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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
 Posted - 18 Jun 2006 : 10:17:08
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quote:
Originally posted by njucks
thanks kobo
it seems like it was all about settling scores.but you have not really answered my question as to what happened to him afterwards. if you think its too sensitive its ok. thanks
i'm very interested in the '81 events. i have always tried to read about it but there is little information about it. back home people dont like to talk much about it in detail. i will always remember the grave between the muslim/christian cemetries.infact i would like to have an estimate (in numbers) about how many people died. 100,300,500,1000,2000???
i remember reading a bit about the famous british SAS who were sent in to secure the first family and properties in Fajara etc. Kons called them the Taxi drivers and i aked him why before.
but its a living history and those who experienced it should talk about it so we know more about it.
i think Kukoi means something that is clear and thats what we should be about 1981.
Njucks don't worry. Would give some highlight from my recollections and first hand experience. Voluntarily boarded a military Jeep vehicle from RVH with late Alieu Sallah and Amet Salloum etc etc etc towards my adventurous day on that fateful day. Participated to the core and was very lucky that no crimes were committed by me. Was within the ranks of the last unit that finally see off Kukoi Samba Sanyang to negotiate with Senegal commanders and surrounded by a Senegalese battalion behind from the main road at Yundum airport that fateful friday. Having escaped another nightmare of gun shots, explosives, bombs or whatever, ran and came out of that forest Zone after struggling for over three or four hours by Lamin. There met the Gambian contingent and stopped them from going to the airport with these words "Kukoi is in the hands of the senegalese as I escaped and the senegalese have taken over the whole area and are occupying the airport". They took my advise seriously and we boarded the vehicles and returned back to Bakau depot and later reached home under a comnplete black out with my parents and family surprised to see me alive. Told that drama unfolded and mum was completely mad when I dissappeared under those chaotic conditions. Even told that Alieu Sallah to threaten to shoot my parents if they don't confine themselves in doors as they were roaming to look for me. It was a tradgedy and I won't bother to disclose further information.
Furthermore that was Jawara's era and not Jammeh's era who was in High school at that time. My only worries is some of high profiles including Pap Cheyasin Secka and Sheriff Dibba were alledged to have been involved and cleared of treason trials. |
Edited by - kobo on 18 Jun 2006 10:42:29 |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jun 2006 : 01:55:22
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Njucks having escaped the "bazookers" I would attempt to give you the background information and certain phenomenae from my recollections of the political and ecomomic situation before events of 1981.
The political parties were the ruling Peoples Progressive Party (PPP), United Party (UP), and other newly formed opposition parties of National Convention Party (NCP) under Sheriff Mustapha Dibba and National Liberation Party (NLP) under Lawyer Pap Cheyassin Secka. There was another unregistered underground political movement called Movement of Justice in Africa (MOJA)gaining ground inspired by Koro Sallah and other elites and/ or intellectuals; best described as rejuvenenated "Kent street vous ideology", who operate clandestinely to orientate mainly the youths on politics, their civic rights and exposing government failures. The "Half Die" and Bund Road were strategic areas for certain operations and meetings. There was also a mysterious organ or poltical paper "The Voice" usually despatch free of charge around greater Banjul. Sometimes you just wake up and pick it on the streets, stalls, government offices and certain strategic areas covering controversial political issues and scrutinising government activities. Halifa Sallah was also very vibrant in political debates around those times and was employed under Department of Social Welfare. I attended many political debates and lectures from him.
Gambia amongst other west African countries suffered from serious droughts culminating in the formation of SAHEL campainging to control the drought menace and famine. However before the drought years Gambia was lovely, peaceful, very stable and we excel in sports, music, tourism, arts and culture. Towards the early 80s coups were phenomenal in certain parts of West Africa especially Ghana, Seirra Leone and Nigeria. No one thoght that Gambia would experience one. However the living standards began to drop and serious hardships were experienced in those days during the drought years. Food was being rationed on Rice, Oil and Sugar and stavation existed for many families. The policy makers started to fail by seeing the politicians override them. Electricity was always available as the power plant from our colonial masters in Banjul was properly maintained under Gambia Utilities Corporation (GUC). Then an indusrial dispute happen and the workers warned government to honour their requests or else serious repercussions would follow. It was not taken seriously until on "Tobaski" day around the evenings when the power plant was sabotage and partly blown up. Thats when blackouts started and never remedied up till now.
