| Author |
 Topic  |
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Momodou
Denmark
11512 Posts |
 Posted - 19 Jun 2021 : 15:52:42
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GAMBIA-L Digest 61
Topics covered in this issue include:
1) New member
by momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou)
2) Swiss deputies move to freeze Mobutu billions of $$$$ (fwd)
by Senessie Turay <9210077@talabah.iiu.my>
3) SUMMER JOBS in Africa/Brazil
by mjallow@st6000.sct.edu (Modou Jallow)
4) Sissoko: Clinton Invitee
by ASJanneh@aol.com
5) Re: Sissoko: Clinton Invitee
by mjallow@st6000.sct.edu (Modou Jallow)
6) New member
by momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou)
7) New Member
by ABALM@aol.com
8) RE:PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT
by Olafiaklinikken Olafia <olafia@online.no>
9) New Member
by ASJanneh@aol.com
10) New members
by momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou)
11) Woman wages one person war on FGM
by mjallow@st6000.sct.edu (Modou Jallow)
12) Fwd: Jammeh Names Vice-President
by Latir Downes-Thomas <latir@earthlink.net>
13) RE: Fwd: Jammeh Names Vice-President
by Latir Downes-Thomas <latir@earthlink.net>
14) (PART4) CIRCUMCISION REVISITED - PEDAGOGY OF CIRCUMCISION
by BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA>
15) Update on The Observer Online Survey
by Latir Downes-Thomas <latir@earthlink.net>
16) RE:PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT
by Musa Sowe <chemsm@panther.Gsu.EDU>
17) New member
by sarian@osmosys.incog.com (Sarian Loum)
18) Re: Update on The Observer Online Survey
by "Heidi Skramstad" <heidis@amadeus.cmi.no>
19) (PART4) CIRCUMCISION REVISITED - PEDAGOGY OF CIRCUMCISION
by BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA>
20) Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT
by BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA>
21) (PART4) CIRCUMCISION REVISITED - PEDAGOGY OF CIRCUMCISION
by BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA>
22) Re: THE SECRET OF LIVING
by "SISSOHO EM" <E.M.Sissoho@icsl.ac.uk>
23) Re: (PART4) CIRCUMCISION REVISITED - PEDAGOGY OF CIRCUMCISION
by "M'BAI OF" <O.F.M'Bai@icsl.ac.uk>
24)
by BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA>
25) Re: (PART4) CIRCUMCISION REVISITED - PEDAGOGY OF CIRCUMCISION
by "SISSOHO EM" <E.M.Sissoho@icsl.ac.uk>
26) Re: (PART4) CIRCUMCISION REVISITED - PEDAGOGY OF CIRCUMCISION
by BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA>
27) Re: (PART4) CIRCUMCISION REVISITED - PEDAGOGY OF CIRCUMCISI
by "M'BAI OF" <O.F.M'Bai@icsl.ac.uk>
28) Re: (PART4) CIRCUMCISION REVISITED - PEDAGOGY OF CIRCUMCISI
by "Ousman G." <gajigoo@wabash.edu>
29) Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT
by Musa Sowe <chemsm@panther.Gsu.EDU>
30) Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT
by Musa Sowe <chemsm@panther.Gsu.EDU>
31) Update on getting Observer On-line
by "Numukunda Darboe" <ndarboe@sunset.backbone.olemiss.edu>
32) Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT
by mjallow@st6000.sct.edu (Modou Jallow)
33) Coalition for the development of urban Africa
by mjallow@st6000.sct.edu (Modou Jallow)
34) Re: Update on getting Observer On-line
by Tamsir Mbai <mba4224@etbu.edu>
35) New member
by sheriff@imf128049.fzk.de
36) Re: Update on getting Observer On-line
by Abdou Gibba <Abdou.Gibba@smr.uib.no>
37) Re: New member
by Abdou Gibba <Abdou.Gibba@smr.uib.no>
38) TEMPORARY STOP FOR MAILING
by Olafiaklinikken Olafia <olafia@online.no>
39) Re: Update on getting Observer On-line
by Francis Njie <francis_njie@il.us.swissbank.com>
40) Re: TEMPORARY STOP FOR MAILING
by momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou)
41) Re: Self intruduction.
by "Solomon P. Sylva" <ssylva@emory.edu>
42) UNSUBSCRIBE
by Muwanaidi Syonya Abdalla <9420057@talabah.iiu.my>
43) Fwd: FW: [EE] FW: computer virus
by Mbk007@aol.com
44) Re: Fwd: FW: [EE] FW: computer virus
by "William O'Donnell" <billod@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu>
45) UDP PRESS RELEASE
by "Numukunda Darboe" <ndarboe@sunset.backbone.olemiss.edu>
46) Gambian Education
by Andrea Klumpp <klumpp@kar.dec.com>
47) Re: UDP PRESS RELEASE
by Ylva Hernlund <yher@u.washington.edu>
48) Senegalese students clash again with police (fwd)
by "A. Loum" <tloum@u.washington.edu>
49) Re: Gambian Education
by binta@iuj.ac.jp
50) Re: Gambian Education
by Raye Sosseh <gt8065b@prism.gatech.edu>
51) Re: Gambian Education
by binta@iuj.ac.jp
52) Re: Gambian Education
by momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou)
53) observer online 1st issue Part 3
by momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou)
54) observer online 1st issue part 1
by momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou)
55) observer online 1st issue part 2
by momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou)
56) Re: Gambian Education
by Musa Sowe <chemsm@panther.Gsu.EDU>
57) Fwd: observer online 1st issue
by ASJanneh@aol.com
58) Re: Gambian Education
by Cherno Waka Jagne <C_JAGNE@tuna.stmarys.ca>
59) Francis Njie; the Observer
by ASJanneh@aol.com
60) Re: Francis Njie; the Observer
by binta@iuj.ac.jp
61) FWD: THE RISE AND FALL OF MOBUTU
by Latir Downes-Thomas <latir@earthlink.net>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 23 Mar 1997 17:29:19 +0000
From: momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou)
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: New member
Message-ID: <19970323162928.AAA23772@LOCALNAME>
Gambia-l,
Philippe Lafage has been added to the list and as a custom, we
expect to have an introduction from him. Welcome to the Gambia-l
Philippe, please send an introduction of yourself to the list.
Best regards
Momodou Camara
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 23 Mar 1997 17:40:47 +0800 (SGT)
From: Senessie Turay <9210077@talabah.iiu.my>
To: gambia-l <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Swiss deputies move to freeze Mobutu billions of $$$$ (fwd)
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.91.970323174035.23705D-100000@talabah.iiu.my>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: 21 Mar 97 14:15:05 EST
From: Dr. S. G. Kamara <73244.2701@CompuServe.COM>
To: GAMBIA-L: ,
The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
;
Subject: Swiss deputies move to freeze Mobutu billions of $$$$
Forwarding from LEONENET FYI.
Kamara.
---------- Forwarded Message ----------
From: Yusuf Bangura, INTERNET:Bangura@UNRISD.ORG
TO: "LEONENET", INTERNET:LEONENET@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
DATE: 3/21/97 6:43 AM
RE: Swiss deputies move to freeze Mobutu billions of $$$$
________________________ Forward Header __________________________________
Swiss-Zaire-assets : Swiss deputies move to freeze Mobutu
millions BERNE, March 20 (AFP) - A Swiss deputy has called on
the government to freeze assets deposited by President Mobutu
Sese Seko of Zaire in unnamed accounts. Socialist deputy
Christian Grobet put forward a motion proposing that the
accounts of those believed to have enriched themselves at the
expense of their people be immediately blocked and the identity
of the accounts revealed. He called on the government to keep
an eye on the funds deposited in Switzerland by Mobutu to stop
them disappearing, in the hope that they might be used to
rebuild Zaire. The motion was recorded, but the government will
not give its reply untilthe next parliamentary session.
Mobutu is thought to have salted away vast sums at his country's
expense during more than 30 years' rule. He has admitted keeping
accounts in Switzerland, but the value of the deposits is not
known. The Swiss press has speculated that his Swiss fortune
may total four billion dollars.
The Swiss government would be happy to avoid further controversy
over Mobutu, after being criticised for according the dictator
a visa last summer to receive treatment for prostate cancer and
convalesce in a luxury hotel on the shores of Lake Geneva.
The reputation of the Swiss banking system has also taken a
serious knock following allegations that Jewish gold stolen
during World War II is still tucked away in Swiss vaults. "In
the curerent circumstances, international public opinion will
not forgive the Swiss another Marcos affair," said Grobet.
The late Filipino president Ferdinand Marcos, deposed in 1986,
held some 500,000 dollars in Swiss accounts. The cash is still
frozen pending efforts to recover it by the current Manila
administration and those persecuted under Marcos's regime.
Switzerland has also provided a haven to the hived-off millions
of other rulers, including Haiti's Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier,
the executed Romanian despot Nicolae Ceaucescu, the former Malian
dictator Moussa Traore and General Manuel Antonio Noriega of
Panama.
gl/cm/mro
Earlier Story | Later Story | Back to Contents
19:07
GMT, 20
March
1997
=A9AFP
1997
Zaire-Mobutu : Mobutu urges ceasefire, reconciliation as heads
home
(new series)
ROQUEBRUNE-CAP-MARTIN, France, March 20 (AFP) - Zaire's ailing
President Mobutu Sese Seko called Thursday for a ceasefire and
talks between all sides in Zaire on the eve of his expected
return to the crisis-hit central African country. Speaking from
his French Riviera villa where he is recovering from cancer,
Mobutu made no specific reference to armed rebels who have seized
a huge swathe of territory in the east of the country, but called
on all who love Zaire "to come together." "As I prepare to
return to my country and rejoin my people, I invite all Zaireans
to make a national restart," he said in his first official
statement for weeks, confirming he is to return to Kinshasa on
Friday. "I call on all those who have responsibility and who
love their country to come together immediately to resolve this
crisis," he said in a statement.
Mobutu's 32-year-old grip on power has been shaken by the
uprising, launched last October, which has seen Tutsi-led rebels
sweep westwards, seizing key towns including the strategic centre
of Kisangani, and sending ill-disciplined government troops
fleeing.
"A ceasefire must be implemented to end the suffering which our
people are enduring and to allow humanitarian aid to be
transported securely to those who need it," the beleaguered
Zairean strongman said. "A national council representing the
various strands and sensibilities, the army, parliament, must be
able to meet rapidly to find, with all our brothers without
exception, the appropriate path to end this situation which is
afflicting our country so severely," he added.
Mobutu and his embattled prime minister Kengo wa Dondo were
preparing to head home in a last-ditch effort to save their
crumbling regime from collapse at the hands of rebel forces.
Kengo, who had represented Zaire at a mini-summit of African
leaders on the Zairean crisis in Nairobi, returned from the
Kenyan capital to Kinshasa earlier Thursday afternoon.
Mobutu, 66, who has spent most of the past five months
recuperating in France following prostate cancer surgery, is due
to leave from Nice airport Friday morning, his son and spokesman
Mobutu Nzanga said earlier. "The important thing for him is his
return to the capital. For the good of the people, it is urgent
to find a diplomatic, and not a military solution to the
conflict," he said. He said that after arriving home, the
Zairean president would meet representatives of his country's
main institutions "and will talk with the military and diplomats
in Kinshasa to try to find a rapid solution to the situation."
"The political process, decided for a long time, must be set in
motion without delay to give our country stable institutions and
designate representatives who are freely chosen by the people,"
Mobutu concluded.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 23 Mar 1997 21:13:35 -0500 (EST)
From: mjallow@st6000.sct.edu (Modou Jallow)
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: SUMMER JOBS in Africa/Brazil
Message-ID: <9703240213.AA12254@st6000.sct.edu>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
This might be of interest to some who are in the process of making summer
plans.
Deadline is nearing....
>___________________________FORWARDED_________________________________
>
> C O U N T R I E S: Botswana, The Gambia, Ghana, Eritrea, Ivory Coast
> Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe
> Malawi, Ethiopia, Namibia, Guinea Bissau, Namibia
> and Brazil (in South America)
> _____________________________________________________________________
>
>
>
> S U M M E R J O B A N N O U N C E M E N T
>
> A F R I C A & B R A Z I L
>
>
>
> Position: P r o j e c t D i r e c t o r / G r o u p L e a d e r
>
> [Also, accepting Intern/Volntr Applications-college-age & up/all welcome]
>
> Director 25 years or more; with experience related to
> Requirements: a Crossroads project
>
> Professionals, Faculty, Staff, Adv'd Students and others
> are welcome to apply
>
> Location: 18 Countries in Africa, plus Brazil
>
> Duration: June 16 - August 12
>
> Director Pay: All travel and living expenses will be covered,
> plus you will receive an honorarium/stipend
>
> DEADLINE: Application cut-off is pending; must apply NOW
>
> Organization: Operation Crossroads Africa
> 475 Riverside Dr., Suite 1366
> NY, NY 10027
> A Non-Profit 501(C)(3) Organization
>
> Co-Sponsors: Various UN Programs, NGO's, Ministries [Health, Education,
> etc.], WHO, Int'l Econ Dev Orgs, Medical Schools, Local
> Hospitals, Clinics & Grassroots Organizations
>
> Contact: Diaspora Programs
> International Projects
> 212-870-2106
>
> E-mail: <African_Diaspora_Studies@juno.com> & <GriotS@juno.com>
>
> OnLine Info: E-Mail to <GriotS@juno.com> & in the Subject Fireld,
> type either:
>
> 1- "SEND DIRECTOR/LEADER PACKET" [25 yrs & up w/ leader skill]
> or
> 2- "SEND PACKET FOR VOLs/INTERNS" [all welcome; college-age & up]
> Crossroads helps Volunteers/Interns raise needed funds
> Early application, essential.
>
> ========================================================================
> P R O J E C T D I R E C T O R S / L E A D E R S
> ========================================================================
>
> If you are 25 or over with experience in a field related to a Crossroads
> project, and with a strong interest in Africa and team work, please contact
> LaVerne Brown.
>
> As a Project Director/Group Leader, you will be in charge of a project with
> 10 to 14 Volunteers/Interns, usually in a rural community or village. This
> is an intense living and learning experience.
>
> ________________________________________________________________________
>
> Multi-disciplinary Projects
>
> Nursing * Medicine * Clinical * Primary Care * Rainforest * Ecology
> Health * Social Sciences * Nutrition * Education * Econ & Comm Dev
> Gender Issues * Wildlife * Anthropology * Water & Sanitation * Folklore
> Agriculture * Dist Lrng * Ethnomusicology * Dance * Computer Literacy
> Construction of Clinics, Libraries, Homes * Traditional Medicine
>
> 200 - 250 Volunteers & 20 - 25 Projects
> __________________________________________________________________________
>
>
> Group leaders are at least 25 years old and have some combination of
> the following:
>
> - experience in an area related to a Crossroads project
>
> - skill in interpersonal relations, group facilitation and dynamics
>
> - (not mandatory) work and travel experience in Africa
>
> - considerable ingenuity and creativity to bring to bear in insuring the
> success of the project
>
> - flexibility and adaptability
>
> - group- and team-oriented; skill in facilitating group work
>
> - ability to relate well, live and work with a cross-section of
> personalities and individuals, some of whose basic assumptions and
> views may be very different from -- even in stark contrast with --
> your own
>
> - Volunteers/Interns often arrange to earn credit for participation; job
> may entail supervision of research or independent study
>
> - time off for 7 or 8 weeks from mid-June to mid-August (dates are
> not yet fixed)
>
> - a healthy sense of humor and an ability to "connect" easily with others
>
> _________________________________________________________________________
>
> BRAZIL
>
> << B A H I A >>
>
>
> This project with multiple objectives is in the Mata Atlantica (Coastal
> Forest) area in the Southern Cone of the State of Bahia. This is where
> local poor communities are struggling to gain access to land via articulated
> political effort.
>
> There are over a dozen officially recognized Land Reform Settlemnts in this
> region, and the former landless peasants are willing now to promote efforts
> to save the remnants of this unique patch of rich, bio-diverse forest, as
> well as to secure their access to land by changing the situation of Land
> Tenure in that area.
>
> We have been contacted by leaders of these communities (through Edmundo
> Lopes) seeking help with the various projects they deem vital. These
> projects will deal with Reforestation, Human Rights, Youth Development,
> Education & Training, Primary Care and Health, as well as Ecological issues.
> _________________________________________________________________________
> Celebrating 40 yrs of service by 10,000 Volunteers/Alumni
> A Non-Profit Organization [501(C)(3)] Since 1957
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Good Luck!
Regards,
Moe S. Jallow
===============================================================================
mjallow@sct.edu mjallow@hayes.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* No one may kill a man. Not for any purpose. It cannot be condoned.
* -- Kirk, "Spock's Brain," stardate 5431.6.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 23 Mar 1997 23:52:29 -0500 (EST)
From: ASJanneh@aol.com
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Sissoko: Clinton Invitee
Message-ID: <970323235229_382375026@emout04.mail.aol.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-type: multipart/mixed;
boundary="PART.BOUNDARY.0.23968.emout04.mail.aol.com.859179149"
--PART.BOUNDARY.0.23968.emout04.mail.aol.com.859179149
Content-ID: <0_23968_859179149@emout04.mail.aol.com.7344>
Content-type: text/plain
I guess Jammeh isn't the only one coaxing Sissoko!
--PART.BOUNDARY.0.23968.emout04.mail.aol.com.859179149
Content-ID: <0_23968_859179149@emout04.mail.aol.com.7345>
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name="CLINTON"
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<HTML><PRE><I>.c The Associated Press</I> =
=0D
NEW YORK (AP) - An African multi-millionaire had to pass up dinner with P=
resident Clinton because he was being extradited that night from Geneva t=
o Miami, The New York Times reported today. =
=0D
The newspaper said that a week before the Sept. 6 dinner, Foutanga Dit Ba=
bani Sissoko was arrested on a U.S. warrant for allegedly trying to smugg=
le two military helicopters to Africa and give a $30,000 bribe to a U.S. =
Customs agent. =
=0D
When he arrived in Florida, he tried to use the presidential dinner as an=
excuse for his release from jail, the report said. The unimpressed judge=
set bail at $20 million. =
=0D
Sissoko, 52, quickly met the bail and pleaded guilty to one reduced count=
of offering a ``gratuity'' - not a bribe - to the Customs agent. The smu=
ggling charge was dropped, the report said. =
=0D
Next month, Sissoko is to begin serving a four-month sentence in federal =
prison followed by four months of house arrest in Miami, the newspaper sa=
id. =
=0D
John A. Catsimatidis, a fund-raiser for the Democratic National Committee=
, invited Sissoko - a dual citizen of Gambia and Mali - to dinner in hope=
s that he would donate money to the party, the report said. Sissoko never=
donated, Catsimatidis said. =
=0D
Sissoko owns a majority interest in Negoce International, a New York affi=
liate of his multinational corporation with diamond mines, casinos and ot=
her ventures in Africa and the Middle East. Federal law allows political =
contributions from domestic subsidiaries of foreign companies. =
=0D
AP-NY-03-22-97 0649EST =
=0D
<FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" SIZE=3D2><I>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 aut=
hority of The Associated Press.<FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" SIZE=3D3></I> =
</PRE></HTML>
--PART.BOUNDARY.0.23968.emout04.mail.aol.com.859179149--
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 1997 01:15:21 -0500 (EST)
From: mjallow@st6000.sct.edu (Modou Jallow)
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: Sissoko: Clinton Invitee
Message-ID: <9703240615.AA29522@st6000.sct.edu>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Hey...,
It seems to like this guy is really in for a good treat. I think it is
safe to say that Sissoko may be an African millionaire but he is viewed as
just another rich guy by the Americans.I have been following the news
about this man since his arrest and as far as I can say, everything about
him is the reminder of big money that springs from his riches. He is
simply a man that has come alive and made things happen even though he is
far from immune to the problems that haunt the african continent.
As the saying goes, "A fool and his money are soon parted". But is he a
fool or is he just fooling his adversaries? The best way to escape from a
problem is to actually solve it. It is my belief that he is simply
exploring a territory in which the rich simply walks away. With the kind
of money he has, I think that he can walk away a free man just like that.
As far as he is concerned, he seems to be playing his cards right by
including in his qualities to success sicererity, Integrity, wisdom and
charity.
As far as the Americans are concerned, they would definitely want to know
what kind of man he really is. After all, curiousity is what made America
great. They invested so much time and effort to bring to America the
greatest scientists of the world. Boy, did that pay out?
If you make your money your god, it will plague you like the devil.
Sissoko is no fool, he is simply playing a winning game of "In matters of
principle, stand like a rock; in matters of taste, swim with the
current."
Regards,
Moe S. jallow
===============================================================================
mjallow@sct.edu mjallow@hayes.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* As a general rule, nobody has money who ought to.
*
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 1997 07:58:23 +0000
From: momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou)
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: New member
Message-ID: <19970324065838.AAA51534@LOCALNAME>
Gambia-l,
Theophilus George has been added to the list and as a custom, we
expect to have an introduction from him. Welcome to the Gambia-l
Mr. George, 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"***
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 1997 02:34:54 -0500 (EST)
From: ABALM@aol.com
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: New Member
Message-ID: <970324023454_-1002141323@emout14.mail.aol.com>
Dear List-server !
Could you please sign Dawda Sighnateh up to gambia-I.
His e-mail address is dawdas@u.washington.edu.
thank you
ABBA
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 1997 10:27:16 +0100 (MET)
From: Olafiaklinikken Olafia <olafia@online.no>
To: <Gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
Subject: RE:PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Message-ID: <199703240927.KAA10962@online.no>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
MUSA SOWE
Thanks once again for your efforts. Sure i will go by The Gambia College
when i am in The Gambia to get the first hand information you required.
Since i will be leaving in four days time i would like to clarify the
following with you.
1. Could i get a name or the the name of the contact person you were in
touch with, to refer to you as reference in getting the first hand=
account.
2. Don=B4t you think it will be wise of you to give me hints on what first
hand account you needed since you have been in touch with The Gambia
College. Sure that enable me to furnish you with the adequate info. and
facts.
MOMODOU CAMARA
Your efforts were highly appreciated and many, many thanks brother. I made
a phone call today and did talk to Per Hausmann. He was very nice and
willing over the phone. He gave me his fax number to inform him as soon as i
send the materials.
MOE just keep it up.
Kind regards to you all
Omar S. Saho
Ullevaal University Hospital
Dept. for STD & HIV-Olafia Clinic
Postuttak GRonland P.K.
N-O133 Oslo
Norway
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 1997 09:03:25 -0500 (EST)
From: ASJanneh@aol.com
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: New Member
Message-ID: <970324090324_545648888@emout07.mail.aol.com>
Gambia-l:
Dawda Singhateh is our newest member. An informal introduction is expected
from him soon! Enjoy the Spring Break (even if you don't have one now)!
Amadou Scattred Janneh
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 1997 16:32:42 +0000
From: momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou)
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: New members
Message-ID: <19970324153258.AAA21910@LOCALNAME>
Gambia-l,
Both George Christensen and Suvi Johanna Pekonen have been
added to the list and as a custom, we expect to have introductions
from them. Welcome to the Gambia-l George and Suvi, please send your
introductions to the list and we look forward to your contributions.
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"***
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 1997 13:26:41 -0500 (EST)
From: mjallow@st6000.sct.edu (Modou Jallow)
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Woman wages one person war on FGM
Message-ID: <9703241826.AA43306@st6000.sct.edu>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
WASHINGTON (March 24) - Meserak Ramsey wages a one-woman campaign,
wandering from one African or Middle Eastern store to another, beseeching
immigrants to spare little girls the painful price their cultures require -
mutilation of their genitals.
She pleads with immigrants not to mutilate their daughters. But in
California and the Washington area, she finds she is often too late.
''Some men say it's a good thing. They say American women jump from man
to man because their sexual organs are driving them to have sex,'' she said,
anger filling her voice. ''I put up a fight with them. I tell them, 'Let me
cut you, too.'''
Ramsey speaks from experience. She had the surgery as a youngster in her
native Ethiopia.
''I walk like a woman, but I'm not a complete woman because of what they
did to me,'' she said in a recent interview.
Soon she will not have to fight alone. A law passed by Congress last
September and taking effect this Saturday outlaws genital mutilation in women
under age 18.
The measure, sponsored by former Rep. Pat Schroeder, D-Colo., makes the
procedure a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison.
The law also requires the Immigration and Naturalization Service to give
immigrants information discouraging female circumcision. But it does not make
the threat of such mutilation a basis for an asylum claim.
The procedure drew national attention last spring when a young woman from
the African nation of Togo was granted U.S. asylum as a refugee fleeing the
procedure.
An estimated 100 million women have had the procedure in dozens of
African and Middle Eastern nations where the centuries-old custom is observed
by Muslims, Christians and others.
The procedure can range from cutting the hood of the clitoris to more
drastic removal of the clitoris and tissue at the entrance to the vagina. In
some cases, the remaining tissue is joined together in a process called
infibulation.
The Department of Health and Human Services estimates about 160,000
females in the United States have had the procedure or will have it done. But
David Smith, associate director of the office that oversees HHS programs
helping refugees, concedes the estimate may be high.
