruit Of Knowledge .That <BR>was the prerogative of the Supreme himself.They must never touch that.But <BR>,somehow,the prospect of knowing what the <BR>Supreme himself knows was too tantalizing for Eve to pass up.So,she ,somehow,one <BR>way or the other,was able to persuade Adam to overcome his reluctance to <BR>Cross the Line.Of course,the Supreme's reaction was swift and merciless.They <BR>were immediately expelled from the Eternal Garden and from that day on,they <BR>would have to work,sweat,get old,get desease,struggle,die and be judged <BR>by the Supreme on the day of judgement.No more free food and no more immortality.The <BR>party was effectively over.Now,what can we make of this story? We have already said that a culture <BR>is determined to a large extent by the story of the origin of a given people.In <BR>the Sub-Conscious of the Western person, God,the creator is a Male and the <BR>first human being he created was a male(Patriarchy),the second person,Eve,was <BR>not on the original list of the things that were supposed to be created,but <BR>was created only because Adam,who was supposed to be created needed company(Sexism).Eve <BR>was not even created with the primary material,the black soil,that Adam <BR>was created with,but with a minute part of Adam's body(Inequality).Eve <BR>is made responsible for the expulsion from Paradise :Misogyny(hatred of women). <BR>Now,the picture is pretty clear.As far as Western culture is concerned, the struggle of mankind is a struggle to get back to the free-food status that was prevalent in the Garden of Eden; and that can be done only by not repeating <BR>the very mistake that led to the violent disruption of such a status in the first place.Of course,many other factors have played a part in Western culture and thinking since then,but,with this story,you can do pretty well at understanding <BR>the contradictions inherent in Western Culture and the kind of rhetoric used to deal with those contradictions. <BR>And we will see later that because of the violent intrusion of Western Culture that resulted from Colonialism and Imperialism <BR>both those contradictions and the rhetoric that accompany them have been artificially implanted into many other cultures where they still have no real place ;and ours is one of them. <BR> <BR>Inspite of the hype of a democratic and egalitarian culture,Western Culture is still pretty much what it has always been: <BR>a patriarchal,masculine,sexist and a misogynistic culutre. In it,this world is really a world of men and the role of women is basically to provide support and comfort for the men in their struggle to secure the kind of material comfort that can approximate the one <BR> lost in the Garden of Eden.We have seen countless of time in the Hollywood Movies that whenever a Western Man has a pretty <BR> dumb blonde on his side that would provide sex, comfort and support and would do what she is told without asking <BR>a lot of questions, there is practically nothing that that man cannot accomplish, and sometimes even the laws of physics <BR>cannot stand in his way when he wants to accomplish something.But the problem is that not all the pretty blondes are dumb.Once in a while,quite naturally,a blonde would show up who would want to question the wisdom of some the things <BR>you want to accomplish.Now that is trouble! Hillary Rodham Clinton is a case in point.When she started to not only <BR>ask questions but also give answers to problems posed by America's shameful unwillingness to guarantee Health Insuranse for all <BR>its citizens,she was soon scandalously shouted down.And as all of us now know,she is now playing the role of the devastatingly cute and meek blonde one step behind the principal actor of the film,Bill.Anybody familiar with the politics of Gender War,family,Sex and Sexuality in America would know the earth-shaking emancipatory potential of a permanently free health insurance policy for every woman and child in America.That surely can't be good for the power structure of patriarchy and the Ego of the men who control America!! <BR> <BR>NEXT TIME,WE WILL LOOK AT THE Cosmogony OF THE BLACK PEOPLE. <BR> <BR> REGARDS BASSSS!! <BR> <BR>-- <BR>SZDDˆð'3Af¨ <BR>
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Date: Sat, 15 Mar 1997 14:39:42 -0500 (EST) From: mjallow@st6000.sct.edu (Modou Jallow) To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu Subject: African women and peace (fwd) Message-ID: <9703151939.AA37366@st6000.sct.edu> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Title: AFRICA-HUMAN RIGHTS: Women Aim to Lead the Way to Peace
By Jean Baptiste Kayigamba
KIGALI, Mar 6 (IPS) - Women from African nations have launched a continent-wide network with a view to playing a greater role in helping prevent and resolve conflicts in Africa.