Njucks I find it difficult to know when to substantiate or what to highlight on this challenge given to me by you. However you can research further on the information briefly mentioned under this part.
Next to follow on my recollections would be few dramas of the three days coup and aftermath coup foiled. |
Edited by - kobo on 19 Jun 2006 02:15:42 |
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Moe
USA
2326 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jun 2006 : 03:35:26
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| I am very serious Njucks he seriously was a Minister for a few days.During the coup i guess even the rebels were starving, he came to my house in a land rover full of *****s looking for food.We really did not know what was up till he jumped out of the truck smiling and telling us he was a minister now.Anyways to cut the story short he got what he wanted and they left..............peace |
I am Jebel Musa better yet rock of Gibraltar,either or,still a stronghold and a Pillar commanding direction
The GPU wants Me Hunted Down for what I don't know ..... |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jun 2006 : 19:24:09
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Njuks
Now you are beginning to see why i called it the TAXI DRIVERS COUP. There were many taxi Drivers who spear headed the movement and who were promised Cabinet positions. It was the worst part of our history and we would have seen more problems had they succeeded. A group of police officers who were taught how to match with the typical BOOLUBA MARA trademarks. 1981, cannot be compared with 1994 and without hesitation, I will whole heartedly endorse the APRC.
I am not sure if you have seen the photos of the policemen during the colonial period. They had no shoes i was told. They only had black crape bandages tied around their feet and with the famous khaki short trout and the coddle. LEFT AND RIGHT WAS TOO CONFUSING TO UNDERSTAND AND HENCE THE FAMOUS BOOLUBA MARA.
Sometimes I wonder if we will be very fair in condemning Jawara too much. The Gambia in 1965 was like traveling backwards into the Stone Age.
As soon as a university graduate came home, the whole country knew about. Even the president was informed. Gambians owe Sierra Leone a debt of gratitude especially Njala University and Fourah Bay College.
We were hardly touched by any form of civilization. Illiteracy was so high, that people made a living by sitting at the main post office in Banjul writing letters or reading them out to recipients. People used to queue for a long time to have someone read their letters and a lot of the time either the sender could not even understand English or the reader was no better than the sender.
I have read letters in My village that were kept for months until when school closes so that I could read it for them. People used to ride horses and come to our compound from other villages once the news of my arrival is known. I never thought I was competent enough to read those letters and in situation I nearly caused a fight. Some of you who are conversant with the CFA Francs, 5000 is translated as 1000 in the local languages. I never knew that. Some family member sent some money from Libya with a letter. The family wanted to know if they had the right amount. When I read what I saw, people nearly fought. Well I could not have been blamed because it could not understand how 5000 is the same as 1000, at least from the rudimentary arithmetic I was exposed to. Then again, in the Kingdom of the blind, one eye is the king.
Some may remember the famous tapes that began to replace letters sent from Europe because people could not write letters. A whole village would gather around a tape recorder to listen to messages recorded in Europe. Families would also record another tape and send it back to Europe. In most cases, either the original tape is re-used or sometimes the sender would enclose another blank tape since it was a rare and expensive commodity.
We had cabinet ministers who had not completed even grade six education. Some went to night school. In some constituencies, there were no high school graduates and it was very common for candidates to be LOANED TO OTHER CONSTITUENCIES SO THAT THEY CAN BE REPRESENTED IN PARLIAMENT. OFCOURSE IN KEEPING WITH THE ELCTION RULES, THEIR VOTERS CARDS WERE TRANSFERRED IN TIME TO QUALIFY FOR THE RESIDENCY CRITERIA OF SIX MONTHS.
Westfield was a ghost town and pipeline is just a recent addition to the list of settlements in the Gambia. It was a practically a jungle clustered with a forest of mango trees, Bakau was such a small town, Serrekunda literally stopped at Bamboo Clinic and the rest up to Sukuta was a virgin land spotted with thatched mud houses here and there. Few dared walk those routes in the evenings past 8.00pm. Access to Gunjur was like traveling to Morroco through the desert in today’s comparison. We were so near but so far away.