Schroeder, who now works with the Institute for a Civil Society in
Boston, said it was hard to win support for the law in Congress because some
legislators did not believe the procedure was being done in this country and
because some Orthodox Jews feared it would lead to criticism of male
circumcision.
''It's not like circumcision for men. It's much like Lorena Bobbitt,''
said Schroeder, referring to the woman who severed her husband's penis with a
knife after a domestic dispute.
But Dr. Michael Rich, who specializes in adolescent medicine at Boston's
Children's Hospital, said the new law is more a political statement - that
Americans disapprove of this procedure - than an answer to the problem.
''If someone is performing (the operation) in this country they're
probably not terribly concerned about U.S. laws,'' Rich said. ''The community
is going to close off and protect the people who are performing it. This is
not something that people are forced to do. This is something that people
want to do.''
Rich said Americans accept cosmetic surgery as part of their culture even
though the benefits do not warrant the risks of general anaesthesia.
''Yet, we are applying a double standard in the sense of (genital
mutilation) because we don't buy the traditional piece of it or understand
what goes into it,'' he added.
Schroeder disagreed, saying those who have cosmetic surgery are adults to
begin with.
''Obviously some people are very angry and want to say these are big
Anglo white people trying to step all over our culture,'' she added. ''But I
say ... almost every woman on the planet is horrified by this if they have
time to think about it.''
Ramsey, 43, is also angry at those who criticize the law, saying they are
not aware of the psychological and physical effects of the procedure.
She recalled that when she married an American she did not know she was
different until her husband asked what was wrong.
''At that time I didn't know what was taken from me. I told him I was
involved in a car accident,'' she said.
Regards,
Moe S. Jallow
=============================================================================
mjallow@sct.edu mjallow@hayes.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
* It would seem that evil retreats when forcibly confronted.
*
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 1997 10:50:36 -0800 (PST)
From: Latir Downes-Thomas <latir@earthlink.net>
To: gambia-l <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Fwd: Jammeh Names Vice-President
Message-ID: <859240440@mail.earthlink.net>
Copyright 1997 Reuters Ltd. All rights reserved.
BANJUL, March 21 (Reuter) - Gambia's president, Yahya Jammeh, has completed his first government appointments as a civilian leader, naming a woman as his vice-president.
State radio said on Thursday that Jammeh, who seized power in a 1994 army coup and won disputed elections in September, had named Mrs Isatou Njie Saidy to the post.
Mrs Saidy, 45, is also Secretary of State for Health, Social Welfare and Womens Affairs. She is a former teacher of English and French.
Opposition leader Ousainou Darboe had accused Jammeh of acting unconstitutionally on March 7 by appointing a cabinet without a vice-president. The cabinet has 13 members, including three women.
Darboe, a top lawyer who was Jammeh's main rival in the presidential poll in September, said the post of vice-president was enshrined in the constitution.
Political analysts had said former vice-president Edward Singateh, named to the new post of Secretary of State in the president's office, would effectively remain vice-president.
Singateh, a former army captain and one of the young officers who staged the 1994 coup with Jammeh, was too young to meet the 30-plus age requirement for vice-president.
Jammeh toppled Sir Dawda Jawara, the independence leader of the aid-dependent former British colony, alientating its Western backers. He has since built up ties with Taiwan, Libya and Cuba.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 1997 11:35:21 -0800 (PST)
From: Latir Downes-Thomas <latir@earthlink.net>
To: Gambia-L <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
Subject: RE: Fwd: Jammeh Names Vice-President
Message-ID: <859243126@mail.earthlink.net>
I am very happy to see that our President has in the end respected the constitution made the appropriate appointment. Now that this chapter seems to have come to a decent close perhaps we can now move forward.
As we have seen in earlier, there are some difficult problems to tackle, namely the poor ground nut harvest and it's repercussions but with all this behind them I believe both the National Assembly and the Administration are now in a much better position to help the country.
I sincerely wish them well.
Peace.
Lat
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 24 Mar 1996 23:12:51 +0300
From: BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA>
To: "GAMBIA-L@U.WASHINGTON.EDU" <GAMBIA-L@U.WASHINGTON.EDU>
Subject: (PART4) CIRCUMCISION REVISITED - PEDAGOGY OF CIRCUMCISION
Message-ID: <3155ACC3.34F@QATAR.NET.QA>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
MR.E.JAWARA & MIS. E.JANNEH!!
The Foundation of every state is the Education of Its youths"
DIOGENES
"African Religions,more or less forgotten,were in the process of
atrophying and being emptied of their spiritual content, their former
deep metaphysics.The jumble of empty forms they had left behind could
not compete ......."
Prof.
CHIEKH ANTA DIOP
Every organized human grouping has a culture and civilization and every
organized human grouping has a form of instituition through which its
culutre and civilzation would be transmitted from one generation to
another on a fairly regular basis.And any culture that cannot device
such a system or has lost it as a result of whatever reason will sooner
or later end up,like the Black People Of Sumer, as a footnote in a dusty
page of an unknown history book .
There is something we humans should perhaps envy our lower cousins
about: much of their 'culture',if we can ascribe culture to them,is
programmatically transmitted from one generation to another,so that the
duration and amount of instruction their young need from them is both
short and minimal respectively.That is partly because it takes them so
short a period of time to grow up and become adults.It takes a dog,for
instance,only a few months for it to grow up and master all the skills
that a dog needs to know inorder to live a reasonably happy dog life.
But humans are totally different.First of all,it takes us about eighteen
to twenty years to grow up physically like an average adult human
being.And ,secondly,we don't have skills programmed in us in the sense
that dogs have them.And even the few things that are programmed in us
like language,for instance,it is only the capacity to learn a
language,any language,that is programmed and not the language
itself.That is why every human infant must be taught by its mother,or
mother substitute,the language of its people for at least five
consecetive years before it could acquire the minimum amount of language
skills necessary for intelligible communication in that society.
So we can now see why the chances of things going wrong for the human
child,in its long and complex struggle to become an informed,sane,mature
and productive adult in the human community,are much more higher than
for its lower cousins.
We were not quite correct in ascribing Culture to dogs.Dogs don't really
have culture.The things that they learn either through the programmes in
them or from their mothers are directly related to their Physical and
Biological
survival,hunting,running,mating etc.The very definition of Culture by
the Thesaurus excludes dogs and oher animals completely.According to it,
CULTURE is that body of ideas,customs,skills, arts etc. of a people or
group
that is transferred,communicated or passed along to succeeding
generations.So that a Cultured or Cultivated person is a person whose
intellect,emotions,interests,manners and tastes are
developed,improved,refined in a particular way that makes him/her think,
talk , and act very much like the people in his/her group.Perhaps this
is why each and everyone of us has, at one time or another, heard the
stories of the proverbial Gambian man who had spent many years studying
overseas,in the White Man's World,but when he came back,instead of going
to stay with his family, he went straight from Yundum Airport to stay in
a hotel and continued doing that until he was able to secure a well paid
and respectable job with the state,after which he built himself a huge
villa at Pipe Line transferred there,put a big and vicious dog at the
gate and made it a requirement for anyone wanting to visit him to have
an appointment first,and that includes his own parents.There many
versions of such stories,but in almost all of them,we see that the our
proverbial Gambian Man ends up losing everything,his job,his villa,his
wife and his place in society.Maybe these stories never had any bases in
reality,or at least not all of them ended in tragedy.But that is not the
point.The point is our popular culture forcibly put bad endings to all
of them as a warning to our future elites that the spirits of our
ancestors,the guardians of our culture, would not hesitate to revenge by
puncturing the prosperity of anyone who betrays or runs away from our
collective way of life.The fear of rebels or subversives is by no means
a monopoly of traditional societies like ours.The word MAINSTREAM in the
U.S. simply means people whose behavoral patterns are more or less
consistent with what the establishment considers to be the core values
of American culture and way of life;a subtle warning to non-conformists!
So,the instituition through which black culture ensures its own survival
is circumcision.We will use here a few Mandinka words to be able to
capture the true spirit of this unique instituition.There are three
words that are used interchangeably to mean Circumcision.The first one
is KASSEYO.It means to cut off or cut loose.The former is the most
obvious meaning,which is the physical cutting of part of the genital,
and the latter is to snatch the young person away from his/her family
and seclude(cut)her from the spoiling influences of the parents for a
lengthy period of time.The second word is JUJUYO.And JUYO means the
stem,the base,the core or the essence without which Society would not
stand.And the repetition here is for emphasis.JUYO also means the
private parts of a person,and that is self-explanatory.The third word is
Wulloo which means forest or bush.Because those are the places where all
initiates are secluded and kept for about three months.The initiate
himself is called NGHANSINGHO which means the person who waits for his
turn,which means basically a deciplined person.Because ,as long as he is
in there,he can never do anything before his turn comes.He can never
eat,drink,use anything,sleep or go to the toilet without being given the
green light by at least one of the teachers.And it also means that group
of young people whose turn has now come to be accepted as fully fledged
members of the community. Another important word in the circumcision
vocabular is KINTANGHO and it means teacher.And this category includes
every circumcised person from the teenagers right to the village chief
and priest.And even though the village elders select a given number of
people as the official teachers of the circumcision,it is nonetheless
incumbent upon everyone else in the village to volunteer a few days of
their time to pass on to the new initiates whatever circumcision
experience they could remember.And almost everyone volunteers,if for
nothing else,it provides everyone with the opportunity to re-learn all
the little things one has forgotten about the
culture,since it sometimes takes as long as ten years between two
circumcisions.And ,finally,the word SOLIMAH.It is used to refer to
anyone
who is either not actually circumcised or behaves like someone who has
not gone through that experience,and that means he is immature,rude and
ignorant of the ways the society works.Sometimes outrageously rude and
badly behaved youngmen who, even though have actually been circumcised,
may be sent back with the next batch of initiates for remedial courses
in the social mores.
So,just by glancing at the circumcision vocabular we have just
defined,we
can see very clearly that,contrary what the reductioinists
say,circumcision
is much more huge and complex than just severing of part of the
genital.It is indeed a lenghty process during which the initiates are
instructed in the etiquette,arts,folklore of their community.In the case
of the men,they are
subjected to intense physical ordeals of various kinds to instill in
them values such as endurance,perseverance,courage
respect for authority.All these is to help prepare the young person for
both the sweet and the bitter aspects
of full adult life.It also helps both boys and the girls resolve thier
conflicts about sexual identity,so that they would be able to establish
clear attitudes not only towards their mothers and fathers but towards
the opposite sex in general which,as we saw in the Black Cosmogony,is of
central concern of black culutre.The need to kill the man in the woman
and the woman in the man can in no way be overstated in our culture!
Some of the things that are specifically taught are: 1) SINGING. By the
end of the process,even the dumbest initiate will have memorised at
least fifty of the two hundred or so of the songs that will be taught
and tested.One doesn't have to memorise all of them.However,everyone is
required and vigorously tested for understanding not
only of the meaning of each song in general but also of the idiomatic
expressions in them and to be able to
explain in detail the occasion of each song and its social
significance.The expert singers among the teachers would give special
help to those initiates who,like myself, have shown no talent for
singing or those who have problems with voice or breath control .So much
attention and so much time and energy is given to singing in this
process,because our culuture is basically an oral culture.And there is
no aspect of our life that has not got a song for it,and the more songs
you memorise and understand their meanings the closer you at mastering
our culture in its entirety.And in addition to singing,there are also
sessions for the wise sayings of the ancestors and elders plus word
puzzles.
2) Hunting & Swimming are taught once a week each.These are for the male
initiates;and they begin around the end of the third week.this is the
time when the wounds of most of the initiates will have been healed
sufficiently enough to allow them to participate and benefit from such
activities.Most initiates will have already been good swimmers and
hunters by the the time they are circumcised,but its the socialisation
aspect of them:participating in a group of two hundred hunting men,for
instance,is always a rare and exciting experience.
3) Etiquette.In a culture in which age means experience,integrity and
respectabiliy,a lot of emphasis is put on how
one approches,talks to,sits and stands with,looks at and deals with
other people in the different age categories.So,the initiates are taught
not only how to be civil and show respect for others,but also how to
earn other people's respect by respecting oneslef,which can be achieved
only through respecting the rules.
4) Sex & Sexuality.Clear knowledge and a healthy attitude towards sex is
necessary for the initiates now that they are about to enter the world
of adults and will soon get married.Experienced grownups would teach
details of sex,especially sex within the confines of marriage.In our
traditional culture,there is nothing wrong with sex per se,either inside
or outside of marriage;however,there is something seriously wrong with
bringing babies before being officially blessed(married)by the
community,even if the couple is engageg.That is why even though the joy
and excitement of sex is celebrated,its made abundantly clear to the
initiates that the social price
to be paid for getting a child out of wedlock is so huge that it would
be wiser on their part to exercise self control and be contented with
kissing and fondling.Male
initiates are taught about the mysterious world of women;how to court
them,understand both their sound and body language and impress and win
their love or how to politely resist their advances without causing
offence
when not interested.And female initiates in addition to learning facts
about
sex,mensuration,pregnancy and childbirth,they also learn about men.How
to
catch them,retain and disorient them and make them do what
they(women)want them to do without seeming to be doing so.
4)Magic & the spiritual world.No magic,No music, no black culture, of
course!The best Magician of community is called upon once in a while to
perform.He would during his performance do all the incredible things
that black magic is capable of:stabbing himself with a sharp instrument
here;cutting his tongue there or sometimes cutting leaves and
instantaneously changing them into money.And a lot more!!
So,now that we are on a much more solid ground after having provided the
Historical,Cosmological,Philosophical and Educational bases of
Circumcision
in our Culture,we can now look our critics straight in the eye and
respond to them.And that is precisely what we will do in our NEXT and
FINAL installment on circumcision.So,we will end this article by
invoking the memories of the spirits of our ancestors so that they would
provide us with
the appropriate words to end this very spiritual subject and to protect
us from the evil spirits that try to still our culture from us,and so we
say:
"...KUMMA HAMMA YONI WON; NAA DAAN
NJULLI NJAI; DAAN TUMMA NJULLI NJAI; MAGGAM NJULLI FARRMA DAAN; KUMMA
KHOLL
DAMMAN; YALLA BUMMA GANDERR; CHI NBARR NJAI; BILAI,
SIPAI,LIPAI,KHOLLIWO;
BILAHATI,SPAHATI,LIPAHATI,KHOLLIWO ..."
TO BE CONTINUED ......
REGARDS BASSSS!!
..
--
SZDDˆð'3Af¨
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 1997 12:21:00 -0800 (PST)
From: Latir Downes-Thomas <latir@earthlink.net>
To: Gambia-L <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Update on The Observer Online Survey
Message-ID: <859245865@mail.earthlink.net>
Gambia-L,
Just a quick note. Since the survey was issued on Friday morning, 33 members have responded.
Again, if you still have not received the questionnaire in your mailbox please contact me.
FYI, I have also been informed that prior to the survey, the last count of interested members was 64. Hopefully the survey will reveal even more interest.
Please note that the closing date is this Friday, March 28 and that results will be posted by the following Monday. The technical and steering committees will then make the necessary changes to make the proposed 'Observer Online' accessible to most of us so again I urge you respond.
Thank you.
Latir Gheran Downes-Thomas
latir@earthlink.net
Steering Committee
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 1997 16:13:24 -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.3.95.970324161221.12905B-100000@panther.Gsu.EDU>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
OMAR AND EVERYONE :
The first day I called Gambia College, the principal was not in. I got
Dr. Bojang, the vice-principal. He was very enthusiastic and has been my
contact person since then. I will mention to him, when I talk to him
tommorow morning, that you will be coming and I am sure he will be happy
to meet with you. I suggest that you also talk to the principal.
Basically, what I suggest is:
1. Try to get info on their programs and the needs in each area.
.....Get a list of the titles of required text books and
publishers.
......Find out what their plans are (as much as they would like to
talk about) and what areas they would like to collaborate.
He plans to send me this and other info, but because you will be
there, you will be able to hold longer conversations with them.
2. I understand that they had links with Nova Scotia and Bristol. These
have now expired. Find out how those were set up.
3. Also, I think it will be useful to talk to as many students in the
various programs as possible to get their perspective. You may also want
to visit the college library and see for yourself in what state it is.
4. Also, get as much related information (how many suppliers of
notebooks, pens, pencils, other literature etc........) as possible.
AND WHATEVER ELSE YOU THINK IS IMPORTANT.
I have emphasized to Dr. Bojang that these inquiries are very preliminary
and that as of now nothing should be expected to come out of them. I
have, ofcourse, committed myself as an individual to do what ever little I
can.
AYONE ELSE HAS ANY MORE SUGGESTIONS FOR OMAR?
THANKS OMAR Musa
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 1997 21:31:56 -0800
From: sarian@osmosys.incog.com (Sarian Loum)
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: New member
Message-ID: <199703250531.VAA24909@thesky.incog.com>
All,
Francis Njie has been added to the list. If you are different from the Francis we already have on board then please send in your intro to the list and welcome aboard.
Sarian
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Mar 1997 08:23:59 GMT+1
From: "Heidi Skramstad" <heidis@amadeus.cmi.no>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: Update on The Observer Online Survey
Message-ID: <32FD1FD6E8A@amadeus.cmi.no>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Latir, maybe it will be good to move the closing date to 2nd of April.
Here in Norway we have half public holiday on Wednesday (26th), full
public holiday rest of the days including Monday 31st. Many people
have not been in their offices since Friday, when you posted your
questions. I believe that people go away for Easter holidays in other
countries too (although I believe that you Gambians are not so
particular about skiing as we Norwegians are..........).
Heidi Skramstad
> Please note that the closing date is this Friday, March 28 and that results will be posted by the following Monday. The technical and steering committees will then make the necessary changes to mak
>
> Thank you.
>
> Latir Gheran Downes-Thomas
> latir@earthlink.net
> Steering Committee
>
>
>
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Mar 1996 12:51:14 +0300
From: BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA>
To: "GAMBIA-L@U.WASHINGTON.EDU" <GAMBIA-L@U.WASHINGTON.EDU>
Subject: (PART4) CIRCUMCISION REVISITED - PEDAGOGY OF CIRCUMCISION
Message-ID: <31566C92.3CAB@QATAR.NET.QA>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
MR.E.JAWARA & MIS. E.JANNEH!!
The Foundation of every State is the Education of Its youths"
DIOGENES
"African Religions,more or less forgotten,were in the process of
atrophying and being emptied of their spiritual content, their former
deep metaphysics.The jumble of empty forms they had left behind could
not compete ......."
Prof.CHIEKH ANTA DIOP
Every organized human grouping has a culture and civilization and every
organized human grouping has a form of instituition through which its
culuture and civilzation would be transmitted from one generation to
another on a fairly regular basis.And any culture that cannot device
such a system or has lost it as a result of whatever reason will sooner
or later end up,like the Black People Of Sumer, as a footnote in a dusty
page of an unknown history book .
There is something we humans should perhaps envy our lower cousins
for : much of their 'culture',if we can ascribe culture to them,is
programmatically transmitted from one generation to another,so that the
duration and amount of instruction their young need from them is both
short and minimal respectively.That is partly because it takes them so
short a period of time to grow up and become adults.It takes a dog,for
instance,only a few months for it to grow up and master all the skills
that a dog needs to know inorder to live a reasonably happy dog life.
But humans are totally different.First of all,it takes us about eighteen
to twenty years to grow up physically like an average adult human
being.And ,secondly,we don't have skills programmed in us in the sense
that dogs have them.And even the few things that are programmed in us
like language,for instance,it is only the capacity to learn a
language,any language,that is programmed and not the language
itself.That is why every human infant must be taught by its mother,or
mother substitute,the language of its people for at least five
consecetive years before it could acquire the minimum amount of language
skills necessary for intelligible communication in that society.
So we can now see why the chances of things going wrong for the human
child,in its long and complex struggle to become an informed,sane,mature
and productive adult in the human community,are much more higher than
for its lower cousins.
We were not quite correct in ascribing Culture to dogs.Dogs don't really
have culture.The things that they learn either through the programmes in
them or from their mothers are directly related to their Physical and
Biological
survival:hunting,running,mating etc.The very definition of Culture by
the Thesaurus excludes dogs and other animals completely.According to
it,
CULTURE is that body of ideas,customs,skills, arts etc. of a people or
group
that is transferred,communicated or passed along to succeeding
generations.So that a Cultured or Cultivated person is a person whose
intellect,emotions,interests,manners and tastes are
developed,improved,refined in a particular way that makes him/her think,
talk , and act very much like the people in his/her group.Perhaps this
is why each and everyone of us has, at one time or another, heard the
stories of the proverbial Gambian man who had spent many years studying
overseas,in the White Man's World,but when he came back,instead of going
to stay with his family, he went straight from Yundum Airport to stay in
a hotel and continued doing that until he was able to secure a well paid
and respectable job with the state,after which he built himself a huge
villa at Pipe Line, transferred there,put a big and vicious dog at the
gate and made it a requirement for anyone wanting to visit him to have
an appointment first,and that includes his own parents.There are many
versions of such stories,but in almost all of them,we see that our
proverbial Gambian Man ends up losing everything:his job,his villa,his
wife and his place in society.Maybe these stories never had any bases in
reality,or at least not all of them ended in tragedy.But that is not the
point.The point is that our popular culture forcibly put bad endings to
all
of them as a warning to our future elites that the spirits of our
ancestors,the guardians of our culture, would not hesitate to revenge by
puncturing the prosperity of anyone who betrays or runs away from our
collective way of life.The fear of rebels or subversives is by no means
a monopoly of traditional societies like ours.The word MAINSTREAM in the
U.S. simply means people whose behavoral patterns are more or less
consistent with what the establishment considers to be the core values
of American culture and way of life;a not so subtle warning to
non-conformists!
So,the instituition through which black culture ensures its own survival
is circumcision.We will use here a few Mandinka words to be able to
capture the true spirit of this unique instituition.There are three
words that are used interchangeably to mean Circumcision.The first one
is KASSEYO.It means to cut off or cut loose.The former is the most
obvious meaning,which is the physical cutting off of part of the
genital,
and the latter is to snatch the young person away from his/her family
and seclude(cut)her from the spoiling influences of the parents for a
lengthy period of time.The second word is JUJUYO.And JUYO means the
stem,the base,the core or the essence without which Society would not
stand.And the repetition here is for emphasis.JUYO also means the
private parts of a person,and that is self-explanatory.The third word is
Wulloo which means forest or bush.Because those are the places where all
initiates are secluded and kept for about three months.The initiate
himself is called NGHANSINGHO which means the person who waits for his
turn,which means basically a deciplined person.Because ,as long as he is
in there,he can never do anything before his turn comes.He can never
eat,drink,use anything,sleep or go to the toilet without being given the
green light by at least one of the teachers.And it also means that group
of young people whose turn has now come to be accepted as fully fledged
members of the community. Another important word in the circumcision
vocabular is KINTANGHO and it means teacher.And this category includes
every circumcised person from the teenagers right to the village chief
and priest.And even though the village elders select a given number of
people as the official teachers of the circumcision,it is nonetheless
incumbent upon everyone else in the village to volunteer a few days of
their time to pass on to the new initiates whatever circumcision
experience they could remember.And almost everyone volunteers,if for
nothing else,it provides everyone with the opportunity to re-learn all
the little things one has forgotten about the
culture,since it sometimes takes as long as ten years between two
circumcisions.And ,finally,the word SOLIMAH.It is used to refer to
anyone
who is either not actually circumcised or behaves like someone who has
not gone through that experience,and that means he is immature,rude and
ignorant of the ways the society works.Sometimes outrageously rude and
badly behaved youngmen who, even though have actually been circumcised,
may be sent back with the next batch of initiates for remedial courses
in the social mores.
So,just by glancing at the circumcision vocabular we have just
defined,we
can see very clearly that,contrary what the reductioinists
say,circumcision
is much more huge and complex than just severing of part of the
genital.It is indeed a lenghty process during which the initiates are
instructed in the etiquette,arts,folklore of their community.In the case
of the men,they are
subjected to intense physical ordeals of various kinds to instill in
them values such as endurance,perseverance,courage
respect for authority.All these is to help prepare the young person for
both the sweet and the bitter aspects
of full adult life.It also helps both boys and the girls resolve thier
conflicts about sexual identity,so that they would be able to establish
clear attitudes not only towards their mothers and fathers but towards
the opposite sex in general which,as we saw in the Black Cosmogony,is of
central concern of black culutre.The need to kill the man in the woman
and the woman in the man can in no way be overstated in our culture!
Some of the things that are specifically taught are: 1) SINGING. By the
end of the process,even the dumbest initiate will have memorised at
least fifty of the two hundred or so of the songs that will be taught
and tested.One doesn't have to memorise all of them.However,everyone is
required and vigorously tested for understanding not
only of the meaning of each song in general but also of the idiomatic
expressions in them and to be able to
explain in detail the occasion of each song and its social
significance.The expert singers among the teachers would give special
help to those initiates who,like myself, have shown no talent for
singing or those who have problems with voice or breath control .So much
attention and so much time and energy is given to singing in this
process,because our culuture is basically an oral culture.And there is
no aspect of our life that has not got a song for it,and the more songs
you memorise and understand their meanings the closer you at mastering
our culture in its entirety.And in addition to singing,there are also
sessions for the wise sayings of the ancestors and elders plus word
puzzles.