The Federation of Women's Networks was formed at a Pan-African Conference on Peace, Gender and Development, held here on Mar. 1- 3. For now it groups 13 countries, but the representatives of non- governmental organisations (NGOs) who attended the meeting aim to encourage women from other nations to join.
Women are eager to play a more important role in the prevention and management of the various wars and conflicts raging in many parts of the continent, the women said.
Explaining the reasons behind the network's creation, Malian women's rights advocate Mariam Djibrilla Maiga said the absence of women in peace initiatives and from various summits on wars and conflicts in Africa was a lost opportunity.
''There is a social dimension that is lacking in the mechanisms and resolutions of those conflicts. More emphasis is given to technical aspects,'' she pointed out, adding that the population is never consulted.
''The causes of the conflicts are varied, but all appear related to problems of governance, socio-cultural and economic factors,'' she stated further.
According to Maiga, the Kigali meeting also called on the United Nations, the Organisation of the African Unity (OAU) and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) to take appropriate follow-up action once they pass resolutions. In fact, one of the tasks the new federation has set itself is to evaluate conflict- resolution mechanisms set up the OAU and other organisations.
Other activities they will carry out include conducting sensitisation missions in war-torn areas and organising conferences on conflict, peace and related issues.
Maiga said the women formed the federation of networks because they felt the urge to be actively involved in all initiatives aimed at ending wars on the continent.
The federation groups women from Rwanda -- which hosts its provisional secretariat -- Burundi, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mozambique, Angola, Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, Congo, Mali and South Africa.
The initiative is linked to a call made in the final statement issued by the women at their conference here.
In their Kigali Declaration, they urged governments to ''recognise women's traditional peace-making roles and their right to equal involvement in all peace initiatives, including early- warning mechanisms and swift responses at national, regional and international levels.''
In some parts of Africa, women have already been playing an active role in conflict management.
Delegates from Mali said women in their country participated in the resolution of an armed conflict between the state and rebels from the Tuareg ethnic group in the early 1990s. A National Women's Movement for the Safeguard of Peace and National Unity formed in 1991 conducted campaigns to foster national unity, visited refugee camps and provided some humanitarian assistance to people affected by the conflict, they said.
In Liberia, the Women's Peace Initiative (WPI) organisation has been helping ECOMOG, a West African peacekeeping force, in the demobilisation of armed factions which started last year.
WPI's Maureen Shaw said members of her organisation accompanied interim President Ruth Perry -- Africa's only woman head of state -- to all demobilisation centers, offering barrels of cool water to the ex-combattants. The women also got ECOMOG to extend a deadline it had given to the faction fighters to hand over their weapons.
For Shaw, what has been most moving is seeing truckloads of combattants from factions that had fought one another getting together and shaking hands, and surrendering their guns.
Some of these fighters were just boys and girls who had been dehumanised and led to commit atrocities by faction leaders who wanted to hold on to power and use it for plundering the country's ressources, she said.
The WPI had been making its voice heard even before the war finally came to an end in 1996.
''Since 1993, following the Cotonou agreement (one of many between the Liberian belligerents), we had warned negotiators that there cannot be peace if armed factions were not disarmed,'' Shaw said.
''We took it the streets, we sent letters of protest to ECOWAS -- Economic Community of West African States -- leaders, to the UN, OAU to make them understand the issue,'' added Shaw, who said she felt that, with the demobilisation, her country can look forward to a bright future.
In other countries such as Sierra Leone, Somalia, similar initiatives by women are underway.
''We are endeavouring to build sustainable peace and social justice and economic empowerment of women in war-affected areas,'' said Jalloh Jeneh of the Women Initiative League for Peace in Sierra Leone. (end/ips/jbk/kb/97)
Origin: Harare/AFRICA-HUMAN RIGHTS/ ---- *************************************************************************** This material came from PeaceNet, a non-profit progressive networking service. For more information, send a message to peacenet-info@igc.apc.org ***************************************************************************
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End of GAMBIA-L Digest 59 ************************* |
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