I wonder how some people claim to be born in some towns, which never existed in the first place. Mr. Kassama at the Birth certificate office was very good at detecting these anomalies and was a household name in the evolution of settlements in the Gambia. Then again, I am not endorsing him in any way nor do I want to justify and legitimize the PPP regime. We however came from very far and fortunately we belong a generation that saw the fastest rate of human advancement around the world than any other generation before us. This makes us easily insatiable as communication through the Internet; telephone etc makes the world a global village. It became not only possible for us to explore the planet on land and sea but beneath the waves and above the clouds. IGNORANCE IS A NECESSARY PART OF CONTENTION. THE MORE IGNORANT ONE BECOMES, THE MORE CONTENDED ONE IS. EDUCATION EXPOSES ONE TO POSSIBILITIES, DREAMING BIG AND COMPARING ONESELF TO OTHERS WHO HAVE MOVED AHEAD. HOWEVER, NOT KNOWING THAT A CAR INFACT EXITS MAKES ONE WHO OWNS A BICYCLE VERY CONTENDED. THIS IS NOT THE CASE IN A SOCIETY LIKE DETRIOT WHERE CARS ARE FOUND ALL OVER. BICYCLES BECOME THE LAST CHOICE FOR MOBILITY.
This is why many of us are restless. But the generation that saw Gambia pre-independence, have forever remained grateful. However, there were many windows of opportunities that Gambia missed and for which PPP will forever be blamed for.
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jun 2006 : 21:03:33
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Infact a head of state from the west, who was passing through Gambia during the second world war to attend the Cassablanca conference described Banjul as a "hell hole on earth". "If you are going to measure my success by the heights i have attained, then you must be prepared to measure the depths from which i came" Osagyefo
I am not sure if we will be able to compare Jawara and Junkung. They should each be compared within the context of the times they came to power, interms of resources available and the technological opportunities of their times. Each is unique and besides, the two do not provide any healthy and coherent sampling for a pattern to emerge. Probabaly, the next to succeed jammeh will help in forging a pattern that can help us comapare more effectively.
There is more wealth now than in 1965. THE TIME VALUE OF MONEY SHOULD BE PUT INTO CONSIDERATION, IN TERMS OF ABILITY TO RAISE FUNDS. GAMBIANS ARE RICHER TODAY THAN IN 1965, BETTER INFORMED AND BETTER CRITICAL.hOWEVER THIS HAS VERY LITTLE TO DO WITH JUNKUNG. IT IS A SIGN OF THE INFORMATION REVOLUTION AROUND THE WORD, UNIQUE TO OUR TIMES. HOWEVER, MONEY ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH. WEALTH CREATION IS THE KEY. |
Edited by - kondorong on 19 Jun 2006 22:44:50 |
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somita
United Kingdom
163 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jun 2006 : 22:58:46
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Very eloguent Kondorong however we must not foget the essense of independance was to take charge of our own destiny and we failed woefully. I hate to think about the wrongs, mistakes and sometimes selfish and narrow mindedness of PPP thinking machine after all we now have a situation worse than we begained for, all with the very help of PPP.
I was too young to remember 1981, however i happen to come from a village that was at the center of the storm for all but the wrong reasons. A number of youths (almost from every big family) were jailed without fair trial some for as long 10years. There are lots of stories regarding how some were arrested, beaten, chained and made to run behind a moving truck. Although the exact events were not recorded as a results change with time and therefore unreliable but they still remain taboo in some families. On a big picture one would think 81 coup should have been a lesson to PPP regime to better inform and open to its citizens but if anything 81 marks the begining of an arrogant and closed government from its people. 14 years on we all have to pay for the price dearly.
Yes of course PPP started with absolutely nothing, only papers, however that should not be an excuse for doing nothing (am using nothing loosely) for the country. With the benefit of hind sight, I think PPP just like APRC never had any program or policies .... they both develop polices in response to the heat of the moment to gain more votes. APRC are even worse, its only after building a hospital that they remember they need doctors and nurses, only after building schools that they think about teacher training .....frankly its all too much a joke, sadly Gambians are suffering from it day in day out. |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jun 2006 : 23:31:41
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I cannot agree more. It is like what the Mandinkas say BUKU SUMUNALA (TRYING TO CLEAN FAECES WITH URINE. ONE IS NEVER CLEAN).