2) Hunting & Swimming are taught once a week each.These are for the male
initiates;and they begin around the end of the third week.This is the
time when the wounds of most of the initiates will have been healed
sufficiently enough to allow them to participate and benefit from such
activities.Most initiates will have already been good swimmers and
hunters by the the time they are circumcised,but its the socialisation
aspect of them:participating in a group of two hundred hunting men,for
instance,is always a rare and exciting experience.
3) Etiquette.In a culture in which age means experience,integrity and
respectabiliy,a lot of emphasis is put on how
one approches,talks to,sits and stands with,looks at and deals with
other people in the different age categories.So,the initiates are taught
not only how to be civil and show respect for others,but also how to
earn other people's respect by respecting oneslef,which can be achieved
only through respecting the rules.
4) Sex & Sexuality.Clear knowledge and a healthy attitude towards sex is
necessary for the initiates now that they are about to enter the world
of adults and will soon get married.Experienced grownups would teach
details of sex,especially sex within the confines of marriage.In our
traditional culture,there is nothing wrong with sex per se,either inside
or outside of marriage;however,there is something seriously wrong with
bringing babies before being officially blessed(married)by the
community,even if the couple is engageg.That is why even though the joy
and excitement of sex is celebrated,its made abundantly clear to the
initiates that the social price
to be paid for getting a child out of wedlock is so huge that it would
be wiser on their part to exercise self control and be contented with
kissing and fondling.Male initiates are taught about the mysterious
world of women;how to court
them,understand both their sound and body language and impress them and
win their love or how to politely resist their advances without causing
offence
when not interested.And female initiates, in addition to learning facts
about
sex,mensuration,pregnancy and childbirth,they also learn about men.How
to
catch them,retain and disorient them and make them do what
they(women)want them to do without seeming to be doing so.
4)Magic & the spiritual world.No magic,No music, no black culture, of
course!The best Magician of community is called upon once in a while to
perform.He would during his performance do all the incredible things
that black magic is capable of:stabbing himself with a sharp instrument
here;cutting his tongue there or sometimes cutting leaves and
instantaneously changing them into money.And a lot more!!
So,now that we are on a much more solid ground after having provided the
Historical,Cosmological,Philosophical and Educational bases of
Circumcision
in our Culture,we can now look our critics straight in the eye and
respond to them.And that is precisely what we will do in our NEXT and
FINAL installment on CIRCUMCISION.So,we will now end this article by
invoking the memories of the spirits of our ancestors so that they would
provide us with
the appropriate words to end this very spiritual subject and to protect
us from the evil spirits that try to steal our culture from us,and so we
say:
"...KUMMA HAMMA YONI WON; NAA DAAN
NJULLI NJAI; DAAN TUMMA NJULLI NJAI; MAGGAM NJULLI FARRMA DAAN; KUMMA
KHOLL
DAMMAN; YALLA BUMMA GANDERR; CHI NBARR NJAI; BILAI,
SIPAI,LIPAI,KHOLLIWO;
BILAHATI,SPAHATI,LIPAHATI,KHOLLIWO;ASSMAALI NJAI KAI FEYLI NBARR!! ..."
TO BE CONTINUED ......
REGARDS BASSSS!!
=20
--
------------------------------
|
|
|
Momodou
Denmark
11512 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jun 2021 : 15:55:01
|
Date: Mon, 25 Mar 1996 13:12:13 +0300
From: BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA>
To: "GAMBIA-L@U.WASHINGTON.EDU" <GAMBIA-L@U.WASHINGTON.EDU>
Subject: Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Message-ID: <3156717D.1CD3@QATAR.NET.QA>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Musa Sowe wrote:
>
> OMAR AND EVERYONE :
>
> The first day I called Gambia College, the principal was not in. I got
> Dr. Bojang, the vice-principal. He was very enthusiastic and has been my
> contact person since then. I will mention to him, when I talk to him
> tommorow morning, that you will be coming and I am sure he will be happy
> to meet with you. I suggest that you also talk to the principal.
> Basically, what I suggest is:
> 1. Try to get info on their programs and the needs in each area.
> .....Get a list of the titles of required text books and
> publishers.
> ......Find out what their plans are (as much as they would like to
> talk about) and what areas they would like to collaborate.
>
> He plans to send me this and other info, but because you will be
> there, you will be able to hold longer conversations with them.
>
> 2. I understand that they had links with Nova Scotia and Bristol. These
> have now expired. Find out how those were set up.
>
> 3. Also, I think it will be useful to talk to as many students in the
> various programs as possible to get their perspective. You may also want
> to visit the college library and see for yourself in what state it is.
> 4. Also, get as much related information (how many suppliers of
> notebooks, pens, pencils, other literature etc........) as possible.
>
> AND WHATEVER ELSE YOU THINK IS IMPORTANT.
>
> I have emphasized to Dr. Bojang that these inquiries are very preliminary
> and that as of now nothing should be expected to come out of them. I
> have, ofcourse, committed myself as an individual to do what ever little I
> can.
>
> AYONE ELSE HAS ANY MORE SUGGESTIONS FOR OMAR?
>
> THANKS OMAR Musa
MOSES!!
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW FROM A PERSON OF AUTHORITY FROM THE COLLEGE THE
TYPES OF COMPUTERS AND THEIR SPECIFICATIONS (RAM,HDD,SPEED ETC) AND THE
NAMES AND DETAILS OF ALL THE SOFTWARE THEY NEED.THAT IS BECAUSE THERE
WAS A GAMBIAN HERE A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO,WHO HAD COME HERE
FOR A CONFERENCE.AND I WAS GOING TO GIVE HIM SOME PROGRAMMES TO TAKE TO
THE COLLEGE,SINCE THIS WAS TO ME WAS TOO GOLDEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO PASS
UP.BUT THIS GUY SAID THAT IT WOULD BE SOMEWHAT RASH TO SEND PROGRAMMES
JUST LIKE THAT WITHOUT FIRST GETTING SOME SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE
COLLEGE'S MACHINES AND COMPUTER CURRICULUM.SO I AM A LITTLE BIT SAD THAT
THAT OPPORTUNITY WAS LOST!
SO,LET MR.SAHO TRY TO GET MORE INFORMATION FOR ME FROM THERE,PLEASE!!
REGARDS BASSSS!!
--
SZDDˆð'3Af¨
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Mar 1996 13:30:16 +0300
From: BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA>
To: "GAMBIA-L@U.WASHINGTON.EDU" <GAMBIA-L@U.WASHINGTON.EDU>,
MOMODOU.CAMARA@POST3.TELE.DK
Subject: (PART4) CIRCUMCISION REVISITED - PEDAGOGY OF CIRCUMCISION
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Electronic Postmaster wrote:
>
> Re: ? EMDRNF - Mail Delivery Failure. Receiver not found. 75523,3247
> (PART4) CIRCUMCISION REVISITED - PEDAGOGY OF CIRCUMCISION
>
> Your message could not be delivered as addressed.
>
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>
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> To: "GAMBIA-L: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List" <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
> Subject: (PART4) CIRCUMCISION REVISITED - PEDAGOGY OF CIRCUMCISION
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> MR.E.JAWARA & MIS. E.JANNEH!!
>
> The Foundation of every State is the Education of Its youths"
>
> DIOGENES
>
> "African Religions,more or less forgotten,were in the process of
> atrophying and being emptied of their spiritual content, their former
> deep metaphysics.The jumble of empty forms they had left behind could
> not compete ......."
>
> Prof.CHIEKH ANTA DIOP
>
> Every organized human grouping has a culture and civilization and every
> organized human grouping has a form of instituition through which its
> culuture and civilzation would be transmitted from one generation to
> another on a fairly regular basis.And any culture that cannot device
> such a system or has lost it as a result of whatever reason will sooner
> or later end up,like the Black People Of Sumer, as a footnote in a dusty
> page of an unknown history book .
>
> There is something we humans should perhaps envy our lower cousins
> for : much of their 'culture',if we can ascribe culture to them,is
> programmatically transmitted from one generation to another,so that the
> duration and amount of instruction their young need from them is both
> short and minimal respectively.That is partly because it takes them so
> short a period of time to grow up and become adults.It takes a dog,for
> instance,only a few months for it to grow up and master all the skills
> that a dog needs to know inorder to live a reasonably happy dog life.
> But humans are totally different.First of all,it takes us about eighteen
> to twenty years to grow up physically like an average adult human
> being.And ,secondly,we don't have skills programmed in us in the sense
> that dogs have them.And even the few things that are programmed in us
> like language,for instance,it is only the capacity to learn a
> language,any language,that is programmed and not the language
> itself.That is why every human infant must be taught by its mother,or
> mother substitute,the language of its people for at least five
> consecetive years before it could acquire the minimum amount of language
> skills necessary for intelligible communication in that society.
> So we can now see why the chances of things going wrong for the human
> child,in its long and complex struggle to become an informed,sane,mature
> and productive adult in the human community,are much more higher than
> for its lower cousins.
>
> We were not quite correct in ascribing Culture to dogs.Dogs don't really
> have culture.The things that they learn either through the programmes in
> them or from their mothers are directly related to their Physical and
> Biological
> survival:hunting,running,mating etc.The very definition of Culture by
> the Thesaurus excludes dogs and other animals completely.According to
> it,
> CULTURE is that body of ideas,customs,skills, arts etc. of a people or
> group
> that is transferred,communicated or passed along to succeeding
> generations.So that a Cultured or Cultivated person is a person whose
> intellect,emotions,interests,manners and tastes are
> developed,improved,refined in a particular way that makes him/her think,
> talk , and act very much like the people in his/her group.Perhaps this
> is why each and everyone of us has, at one time or another, heard the
> stories of the proverbial Gambian man who had spent many years studying
> overseas,in the White Man's World,but when he came back,instead of going
> to stay with his family, he went straight from Yundum Airport to stay in
> a hotel and continued doing that until he was able to secure a well paid
> and respectable job with the state,after which he built himself a huge
> villa at Pipe Line, transferred there,put a big and vicious dog at the
> gate and made it a requirement for anyone wanting to visit him to have
> an appointment first,and that includes his own parents.There are many
> versions of such stories,but in almost all of them,we see that our
> proverbial Gambian Man ends up losing everything:his job,his villa,his
> wife and his place in society.Maybe these stories never had any bases in
> reality,or at least not all of them ended in tragedy.But that is not the
> point.The point is that our popular culture forcibly put bad endings to
> all
> of them as a warning to our future elites that the spirits of our
> ancestors,the guardians of our culture, would not hesitate to revenge by
> puncturing the prosperity of anyone who betrays or runs away from our
> collective way of life.The fear of rebels or subversives is by no means
> a monopoly of traditional societies like ours.The word MAINSTREAM in the
> U.S. simply means people whose behavoral patterns are more or less
> consistent with what the establishment considers to be the core values
> of American culture and way of life;a not so subtle warning to
> non-conformists!
>
> So,the instituition through which black culture ensures its own survival
> is circumcision.We will use here a few Mandinka words to be able to
> capture the true spirit of this unique instituition.There are three
> words that are used interchangeably to mean Circumcision.The first one
> is KASSEYO.It means to cut off or cut loose.The former is the most
> obvious meaning,which is the physical cutting off of part of the
> genital,
> and the latter is to snatch the young person away from his/her family
> and seclude(cut)her from the spoiling influences of the parents for a
> lengthy period of time.The second word is JUJUYO.And JUYO means the
> stem,the base,the core or the essence without which Society would not
> stand.And the repetition here is for emphasis.JUYO also means the
> private parts of a person,and that is self-explanatory.The third word is
> Wulloo which means forest or bush.Because those are the places where all
> initiates are secluded and kept for about three months.The initiate
> himself is called NGHANSINGHO which means the person who waits for his
> turn,which means basically a deciplined person.Because ,as long as he is
> in there,he can never do anything before his turn comes.He can never
> eat,drink,use anything,sleep or go to the toilet without being given the
> green light by at least one of the teachers.And it also means that group
> of young people whose turn has now come to be accepted as fully fledged
> members of the community. Another important word in the circumcision
> vocabular is KINTANGHO and it means teacher.And this category includes
> every circumcised person from the teenagers right to the village chief
> and priest.And even though the village elders select a given number of
> people as the official teachers of the circumcision,it is nonetheless
> incumbent upon everyone else in the village to volunteer a few days of
> their time to pass on to the new initiates whatever circumcision
> experience they could remember.And almost everyone volunteers,if for
> nothing else,it provides everyone with the opportunity to re-learn all
> the little things one has forgotten about the
> culture,since it sometimes takes as long as ten years between two
> circumcisions.And ,finally,the word SOLIMAH.It is used to refer to
> anyone
> who is either not actually circumcised or behaves like someone who has
> not gone through that experience,and that means he is immature,rude and
> ignorant of the ways the society works.Sometimes outrageously rude and
> badly behaved youngmen who, even though have actually been circumcised,
> may be sent back with the next batch of initiates for remedial courses
> in the social mores.
>
> So,just by glancing at the circumcision vocabular we have just
> defined,we
> can see very clearly that,contrary what the reductioinists
> say,circumcision
> is much more huge and complex than just severing of part of the
> genital.It is indeed a lenghty process during which the initiates are
> instructed in the etiquette,arts,folklore of their community.In the case
> of the men,they are
> subjected to intense physical ordeals of various kinds to instill in
> them values such as endurance,perseverance,courage
> respect for authority.All these is to help prepare the young person for
> both the sweet and the bitter aspects
> of full adult life.It also helps both boys and the girls resolve thier
> conflicts about sexual identity,so that they would be able to establish
> clear attitudes not only towards their mothers and fathers but towards
> the opposite sex in general which,as we saw in the Black Cosmogony,is of
> central concern of black culutre.The need to kill the man in the woman
> and the woman in the man can in no way be overstated in our culture!
>
> Some of the things that are specifically taught are: 1) SINGING. By the
> end of the process,even the dumbest initiate will have memorised at
> least fifty of the two hundred or so of the songs that will be taught
> and tested.One doesn't have to memorise all of them.However,everyone is
> required and vigorously tested for understanding not
> only of the meaning of each song in general but also of the idiomatic
> expressions in them and to be able to
> explain in detail the occasion of each song and its social
> significance.The expert singers among the teachers would give special
> help to those initiates who,like myself, have shown no talent for
> singing or those who have problems with voice or breath control .So much
> attention and so much time and energy is given to singing in this
> process,because our culuture is basically an oral culture.And there is
> no aspect of our life that has not got a song for it,and the more songs
> you memorise and understand their meanings the closer you at mastering
> our culture in its entirety.And in addition to singing,there are also
> sessions for the wise sayings of the ancestors and elders plus word
> puzzles.
>
> 2) Hunting & Swimming are taught once a week each.These are for the male
> initiates;and they begin around the end of the third week.This is the
> time when the wounds of most of the initiates will have been healed
> sufficiently enough to allow them to participate and benefit from such
> activities.Most initiates will have already been good swimmers and
> hunters by the the time they are circumcised,but its the socialisation
> aspect of them:participating in a group of two hundred hunting men,for
> instance,is always a rare and exciting experience.
>
> 3) Etiquette.In a culture in which age means experience,integrity and
> respectabiliy,a lot of emphasis is put on how
> one approches,talks to,sits and stands with,looks at and deals with
> other people in the different age categories.So,the initiates are taught
> not only how to be civil and show respect for others,but also how to
> earn other people's respect by respecting oneslef,which can be achieved
> only through respecting the rules.
>
> 4) Sex & Sexuality.Clear knowledge and a healthy attitude towards sex is
> necessary for the initiates now that they are about to enter the world
> of adults and will soon get married.Experienced grownups would teach
> details of sex,especially sex within the confines of marriage.In our
> traditional culture,there is nothing wrong with sex per se,either inside
> or outside of marriage;however,there is something seriously wrong with
> bringing babies before being officially blessed(married)by the
> community,even if the couple is engageg.That is why even though the joy
> and excitement of sex is celebrated,its made abundantly clear to the
> initiates that the social price
> to be paid for getting a child out of wedlock is so huge that it would
> be wiser on their part to exercise self control and be contented with
> kissing and fondling.Male initiates are taught about the mysterious
> world of women;how to court
> them,understand both their sound and body language and impress them and
> win their love or how to politely resist their advances without causing
> offence
> when not interested.And female initiates, in addition to learning facts
> about
> sex,mensuration,pregnancy and childbirth,they also learn about men.How
> to
> catch them,retain and disorient them and make them do what
> they(women)want them to do without seeming to be doing so.
>
> 4)Magic & the spiritual world.No magic,No music, no black culture, of
> course!The best Magician of community is called upon once in a while to
> perform.He would during his performance do all the incredible things
> that black magic is capable of:stabbing himself with a sharp instrument
> here;cutting his tongue there or sometimes cutting leaves and
> instantaneously changing them into money.And a lot more!!
>
> So,now that we are on a much more solid ground after having provided the
> Historical,Cosmological,Philosophical and Educational bases of
> Circumcision
> in our Culture,we can now look our critics straight in the eye and
> respond to them.And that is precisely what we will do in our NEXT and
> FINAL installment on CIRCUMCISION.So,we will now end this article by
> invoking the memories of the spirits of our ancestors so that they would
> provide us with
> the appropriate words to end this very spiritual subject and to protect
> us from the evil spirits that try to steal our culture from us,and so we
> say:
> "...KUMMA HAMMA YONI WON; NAA DAAN
> NJULLI NJAI; DAAN TUMMA NJULLI NJAI; MAGGAM NJULLI FARRMA DAAN; KUMMA
> KHOLL
> DAMMAN; YALLA BUMMA GANDERR; CHI NBARR NJAI; BILAI,
> SIPAI,LIPAI,KHOLLIWO;
> BILAHATI,SPAHATI,LIPAHATI,KHOLLIWO;ASSMAALI NJAI KAI FEYLI NBARR!! ..."
>
> =
> =20
> TO BE CONTINUED ......
>
> REGARDS BASSSS!!
>
> =3D20
>
> --=20
> SZDD=88=F0'3Af=A8=03
--
SZDDˆð'3Af¨
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Mar 1997 10:33:50 +0000
From: "SISSOHO EM" <E.M.Sissoho@icsl.ac.uk>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: THE SECRET OF LIVING
Message-ID: <199703251032.KAA18030@netmail.city.ac.uk>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
BROTHER OMAR,
I AM VERY IMPRESSED WITH YOUR CHOICE OF POEMS.
SIR, PLEASE TELL US ARE YOU INDEBTED TO ANYONE FOR THESE MARVELLOUS
VERSES!!.
Respectfully
EDRISA
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Mar 1997 11:34:12 +0000
From: "M'BAI OF" <O.F.M'Bai@icsl.ac.uk>
To: KOLLS567@qatar.net.qa
Cc: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: (PART4) CIRCUMCISION REVISITED - PEDAGOGY OF CIRCUMCISION
Message-ID: <199703251133.LAA25200@netmail.city.ac.uk>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
TO BE CONTINUED??! !!!!!! I DON'T BELIEVE YOU UNCLE
BASS. YOU HAVE WRITTEN FAR FAR FAR TOOOOOO
MUCH AND THE DANGER OF WRITING TOO MUCH IS
THAT YOU END UP "REPEATING YOURSELF JUST LIKE
YOU HAVE ALWAYS DONE" AND THE DANGER IN REPEATING
YOURSELF RENDERS YOUR ARTICLE REPUGNANT AND
LONG-WINDED.
I CONNOT SEE ANY DIFFERENCE IN ESSENCE B'WEEN
PART 1 , 2 , 3, AND NOW 4 WHICH IS YET TO BE CONTI'D
IN MY OPINION , THE CONTENTS ARE BASICALLY THE
SAME STUFF NAMELY " CIRCUMCISION ". C' MON UNCLE
BASS , YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT !!!!!!
M'BAI OMAR F.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Mar 1996 14:37:45 +0300
From: BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA>
To: "GAMBIA-L@U.WASHINGTON.EDU" <GAMBIA-L@U.WASHINGTON.EDU>
Message-ID: <31568589.1E37@QATAR.NET.QA>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
MR.E.JAWARA & MIS. E.JANNEH!!
> The Foundation of every State is the Education of Its youths"
> DIOGENES
> "African Religions,more or less forgotten,were in the process of
> atrophying and being emptied of their spiritual content, their former
> deep metaphysics.The jumble of empty forms they had left behind could
> not compete ......."
> Prof.CHIEKH ANTA DIOP
> Every organized human grouping has a culture and civilization and every
> organized human grouping has a form of instituition through which its
> culuture and civilzation would be transmitted from one generation to
> another on a fairly regular basis.And any culture that cannot device
> such a system or has lost it as a result of whatever reason will sooner
> or later end up,like the Black People Of Sumer, as a footnote in a dusty
> page of an unknown history book .
> There is something we humans should perhaps envy our lower cousins
> for : much of their 'culture',if we can ascribe culture to them,is
> programmatically transmitted from one generation to another,so that the
> duration and amount of instruction their young need from them is both
> short and minimal respectively.That is partly because it takes them so
> short a period of time to grow up and become adults.It takes a dog,for
> instance,only a few months for it to grow up and master all the skills
> that a dog needs to know inorder to live a reasonably happy dog life.
> But humans are totally different.First of all,it takes us about eighteen
> to twenty years to grow up physically like an average adult human
> being.And ,secondly,we don't have skills programmed in us in the sense
> that dogs have them.And even the few things that are programmed in us
> like language,for instance,it is only the capacity to learn a
> language,any language,that is programmed and not the language
> itself.That is why every human infant must be taught by its mother,or
> mother substitute,the language of its people for at least five
> consecetive years before it could acquire the minimum amount of language
> skills necessary for intelligible communication in that society.
> So we can now see why the chances of things going wrong for the human
> child,in its long and complex struggle to become an informed,sane,mature
> and productive adult in the human community,are much more higher than
> for its lower cousins.
> We were not quite correct in ascribing Culture to dogs.Dogs don't really
> have culture.The things that they learn either through the programmes in
> them or from their mothers are directly related to their Physical and
> Biological
> survival:hunting,running,mating etc.The very definition of Culture by
> the Thesaurus excludes dogs and other animals completely.According to
> it,
> CULTURE is that body of ideas,customs,skills, arts etc. of a people or
> group
> that is transferred,communicated or passed along to succeeding
> generations.So that a Cultured or Cultivated person is a person whose
> intellect,emotions,interests,manners and tastes are
> developed,improved,refined in a particular way that makes him/her think,
> talk , and act very much like the people in his/her group.Perhaps this
> is why each and everyone of us has, at one time or another, heard the
> stories of the proverbial Gambian man who had spent many years studying
> overseas,in the White Man's World,but when he came back,instead of going
> to stay with his family, he went straight from Yundum Airport to stay in
> a hotel and continued doing that until he was able to secure a well paid
> and respectable job with the state,after which he built himself a huge
> villa at Pipe Line, transferred there,put a big and vicious dog at the
> gate and made it a requirement for anyone wanting to visit him to have
> an appointment first,and that includes his own parents.There are many
> versions of such stories,but in almost all of them,we see that our
> proverbial Gambian Man ends up losing everything:his job,his villa,his
> wife and his place in society.Maybe these stories never had any bases in
> reality,or at least not all of them ended in tragedy.But that is not the
> point.The point is that our popular culture forcibly put bad endings to
> all
> of them as a warning to our future elites that the spirits of our
> ancestors,the guardians of our culture, would not hesitate to revenge by
> puncturing the prosperity of anyone who betrays or runs away from our
> collective way of life.The fear of rebels or subversives is by no means
> a monopoly of traditional societies like ours.The word MAINSTREAM in the
> U.S. simply means people whose behavoral patterns are more or less
> consistent with what the establishment considers to be the core values
> of American culture and way of life;a not so subtle warning to
> non-conformists!
> So,the instituition through which black culture ensures its own survival
> is circumcision.We will use here a few Mandinka words to be able to
> capture the true spirit of this unique instituition.There are three
> words that are used interchangeably to mean Circumcision.The first one > is KASSEYO.It means to cut off or cut loose.The former is the most
> obvious meaning,which is the physical cutting off of part of the
> genital,
> and the latter is to snatch the young person away from his/her family
> and seclude(cut)her from the spoiling influences of the parents for a
> lengthy period of time.The second word is JUJUYO.And JUYO means the
> stem,the base,the core or the essence without which Society would not
> stand.And the repetition here is for emphasis.JUYO also means the
> private parts of a person,and that is self-explanatory.The third word is
> Wulloo which means forest or bush.Because those are the places where all
> initiates are secluded and kept for about three months.The initiate
> himself is called NGHANSINGHO which means the person who waits for his
> turn,which means basically a deciplined person.Because ,as long as he is
> in there,he can never do anything before his turn comes.He can never
> eat,drink,use anything,sleep or go to the toilet without being given the
> green light by at least one of the teachers.And it also means that group
> of young people whose turn has now come to be accepted as fully fledged
> members of the community. Another important word in the circumcision
> vocabular is KINTANGHO and it means teacher.And this category includes
> every circumcised person from the teenagers right to the village chief
> and priest.And even though the village elders select a given number of
> people as the official teachers of the circumcision,it is nonetheless
> incumbent upon everyone else in the village to volunteer a few days of
> their time to pass on to the new initiates whatever circumcision
> experience they could remember.And almost everyone volunteers,if for
> nothing else,it provides everyone with the opportunity to re-learn all
> the little things one has forgotten about the
> culture,since it sometimes takes as long as ten years between two
> circumcisions.And ,finally,the word SOLIMAH.It is used to refer to
> anyone
> who is either not actually circumcised or behaves like someone who has
> not gone through that experience,and that means he is immature,rude and
> ignorant of the ways the society works.Sometimes outrageously rude and
> badly behaved youngmen who, even though have actually been circumcised,
> may be sent back with the next batch of initiates for remedial courses
in the social mores.
> So,just by glancing at the circumcision vocabular we have just
> defined,we
> can see very clearly that,contrary what the reductioinists
> say,circumcision
> is much more huge and complex than just severing of part of the
> genital.It is indeed a lenghty process during which the initiates are
> instructed in the etiquette,arts,folklore of their community.In the case
> of the men,they are
> subjected to intense physical ordeals of various kinds to instill in
> them values such as endurance,perseverance,courage
> respect for authority.All these is to help prepare the young person for
> both the sweet and the bitter aspects
> of full adult life.It also helps both boys and the girls resolve thier
> conflicts about sexual identity,so that they would be able to establish
> clear attitudes not only towards their mothers and fathers but towards
> the opposite sex in general which,as we saw in the Black Cosmogony,is of
> central concern of black culutre.The need to kill the man in the woman
> and the woman in the man can in no way be overstated in our culture!
> Some of the things that are specifically taught are: 1) SINGING. By the
> end of the process,even the dumbest initiate will have memorised at
> least fifty of the two hundred or so of the songs that will be taught
> and tested.One doesn't have to memorise all of them.However,everyone is
> required and vigorously tested for understanding not
> only of the meaning of each song in general but also of the idiomatic
> expressions in them and to be able to
> explain in detail the occasion of each song and its social
> significance.The expert singers among the teachers would give special
> help to those initiates who,like myself, have shown no talent for
> singing or those who have problems with voice or breath control .So much attention and so much time and energy is given to singing in this
process,because our culuture is basically an oral culture.And there is
no aspect of our life that has not got a song for it,and the more songs
you memorise and understand their meanings the closer you at mastering
our culture in its entirety.And in addition to singing,there are also
sessions for the wise sayings of the ancestors and elders plus word
puzzles.
> 2) Hunting & Swimming are taught once a week each.These are for the male initiates;and they begin around the end of the third week.This is the
> time when the wounds of most of the initiates will have been healed
> sufficiently enough to allow them to participate and benefit from such activities.Most initiates will have already been good swimmers and
> hunters by the the time they are circumcised,but its the socialisation
> aspect of them:participating in a group of two hundred hunting men,for instance,is always a rare and exciting experience.
> 3) Etiquette.In a culture in which age means experience,integrity and
> respectabiliy,a lot of emphasis is put on how
> one approches,talks to,sits and stands with,looks at and deals with
> other people in the different age categories.So,the initiates are taught not only how to be civil and show respect for others,but also how to
earn other people's respect by respecting oneslef,which can be achieved
> only through respecting the rules.
> 4) Sex & Sexuality.Clear knowledge and a healthy attitude towards sex is necessary for the initiates now that they are about to enter the world
> of adults and will soon get married.Experienced grownups would teach
> details of sex,especially sex within the confines of marriage.In our
> traditional culture,there is nothing wrong with sex per se,either inside
or outside of marriage;however,there is something seriously wrong with
> bringing babies before being officially blessed(married)by the
> community,even if the couple is engageg.That is why even though the joy and excitement of sex is celebrated,its made abundantly clear to the
> initiates that the social price
> to be paid for getting a child out of wedlock is so huge that it would be wiser on their part to exercise self control and be contented with kissing and fondling.Male initiates are taught about the mysterious
> world of women;how to court
> them,understand both their sound and body language and impress them and win their love or how to politely resist their advances without causing offence when not interested.And female initiates, in addition to learning facts about sex,mensuration,pregnancy and childbirth,they also learn about men.How to catch them,retain and disorient them and make them do what
> they(women)want them to do without seeming to be doing so.
> 4)Magic & the spiritual world.No magic,No music, no black culture, of
> course!The best Magician of community is called upon once in a while to perform.He would during his performance do all the incredible things
> that black magic is capable of:stabbing himself with a sharp instrument here;cutting his tongue there or sometimes cutting leaves and
instantaneously changing them into money.And a lot more!!
So,now that we are on a much more solid ground after having provided
the Historical,Cosmological,Philosophical and Educational bases of
> Circumcision in our Culture,we can now look our critics straight in the eye and respond to them.And that is precisely what we will do in our NEXT and FINAL installment on CIRCUMCISION.So,we will now end this article by invoking the memories of the spirits of our ancestors so that they would provide us with
> the appropriate words to end this very spiritual subject and to protect us from the evil spirits that try to steal our culture from us,and so we
> say:
> "...KUMMA HAMMA YONI WON; NAA DAAN
> NJULLI NJAI; DAAN TUMMA NJULLI NJAI; MAGGAM NJULLI FARRMA DAAN; KUMMA
> KHOLL
> DAMMAN; YALLA BUMMA GANDERR; CHI NBARR NJAI; BILAI,
> SIPAI,LIPAI,KHOLLIWO;
> BILAHATI,SPAHATI,LIPAHATI,KHOLLIWO;ASSMAALI NJAI KAI FEYLI NBARR!! ..."
>=20
>
TO BE CONTINUED ......
> REGARDS BASSSS!!
--
SZDDˆð'3Af¨
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Mar 1997 12:15:45 +0000
From: "SISSOHO EM" <E.M.Sissoho@icsl.ac.uk>
To: KOLLS567@qatar.net.qa
Cc: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: (PART4) CIRCUMCISION REVISITED - PEDAGOGY OF CIRCUMCISION
Message-ID: <199703251214.MAA01753@netmail.city.ac.uk>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
SIR,
I must commend your prolific contribution to Gambia-1
discussions.This must take a lot of your time and effort.
As I sit here, I keep imagining Basss as an "allrounder"
(intellectual if you please) sitting in a Library surrounded
by reference works, PC ready to fire off " learned Pieces" or perhaps
lectures to list members and I come to the conclusion that Basss
could possible conduct the whole of the discussions on the List on
his own!!! Jesting...Jesting..
Sir, I have not had time to read through your latest offerings
because of pressure of work. You may remember some time a go I was
asking you for Part 2 of politics in Africa .
>From that piece and subsequent contributions from you I've detected a
theme,that is a view of interpreting politics and history from the
point of view of a victim of conspiracy by "the West".
To return to P in Africa for a moment, You seem to have blamed the Belgium
for the massacre in Rwanda. Your assertion that the Belgians provided
the Tutsis "with a history", this history being that they (the
Tutsis) were superior to the Hutus. You when on to suggest that if a
lie is told often enough it is believed. This I interpret to mean
that the Hutus could possibly believed that they were inferior to the Tutsis.
Sir I have never meet a tribesman who actually believed that their
particular tribe is
inferior to any other tribe. If we Africans believe in anything at
all it is the superiority of our tribes.
Sir my point is that we in the third world should take responsibilty
for our actions rather than blame the West. If you blame Belgium as
the historical cause of the Rwandan crisis, are you going to find
someone else responsible for the ethnic cleansing that happened
between Senegal and Muritania in the late 80's?
Sir, we in the third world should see things for what they actually
are and that we have been in most cases the author of our own
misfurtune .
Respesfully
Edrisa.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Mar 1996 15:19:45 +0300
From: BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA>
To: "GAMBIA-L@U.WASHINGTON.EDU" <GAMBIA-L@U.WASHINGTON.EDU>
Subject: Re: (PART4) CIRCUMCISION REVISITED - PEDAGOGY OF CIRCUMCISION
Message-ID: <31568F61.6C17@QATAR.NET.QA>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
M'BAI OF wrote:
>
> TO BE CONTINUED??! !!!!!! I DON'T BELIEVE YOU UNCLE
> BASS. YOU HAVE WRITTEN FAR FAR FAR TOOOOOO
> MUCH AND THE DANGER OF WRITING TOO MUCH IS
> THAT YOU END UP "REPEATING YOURSELF JUST LIKE
> YOU HAVE ALWAYS DONE" AND THE DANGER IN REPEATING
> YOURSELF RENDERS YOUR ARTICLE REPUGNANT AND
> LONG-WINDED.
>
> I CONNOT SEE ANY DIFFERENCE IN ESSENCE B'WEEN
> PART 1 , 2 , 3, AND NOW 4 WHICH IS YET TO BE CONTI'D
> IN MY OPINION , THE CONTENTS ARE BASICALLY THE
> SAME STUFF NAMELY " CIRCUMCISION ". C' MON UNCLE
> BASS , YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT !!!!!!
>
> M'BAI OMAR F.
Mr.Nbaye!!
I am pleasantly surprised that you are still around.Thanks for your
concern.I will try to do better in the final installment.
Regards Basss!!!
--
SZDDˆð'3Af¨
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Mar 1997 13:47:08 +0000
From: "M'BAI OF" <O.F.M'Bai@icsl.ac.uk>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: (PART4) CIRCUMCISION REVISITED - PEDAGOGY OF CIRCUMCISI
Message-ID: <199703251345.NAA14610@netmail.city.ac.uk>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Thank you very much my dear learned friend for that accurate a/c
of yours. It appears that we share the same views regarding "PIA".
Anyway see you around campus and good luck with the Opinion
Writing Assessment and the forth-coming MCTs.
M'BAI OMAR F.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Mar 1997 12:27:16 -0500 (EST)
From: "Ousman G." <gajigoo@wabash.edu>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: (PART4) CIRCUMCISION REVISITED - PEDAGOGY OF CIRCUMCISI
Message-ID: <2527F7D4A38@scholar.wabash.edu>
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
>Sir my point is that we in the third world should take responsibilty
>for our actions rather than blame the West. If you blame Belgium as
>the historical cause of the Rwandan crisis, are you going to find
>someone else responsible for the ethnic cleansing that happened
>between Senegal and Muritania in the late 80's?
A lot of us has to learn to accept responsibilities for our
shortcomings.
"If you blame someone for your failures, credit him for your
successes."
Ousman
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Ousman Gajigo
Morris Hall 107
Crawfordsville, IN 47933
phone:(765) 361 7096
Fax: (317) 361 6295
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Mar 1997 12:33:39 -0500 (EST)
From: Musa Sowe <chemsm@panther.Gsu.EDU>
To: BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA>
Cc: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>, ;
Subject: Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.95.970325122447.17215A-100000@panther.Gsu.EDU>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
ANDREA: yes, they use 31/4 inch diskettes.
OMAR:
Dr. Bojang is out of the country on an official visit but shouild
be back by the time you get there. I spoke with the principal, Mr.
Manneh, and told him about your planned visit and he is expecting you.
Good luck and best wishes for a safe and enjoyable trip.
Musa
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Mar 1997 12:44:53 -0500 (EST)
From: Musa Sowe <chemsm@panther.Gsu.EDU>
To: BASS KOLLEH DRAMMEH <KOLLS567@QATAR.NET.QA>
Cc: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>, ;
Subject: Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.95.970325124158.21639A-100000@panther.Gsu.EDU>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
ANDREA:
Yes, they use 31/4 inch diskettes
OMAR:
Dr. Bojang is out of the country on an official visit. But, he should be
back in the country by the time you get there. I spoke to the principal
and told him of your planned visit and he is expecting you.
Good luck and best wishes of a safe and enyoyable trip.
Musa
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Mar 97 20:29:59 CST
From: "Numukunda Darboe" <ndarboe@sunset.backbone.olemiss.edu>
To: "The Gambia and Related Issues Mailng List" <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Update on getting Observer On-line
Message-ID: <ndarboe.1209731039D@sunset.backbone.olemiss.edu>
Welcome all new members to Gambia-l the most ingenious medium through which
Gambians and friends of The Gambia the world over can have rapport on issues
relating to the Gambia in decorum at no cost.
Please allow me to reiterate for the sake of our newest members and to give
you an update on the process of getting the Daily Observer (one of Gambia's
daily news papers) on-line. We have initially estimated that a $10
subscription per annum would be sufficient to meet the finances necessary to
get the paper on-line. Disappointingly, out of the over 200 Gambia-l list
members, less than 70 people have pledged to the subscription. However, we
did not take this to mean that the rest are not willing to, instead could be
merely due to the fact that the amount of mail that comes in daily is heavy,
and one can easily erase or forget to respond to such an invaluable
opportunity. It was further suggested that if enough funds aren't able to be
met due to undersubscription, then an increase in amount of subscription may
be the remedy. At this point I don't believe that will be penultimate.
Last week, Latir sent out a questionnaire which will allow us the to know
the potential subscribers. We will keep you updated on the results.
One does not have to be a member of Gambial-l to access the paper. It will
be on a Web Page accessible only by password. We strongly discourage giving
out one's password to a non-subscriber except for may be members of the
household. This may be unfair to the Observer business and even the subscribers.
Our technical team is undertaking a formidable task, and is in close contact
with Observer authorities. Due to Observer's lack of facilities at this
point we will not have the whole paper (ads,images etc.), but rather the
main body which will sent and have to be edited before pasting on the Web.
If things work well by next month, the paper should be on-line.
We will keep you updated
Thanks
Numukunda
Steering committee
********************************************************************************
Numukunda Darboe
Chemistry Dept.
University of Mississippi
(601) 232 5143 Lab
ndarboe@olemiss.edu
Home Page at: http://members.tripod.com/~ndarboe/
OLEMISS REBELS 1997 SEC WEST BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS
GO REBELS!!!!!!!
********************************************************************************
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Mar 1997 23:45:39 -0500 (EST)
From: mjallow@st6000.sct.edu (Modou Jallow)
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Message-ID: <9703260445.AA35374@st6000.sct.edu>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Musa, you wrote;
> ANDREA:
>
> Yes, they use 31/4 inch diskettes
>
>
Musa, I believe you meant to say 3 1/2 inch diskettes. Is that right?
-Moe S. Jallow
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 00:26:08 -0500 (EST)
From: mjallow@st6000.sct.edu (Modou Jallow)
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Coalition for the development of urban Africa
Message-ID: <9703260526.AA35046@st6000.sct.edu>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Gambia-l,
Please find the enclosed for your information. The group is particularly
interested in exchanges concerning processes of engagement capable of
generating new urban knowledge for transformation and development.
Thank you.
----------------------------Forwarded-----------------------------------
CHANGING AFRICAN CITIES
A brief introduction to the work of the
Coalition for the Development of Urban Africa
THE TASK AHEAD :
Africa has rapidly become an urbanized continent, and urban life brings
the region's enormous vitality and imagination together with a wide array
of challenges about how to make cities work and sustainable. In some ways
these challenges are not new, as urban inclinations in Africa have existed
for centuries. But as the functions and dynamics of cities everywhere
change, Africans must remobilize their skills, values and understandings
so that their cities are truly engines of growth, participation and
livelihood in a globalizing world.
HOW IS THIS DONE :
African NGOs, researchers, community groups and urban professionals
recognize that they must consolidate the perspectives and visions that
have been gained through many years of experience working with diverse
communities across the continent. Many effective practices for providing
essential services, managing the urban environment and promoting
democratic governance have come to the fore in various neighborhoods and
communities. But too often these initiatives exist as isolated instances.
Now, what is required is a broader implementation, a AB scaling-up BB of
policies and programs that work across cities as a whole. If African
cities are to be truly urban, than a process of diverse groups, sectors
and institutions , including NGOs, municipalities and the private sector,
working together in concrete partnership must be instituted at all levels.
Linkages among African cities, as well as between them and other urban
areas of the world must be strengthened. After all, Africans from all
walks of life are moving back and forth between cities within Africa and
throughout the world. This movement can be a resource, a way of building
connections between communities and of strengthening the power of Africans
to make their voices and ideas heard. In addition, new efforts must be
made to better under stand how Africans are using their cities, how they
produce livelihoods and work together, how they use the city and they how
they understand their lives within them.
WHAT IS THE COALITION
The purpose of the coalition is to bring together people and organizations
at work in Africa cities. Since cities are places where so many
activities happen side-by-side, then the best way for making them work is
to encourage activists and professionals involved in development,
government, education, culture, and health to also work side. The
Coalition sees its main responsibility as bringing about concrete
activities where this kind of work can happen.
The Coalition began with Habitat II. A year before the United Nations
Global Conference on Human Settlements, which took place in Istanbul in
June 1996, African NGOs involved in urban work decided to organize
themselves as a regional body to try to make sure that African thinking
and solutions were taken seriously by the international community. This
body was known as the African NGO Habitat II Caucus. During that year the
Caucus conducted a widespread exchange of information among NGOs
throughout the continent, developing a program of activities in all stages
of the Habitat II process which emphasized critical interchanges between
different groups making up the key elements of the African social fabric.
At Istanbul, the success of its efforts encouraged the Caucus to call for
the organization of the Coalition and an ongoing program of activities.
Today, the Coalition counts the active participation of some seventy-five
organizations from across the continent.
WHAT IS THE COALITION PROGRAM ?
The Coalition program is made up of three components :
1. BUILDING AFRICAN APPROACHES TO URBAN DEVELOPMENT An information
resource network which promotes an exchange of views, information and
opportunities among researchers, activists, local authorities, women and
youth groupings, and other professionals, and which is aimed at building
inter-institutional working relationships within a nd between African
cities. The aim is to strengthen advocacy at regional and international
levels and cultivate innovative approaches and methodologies.
A program of capacity building and consultation with African urban NGO s
and CBOs to maximize their ability to understand the implications of
Habitat II, grapple with municipal-wide issues and dynamics, scale-up and
mainstream local initiatives and practices, and engage in broad-based
partnerships
A regional instrument for initiating and managing ongoing dialogues with
key regional and international institutions on the implementation of
effective approaches to urban development and to ensure an effective voice
for the different experiences of African NGOs.
2. IMPLEMENTING LOCAL URBAN DEVELOPMENT AGENDAS
Assists NGOs in different cities to carry out urban development work a t
the level of the city as a whole, especially in areas such as
infrastructure development, governance, and the provision of urban and
human services, through enabling them to focus on the development of
broad-based, city- wide partnerships. The program helps NGOs
conceptualize, prepare and implement such partnerships97where local
authorities, NGOs, CBOs, researchers, professional associations, local
institutions and the private sector share responsibility for the design,
implementation and management of the process.
Assists NGOs to conduct the consultations with different sectors and
communities, the research of key urban dynamics and the assessments of key
urban indicators and institutional orderings necessary in order to put
together viable partnerships.
Promotes an exchange of experiences, consultations, and comparative work
among NGOs involved in this work in order to strengthen the understanding
of processes necessary for effective development partnerships and for
building stronger economic and cultural links between African cities.
3. THE CRITICAL URBAN STUDIES CONSORTIUM
A international network of urbanists and researchers concerned with Africa
which collectively is putting together :
A visioning process which looks at what African cities could be, with an
emphasis on making futures based on maximizing the strengths and resources
that already exist.
Conducts and emphasizes investigations on different ways diverse sectors
and economies can be linked across African cities and between African
cities and those of different continents.
Examines the effects of globalization on the reshaping of and new
opportunities for African cities.
HOW DO WE DO THESE THINGS ?
The Coalition draws upon the accumulated experiences and expertise of a
wide range of participating NGOs, researchers and other professionals,
comparing and assessing their work, its applicability to different African
cities , and disseminating documentation concerning this work across the
continent. While new thinking and approaches are sometimes necessary, we
also believe that much has been done already, and that it is a matter of
letting people k now about this work and what it takes for initiatives to
be successful in t heir cities. Therefore, we would like to hear from you
about what you are doing and what your future plans are. We exist in
order to identify ways of assisting you do what you want to do and putting
you in contact with the resources and expertise that might enable you to
get the job done.
HOW TO CONTACT US
You can reach the Coalition at the coordinating unit in Dakar.
Our details are :
Coalition for the Development of Urban Africa
@The Urban Popular Economy Program (ECOPOP)
BP 3370
Dakar, Senegal
telephone : 221-253200
fax : 221-253232
email : africaucus@enda.sn
AFRICAUCUS / CODURA
c/o Programme ECOPOP
BP 3370 DAKAR - SENEGAL
TEL: +221 25 32 00
FAX: +221 25 32 32
Email: africaucus@enda.sn
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regards,
Moe S. Jallow
===============================================================================
mjallow@sct.edu mjallow@hayes.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice;
*it is not a thing to be waited for, but something to be achieved.
*
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 01:01:13 -0600
From: Tamsir Mbai <mba4224@etbu.edu>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: Update on getting Observer On-line
Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19970326004400.3727a510@etbu.edu>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Dear dedicated committee,
Thank you very much for your interest in orchestrating the necessary
contacts to put the Observer online. I do share your disappointment in the
number of people who have shown interest in subscribing to the paper.
Nevertheless, we have to take into consideration that the majority of the
list members are students, judging from the informal introductions of new
members. Earlier, Numukunda Darboe wrote :
"One does not have to be a member of Gambial-l to access the paper. It will
be on a Web Page accessible only by password. We strongly discourage giving
out one's password to a non-subscriber except for may be members of the
household. This may be unfair to the Observer business and even the
subscribers."
I don't know if this was agreed upon by the technical committee, but I don't
think it is a good idea. I am a fervent advocate for the dissemination of
information, especially when it concerns The Gambia, partly because given
the size of our country, we need to pursue with relentless effort every
opportunity that we have to put The Gambia on the world scene. It is not
uncommon for me, and probably several others on this list, to come across
people who are totally unaware of the existence of The Gambia. Granted, we
cannot free everybody from ignorance, but expeditious access to information
about The Gambia can only promote education about our country. Not only
should we as Gambians be informed of the developments back home on a timely
basis, but the information should be made available to the rest of the world.
Imagine what it would have been like if we were made to pay for the
unlimited amount of information that we continue to get from the internet!
Better yet, would this list, Gambia-L, have survived as prosperously as it
does if everyone was made to pay? I don't think so. For these reasons and
more, I think the issuance of passwords to access the Observer would defeat
the purpose. Come to think about it, this list usually discusses pertinent
issues about The Gambia. That means that those who would eventually have
access to the Observer would still have to come back and share their
information with the rest of the list members.
While I can understand the potential loss of revenue for the
Observer if my suggestion is adopted, what I do not see is how they were
going to make money from this project to begin with. As a gesture of
generosity, maybe we can pledge to pay them an amount equal to 20 yearly
subscriptions on an instalment basis. Since most of us in the U.S. meet
annually in ATLANTA, we can collect donations during this time from others
who may not be aware of the project. Also, those students who are broke now
will have had a chance to work during the summer and be able to meet the
required fees. I'm sure there are other ways of raising money to meet our
commitments to the Observer, but for now, these are viable options that we
can pursue.
By the way, I did pledge to subscribe to the Observer even though
I'm a student. I just find it admirable that I can get daily information
about Kenya, Ghana, and Ivory Coast, to name a few, but a similar
opportunity about The Gambia is being denied the rest of the world. Can we
pay for all the information that we get nowadays? I DON'T THINK SO!
Once again, thank you to all those who are involved in bringing the
Observer online. God Bless!!!!!!
It's Tamsir.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 10:03:14 +0100 (MET)
From: sheriff@imf128049.fzk.de
To: Gambia-l@u.Washington.edu
Subject: New member
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.95.970326093214.3814A-100000@imf128049.fzk.de>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Hello members,
I am student studying Material Engineering Science and Technology in UK.At
the moment,I'm in Germany doing my practicals for six months.I am working
on injection moulding and slip casting of microcoponents(microturbines
which are use for the medical industry e.g.artificial heart).
I am very please to join and most of the topics being disscus are very
interesting.However,if someone is in the same field or doing something
similar,is welcome for exchange of ideas.
Thanks,
Sheriff Faye
(Master).
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 10:13:12 +0100
From: Abdou Gibba <Abdou.Gibba@smr.uib.no>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: Update on getting Observer On-line
Message-ID: <2.2.32.19970326091312.006982f8@golf.uib.no>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
At 01:01 26.03.97 -0600, TAMSIR wrote:
>I don't know if this was agreed upon by the technical committee, but I don't
>think it is a good idea. I am a fervent advocate for the dissemination of
>information, especially when it concerns The Gambia, partly because given
>the size of our country, we need to pursue with relentless effort every
>opportunity that we have to put The Gambia on the world scene. It is not
>uncommon for me, and probably several others on this list, to come across
>people who are totally unaware of the existence of The Gambia. Granted, we
>cannot free everybody from ignorance, but expeditious access to information
>about The Gambia can only promote education about our country. Not only
>should we as Gambians be informed of the developments back home on a timely
>basis, but the information should be made available to the rest of the world.
TAMSIR! You've got a very good point here. I think it's a brilliant idea if
we could include providing a Gambian daily on the web in the "philanthropic"
initiatives we are willing to undertake. Technical managers of the online,
are there possibilities to enter a fix annual contract with The observer? If
so, I believe the subscription of those willing or able list members could
meet this cost. This will also allow members or any other users of the page
with limited economies, make contributions affordable to them. The danger
here, however, is we might end up losing some members who are already
willing to subscribe but would rather not share the information at their
expense. I don't want to believe that there is anyone on the list who fits
in this category especially when it comes to contributing towards making
your country known worldwide. The Daily Observer also has it's ethical
responsibility, especially as an information medium, and should therefore be
content with an agreed annual subscription. Besides, it will gain it's place
in the world of media. DO I SOUND REAL OR OVER-AMBITIOUS AND NAIVE?