PPP missed a lot of opportunities to move Gambia forward, and we will never forgive them for that. Jawara became too complacent because he was wining elections. He however kept us in the dark without advancing education. The sixth form was basically what you could boast of academically.
I was also very young in 1981 and was in primary school.
Somita don’t forget that Junkung learnt from Jawara and APRC is not very different as a party from PPP. The campaign styles are the same, using money, ASOBIS, ETC. While i was not old enough, they were stories of some violent some instances of violent campaigns. 1981 offered the best way forward for all of us and a lot of assistance poured into the country but which was not effectively utilized.
Sometimes i can understand the frustrations of Junkung. He sometimes wants to develop the country, but his impatience has made him unpopular. Managing a country is quite different form running a household. It requires involvement and participation.
You are right. PPP led to APRC. But to be more realistic, Gambians can only blame themselves. We have always feared change and it is that fear that still grips us. Thanks for a precise masterpiece.
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jun 2006 : 01:08:35
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Thanks Kondorong and Somita I would sum up that era as Gambia being virtually under developed in all respects. Kondorong you account characterised some valid facts as it appears to be well resaerched and should commend you for a job well done. Senegal outpaced Gambia in many areas of development. There had Universities and many highly trained professionals and a good army, with different units and military personnel. There was no army or soldier in the Gambia. We had only the Police Department, Prisons Department and The Field Force Unit based in Bakau Depot. The Field Force unit had few armoury, poor guns mainly used with rubber bullets and countable "Klasnikov".
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jun 2006 : 01:15:15
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Thanks Kobo
I am still waiting for your piece you promised to continue on the 1981 coup. You are really a lucky man.
One thing i would like to add to the deaths in 1981, many died lootingand mostly for electric stand fans which only Directors and Permanent Secretaries could afford. Also in high demand was the 5-star MBASAGNE which only the elite could wear. Gambians were so poor, that few could afford an electric fan. The few elites in banjul and senior public officers boast of owning one.
Kobo, the floor is yours. |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jun 2006 : 01:24:41
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quote:
Originally posted by kondorong
Thanks Kobo
I am still waiting for your piece you promised to continue on the 1981 coup. You are really a lucky man.
One thing i would like to add to the deaths in 1981, many died lootingand mostly for electric stand fans which only Directors and Permanent Secretaries could afford. Also in high demand was the 5-star MBASAGNE which only the elite could wear. Gambians were so poor, that few could afford an electric fan. The few elites in banjul and senior public officers boast of owning one.
Kobo, the floor is yours.
No worries. Its unwritten history, not discussed openly during Jawara's days or even being refelected upon during Jammeh's era. However we need to share our experiences uncover as much as we can for further studies and research to advance the political education and benefit from lessons learnt on those tragedic days of PPP era. |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jun 2006 : 01:40:56
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| Uncle Fidel is smiling in Havana |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jun 2006 : 01:50:27
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quote:
Originally posted by kondorong
Uncle Fidel is smiling in Havana
I migrated to Australia now as a business man and not a poltician. I'll come back to topic later. |
Edited by - kobo on 20 Jun 2006 01:51:18 |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jun 2006 : 02:05:54
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I did not notice. But Australians dont know Che. They know Kangaroos |
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Rainbow
Gambia
114 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jun 2006 : 11:49:57
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I think Kobo was shot by his friend - because he wanted to take the electric fan his friend has his eyes on Kobo will be tried for stealing and looting if Kukoi and his gang are to be tried |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jun 2006 : 21:34:41
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quote:
Originally posted by Rainbow
I think Kobo was shot by his friend - because he wanted to take the electric fan his friend has his eyes on Kobo will be tried for stealing and looting if Kukoi and his gang are to be tried
I am not a hypocrite and I resolved to take the challenge to inform Njucks, younger generations and others to gather as much facts as possible from those events and advance their political orientaion about their motherland. The fact is having arrived lately at home I spotted gangs threatening and attempting to loot one of the shops owned by a fulla from Guinea called Momodou "pole" knew very well and intervened aggressively to stop them and it backfired against me. I would have been shot on that spot and my own street where I lived.
Njucks don't worry once again would continue on this topic to the best of your satisfaction. |
Edited by - kobo on 20 Jun 2006 21:36:25 |
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