HAPPY EASTER, GAMBIA-LERS!!!!!!!!!!!!
::)))Abdou Oujimai
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 10:21:46 +0100
From: Abdou Gibba <Abdou.Gibba@smr.uib.no>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: New member
Message-ID: <2.2.32.19970326092146.006aee04@golf.uib.no>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Sheriff (MASTER)!! NANKA SUBASI? Welcome to Gambia-L. Hope you'll have a
pleasant stay. Hi to anyone down there from RUHABI.
::)))Oujimai
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 15:41:06 +0100 (MET)
From: Olafiaklinikken Olafia <olafia@online.no>
To: <Gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
Subject: TEMPORARY STOP FOR MAILING
Message-ID: <199703261441.PAA02362@online.no>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Hello Everyone, I will be travelling to thr Gambia and will not be back
until the 29.april Threfore i would like to have a temporariry stop on the
mailing.
I wishing alla very happy and pleasant easter.
With kind regards
Omar S. Saho
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 97 10:26:00 -0600
From: Francis Njie <francis_njie@il.us.swissbank.com>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: Update on getting Observer On-line
Message-ID: <9703261626.AA00633@new_delhi>
Mime-Version: 1.0 (NeXT Mail 3.3risc v124.8483.5)
Content-Type: text/plain
Tamsir and Abdou, thanks for your suggestions on the proposed service.
While I don't think the Observer would want to risk losing current and
potential subscribers outside the Gambia by making the online service free or
settling for an agreed-upon annual charge, I will still forward your
suggestions to the steering committee for presentation to the Observer.
A free service would certainly increase the hit rate of the site, which could
potentially attract more advertising than we had previously hoped for. Whether
revenues from such advertising would justify the service being free can be
determined only through experimentation.
In any case, rest assured that the Observer will certainly hear of this possiblity.
Thanks again...
- Francis
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 18:53:57 +0000
From: momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou)
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: TEMPORARY STOP FOR MAILING
Message-ID: <19970326175432.AAA5336@LOCALNAME>
On 26 Mar 97 at 15:41, Olafiaklinikken Olafia wrote:
> Hello Everyone, I will be travelling to thr Gambia and will not be
> back until the 29.april Therefore i would like to have a temporarily
> stop on the mailing.
>
> I wishing alla very happy and pleasant easter.
>
> With kind regards
>
> Omar S. Saho
>
Omar has been deleted from the list as requested.
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: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 20:40:43 -0500 (EST)
From: "Solomon P. Sylva" <ssylva@emory.edu>
To: "GAMBIA-L: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List" <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: Self intruduction.
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.95.970326202849.13210A-100000@curly.cc.emory.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Hey Omar ,
Welcome to the Bantaba . I hope you would find very interesting and be
able to contribute as you would be meeting both old and new friends.
Glad to have you on board.
Saul Sylva
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 21:39:29 +0800 (SGT)
From: Muwanaidi Syonya Abdalla <9420057@talabah.iiu.my>
To: Gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: UNSUBSCRIBE
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.91.970326213805.10523A-100000@talabah.iiu.my>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
UNSUBSCRIBE GAMBIA-L
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 05:04:08 -0500 (EST)
From: Mbk007@aol.com
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Fwd: FW: [EE] FW: computer virus
Message-ID: <970327050407_142696497@emout03.mail.aol.com>
---------------------
Forwarded message:
From: ydarboe@hq.walldata.com
To: jkrubally@aol.com, mbk007@aol.com
Date: 97-03-26 21:34:25 EST
----------
From: Ostebovik, Gerard
Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 1997 2:04 PM
To: ALL TECHNICAL SUPPORT DEPT -HQ; Valentine, Wade; 'Dyer, Bob';
'Hughes, Larry'
Subject: FW: [EE] FW: computer virus
>From: Debbie Michael
>Date: 03-26-97 08:53:32 AM
>Subject: Fwd: computer virus
>
>
>FYI
>
>
> ****************** ALERT *******************
>
>If anyone receives mail entitled; PENPAL GREETINGS! delete it WITHOUT
>reading it!!! This is a warning for all the internet users - there is a
>dangerous virus propagating across the internet through an e-mail
message
>entitled
>
>"PENPAL GREETINGS!".
>DO NOT DOWNLOAD ANY MESSAGE ENTITLED "PENPAL GREETING"!!
>
>This message appears to be a friendly letter asking you is you are
>interested in a penpal, but by the time you read this letter, it is too
late.
> The "trojan horse" virus will have already infected the boot sector of
your
>hard drive, destroying all of the data present. It is a
self-replicating
>virus, and once the message is read, it will AUTOMATICALLY forward
itself to
>anyone who's e-mail address is present in YOUR mailbox!
>
>This virus will DESTROY your hard drive, and holds the potential to
DESTROY
>the hard drive of anyone whose mail is in your box, and so on!
>
>Please pass this message along to everyone you know so this can be
stopped.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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id <01BC39D5.FEA3B490@fs2.eckhoff.com>; Wed, 26 Mar 1997 11:08:12 -0800
Message-Id:
<c=US%a=_%p=Eckhoff_Accounta%l=FS2-970326190808Z-1595@fs2.eckhoff.com>
From: JuliAnn Forde <julif@eckhoff.com>
To: Larry Cunha <larryc@eckhoff.com>, "'eelist'" <ee@mail.sonic.net>
Subject: [EE] FW: computer virus
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 11:08:08 -0800
X-Mailer: Microsoft Exchange Server Internet Mail Connector Version
4.0.993.5
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Sender: owner-ee@sub.sonic.net
Precedence: bulk
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 07:38:31 -0500
From: "William O'Donnell" <billod@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: Fwd: FW: [EE] FW: computer virus
Message-ID: <Pine.SGI.3.95.970327073355.13021B-100000@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu>
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
These virus e-mails are a hoax. You *cannot* ever get a virus by reading
an e-mail. You can however get a virus by downloading a file (attached to
an e-mail, for example) or by using an hypertext link inside of an e-mail
(if your reader supports such things) The standard good advice is to feel
free to read any e-mail, but only download atached files or use hypertext
links from people you know. Other hoax viruses include Good Times.
- bill
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
\ William O'Donnell /
/ Dept. of History \
\ The Johns Hopkins University /
/ 3400 N. Charles St. \
\ Baltimore, MD 21218 /
/ http://jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu/~billod \
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
------------------------------
|
 |
|
|
Momodou
Denmark
11512 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jun 2021 : 15:55:22
|
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 97 08:09:05 CST
From: "Numukunda Darboe" <ndarboe@sunset.backbone.olemiss.edu>
To: "The Gambia and Related Issues Mailng List" <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
Subject: UDP PRESS RELEASE
Message-ID: <ndarboe.1209859385A@sunset.backbone.olemiss.edu>
PRESS RELEASE
The United Democratic Party (UDP) welcomes the appointment of a Vice =
President in conformity with the requirements of the constitution. =
Whilst we welcome the recent development, the UDP continues to be =
particularly concerned about the persistent violations of the rule of =
the law which undermine the very essence of democratic rule, good =
governance and the respect for human rights.
The recent arrest and charging of 15 UDP supporters in Jarra West is the =
latest in a series of actions perpetrated by the authorities against UDP =
supporters and sympathisers. It will be recalled that similar waves of =
politically motivated arrests had followed both the Presidential and the =
National Assembly Elections. We consider these and similar actions a =
serious violation of the right of the citizen to participate freely in =
the political activities of this country.
In another case the police recently attacked and brutalised innocent =
civilians in "Greenland" (behind old customs building) for no apparent =
reason. It will be recalled that similar Police attacks on UDP =
supporters who arrived to Welcome the Party Leader on his arrival from =
Botswana took place on 2nd. March, 1997. We are particularly concerned =
about the level of highhandedness of the security forces particularly =
the police in this and similar cases. We call on the authorities to =
have these and other incidents of police brutality thoroughly =
investigated and those responsible be brought before the law. The =
report of any such investigation should be made public.
We continue to witness arbitrary dismissals and demotions of government =
employees, acts that are very much reminiscent of the era of military =
dictatorship. The UDP candidate for Jimara constituency Mr. SAIHOU =
MBALLOW was dismissed from his job after the National Assembly Election =
even though he had obtained a leave of absence inorder to contest the =
elections. The recent case involving some police officers Messrs Juju =
Fadera, Kutubo Suburu and others, once again reflects the complete lack =
of respect for the rights of Government employees. The punishments in =
the form of demotions and transfers taken against these officers relate =
to the nomination of UDP candidate for Jarra West Constituency, =
Honourable Kemeseng Jammeh.
We find these actions unacceptable and request that Government =
reinstates all those who have been wrongfully dismissed from service =
forthwith, restore ranks to those who have been demoted in the interest =
of justice and respect for the dignity and the reputation of the =
victims. We urge the Government in the interest of justice to desist =
from such practices in the future.
There are a number of cases involving people whose travel documents has =
been seized during the transition. Attempts to obtain these has proven =
futile. This deliberate restriction on the free movement of the =
citizens is in flagrant violation of their rights. These people have =
committed no crime and some of them who had to pass through the =
commissions have done so. The continued retention of travel documents =
is unwarranted and can only be interpreted as another attempt to =
frustrate their efforts to start a new life. We urge Government to put =
an end to this practice so that citizens can go about their business =
without undue restriction.
Similarly there are cases of people whose bank accounts have been frozen =
since 1994. Some of these people have not been found guilty by any of =
the Commissions of Inquiry. We find the continued freeze on their bank =
accounts completely unjust and unjustifiable: we call on the authorities =
to lift the order so that these people can have access to their =
accounts.
Finally there is the retrogressive decision of centralising the issuance =
of permits for political meetings. Contrary to previous practice, all =
permits will now have to be approved by the Inspector General of Police =
in Banjul. We consider this decision unacceptable as it can only =
undermine and frustrate the citizens right to mobilise and take =
effective part in the political process.
In the interest of peace, justice and progress we call on the Government =
to address these violations of the rights of the Gambian people. The =
UDP remains fully committed to ensuring that deviations from the =
constitution and abuse of the rights of the citizen are fully exposed to =
ensure proper remedial actions by the Government.
SECRETARIAT
25th. March, 1997
******NOTE*****
I tried to reproduce this text as accurately as possible. Any errors =
are solely mine and not that of the UDP leadership.
-YAMA
----- End of Forwarded message -----
********************************************************************************
Numukunda Darboe
Chemistry Dept.
University of Mississippi
(601) 232 5143 Lab
ndarboe@olemiss.edu
Home Page at: http://members.tripod.com/~ndarboe/
OLEMISS REBELS 1997 SEC WEST BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS
GO REBELS!!!!!!!
********************************************************************************
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 15:30:10 +0100
From: Andrea Klumpp <klumpp@kar.dec.com>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Gambian Education
Message-ID: <333A8472.2893@kar.dec.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Hello GambiaLers,
the list is very quiet at the moment - hope you are all enjoying your
easter break!
I tried to figure out the people who expressed their wish to join the
group dealing with support for Gambian education:
Abdou Oujimai
Al Mballow
Andrea Klumpp
Francis Njie
Haddijatou Secka
J. Gaye
Malanding S. Jaiteh
Momodou Jagana
Musa Sowe
Nkoyo ...(?)
Pa-Mambuna O. Bojang
Please let me know, if you are interested but don't find your name on
the list or if I added you falsely.
Momodou Camara, what about your joining the group? Thanks for your
invaluable information on the possibility to ship medical/schooling
material through Gambias venner, Per Hausmann of Denmark. I hope that at
least we people residing in Europe can make use of it in future.
A friend of mine is leaving for The Gambia on Saturday 29 and will take
the stuff I collected. I arranged with Omar S. Saho to pick it up and
bring it to The Gambia College, such that this one-time donation is on
its way.
I'm looking forward to the further development of this initiative of
ours, wishing you all a happy Easter.
Andrea
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 09:32:25 -0800 (PST)
From: Ylva Hernlund <yher@u.washington.edu>
To: Numukunda Darboe <ndarboe@sunset.backbone.olemiss.edu>
Cc: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>, ;
Subject: Re: UDP PRESS RELEASE
Message-ID: <Pine.A41.3.95b.970327093157.27000B-100000@dante04.u.washington.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Does anyone on the list have more information about the "Greenland"
incident?
On Thu, 27 Mar 1997, Numukunda Darboe wrote:
>
>
> PRESS RELEASE
> The United Democratic Party (UDP) welcomes the appointment of a Vice =
> President in conformity with the requirements of the constitution. =
> Whilst we welcome the recent development, the UDP continues to be =
> particularly concerned about the persistent violations of the rule of =
> the law which undermine the very essence of democratic rule, good =
> governance and the respect for human rights.
>
> The recent arrest and charging of 15 UDP supporters in Jarra West is the =
> latest in a series of actions perpetrated by the authorities against UDP =
> supporters and sympathisers. It will be recalled that similar waves of =
> politically motivated arrests had followed both the Presidential and the =
> National Assembly Elections. We consider these and similar actions a =
> serious violation of the right of the citizen to participate freely in =
> the political activities of this country.
>
> In another case the police recently attacked and brutalised innocent =
> civilians in "Greenland" (behind old customs building) for no apparent =
> reason. It will be recalled that similar Police attacks on UDP =
> supporters who arrived to Welcome the Party Leader on his arrival from =
> Botswana took place on 2nd. March, 1997. We are particularly concerned =
> about the level of highhandedness of the security forces particularly =
> the police in this and similar cases. We call on the authorities to =
> have these and other incidents of police brutality thoroughly =
> investigated and those responsible be brought before the law. The =
> report of any such investigation should be made public.
>
> We continue to witness arbitrary dismissals and demotions of government =
> employees, acts that are very much reminiscent of the era of military =
> dictatorship. The UDP candidate for Jimara constituency Mr. SAIHOU =
> MBALLOW was dismissed from his job after the National Assembly Election =
> even though he had obtained a leave of absence inorder to contest the =
> elections. The recent case involving some police officers Messrs Juju =
> Fadera, Kutubo Suburu and others, once again reflects the complete lack =
> of respect for the rights of Government employees. The punishments in =
> the form of demotions and transfers taken against these officers relate =
> to the nomination of UDP candidate for Jarra West Constituency, =
> Honourable Kemeseng Jammeh.
>
> We find these actions unacceptable and request that Government =
> reinstates all those who have been wrongfully dismissed from service =
> forthwith, restore ranks to those who have been demoted in the interest =
> of justice and respect for the dignity and the reputation of the =
> victims. We urge the Government in the interest of justice to desist =
> from such practices in the future.
>
> There are a number of cases involving people whose travel documents has =
> been seized during the transition. Attempts to obtain these has proven =
> futile. This deliberate restriction on the free movement of the =
> citizens is in flagrant violation of their rights. These people have =
> committed no crime and some of them who had to pass through the =
> commissions have done so. The continued retention of travel documents =
> is unwarranted and can only be interpreted as another attempt to =
> frustrate their efforts to start a new life. We urge Government to put =
> an end to this practice so that citizens can go about their business =
> without undue restriction.
>
> Similarly there are cases of people whose bank accounts have been frozen =
> since 1994. Some of these people have not been found guilty by any of =
> the Commissions of Inquiry. We find the continued freeze on their bank =
> accounts completely unjust and unjustifiable: we call on the authorities =
> to lift the order so that these people can have access to their =
> accounts.
>
> Finally there is the retrogressive decision of centralising the issuance =
> of permits for political meetings. Contrary to previous practice, all =
> permits will now have to be approved by the Inspector General of Police =
> in Banjul. We consider this decision unacceptable as it can only =
> undermine and frustrate the citizens right to mobilise and take =
> effective part in the political process.
>
> In the interest of peace, justice and progress we call on the Government =
> to address these violations of the rights of the Gambian people. The =
> UDP remains fully committed to ensuring that deviations from the =
> constitution and abuse of the rights of the citizen are fully exposed to =
> ensure proper remedial actions by the Government.
>
> SECRETARIAT
> 25th. March, 1997
>
>
> ******NOTE*****
>
> I tried to reproduce this text as accurately as possible. Any errors =
> are solely mine and not that of the UDP leadership.
>
> -YAMA
>
>
> ----- End of Forwarded message -----
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ********************************************************************************
>
> Numukunda Darboe
> Chemistry Dept.
> University of Mississippi
> (601) 232 5143 Lab
> ndarboe@olemiss.edu
> Home Page at: http://members.tripod.com/~ndarboe/
>
>
> OLEMISS REBELS 1997 SEC WEST BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS
> GO REBELS!!!!!!!
>
> ********************************************************************************
>
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 10:41:24 -0800 (PST)
From: "A. Loum" <tloum@u.washington.edu>
To: Gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Senegalese students clash again with police (fwd)
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.95.970327104109.25287B-100000@saul6.u.washington.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 8:11:59 PST
From: Reuters <C-reuters@clari.net>
Newsgroups: clari.world.africa.western, clari.news.protests,
clari.news.education.higher, clari.news.education
Subject: Senegalese students clash again with police
DAKAR, Senegal (Reuter) - Students at Senegal's Dakar
university clashed again Thursday with police they want to oust
from the university campus, witnesses said.
Students joined by high school pupils dragged tires into
several streets in the capital and set them ablaze after pulling
off the main gate to the university.
Riot police using tear gas moved in but no serious violence
was immediately reported.
Students, boycotting classes since last week for better
working and living conditions, are demanding the departure of
police from the campus.
The students, who clashed with police last week, are backed
by university teachers who went on strike Thursday for housing
grants.
``We think that the right place of the police should be
outside the campus not inside,'' Abdoulaye Sow, a second-year
law student said.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 1997 04:25:27 JST +900
From: binta@iuj.ac.jp
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: Gambian Education
Message-ID: <199703271918.EAA21039@mlsv.iuj.ac.jp>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Andrea,
I hope I could be of some use to the 'education group'. Please, count
me in.
Lamin Drammeh (Japan).
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 17:41:44 -0500 (EST)
From: Raye Sosseh <gt8065b@prism.gatech.edu>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: Gambian Education
Message-ID: <199703272241.RAA14544@acmez.gatech.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Andrea,
You can add me to the list.
**************************************************************
* Raye Sosseh *
* George Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering *
* Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332 *
* Internet: gt8065b@prism.gatech.edu *
* *
* Quote of the week *
* ----------------- *
* "If at first you succeed, don't take any more *
* stupid chances." *
**************************************************************
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Mar 1996 13:26:42 JST +900
From: binta@iuj.ac.jp
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: Gambian Education
Message-ID: <199703280426.NAA24409@mlsv.iuj.ac.jp>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Andrea,
I hope I could be of some use to the 'education group'. Please, sign
me on.
Lamin Drammeh
Japan.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 1997 09:53:43 +0000
From: momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou)
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: Gambian Education
Message-ID: <19970328085430.AAA16668@LOCALNAME>
Andrea,
Please add me to the list.
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: Fri, 28 Mar 1997 22:05:39 +1000
From: momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou)
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: observer online 1st issue Part 3
Message-ID: <19970328210631.AAA23820@LOCALNAME>
The Band was hit by financial problems and could not record for the
next 12 years. Luck came in 1985 when they released the best -
selling double album for SARRO AND SAMALA.<BR> In 1995 the new Sedhiou
Band left for a promotional tour of Europe, to Spain, France, Italy
and Germany. From Europe, they flew direct to Banjul for what was
initially going to be a 21 day stay. The band was based in
Banjulinding Village. The 21 day stay lasted 12 months. Sedhiou Band
made contacts and new friends. These 12 months won them thousands of
fans all over The Gambia. It has signed a contract with Ousman
Ceesay of Kerewan sounds production and distribution for the recording
and marketing of a 12 track double album, volumes 1 and 2. They have
already finished recording the cassette at Studio 2000 in Dakar.
According to Lamin Sawaneh and D.J Focks of Kerewan Distribution, the
album will be out in a few weeks.<BR> Good Friday Is Good: Let Us
Appreciate It<BR> <P> by Lawrence Kweku Yamuah<BR> <P> Good Friday is
a day that Christians mourn their Saviour who was crucified on the
cross. In those days, to be crucified was suggestive of the fact that
one was a thief. So the Saviour was maltreated just as they will do a
thief. If such an inhuman and disrespectful treatment was meted to the
King of kings one should wonder why that day is still remembered
generation after generation as "Good Friday." But it is a very
historic day in our salvation as Christians.<BR> It is very important
to remember this day because the Lord of lords laid down His life for
us at a time when we were still hard core sinners. He did not wait for
us to make up our minds to be holy before he decided to save us. That
is one reason why Good Friday is good.<BR> On this important and Good
Friday, our Saviour Jesus Christ did things that no one has ever done
before; He overcame. Until that time, every soul was scared stiff of
that dreadful and awful thing called death. Because the concept of
life after death was not well understood, the fear of death was even
deepened. That costly death of Christ however made a very big
difference or impact on life after death. He Himself has said again
and again that death is not the end of life, but the beginning of
another life of bliss. Saint Paul in his letter to the Corinthians
wrote that "death is destroyed; victory is complete. Where death, is
your power to hurt."<BR> <P> But as He conquered death going through
the bitter shame and sorrow that has never happened before, what did
we do and what are we doing. We rather make the Saviours pity plea in
vain by showing Him through our sins that we are more interested in
"all of ourselves and none of Him." Irrespective of that, He still
went ahead and found us. We all beheld Him bleeding on the accursed
tree and heard Him pray: forgive them, Father. It is at the
remembrance of this that for some of us our wistful hearts say
faintly: "Some of self, and some of the Lord." But we all know from,
the teachings that some of us is really not enough to go by.<BR> As
His tender mercy is shown to us day by day through healing, helping
full and free, sweet and strong, prosperity, protection and guidance,
health and strength, let us take a bold and complete step forward. As
we do that let us lower ourselves and whisper to the Lord: "Less of
ourselves and more of Thee." And considering the fact that His love
shown to us is higher than the highest heavens and deeper than the
deepest sea, let us try to be grateful and thankful and try to do more
of His will. Again, since His love has at last conquered every sinful
and troubling aspect of life, let us pray that He grants us our
supplication so that we can make a bold step towards: "None of
ourselves, and all of the Lord." In His confiding love, let us seek
His face, worship and adore Him for His wondrous grace.<BR> For forty
days and forty nights, the good Lord fasted in the wilderness, was
tempted though undefiled just to save us from our sins. That is why
Good Friday is good and should be perceived that way. As He fasted all
the days through scorching sunbeams, chilly drops of dew in the night,
prowling beasts, perhaps using the earth as His bed and stones as His
pillow, our father looked on and did nothing when He was being
persecuted for our sake.<BR> I hope now we can appreciate His
suffering for us, we will be able and willing to share the endurance
and abstain from our earthly greed. And whether Satan be angry with us
or not, we should be able to stand firm and not fail.<BR> When you are
put down by disappointments or when everything you wanted fails don't
give up. The devil will want to keep you down, but God will lift you
up. If you want to make a fool of somebody, you have to think twice.
Do you really know what you will be doing? If we really and truly
appreciate what Christ did for us, there is one of many ways that we
can show it. And that is to love Him and love one another; one of the
conditions for being Jesus' friend.<BR> It is my fervent prayer, that
the all merciful Lord who cares for the dying will rescue those of us
who are perishing, and snatch us in pity from sin and the grave as
well as lifting up those who are falling. Now that there is victory
over satan's power, let all the ransomed sing and triumph in the dying
hour through Christ the Lord our King, because He had made Good Friday
a good day. for all this and the beauty of the earth and skies and for
the love which from our birth have been over and around us, let us
raise our sacrifice of praise unto our Gracious God. Because He is
kind and His mercies are forever faithful and sure, let us praise the
Lord with a gladsome mind.<BR> Apart form everything else, by carrying
our shame on the cross, he has made Good Friday good. Let us
therefore, with joyful voices give glory to His grace. We should also
remember that He now stands knocking at the fast-closed door of every
sinners heart. Sinners like me and you do not need to keep Him out any
more or force Him to depart. In lowly patience and tears on His face,
He is still knocking and waiting and with a gentle voice still
pleading more than ever before that we let Him into our hearts. In
meek and lowly accents he pleads that He died for us so why can't we
with shame and sorrow open the door for the Saviour and ask Him never
to leave us. If nothing else, let us remember His grief and pain as He
died for us with love that passeth all knowledge and understanding
making Good Friday good.<BR> <P> 35 Youths Stand Trial For Allegedly
Causing Damage To <BR> Stadium<BR> <P> by Momodou .L. Jaiteh<BR> <P>
Thirty-five young men on Wednesday, 26 March, 1997 re-appeared before
the Kanifing magistrates' court charged with various offences,
including damage to the Independence Stadium.<BR> In adducing
evidence, Police Prosecutor Ceesay of Serekunda Police Station said
the accused persons, on Sunday 23 February, 1997 at the Independence
Stadium in Bakau, during Youssou N'dour's show, jointly conducted
themselves in a manner that could lead to public disorder, thereby
violating the Laws of The Gambia. He added that the accused persons
also wilfully and jointly obstructed the police Intervention force by
stoning them while they were executing their lawful duties. They were
further accused of causing damage to the stadium.<BR> When the charges
were read in court during the last sitting, all the accused persons
pleaded not guilty.<BR> In testifying before the court, prosecution
witness, Cadet Inspector Alhagi Nouha Manneh, told how he and his
colleagues were on guard when the accused started misbehaving. He said
he had advised everybody to be in the queue before getting inside.
<BR> <P> "Some people followed the instructions while the accused
persons did not," he alleged. Instead, he said the accused, most of
whom he said were without tickets, broke the gate near the score board
and attempted sneaking in.<BR> Upon seeing them, Mr. Manneh said he
personally approached them to ask them out but they started uttering
all sorts of words. He said at that point, he called his colleagues to
come so that the situation could be contained. <BR> However, Mr.
Manneh added, the accused went to the extent of throwing stones at
them and as a result, some of them sustained injuries.<BR> During
cross-examination, some of the accused persons put it to Mr. Manneh
that they were not arrested by him personally and that they were not
involved. Others said they were arrested even though they bought
tickets to get in. <BR> Mr. Manneh, however, maintained that all those
arrested must have been involved, which was the reason why they were
brought to court.<BR> The case, which was presided over by Magistrate
Sulayman Batchilly, was adjourned to April 3,1997 for further
hearing.<BR> <P> STARS FOR MARCH 27<BR> ARIES<BR> (March 21 to April
20)<BR> Following hot on the heels of yesterday's transforming
Sun/Pluto ray the heavens offer up the star of love, Venus, in divine
alignment with the planet of sex, Pluto. The effects of this can be
perfectly devastating for your affairs of the heart in the nicest
possible way.<BR> <P> TAURUS<BR> (April 21 to May 21)<BR> The chances
of fate intervening in your love life is more likely due to the power
of Venus and Pluto. It is hard to predict how it will precisely
happen, but be prepared for anything like a chance meeting or
something extraordinary to throw you into somebody special's arms.<BR>
<P> GEMINI<BR> (May 22 to June 21)<BR> You are about to come under the
influence of a pretty incredible woman, who will take your life by the
scruff of the neck and turn your future into something super special.
The force of this female is subtle but nonetheless transforming for
you. She is a fiercely faithful friend.<BR> <P> CANCER<BR> (June 22 to
July 23)<BR> A complete and utter head to toe metamorphosis of your
image is required to bring you the success you crave for. Power
dressing is very much in fashion for you now, as the first impressions
you create in your career spell the difference between success and
failure.<BR> <P> LEO<BR> (July 24 to Aug. 23)<BR> You have more luck
in the heavens than you can handle but the most important thing is to
be aware it is there! Your destiny us about to change gear and throw
your situation and set ups that will alter your world making it
unrecognisable in the future, Just don't fight fate.<BR> <P> VIRGO<BR>
(Aug. 24 to Sept. 23)<BR> If you thought yesterday's vibes were pretty
sexy, then today's are even more seductive and sensual. Of course you
may not be aware that you are hot stuff but the vibes you give out
will leave folk transfixed in your passionate presence. Make love
whilst Venus and Pluto shine!.<BR> <P> LIBRA <BR> (Aug. 24 to Oct.
23)<BR> What becomes of the broken hearted? According to your stars
they get mended again! No, this is not some frivolous statement it is
a fact that whether you get back together with the love of your life
or you meet somebody new and fascinating, you won't lose anything now
Libra.<BR> <P> SCORPIO<BR> (Oct. 24 to Nov. 22<BR> Your personal
allure is always something to burn holes in the heart of those who
love you and adore you. But this time the magic can work in unexpected
areas like employment. In other words you can mesmerise folk around
you professionally giving you great powers over all.<BR> <P>
SAGITTARIUS<BR> (Nov. 23 to Dec. 21)<BR> When it comes to having an
enchanting and sexy personality you take some beating today! You exude
an enigmatic charm and incredible passion that will take people's
breath away. If you are clever you will use this potent power to
progress and advance your self interests.<BR> <P> CAPRICORN<BR> (Dec.
22 to Jan. 20)<BR> A female relative is a tower of strength and will
help you out of a large emotional hole, possibly one you have dug
yourself. You need the advice and guidance of a person who is totally
in control so yield to this woman's greater force and let her take
your life in hand.<BR> <P> AQUARIUS<BR> (Jan. 21 to Feb. 19)<BR> The
power and influence you have over other folk with your ideas and
hypnotic presence puts you in the driving seat in more ways than you
can imagine. You have the ear of people who can help your cause so
communicate your thoughts as someone, somewhere is listening just to
you.<BR> <P> PISCES<BR> (Feb. 20 to March 20)<BR> Whether you are
about to win some money on the lottery, pools or at bingo cash does
seem to have an irresistible and magnetic quality towards you today.
Because fate plays such funny tricks it's hard to know how it will
land in your lap but prepare for a windfall of some kind.<BR> <P> YOU
BORN TODAY <BR> Your image and personality is out of this world! Use
this year to make something of yourself and just watch offers flood in
in love, career and money.<BR> <P> </BODY> </HTML>
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 1997 22:05:40 +1000
From: momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou)
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: observer online 1st issue part 1
Message-ID: <19970328210631.AAB23820@LOCALNAME>
This message is in three parts
*********************************************************************
Date sent: Fri, 28 Mar 1997 15:27:31 -0500
From: sankung sawo <sankungsawo@compuserve.com>
Subject: observer online 1st issue
To: "A S. Janneh" <ASJanneh@aol.com>
Copies to: "Camara, Momodou" <momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk>
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE> type_Document_Title_here </TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
Reshuffle The Cabinet<BR>
<P>
Hamat Bah Urges President Jammeh<BR>
<P>
by Sheriff Bojang<BR>
<P>
The leader of the National Reconciliation Party (NRP), Hamat Bah, has
called on President Jammeh to reshuffle his cabinet and appoint a new
one, "that will suit the current needs of the country".<BR>
Mr Bah stated his party's displeasure at the appointment of Isatou
Njie-Saidy as the new vice president on the grounds that "given the
President's unfamiliarity with economic matters, he should appoint a
vice president who is fine-tuned to monetary and financial matters, up
to international level". He therefore called on the President to
effect an immediate cabinet re-shuffle, drawing from the "vast" pool
of able Gambian technocrats and taking cognisance of regional and
ethnic considerations.<BR> At a press conference yesterday afternoon,
the NRP leader said the key concern of the current administration
should be the "restructuring and reshaping of the economy". But this,
he opined, cannot be achieved in the absence of technocrats of a high
calibre in the Cabinet. "With the exception of the Secretary of State
for Finance and Economic Affairs, there is no one in the current
Cabinet who is versed in high level economic and financial matters,"
he alleged.<BR> Quizzed as to whether he is calling for a blanket
reshuffle, Mr Bah replied: "Some Cabinet members are good. I am
pleased that Dominic Mendy and Musa Mbenga are retained". He also
countenanced the retention of Edward Singhatey, Satang Jow, Yankuba
Touray, "though he may not be very popular", and Isatou Njie-Saidy,
"other Secretary of State portfolio."<BR> He however criticised the
re-appointment of the Secretary of State for Tourism and Culture.
Asked to explain, Mr Bah retorted, "her handling of the Aquasun saga,
which led to the death of Dutch tourism in this country is enough
reason to replace her." <BR> Hamat Bah averred that the leverage for
the President to freely appoint the Cabinet, is premised on the
discretion of his wisdom to select the best people suited to the
various tasks. He urged the President to reshuffle the Cabinet and
effect the new "wise" changes, choosing "independent" people.<BR> The
NRP leader also urged President Jammeh to commission a "national
reconciliation committee" which will be singularly charged with
"bringing back peace, unity and reconciliation in this country".<BR>
As a further measure to encourage "national reconciliation" he
appealed to
Government to re-instate civil servants who were dismissed "because
they worked with Jawara".
He also called for a halt to the "destruction" being allegedly
wrought on Gambian businesses by the commissions of enquiry.<BR>
"Rather than killing Gambian companies, Government should give
encouragement to businesses." He cited the success of Amadou Samba and
Gamsen and the "excellent work" they did on the airport as the trend
Government should adopt towards Gambian companies, although he
maintained the project was "costly".<BR> On the country's foreign
policy direction he said: "It is too pro-Arab. We need to look West
too, because even the Arabs depend on the West. I am not saying that
we become slaves to the West. I am simply stating that we need
balance...and re-direction in our international relationships".<BR>
Digressing on the recent hike in the fee for National Identity cards,
he tersely described it as "state robbery" of the citizens. Mr Bah
also called for a tumble down of the institution of chieftaincy with a
view to making the office elective on party political basis.<BR> The
press conference was attended by NRP officials.<BR>
<BR>
<P>
Belgian Theologian Preaches At Retreat<BR>
<P>
by T.G.G Senghore<BR>
<P>
A distinguished Belgian theologian, the Rev. Fr. Herman De Vriendt,
C.I.C.M., was in The Gambia over the last week-end to preach at a
Retreat organised by the members of the St. Anthony of Padua Prayer
Group of St. Therese's Parish, Kanifing.<BR> Fr. Herman, who is
Flemish (Dutch) speaking, is a member of the Congregation of the
Immaculate Heart of Mary. Presently, he resides in Dakar, Senegal,
and is the local Provincial (Head) of his order which has 13 priests
serving in Senegal - mainly in the suburbs of Dakar and in the Diocese
of St Louis in the towns of Podor and Matam, on the River Senegal, and
in the city of St. Louis itself.<BR> An accomplished Linguist, Fr.
Herman, who is 56 years old, speaks eight languages - Dutch, English,
French, Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Wollof and Lingala - spoken in Zaire and
Congo.<BR> The Retreat was conducted entirely in Wollof and very good
Wollof at that. Virtually all the participants were amazed at Fr.
Herman's diction. His intonation is so good that one could scarcely
realise that it is a European speaking without actually seeing him.
Fr. Herman, who has so far spent 10 years in Senegal, undertook Wollof
courses in Dakar University and says that he received tremendous
assistance from the catechists, especially in the area of liturgical
vocabulary. Presently, he is heading a "PROJECT WOLLOF" secretariat
which is translating devotional works into wollof.<BR> <P> The
Retreat, which focused on the nature of the church and its role in the
light on the teachings of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), was a
great success. Some of the documents of the Council were examined and
those pertaining to relations with other Christians and peoples of
Non-Christian faiths generated a lot of interest. <BR> Participants
were divided into syndicates to examine specific issues and report
back to the plenary.<BR> A useful outcome of the visit was the
introduction to Gambians of a new form of the Stations of the Cross in
Wollof. This version bases the commentary for each Station on the
scriptural texts. There are four variants based on texts from the
Synoptic Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Another Novel
feature is that several people (actors) perform the different roles
assigned to them. The participants at the Retreat performed the
devotion last Friday in the garden of the St Joseph's Convent,
Kanifing, where the Retreat was held. I must say that it was great
and very well received.<BR> Fr. Herman was accompanied by Mr Gontran
Mendy - a member of the "Project Wollof" Secretariat and Choirmaster
of the parish church at Diamaguene. He taught the participants some
new hymns in Wollof and English. Mr Mendy is evidently a great
musician.<BR> The Retreat ended last Sunday evening and Fr. Herman and
party returned to Dakar on Monday.<BR> <P> Red Cross Volunteers Need
Training<BR> - D.S. Kamara<BR> <P> by Ebrima Fatty<BR> <P> The
programme coordinator of The Gambia Red Cross Society, D.S. Kamara,
has said that Red Cross volunteers need to be trained to enable them
to effectively face up to their responsibilities.<BR> Mr Kamara was
speaking during the closing ceremony of a three-day workshop recently
held at the Greater Banjul Junior Secondary School.<BR> In his speech,
Mr Kamara said the workshop was an indication that the training of
volunteers was not only confined to the Red Cross Headquarters, but
also to members of Red Cross in schools. He promised that such
training workshops would continue in other schools.<BR> Speaking
during the closing ceremony, the acting branch officer of the KSMD
branch, Momodou Lamin Jobe, reiterated the importance of training. He
called on the participants to take the workshop seriously.<BR>
Several members of the school's Red Cross Society took part in the
workshop. Among those present were the deputy headmaster of the
Greater Banjul Junior Secondary School, Mr Colley, and a group of
Peace Corps Volunteers who attended as volunteers.<BR> <P> Farato
Alkalo's Son Sentenced For Illegal Tree Felling<BR> <P> by Sheikh Omar
Joof<BR> <P> The Brikama Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, March 19,
1997 convicted and sentenced, one Nfally Bojang, said to be the son of
the Alkalo of Farato, to one year's imprisonment for illegal tree
felling.<BR> According to the charge sheet, Nfally Bojang on February
3, 1997, trespassed the government's forest park at Kabafita without
license or permission and therein illegally fell down Gmelina trees
which he later converted into fencing posts.<BR> Prosecution witnesses
Momodou Badjie, Yusupha Sampha, and Mr Saidy the forest scouts, all
testified before the court that Nfally Bojang fell some logs from the
Kabafita forest which he sold to one Mr Njie, a soldier, to be used as
fence posts.<BR> Prosecution witness Badjie said that after seeing the
logs in Mr Njie's compound and confirming who brought them there, he
went to the Alkalo's compound to ask for Nfally Bojang where he also
found some more logs standing around the compound. "I asked the
Alkalo who brought the logs standing round the compound?," he
added.<BR> The Alkalo, he further said, replied that it was his son
(Nfally) who brought the logs to fence the compound. "However, all
the logs including the ones standing round the compound have been
recovered," Mr Badjie said.<BR> Presiding Magistrate Musa Y. Gassama,
in passing judgement, asked the Alkalo if he knew where his son Nfally
got the logs from, the Alkalo replied 'yes' but said his (son) said he
found the logs in the bush.<BR> The magistrate also asked the Alkalo
if he had reported the matter to the forest scouts to which he replied
in the negative and added that he advised Nfally not to do it
again.<BR> At this juncture, Magistrate Gassama said that the forest
belongs to the Gambians and therefore we should take great care of it
rather than destroying it without any reason. He therefore convicted
and sentenced accordingly without any fine.<BR> <P> Accused Stands
Trial For Drug Charges<BR> <P> by Alhagie Abdoulie Fatty<BR> <P> One
Joe Tijan Gibba, a 31-year old man recently appeared before the
Brikama magistrates' court for allegedly being in possession of 8kg
574g 020mg of cannabis sativa commonly known as 'Jamba."<BR> The
prosecution said that on December 12, 1996 at about 2:45pm ,Yaya
Sanneh of Brikama police station and a colleague, 1107 Bojang were
going to Banjul in their station vehicle and while at the Gambia
College area, they saw a vehicle with registration number G2A 0094
coming towards Brikama. "We stopped on the highway to stop the said
vehicle but the driver made a U-turn and took the route to the
bush," he said.<BR> <P> He added that they chased the suspected
vehicle through the Bafuloto road and from a distance, they saw the
vehicle stop and one of the boys in the vehicle ran away into the
bush.' I went to the driver of the vehicle and asked him where he was
driving to and why he was avoiding us."<BR> Yaya told the court that
he asked for the driver's licence and the name of the boy who ran
away. "I asked him to allow me to search the vehicle and when I opened
the booth, I saw 11 wraps of suspected cannabis sativa in a blue bag
and another white bag containing 5 wraps of the said suspected
substance.The prosecutor added that thereafter, the accused was
reprimanded and taken to the Brikama police station with the seized
items.<BR> The bags were tendered in evidence and were marked and
admitted as exhibits.<BR> In his testimony ,the accused pleaded not
guilty. The case was adjourned to March 25 ,for further hearing.<BR>
<P> THREE WOMEN APPEAR IN COURT FOR AFFRAY<BR> <P> By Rowland
Secka<BR> <P> Three women, Jarra Demba, Mariama Sohna and Mariama
Sowe, all of Bakau Senehaba, were on Monday March 24, 1997 charged
with affray and arraigned before the Kanifing Magistrates Court.<BR>
In adducing evidence against them, the prosecutor PC 489 Jaharteh,
said that Sohna's husband, had a child with Mariama Sowe and that for
sometimes,they had been quarelling and fighting each other. PC
Jaharteh added that their complaint is always lodged by either one of
them. He also stated that on March 2 ,1997, Mariama Sowe, went to
report at the Bakau Police Station that both Jarra Demba and Mariama
Sohna jointly assaulted her.<BR> However, P.C. Jaharteh said that when
the Police investigated the matter, it was discovered that all of them
fought and were consequently charged with affray and fighting in
public places.<BR> When the charges were read to them, all of them
pleaded guilty, but denied that they fought in a public place. Due to
the fact that they denied fighting in a public place, the Magistrate
O.N. Brisibi, adjourned the case till April 1, 1997 for further
hearing.<BR> All three were granted bail in the sum of D200 each and
their behaviour was described as "rude" by the magistrate.The case was
presided over by Magistrate O.N. Brisibi.<BR> <P> Fire Destroys Imam's
Compound in Siwoll Village<BR> <P> by M.L. Drammeh<BR> <P> The entire
Compound of the Imam of Siwoll Village in Foni Bintang-Karanai
Constituency, Ansumana Gibba, was destroyed in a recent fire disaster
in which he sustained burns on parts of his body.<BR> Disclosing this
to the Daily Observer during an interview on Friday, the Imam
explained in an emotional mood that all his household items had been
completely Burnt. <BR> "Nothing! nothing absolutely! was left of my
belongings, or the belongings of a single member of my entire family,"
he lamented.<BR> According to the Imam, there was not a single person
left in his compound when he was going to lead the Magrib prayers at
the mosque. It was on his way back home, he narrated, that he saw
thick smoke and flames coming from the top of the roof of his house,
"then I immediately ran to the scene; before I arrived, the fire was
out of control." He further narrated how he helplessly stood watching
the fire destroy his house, all efforts to try to save some of his
belongings proved futile, as a result of this, he sustained some
serious burns on parts of his body. It was then he ran out shouting
and before a good turnout of people in the village could come to his
aid, it was too late as everything in the house had been burnt to
ashes.<BR> "At the time of the incident, my wife Fatou Badjie had gone
to attend a 40-day charity of a relative at a village called Batabut
Kantora, while the children had also gone to their peers in the
neighbourhood not knowing what was happening at that moment," the Imam
sorrowfully said. Imam Gibba disclosed that the accountable loss
included items such as foodstuff, beds, clothes, cooking utensils,
farming implements, and an amount of D1,700 in cash which was supposed
to be used to purchase corrugated iron sheets for his house. He said
that presently, he and his family are being squeezed into a very
congested house by the villagers who are even feeding there.<BR> As a
result of the disaster, the Imam is pleading for assistance from all
relief agencies and organisations, mosque groups, especially the
Islamic Ummah, and any concerned individual philanthropist either in
cash or kind, so to enable him to take care of the maintenance of his
family, reconstruct his compound and move over, to be able to perform
his religious obligations. <BR> <P> Worker Accused of Stealing From
Employer<BR> <P> by Alhagie Abdoulie Fatty<BR> <P> One Abdoulie
Trawally recently appeared before the Brikama Magistrates' Court
accused of stealing building and household materials from his
employee, one Saikou Jatta.<BR> The complainant, Saikou Jatta, said he
employed the accused on March 6, 1996 to bend irons for the
construction of a building he (the complainant) was erecting. He
however added that on January 18, 1997, he discovered a theft in his
compound.<BR> <P> He disclosed that when he noticed some of his
building and household materials were missing, he investigated on his
own and asked the accused whether he had any knowledge of the theft.
He alleged that "the accused said it was the plumber, one Lamin
Jammeh,, who stole the materials".<BR> The next day, he further
alleged, the accused took his key and opened the store and stole the
remaining items. "Later, I went to his (Trawally's) house and therein
I found my wife's knife and two cupboard elbows," he alleged. He
further disclosed that he then went and called the C.I.D. who came
along with him to the accused's house and therein, they found some of
the employer's items, but the other materials were not recovered.<BR>
He said he then made a statement at the Yundum Police Station. <BR>
In his plea, the employee Trawally, pleaded 'not guilty'. He was
granted bail in the sum of D5,000. The case was adjourned to March
24, 1997. <BR> <P> LETTERS FOR MARCH 27<BR> <P> "Man And His
Environment"<BR> <P> Mr Editor,<BR> <P> Man was not born with the
purpose to destroy but to construct. When you think constructively,
then there is a liability that you will build constructively. Truly
speaking nobody will come down to build our nation for us. We should
all stand up readily together as one at all times for the development
and maintenance of our nation. Always development goes with
maintenance. <BR> It is a fact that we are the very ones who make the
streets dirty but who are the ones to maintain it clean? Thanks to
those who concerned themselves on Environmental sanitation work,
which is geared toward preventing our Environment from pollution of
all sorts of things. When you go out in town you see with your eyes
the situation of our Environment. <BR> Cleansing departments cannot
do all the work, so something else must be done. When you imagine
the size of the town particularly Serrekunda, it needs the support of
the people in one way or the other. <BR> The truth is that, we must
take care of nature through which man was created and for which man
was created, and in which man is living. Nature has provided mankind
with everything he needs for his life. Nature provides for us the food
we eat. It also provides us the oxygen we breathe. Nature provide us
the oil we use for industrial purposes. So , mankind must respect
nature for all the provisions. Let us avoid polluting and destroying;
otherwise we will end up poisoning our life and finally kill
ourselves. <BR> An Environmental Sanitation work that is geared or
directed toward preventing our health condition is very essential in
mankind's daily life. We all need natural fresh air to breathe but
when this environment in which air circulates, is polluted, it becomes
dangerous to our life, so let us try to keep our surroundings clean
and free from contamination. <BR> I remain your reader.<BR> <P> Mamat
Cham<BR> <P> Please Let Sleeping Dogs Lie<BR> <P> Mr Editor<BR> <P>
Please let me express my sincere concerns about the interview with
the APRC General Secretary, Saihou Sanyang which appeared in your
Spotlight Column with Sheriff Bojang on March 21-23, 1997.<BR> My main
purpose for writing this letter is to advise Mr Sanyang and any other
person who may be granted interviews like these to be very careful not
to create an atmosphere of debates or commotions especially at this
time of reconciliation in our dear nation.<BR> Mr Sanyang, a very
respectful figure in the society, without even thinking what it might
cause, went all the way in making examples to say: "For example you
(the Daily Observer) put the UDP leader's return from a summit in
Botswana on the front page, while you put the appointment of a State
Secretary, Lamin Bajo on the back page." My God! I still shudder in
thinking of this serious allegation. What if the UDP leader had
reacted to this? Would that not create a state of commotion or
debates? After all the Daily Observer know their job, how they work
and what might sell their paper, and besides, although it is there for
the public, it is their own newspaper! I thought they once told us
how they work and what might sell their paper. Don't create commotion
to gain a name/recognition. As Pa Modou Faal said, "This is not the
time". <BR> I advise 'Let sleeping dogs lie very very low'.<BR> <P>
Ibra Gaye<BR> Kaur Wharf Town<BR> <P> Choice of Music<BR> <P> Mr
Editor<BR> <P> I wish to express my dissatisfaction on the choice of
music shown on Gambia Television on Saturday, March 22, which was
presented by Jainaba Nyang. I think such music should not shown on
TV, it is a bad example for little kids/teenagers to watch women
rolling their hips and bottoms to the rhythm of Zairean music in such
a provocative manner. Whatever children see they tend to copy and for
a programme like week-end magazine much is expected in terms of choice
of music. There are loads of other music that could have been used
instead.<BR> In future when selecting music for programmes please keep
in mind that children are watching, remember its the weekend and most
kids stay up till late watching TV.<BR> <P> Please lets be seen doing
what we preach. Our children must be taught good morals and not be
seen copying the Western culture or lifestyle.<BR> No hard feeling
Jainaba.<BR> Hamida Kamara<BR> <P> Well done, Darboe, Jatta<BR> <P> Mr
Editor<BR> <P> I write to commend UDP leader Ousainou Darboe and Sidia
Jatta, PDOIS member of the National Assembly for Wuli, on their
positive response on the appointment of the new Vice President, Isatou
Njie-Saidy.<BR> Contrary to what sceptics predicted, these two
gentlemen of our vibrant opposition minced no words in saying that
Isatou Njie-Saidy is a good choice. This indicates a level of
political maturity that is very admirable and is another feather to
the cap of Gambian politics. Indeed, this is the level of political
maturity we expect from all our politicians, both of the ruling and
opposition parties. If someone is good or does something good, we must
be honest enough to appreciate it.<BR> Of course, public fears that
our new VP is simply symbolic are well founded, but yet to be proved.
We hope our new VP will live up to our expectations of her, which are
very high.<BR> Ousman Drammeh<BR> Bakau<BR> <P> Tobacco Docked :
Inhumanity Looms<BR> <P> Within the law and with due regard for the
rights of others, there is the freedom to choose, to act and to be.
That freedom is the crying paradox associated with the booming
worldwide trade in tobacco products. Despite the claims and
counterclaims, the accusations and denials vis-a-vis the effects of
tobacco smoking on health, the habit continues unabated.<BR> Sighs of
relief are interspersed with spells of concern. While the
anti-tobacco campaigners go on their relentless drives, and, leaving
no stone unturned in the process, the tobacco lobby continues to
retain support, and, the tobacco industry with their millions, even
billions, go on to use the aid of sophisticated advertising techniques
to keep in business, to keep many hooked and exposed to whatever the
inevitable consequences of that association.<BR> There is the view
that some four hundred and twenty thousand deaths occur annually in
the United States as a result of tobacco related ailments. No doubt
other countries have their own statistics. In the nature of the
reactions to tobacco, figures cannot be sacrosanct, nor are they
agreed points of departure.<BR> For us in The Gambia, Alex Haley's
revisit of a past in his Roots is a vivid reminder of our
compatriots' traumatic and dehumanising involvement in the tobacco
fields of the Southern United States. That tobacco should still be a
significant crop there testifies to an entrenched engagement, and,
implies the economics of continuity and the rationalisation of the
irrational there. Of course, tobacco grows elsewhere and that adds to
the variations on the theme. Hence Cuba can revel in her prized
cigars.<BR> News of the tobacco company Legate's admission that
"nicotine is addictive and causes cancer", has come as a stunning blow
and a stab in the back to the large tobacco companies and the
pre-tobacco lobby. Legate's willingness to set aside twenty-five
percent of profits to support smoking related health care is evidence
of its unequivocal stand. Naturally, and true to form, others are not
taking this lying down. They are exploring avenues to seeing that
activated threat to survival countered. For, to bow to what some are
beginning to sense as the inevitable, will be the creeping death of
the industry, and, of the livelihood of the very many which derive
from it.<BR> That research evidence had been pointing to adverse
effects of smoking on health, which evidence had in many instances
been suppressed and not reacted to positively, leaves much to be
desired. That whilst thousands were said to be dying from tobacco
related ailments, the products were being aggressively advertised and
pushed, beat the imagination. Are jobs and profit morally justifiable
objects against human suffering and lingering death?<BR> Efforts made
to sensitise people about the possible dangers to health that might
derive from smoking, the ban placed on smoking by airlines and in
public places, but above all, the stance taken and the example given
by Legate, deserve commendation. May good sense deriving from
reverence for life go on to prevail.<BR> <P> Speaking Out<BR> <P> One
of the world's most powerful and aloof leaders, Indonesia's Suharto
offers a rare and vibrant defense of his reign - the longest of any
leader in Asia. <BR> <P> by Ron Moreau<BR> <P> When president Suharto
speaks, he generally holds forth from on high - a lofty speech from
the presidential podium. Indonesia's proud patriarch is one of the
world's most powerful and least accessible rulers. Yet there is so
much to ask, as the 75-year-old president approaches his 33rd year in
office. In a rare interview with NEWSWEEK, Suharto answered the
sporadic questions about his health just by his appearance. Dressed
in a dark Western suit, he looked fit and relaxed, and offered a
confident and spirited defense of his reign - the longest of any
leader in Asia.<BR> <P> Suharto's is an epic story, and a tricky one.
Most leaders who rule so long are autocrats who ultimately run their
countries into the ground; Suharto yanked the world's fourth most
populous nation out of poverty and political chaos, a record for which
he is widely admired. But by last summer rising incomes had created a
new middle class - and rising hopes that the "father of development,"
as Suharto is known, would loosen his political grip. Rallies for
opposition leader Megawati Sukarnoputri dissolved, under pressure of a
police crackdown, into the worst rioting Jakarta had seen in decades.
In his comments to NEWSWEEK, Suharto warned that such riots "must not
happen again." A few days later, as if to drive home the point,
authorities jailed opposition politician Sri Bintang Pamungkas for
advocating a boycott of May parliamentary elections.<BR> Suharto was
accused last summer of failing even to listen to his people - yet
clearly he's listening now. He declared himself "fully aware of the
dangers of corruption" - a main wellspring of middle-class discontent.
He volunteered a vigorous rebuttal to what Indonesian political
analyst Juwono Sudarsono calls "the popular perception that the income
gap is wide and will last a long time." In recent months, this
perception has helped fuel deadly riots in poor ethnic communities of
the Indonesian hinterlands, particularly West Kalimantan, and Suharto
made clear his concern. Though he defended his administration against
charges that it is too cozy with big business, he emphasised that big
business would be made to help alleviate the woes of the poor. And he
proudly touted a "national family-prosperity" program that (unlike
China's more draconian efforts) has succeeded in controlling an
immense population without coercion.<BR> Indonesia's transformation
has been so dramatic, it could hardly have avoided upheaval. Consider
even the bright side. Just in the last two years, the number of
middle-class families (defined as those making more than $500 a month)
has increased by two thirds and now makes up 21 percent of the urban
population. As these newly minted consumers enter the shopping class,
sales skyrocket; the number of people who own motorcycles has gone up
83 percent since 1995. Moreover, many of these urban workers are
sending money back to relatives in the countryside, where one can now
see cement houses and satellite dishes sprouting among the huts.
Having more, however, has not stopped Indonesians from demanding more
from Suharto. It is the children of prosperity, says Sudarsono, who
are most critical of Suharto, most impatient for "political
liberalisation."<BR> The question that dogs any septuagenarian leader
is the succession question, and watching Suharto's next move has
become a global cottage industry. Many Indonesians would like Suharto
to step aside for a younger man, but those who know him well are
convinced he'll stand for yet another five-year term in 1998. Suharto
has not tipped his hand, but he did tell NEWSWEEK that "this
generation of leaders has played its role in ensuring Indonesia's
stability." Among Suharto watchers, the use of the past tense will be
enough to trigger a new round of conjecture. Was it a hint that he's
getting ready to pass on the reins of power?<BR> Culled from
Newsweek<BR>
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 1997 22:05:41 +1000
From: momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou)
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: observer online 1st issue part 2
Message-ID: <19970328210631.AAC23820@LOCALNAME>
he's getting ready to pass on the reins of power?<BR> Culled from
Newsweek<BR> <P> Yeltsin Puts Brave Face On Helsinki Summit<BR> <P>
MOSCOW, (Reuter) <BR>
Boris Yeltsin, accused by opponents of capitulating over NATO
expansion during last week's summit with Bill Clinton, said on
Wednesday that cooperation with the West was the only sensible way
forward.<BR>
"Will the danger be reduced if we return to the way of mutual
threats? No, on the contrary, it will grow! We do not intend to
return to that path. Our choice is cooperation and mainly
economic," Yeltsin said in a nationwide radio address.<BR> The
Kremlin leader acknowledged that he had been unable to persuade
the U.S. president that NATO's plan to take in some of Moscow's
former communist allies was a mistake.<BR> But he said Russia had
made important gains at the two-day summit in the Finnish capital
on March 20 and 21.<BR> These included a NATO pledge not to move
nuclear weapons on to the territory of new members, not to
threaten Russian security with military movements to the East and
agreement to produce a future binding document on relations
between NATO and Russia, he said.<BR> More controversially,
Yeltsin said Clinton had made concessions on anti-ballistic
missile defences and promised that Russia "will become a full
member" of the Group of Seven leading industrial nations.<BR>
Analysts have said it was Russia which made concessions on the
missile defences issue and U.S. officials have said that,
although the next G7 summit will be called "the Summit of the
Eight," Russia will still be excluded from some discussions.<BR>
On the economic side, Yeltsin noted that Clinton had agreed to
help press for Russia to join the World Trade Organisation in
1998, helping to lower customs barriers against Russian
goods.<BR>
<P>
"This year Russia will join the Paris Club. It will help us get
back money which many countries owe to Russia," he said.<BR>
Economists say Russia is some way away from WTO membership, but
negotiations with the Paris Club of creditor nations are under
way and membership is possible later this year, if the two sides
can agree terms.<BR> "I know my opponents will tell me our
position in the negotiations was not tough enough," said Yeltsin,
who had already come under fire from his communist and
nationalist critics before his plane even touched down in Moscow
on Saturday from Helsinki.<BR> "We could of course have angrily
knitted our brows and banged our boots on the table as in the
Cold War years. But what would have been the result? Again
irreconcilable enmity, again Russian isolation," he said.<BR>
Yeltsin's comments contrasted sharply with the aggressive tone of
his statements before the summit, indicating that, despite
continuing official opposition to NATO expansion, Moscow had come
to terms with the fact that it cannot prevent it.<BR> "Despite
the importance of the problem of responding to NATO expansion,
it's not the only direction of our external policy. We will, as
before, develop and deepen our friendly relations with our
traditional partners," Yeltsin said.<BR> He cited China and
India, as well as the 12 former Soviet republics who make up the
Commonwealth of Independent States, but did not hint at any
partnerships directed against the West.<BR> CIS leaders meet for
a summit in Moscow on Friday.<BR>
<P>
Basse Hosts Influx Of People<BR>
As 15th "Safra" Conference Opens<BR>
<P>
The 15th Edition of the annual sub-regional youth and sports
conference, SAFRA, opened at the high level park in Basse on Tuesday
evening. <BR> The one week programme took its unique but usual
character - a convivial and brotherly meeting. All participating
countries of the SAFRA Zone except one, turned up with large numbers
of participants all of whom took part in a pre-opening march past
watched by a solid 10,000 people.<BR> In his opening address, the
Secretary of State for Youth and Sports, Lamin (Kaba) Bajo, firmly
impressed on the gathering that the occasion must not only focus on
sports and cultural activities, but should also provide the youths
with an opportunity for meaningful dialogue particularly on the many
problems affecting youths in the subregion.<BR> "These problems
include unemployment, drug abuse, prostitution and under employment,
and since the youths themselves are the principal actors in the drive
to eradicate these vices, you must use this occasion to review the
policy base and orientation of this subregional meeting, drawing
lessons of your experience of the past 18 years," he told
participants.<BR> The secretary of state further stated that there is
a strong need to intensify the concept of regular exchanges to enable
our youths to live and work together and exchanging ideas on matters
of common concern. "In this way, we will be promoting positive change
among our youths by exposing them to our national and subregional
realities which will also assist in orienting them especially for
skills development, cultural awareness and take on their rightful
roles in the development process," he said.<BR> Mr. Bajo said in order
to achieve the desired goals of socio-economic development, we cannot
fail to make maximum use of the energies and dynamism of this
potential important segment of our population - the youths.<BR> This,
he said, "is why our grassroots approach to youth mobilisation and
motivation, through SAFRA, deserves our full support". In fact,
according to Mr. Bajo, the general approach to the question of youths
should go beyond the mere rhetoric of participation and promotion of
youths as subjects rather than objects of economic and social
development. "I therefore call on you to re-examine your operations
and suggest ways and means of improving them as we have a serious
challenge ahead of us," Mr Bajo said.<BR> Other speakers at the
occasion included the Commissioner, URD Major Momodou Badjie, who in
his speech stressed the importance of youth in society. "As youths, we
must see ourselves as people called upon to propel the society towards
a new horizon." He further stated that what the present day situation
in the subregion requires is for greater understanding of our
historical past. "Before Colonial days, we were one people and the
concern of every youth today should be how effectively we should
participate towards the unification of our subregion in general," he
said.<BR> The occasion, which attracted great attention from the local
people, also recorded the highest number of participants in recent
history. Indeed, the local organising committee immediately ran into
trouble. "We have made plans as neatly as possible, but the unexpected
number of participants from some of our visitors far exceeds the
number usually allowed for SAFRA," said Charles Baldeh, head of the
press committee. Guinea Bissau alone is reported to have turned up
with some 400 (four hundred) participants, instead of the 120
allowed.<BR> <P> Indeed, the problem was so acute that by the start of
the opening ceremony (delayed from 3pm to 6pm), the whole coordinating
procedure seemed to have collapsed. Scores of people arrived to wait
for hours without accommodation. All lodges are booked to the brim.
Although 21 heads of cattle were obtained, many people, including
members of the press who were promised catering, stayed without it for
days not to talk about accommodation. One youth representative from
Lower River Division was spotted at the night cultural show hanging
his bag in frustration. "I arrived here since 10am but I have neither
eaten nor have a place to sleep," he later told Observer Sports.
Indeed, up to the second day of the programme, these problems
persisted.<BR> However, many people seemed to be sympathetic to the
local organising committee. "This situation is unexpected and so no
one could take blame. The committee is overwhelmed with the sudden
unprecedented massive turn out and so these problems should be
expected," said one delegate. The local committee <BR> meanwhile, says
the minor hitches would soon be history as everything is being done to
get things under control. If that happens, the ground would be cleared
for a colourful sporting and cultural display as each participating
country registered abundance of athletes and dancers.<BR> <P> THREE
ALKALOLU DISMISSED FOR "INEPTITUDE" AND "INSUBORDINATION"<BR> <P> by
Sheriff Bojang<BR> <P> Three village Alkalolu of Kafuta, Sohm and
Faraba-sutu were recently removed from their posts for alleged
"ineptitude" and "insubordination".<BR> The removal of the alkalolu
was contained in letters from the Commissioner's Office Brikama, dated
March 10th, 1997. The letters did not elaborate as to reasons
prompting the termination of the alkalolu.<BR> Efforts to get comments
from the Commissioner's Office and from the acting head chief of Kombo
East district were unsuccessful. The octogenarian alkalo of Kafuta,
Sulayman Bojang, was replaced by Alhagi Ya-Faye Bojang, Malang Sanyang
of Faraba Sutu was replaced by Omar Darbo, while Nyabai Jarju was
replaced by Baring Jarju.<BR> Speaking to the Daily Observer, on
Tuesday, the new alkalo of Kafuta, Alhagi Ya Faye Bojang, said he was
jolted by news of his appointment, but resolved to "loyally and
diligently execute" his trust. "I have already formed advisory,
development and peace committees to help me tackle the social,
developmental and administrative needs of the village", alkalo Bojang
explained. Kafuta is one of the largest villages in Kombo East
district. One week since his appointment he was able to collect
D2,493 in unpaid taxes: "By next week I hope to collect the rest of
the unpaid rates," he vowed.<BR> On his immediate priority
intervention areas, the new alkalo cited "promotion of unity,
encouragement of agriculture and upgrading of the village skill
training centre," as first.<BR> Ya-Faye Bojang, a former forestry
employee, is reputed to be one of the most successful farmers in
Kombo. He is married with four wives and several children.<BR> The
dismissal of the three Kombo East alkalolu is reportedly linked to the
recent sacking of several alkalolu in Sami, Niani, Bansang, Yona Musa,
Lamin Koto and Kuntaur.<BR> <P> ROC's Industrial Experts Drop Hints On
Gambian's Investments<BR> <P> Mercy Eze<BR> <P> Two investors from
Taisun Enterprise Company Limited, a private sector in the Republic of
China (ROC) have concluded their one-week feasibility studies in The
Gambia, not without dropping economic advice to the government.<BR>
The investors, Lin, Wen-Hsiang Vincent, chief Executive Officer and
Jeng, Jiann-Yih, Director, Techniques Division of Taisun company
arrived in the country recently, following President Jammeh's beckon
to investors during his last year's visit to Taipei. He mentioned
that The Gambia has abundant fruits such as mangoes, tomatoes and
others for exportation.<BR> The investors feel there are prospects in
canning and bottling of tomatoes, mangoes, and grapes but their
studies revealed they have problems in the process of tomato
paste.<BR> They mentioned some bottlenecks like cans and bottles,
which according to them have to be imported since there are no such
manufacturing industries here for these items as "it entails hiring
large vessels to bring them (bottles and cans) here and this involves
a lot of money", one of them confirmed.<BR> The ROC's investors
compared economically the prices of processed/and non-processed fruits
and found out that tomato paste sells for D7.00 while fresh ones sell
for D3.00.<BR> On mangoes, they recommended that The Gambia should
export directly, fresh mangoes to Europe since according to their
claim, the world market on juice is dominated by orange/grape/apple,
thereby rendering mango market non-competitive.<BR> The visiting
investors however announced they have found prospects in the nation's
groundnuts and promised buying up all the produce irrespective of the
quality produced.<BR> The experts had during their visit met with a
number of authorities at the Central Bank, Gambia Ports Authorities
(GPA), GAMTEL, Department of Immigration, Ministries of Works',
Agriculture, Finance, Trade, NAWEC, IBAS, Labour Department, Chamber
of Commerce and a host of other sectors.<BR> <P> At a dinner party
organised in their honour at Bungalow Beach Hotel by the ROC embassy,
Jeng, Jiann-Yih who is also the president of a Rotary Club in ROC,
thanked The Gambia authorities, ambassador Francias C. R. Lee and his
fellow Rotarians, president Jones and secretary Drammeh of Rotary
Club of Banjul for the hospitality throughout their stay.<BR> The
experts left on Saturday 21st March for Taipei.<BR> <P> Unicef Decries
Child Abduction By Ugandan Rebels<BR> <P> The executive director of
the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), has issued an urgent
appeal to world governments and international organisations to apply
pressure on the Lord's Resistance Army fighters in Uganda to stop
"their continuing abduction of children".<BR> A release from the
UNICEF office in Banjul quoted Carol Bellamy as accusing the LRA
soldiers of "deliberate killing and for the abduction of thousands of
school children". These soldiers, active around northern Uganda, have
been accused by Human Rights groups including Amnesty International,
of torture of captives and sexual abuse of girls. Thousands of boys
captured are forced to take part in armed attacks. But despite the
escalating nature of the problem, the UNICEF boss expressed hope that
"the problem is neither too big nor too complex to solve".<BR> "We
have to identify, beyond a shadow of doubt, those from whom the LRA
are drawing support for their despicable campaign of terror and
abuse," said Bellamy. Bellamy averred that "concerted international
pressure in the right places could put an end to the abductions of
children, if not to the war itself".<BR> The campaign of terror waged
by the LRA in the fields and villages of northern Uganda, has now
brought the area to the brink of famine. "The lives of an entire
generation of children are being shattered in the contagion of
violence consuming the Great Lakes Region." Carol Bellamy provokes
world conscience querying "How long before the world hears the silent
screams of children in Eastern Zaire, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda?
"These children," notes Bellamy, "are victims not only of war, but of
the lamentable failure of adults to protect the lives of their
children". Bellamy said whatever the origins and complexities of
these intricate and tragic crises, there is no "just cause" for the
death or torture of a child. Therefore, the world must take
responsibility instead of taking cover.<BR> <P> Vitamin C (Ascorbic
Acid) <BR> <P> by Abraham C. Olungwe BSN, MPH.<BR> <P> The history of
vitamin C is linked with that of scurvy. Scurvy was known long before
the vitamin era; the ascorbutic effects of certain foods were
described several centuries ago. In those early days, scurvy was a
particular scourge of sailors who went for many weeks without fresh
food. <BR> It was not until 1747, however, that James Lind of
Scotland demonstrated that scurvy could be cured or prevented by the
consumption of citrus fruit. Well before the discovery of vitamins,
Lind's discovery led to the inclusion of certain fresh foods and
fruits in sailors' diets.<BR> In the 19th century, scurvy began to
occur among infants who were being fed newly introduced canned and
powdered milks, instead of the usual breast milk or fresh cow's milk.
The vitamin C had been destroyed during the time these milk products
were heated to make them better than breast milk. In spite the value
attributed to ascorbic acid, the substance was not isolated until 1928
and was finally synthesised in 1932.<BR> Our bodies cannot store large
amounts of vitamin C, so blood levels of the vitamin reflect recent
intake and are measurements of the white crystal L - ascorbic acid;
the chemically active form of vitamin C storage occurs in the adrenal
cortex and generally is sufficient for 90 days according to some
sources. If no vitamin C is ingested in that period, scurvy symptoms
develop. Excess vitamin C is excreted in the urine.<BR> Vitamin C is
the most active reducing agent in living substances and therefore
plays an important role in the body's nutritional processes. The acid
in the vitamin maintains irons in ferrous form, increasing iron
absorption. Vitamin C similarly facilitates calcium absorption and so
enable adequate calcification of the teeth and bones. It serves an
essential role in converting folic acid from its inactive to active
form. Vitamin C is necessary in synthesising two of the
neurotransmitters that transmit nerve impulses between cells such that
the deficiency of those two neurotransmitters result in fatigue and
weakness characteristic of vitamin C deficiency.<BR> Deficiency of
Ascorbic Acid<BR> <P> A deficiency in vitamin C can initiate the
symptoms of scurvy. These include fragile blood vessels that rupture
easily, resulting in diffuse tissue bleeding, pinpoint type of
haemorrhage (petechial), and bleeding in the joints and gums. Since
collagen is a primary part of our skin, wound healing is adversely
affected by vitamin C deficiency. Individuals with scurvy, especially
children, develop bone fractures and malformations, since bone
adversely affects collagen synthesis.<BR> <P> Food Sources Of Vitamin
C<BR> The best sources of absorbic acid are citrus fruits, tomatoes,
and green vegetables. Although certain foods are high in vitamin C
content, the vitamin is highly unstable, and its benefit is easily
lost. For example, cooking destroys 50 to 80 percent of this vitamin
in foods. Since the vitamin is water-soluble, it can be leached by
water. It is sensitive to air, heat, and light, and therefore easily
oxidised.<BR> Major Functions<BR> Since there are much claims about
how vitamin C can cure almost all the diseases, let us look at the
general characteristics of vitamin C again.<BR> 1. Utilisation of
other nutrients: Vitamin C facilitates calcium absorption and thus
enable adequate calcification of our bones. It also converts folic
acid from its inactive to active form; and increases iron
absorption.<BR> 2. Body metabolism: Ascorbic acid is the most active
reducing agent in living substances, thus playing an important role in
the body's nutritional processes.<BR> 3. Collagen formation: The
major role of vitamin C occurs in relation to cellular connective
tissue. Collagen is an insoluble protein within connective tissue and
is found in skin, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, bones, teeth, and
blood vessels. Vitamin C enables the synthesis of two major amino
acids in collagen, and collagen holds cells and tissue together in an
organised manner. This is a reason why vitamin C is also referred to
as the cement of the body. When vitamin C is not present for this
major role in collagen synthesis, scurvy results. Again, the healing
of wounds associated with Vitamin C, may be due to the synthesis of
two major amino acid in collagen.<BR> Some Health Claims About Vitamin
C <BR> Most of the claims about vitamin C as the "cure-all vitamin"
come from experiences with scurvy. Since the clinical manifestation
of the disease are numerous, it seems only logical that vitamin C
deficiency can result in bleeding, fatigue, tooth loss, anaemia,
fever, convulsions, bone, breakdown, skin disorders, ingrown hairs,
shock, and death, vitamin C supplement should benefit our bodies in
many ways in addition to curing scurvy.<BR> In the seventies, a great
deal of support developed for the concept that large doses of vitamin
C can prevent the common cold. It was further suggested that massive
doses could terminate a cold even after the appearance of symptoms.
Dr Linus Pauling, a Scientist, even theorised that human diet may at
one time have involved ascorbic acid levels as great as fifty times
the presently recommended levels. However, Dr Pauling reported studies
have been criticised because of the methods involved in his studies.
Other investigators have undertaken studies that failed to produce
clinical significant results.<BR> Again, vitamin C is experiencing
increasing popularity as a potential cancer treatment. Such treatment
involves megodose therapy, and has its theoretical basis in anecdotal
findings and in successful animal studies. Although it is hoped that
such hypotheses proves true, no clinical trial has yet been conducted
to verify these hypotheses.<BR> Toxicity from Vitamin C Overdosage<BR>
There is a potential harm from overdosage of vitamin C. Excessive
supplement may result in the following problems: Diarrhoea, nausea,
cramps, formation of excess oxalic acid in the body, acidification of
urine, interference with the use of therapeutic drugs, intestinal
obstruction, and false positive urine diabetic test.<BR> Since vitamin
C is generally required by our bodies in small quantities, upholding
the recommended dosage that will support human life, will be a focus
in the right direction.<BR> <P> ARTS & CULTURE<BR> <P> Multi-Culture
Music Meeting in <BR> The Gambia<BR> As Migell Tamba and Eiko take the
Centre-Stage<BR> <P> by Obiozor williams<BR> <P> Trying to describe
the feeling one gets from watching six gifted music talents across
Africa and Europe converging in one place - a tourist nation, the
smiling coast, doing what they know best, is like trying to write a
television documentary on an age-long traditional heritage of a
community. No superlative is too much for that aesthetic, frenzy and
thrilling enthusiasm and at once, rapport and friendly satisfactory
feeling and memories that lingers after such event.<BR> Perhaps it's
not too surprising when you discover that Gambia's tourism industry is
having a 'swell' time with a quality entertainment sector. The effort
boosts the morale of tourists from different parts of the world, thus
encouraging more visits from others.<BR> And so, Sunday March 14, 1997
was quite a day to remember by tourists in The Gambia, when all roads
led to Sir William restaurant, Kotu for a special music carnival
packaged by entertainment guru Willie Meurer as part of the
restaurant's contribution to the promotion of unity, peaceful
co-existence and co-operation between African and European
artists/tourists in The Gambia.<BR> On band-stand was the Real Beat
Band led by Patrick Veneye supported by his Ragga Toaster Wales. The
Band made up of Gambians and other nationals kicked off the concert
with some popular oldies times, followed by the performance of
Swedish-born Catherial - tourist on holidays and also rock melodies
from self-styled 'Everly Brothers of the Gambia' made up of UK based
Tony and Keith. Another artist, Isaac Rom, who sings Calypso tunes,
mounted the stage and gave an explosive performance with his "Lover
Mama" tune and dancing steps. <BR> <P> As the night progressed, a
German-born deadlocks guitarist, Eiko Falckenberg, came on stage with
a thrilling rendition of late Bob Marley's rythms, "No woman No
Cry", "Jamming", "One Love", "Redemption Song", all sang by Patrick
and Wales. The ace guitarist took the crowd along with his expertise
on the Solo guitar, skanking all over the stage.<BR> The climax of the
five hour concert was the introduction of the special guest star of
the night, Migell Tamba, who gave a good account of his several years
of experience in music. Aside from doing a native Gambian song "Mama
Tamba", he rendered more thrilling and explosive rhythms like "La
Bamba", "Guantamela", etc to the delight of Gambians and tourists that
besieged the Sir William restaurant.<BR> The more he performed,
singing and dancing energetically, his age <BR> notwithstanding (he's
61), the audience sang along with him.
The Swedish Star, who is billed to perform next month in a bigger
concert with Gambia's Kora
prince Tatadinding, received a standing ovation at the end of the
show.<BR> Arts and Culture learnt from the show organiser, Willie
Meurer that special events like this are packaged on a regular basis
attracting both indigenous and foreign stars "just to add glamour in
our efforts to make the tourists enjoy their stay in The Gambia as
well as create opportunities for cultural and musical exchanges among
the audience," he concluded. <BR> <P> CASAMANCE BAND CHANGES
NAME<BR> As it records double album for Gambian producer<BR> <P> by
Buju Boots <BR> <P> The oldest music group in Senegambia have
officially changed name from UCAS BAND DE SEDHIOU to SEDHIOU BAND. In
an exclusive interview with Senegalese Radio SUD F.M, Abou Kunta, the
manager for Sedhiou Band and one of the founding members of the band
said "a change of name from Ucas Band to Sedhiou Band is necessary
because Ucas refers to a sporting association. "Now that the band is
no longer part of that association, it is absolutely necessary for us
to rename the band," he said. "Ucas was formed to entertain mainly
the people of Sedhiou; now that we see ourselves as an international
band, the change of name is more than necessary," said Saidu Ndure a
founding member and lead vocalist. Ucas Band de Sedhiou has come a
long way, crossing many rivers and jumping many hurdles since its
inception in January, 1959 in the Casamance province of Sedhiou. In
spite of the change in name, the 15-member multi-talented Cultural
band maintains not only four of its original members but its unique
style for 38 long
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 1997 17:42:10 -0500 (EST)
From: Musa Sowe <chemsm@panther.Gsu.EDU>
To: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: Gambian Education
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.95.970328171853.3852A-100000@panther.Gsu.EDU>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
On Thu, 27 Mar 1997, Andrea Klumpp wrote:
> Hello GambiaLers>
> I tried to figure out the people who expressed their wish to join the
> group dealing with support for Gambian education:
>
> Abdou Oujimai
> Al Mballow
> Andrea Klumpp
> Francis Njie
> Haddijatou Secka
> J. Gaye
> Malanding S. Jaiteh
> Momodou Jagana
> Musa Sowe
> Nkoyo ...(?)
> Pa-Mambuna O. Bojang
>
> Please let me know, if you are interested but don't find your name on
> the list or if I added you falsely
>
ON MARCH 17, I SENT THE FOLLOWING MAIL TO THOSE LISTED BELOW. HERE I
HAVE OMMITED THE EXCERPTS MENTIONED BECAUSE IT IS A HUGE FILE. I WILL
FORWARD IT TO THOSE LISTED ABOVE AND ANY OTHER NAMES THAT
MAY BE ADDED (OR TO EVERYONE) SO THAT WE CAN PUT THINGS TOGETHER.
IF THERE IS ANYONE WHO MAY NOT BE INTERESTED IN RECEIVING TAT HUGE FILE
PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
THANKS MUSA
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 20:35:48 -0500 (EST)
From: Musa Sowe <chemsm@panther.Gsu.EDU>
To: "Inqs." <nfaal@is2.dal.ca>
Cc: "Klumpp, Andrea -- Andrea Klumpp" <klumpp@kar.dec.com>,
Francis Njie <francis_njie@il.us.swissbank.com>,
"Malanding S. Jaiteh" <msjaiteh@mtu.edu>
Subject: Re: PROPOSAL/FOOD FOR THOUGHT (update)
WHAT I HAVE DONE HERE IS TO COPY EXCERPTS OF MOST OF THE DISCUSSIONS
RELATED TO THIS TOPIC SINCE IT WAS PROPOSED. I MIGHT HAVE MISSED A COUPLE,
IF I HAVE AND ANYONE ELSE HAS THEM PLEASE ADD THEM TO THE LIST. I THINK
IT IS IMPORTANT TO GO BACK AND REVISIT HOW EVERYONE INTERESTED IN THIS
SUBJECT THINKS ABOUT IT. THIS, WITH CONTINUOSLY INCOMING IDEAS WILL HELP
HOPEFULLY.I HAVE NOT INCLUDED SOME RECENT IDEAS ESPECIALLY MY LAST MAIL ON
GAMBIA COLLEGE BECAUSE HOPEFULLY EVERYONE STILL HAS IT OR IT IS FRESH IN
MY LAST MAIL ON GAMBIA COLLEGE BECAUSE HOPEFULLY EVERYONE STILL HAS IT OR
IT IS FRESH IN EVERYONE'S MIND. I SUGGEST WE ALL TAKE TIME TO GO THROUGH
ALL THE IDEAS IN THESE EXCERPTS CAREFULLY SINCE OUR OBJECTIVE SHOULD BE TO
HAVE MAXIMUM PARTICIPATION. WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN WHY WE DID NOT
INCOORPORATE IDEA X AND INSTEAD WENT WITH IDEA Y.I ALSO SUGGEST THAT WE
SET A TIMELINE : WHEN DO WE OFFICIALLY START;
WHEN DO WE OFFICIALLY PRESENT A DRAFT PROPOSAL.....ETC. THIS WILL HELP TO
FOCUS THE DISCUSSION.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 1997 19:20:12 -0500 (EST)
From: ASJanneh@aol.com
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Fwd: observer online 1st issue
Message-ID: <970328192010_-636418321@emout06.mail.aol.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-type: multipart/mixed;
sorry for the previous posting.
---------------------
Forwarded message:
From: sankungsawo@compuserve.com (sankung sawo)
To: ASJanneh@aol.com (A S. Janneh)
CC: momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk (Camara, Momodou)
Date: 97-03-28 15:28:23 EST
[Only the first 2K of this message is displayed, as it is too long to view
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Reshuffle The Cabinet<BR>
<P>
Hamat Bah Urges President Jammeh<BR>
<P>
by Sheriff Bojang<BR>
<P>
The leader of the National Reconciliation Party (NRP), Hamat Bah, has called
on President Jammeh to reshuffle his cabinet and appoint a new one, "that
will suit the current needs of the country".<BR>
Mr Bah stated his party's displeasure at the appointment of Isatou Njie-Saidy
as the new vice president on the grounds that "given the President's
unfamiliarity with economic matters, he should appoint a vice president who
is fine-tuned to monetary and financial matters, up to international level".
He therefore called on the President to effect an immediate cabinet
re-shuffle, drawing from the "vast" pool of able Gambian technocrats and
taking cognisance of regional and ethnic considerations.<BR>
At a press conference yesterday afternoon, the NRP leader said the key
concern of the current administration should be the "restructuring and
reshaping of the economy". But this, he opined, cannot be achieved in the
absence of technocrats of a high calibre in the Cabinet. "With the exception
of the Secretary of State for Finance and Economic Affairs, there is no one
in the current Cabinet who is versed in high level economic and financial
matters," he alleged.<BR>
Quizzed as to whether he is calling for a blanket reshuffle, Mr Bah replied:
"Some Cabinet members are good. I am pleased that Dominic Mendy and Musa
Mbenga are retained". He also countenanced the retention of Edward Singhatey,
Satang Jow, Yankuba Touray, "though he may not be very popular", and Isatou
Njie-Saidy, "other Secretary of State portfolio."<BR>
He however criticised the re-appointment of the Secretary of State for
Tourism and Culture. Asked to explain, Mr Bah retorted, "her handling of the
Aquasun saga, which led to the death of Dutch tourism in this country is
enough reason to replace her." <BR>
Hamat Bah averred that the leverage for the President to freely appoint the
Cabinet, is pre
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Date: Fri, 28 Mar 1997 15:27:31 -0500
From: sankung sawo <sankungsawo@compuserve.com>
Subject: observer online 1st issue
To: "A S. Janneh" <ASJanneh@aol.com>
Cc: "Camara, Momodou" <momodou.camara@post3.tele.dk>
Message-ID: <199703281527_MC2-136A-7F1F@compuserve.com>
=0D
<HTML>
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<BODY>
Reshuffle The Cabinet<BR>
<P>
Hamat Bah Urges President Jammeh<BR>
<P>
by Sheriff Bojang<BR>
<P>
The leader of the National Reconciliation Party (NRP), Hamat Bah, has ca=
lled on President Jammeh to reshuffle his cabinet and appoint a new one, =
"that will suit the current needs of the country".<BR>
Mr Bah stated his party's displeasure at the appointment of Isatou Njie-S=
aidy as the new vice president on the grounds that "given the President's=
unfamiliarity with economic matters, he should appoint a vice president =
who is fine-tuned to monetary and financial matters, up to international =
level". He therefore called on the President to effect an immediate cabin=
et re-shuffle, drawing from the "vast" pool of able Gambian technocrats a=
nd taking cognisance of regional and ethnic considerations.<BR>
At a press conference yesterday afternoon, the NRP leader said the key co=
ncern of the current administration should be the "restructuring and resh=
aping of the economy". But this, he opined, cannot be achieved in the abs=
ence of technocrats of a high calibre in the Cabinet. "With the exception=
of the Secretary of State for Finance and Economic Affairs, there is no =
one in the current Cabinet who is versed in high level economic and finan=
cial matters," he alleged.<BR>
Quizzed as to whether he is calling for a blanket reshuffle, Mr Bah repli=
ed: "Some Cabinet members are good. I am pleased that Dominic Mendy and M=
usa Mbenga are retained". He also countenanced the retention of Edward Si=
nghatey, Satang Jow, Yankuba Touray, "though he may not be very popular",=
and Isatou Njie-Saidy, "other Secretary of State portfolio."<BR>
He however criticised the re-appointment of the Secretary of State for T=
ourism and Culture. Asked to explain, Mr Bah retorted, "her handling of t=
he Aquasun saga, which led to the death of Dutch tourism in this country =
is enough reason to replace her." <BR>
Hamat Bah averred that the leverage for the President to freely appoint =
the Cabinet, is premised on the discretion of his wisdom to select the be=
st people suited to the various tasks. He urged the President to reshuffl=
e the Cabinet and effect the new "wise" changes, choosing "independent" p=
eople.<BR>
The NRP leader also urged President Jammeh to commission a "national reco=
nciliation committee" which will be singularly charged with "bringing bac=
k peace, unity and reconciliation in this country".<BR>
As a further measure to encourage "national reconciliation" he appealed t=
o Government to re-instate civil servants who were dismissed "because th=
ey worked with Jawara". He also called for a halt to the "destruction" b=
eing allegedly wrought on Gambian businesses by the commissions of enquir=
y.<BR>
"Rather than killing Gambian companies, Government should give encouragem=
ent to businesses." He cited the success of Amadou Samba and Gamsen and t=
he "excellent work" they did on the airport as the trend Government shoul=
d adopt towards Gambian companies, although he maintained the project was=
"costly".<BR>
On the country's foreign policy direction he said: "It is too pro-Arab. W=
e need to look West too, because even the Arabs depend on the West. I am =
not saying that we become slaves to the West. I am simply stating that we=
need balance...and re-direction in our international relationships".<BR>=
Digressing on the recent hike in the fee for National Identity cards, he =
tersely described it as "state robbery" of the citizens. Mr Bah also call=
ed for a tumble down of the institution of chieftaincy with a view to mak=
ing the office elective on party political basis.<BR>
The press conference was attended by NRP officials.<BR>
<BR>
<P>
Belgian Theologian Preaches At Retreat<BR>
<P>
by T.G.G Senghore<BR>
<P>
A distinguished Belgian theologian, the Rev. Fr. Herman De Vriendt, C.I.C=
=2EM., was in The Gambia over the last week-end to preach at a Retreat or=
ganised by the members of the St. Anthony of Padua Prayer Group of St. Th=
erese's Parish, Kanifing.<BR>
Fr. Herman, who is Flemish (Dutch) speaking, is a member of the Congregat=
ion of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Presently, he resides in Dakar, Sen=
egal, and is the local Provincial (Head) of his order which has 13 priest=
s serving in Senegal - mainly in the suburbs of Dakar and in the Diocese =
of St Louis in the towns of Podor and Matam, on the River Senegal, and in=
the city of St. Louis itself.<BR>
An accomplished Linguist, Fr. Herman, who is 56 years old, speaks eight l=
anguages - Dutch, English, French, Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Wollof and Linga=
la - spoken in Zaire and Congo.<BR>
The Retreat was conducted entirely in Wollof and very good Wollof at that=
=2E Virtually all the participants were amazed at Fr. Herman's diction. =
His intonation is so good that one could scarcely realise that it is a E=
uropean speaking without actually seeing him. Fr. Herman, who has so far=
spent 10 years in Senegal, undertook Wollof courses in Dakar University =
and says that he received tremendous assistance from the catechists, espe=
cially in the area of liturgical vocabulary. Presently, he is heading a =
"PROJECT WOLLOF" secretariat which is translating devotional works into w=
ollof.<BR>
<P>
The Retreat, which focused on the nature of the church and its role in th=
e light on the teachings of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), was a g=
reat success. Some of the documents of the Council were examined and tho=
se pertaining to relations with other Christians and peoples of Non-Chris=
tian faiths generated a lot of interest. <BR>
Participants were divided into syndicates to examine specific issues and =
report back to the plenary.<BR>
A useful outcome of the visit was the introduction to Gambians of a new f=
orm of the Stations of the Cross in Wollof. This version bases the comme=
ntary for each Station on the scriptural texts. There are four variants =
based on texts from the Synoptic Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. =
Another Novel feature is that several people (actors) perform the differ=
ent roles assigned to them. The participants at the Retreat performed th=
e devotion last Friday in the garden of the St Joseph's Convent, Kanifing=
, where the Retreat was held. I must say that it was great and very well=
received.<BR>
Fr. Herman was accompanied by Mr Gontran Mendy - a member of the "Project=
Wollof" Secretariat and Choirmaster of the parish church at Diamaguene. =
He taught the participants some new hymns in Wollof and English. Mr Men=
dy is evidently a great musician.<BR>
The Retreat ended last Sunday evening and Fr. Herman and party returned t=
o Dakar on Monday.<BR>
<P>
Red Cross Volunteers Need Training<BR>
- D.S. Kamara<BR>
<P>
by Ebrima Fatty<BR>
<P>
The programme coordinator of The Gambia Red Cross Society, D.S. Kamara, h=
as said that Red Cross volunteers need to be trained to enable them to ef=
fectively face up to their responsibilities.<BR>
Mr Kamara was speaking during the closing ceremony of a three-day worksho=
p recently held at the Greater Banjul Junior Secondary School.<BR>
In his speech, Mr Kamara said the workshop was an indication that the tra=
ining of volunteers was not only confined to the Red Cross Headquarters, =
but also to members of Red Cross in schools. He promised that such train=
ing workshops would continue in other schools.<BR>
Speaking during the closing ceremony, the acting branch officer of the KS=
MD branch, Momodou Lamin Jobe, reiterated the importance of training. He=
called on the participants to take the workshop seriously.<BR>
Several members of the school's Red Cross Society took part in the worksh=
op. Among those present were the deputy headmaster of the Greater Banjul=
Junior Secondary School, Mr Colley, and a group of Peace Corps Volunteer=
s who attended as volunteers.<BR>
<P>
Farato Alkalo's Son Sentenced For Illegal Tree Felling<BR>
<P>
by Sheikh Omar Joof<BR>
<P>
The Brikama Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, March 19, 1997 convicted and=
sentenced, one Nfally Bojang, said to be the son of the Alkalo of Farato=
, to one year's imprisonment for illegal tree felling.<BR>
According to the charge sheet, Nfally Bojang on February 3, 1997, trespas=
sed the government's forest park at Kabafita without license or permissio=
n and therein illegally fell down Gmelina trees which he later converted =
into fencing posts.<BR>
Prosecution witnesses Momodou Badjie, Yusupha Sampha, and Mr Saidy the fo=
rest scouts, all testified before the court that Nfally Bojang fell some =
logs from the Kabafita forest which he sold to one Mr Njie, a soldier, to=
be used as fence posts.<BR>
Prosecution witness Badjie said that after seeing the logs in Mr Njie's c=
ompound and confirming who brought them there, he went to the Alkalo's co=
mpound to ask for Nfally Bojang where he also found some more logs standi=
ng around the compound. "I asked the Alkalo who brought the logs standin=
g round the compound?," he added.<BR>
The Alkalo, he further said, replied that it was his son (Nfally) who bro=
ught the logs to fence the compound. "However, all the logs including th=
e ones standing round the compound have been recovered," Mr Badjie said.<=
BR>
Presiding Magistrate Musa Y. Gassama, in passing judgement, asked the Alk=
alo if he knew where his son Nfally got the logs from, the Alkalo replied=
'yes' but said his (son) said he found the logs in the bush.<BR>
The magistrate also asked the Alkalo if he had reported the matter to the=
forest scouts to which he replied in the negative and added that he advi=
sed Nfally not to do it again.<BR>
At this juncture, Magistrate Gassama said that the forest belongs to the =
Gambians and therefore we should take great care of it rather than destro=
ying it without any reason. He therefore convicted and sentenced accordi=
ngly without any fine.<BR>
<P>
Accused Stands Trial For Drug Charges<BR>
<P>
by Alhagie Abdoulie Fatty<BR>
<P>
One Joe Tijan Gibba, a 31-year old man recently appeared before the Brika=
ma magistrates' court for allegedly being in possession of 8kg 574g 020mg=
of cannabis sativa commonly known as 'Jamba."<BR>
The prosecution said that on December 12, 1996 at about 2:45pm ,Yaya Sann=
eh of Brikama police station and a colleague, 1107 Bojang were going to B=
anjul in their station vehicle and while at the Gambia College area, they=
saw a vehicle with registration number G2A 0094 coming towards Brikama. =
"We stopped on the highway to stop the said vehicle but the driver made =
a U-turn and took the route to the bush," he said.<BR>
<P>
He added that they chased the suspected vehicle through the Bafuloto road=
and from a distance, they saw the vehicle stop and one of the boys in t=
he vehicle ran away into the bush.' I went to the driver of the vehicle =
and asked him where he was driving to and why he was avoiding us."<BR>
Yaya told the court that he asked for the driver's licence and the name o=
f the boy who ran away. "I asked him to allow me to search the vehicle an=
d when I opened the booth, I saw 11 wraps of suspected cannabis sativa in=
a blue bag and another white bag containing 5 wraps of the said suspecte=
d substance.The prosecutor added that thereafter, the accused was reprim=
anded and taken to the Brikama police station with the seized items.<BR>
The bags were tendered in evidence and were marked and admitted as exhibi=
ts.<BR>
In his testimony ,the accused pleaded not guilty. The case was adjourned =
to March 25 ,for further hearing.<BR>
<P>
THREE WOMEN APPEAR IN COURT FOR AFFRAY<BR>
<P>
By Rowland Secka<BR>
<P>
Three women, Jarra Demba, Mariama Sohna and Mariama Sowe, all of Bakau Se=
nehaba, were on Monday March 24, 1997 charged with affray and arraigned b=
efore the Kanifing Magistrates Court.<BR>
In adducing evidence against them, the prosecutor PC 489 Jaharteh, said t=
hat Sohna's husband, had a child with Mariama Sowe and that for sometimes=
,they had been quarelling and fighting each other. PC Jaharteh added that=
their complaint is always lodged by either one of them. He also stated =
that on March 2 ,1997, Mariama Sowe, went to report at the Bakau Police S=
tation that both Jarra Demba and Mariama Sohna jointly assaulted her.<BR>=
However, P.C. Jaharteh said that when the Police investigated the matter,=
it was discovered that all of them fought and were consequently charged =
with affray and fighting in public places.<BR>
When the charges were read to them, all of them pleaded guilty, but denie=
d that they fought in a public place. Due to the fact that they denied f=
ighting in a public place, the Magistrate O.N. Brisibi, adjourned the cas=
e till April 1, 1997 for further hearing.<BR>
All three were granted bail in the sum of D200 each and their behaviour=
was described as "rude" by the magistrate.The case was presided over by =
Magistrate O.N. Brisibi.<BR>
<P>
Fire Destroys Imam's Compound in Siwoll Village<BR>
<P>
by M.L. Drammeh<BR>
<P>
The entire Compound of the Imam of Siwoll Village in Foni Bintang-Karanai=
Constituency, Ansumana Gibba, was destroyed in a recent fire disaster in=
which he sustained burns on parts of his body.<BR>
Disclosing this to the Daily Observer during an interview on Friday, the =
Imam explained in an emotional mood that all his household items had been=
completely Burnt. <BR>
"Nothing! nothing absolutely! was left of my belongings, or the belonging=
s of a single member of my entire family," he lamented.<BR>
According to the Imam, there was not a single person left in his compound=
when he was going to lead the Magrib prayers at the mosque. It was on h=
is way back home, he narrated, that he saw thick smoke and flames coming =
from the top of the roof of his house, "then I immediately ran to the sce=
ne; before I arrived, the fire was out of control." He further narrated h=
ow he helplessly stood watching the fire destroy his house, all efforts t=
o try to save some of his belongings proved futile, as a result of this, =
he sustained some serious burns on parts of his body. It was then he ra=
n out shouting and before a good turnout of people in the village could c=
ome to his aid, it was too late as everything in the house had been burnt=
to ashes.<BR>
"At the time of the incident, my wife Fatou Badjie had gone to attend a 4=
0-day charity of a relative at a village called Batabut Kantora, while th=
e children had also gone to their peers in the neighbourhood not knowing =
what was happening at that moment," the Imam sorrowfully said. Imam Gibb=
a disclosed that the accountable loss included items such as foodstuff, b=
eds, clothes, cooking utensils, farming implements, and an amount of D1,7=
00 in cash which was supposed to be used to purchase corrugated iron shee=
ts for his house. He said that presently, he and his family are being sq=
ueezed into a very congested house by the villagers who are even feeding =
there.<BR>
As a result of the disaster, the Imam is pleading for assistance from all=
relief agencies and organisations, mosque groups, especially the Islamic=
Ummah, and any concerned individual philanthropist either in cash or kin=
d, so to enable him to take care of the maintenance of his family, recons=
truct his compound and move over, to be able to perform his religious obl=
igations. <BR>
<P>
Worker Accused of Stealing From Employer<BR>
<P>
by Alhagie Abdoulie Fatty<BR>
<P>
One Abdoulie Trawally recently appeared before the Brikama Magistrates' C=
ourt accused of stealing building and household materials from his employ=
ee, one Saikou Jatta.<BR>
The complainant, Saikou Jatta, said he employed the accused on March 6, 1=
996 to bend irons for the construction of a building he (the complainant)=
was erecting. He however added that on January 18, 1997, he discovered =
a theft in his compound.<BR>
<P>
He disclosed that when he noticed some of his building and household mate=
rials were missing, he investigated on his own and asked the accused whet=
her he had any knowledge of the theft. He alleged that "the accused said=
it was the plumber, one Lamin Jammeh,, who stole the materials".<BR>
The next day, he further alleged, the accused took his key and opened the=
store and stole the remaining items. "Later, I went to his (Trawally's)=
house and therein I found my wife's knife and two cupboard elbows," he a=
lleged. He further disclosed that he then went and called the C.I.D. who=
came along with him to the accused's house and therein, they found some =
of the employer's items, but the other materials were not recovered.<BR>
He said he then made a statement at the Yundum Police Station. <BR>
In his plea, the employee Trawally, pleaded 'not guilty'. He was granted=
bail in the sum of D5,000. The case was adjourned to March 24, 1997. <=
BR>
<P>
LETTERS FOR MARCH 27<BR>
<P>
"Man And His Environment"<BR>
<P>
Mr Editor,<BR>
<P>
Man was not born with the purpose to destroy but to construct. When you=
think constructively, then there is a liability that you will build cons=
tructively. Truly speaking nobody will come down to build our nation for=
us. We should all stand up readily together as one at all times for the=
development and maintenance of our nation. Always development goes with=
maintenance. <BR>
It is a fact that we are the very ones who make the streets dirty but who=
are the ones to maintain it clean? Thanks to those who concerned themse=
lves on Environmental sanitation work, which is geared toward preventing=
our Environment from pollution of all sorts of things. When you go out =
in town you see with your eyes the situation of our Environment. <BR>
Cleansing departments cannot do all the work, so something else must be d=
one. When you imagine the size of the town particularly Serrekunda, it =
needs the support of the people in one way or the other. <BR>
The truth is that, we must take care of nature through which man was crea=
ted and for which man was created, and in which man is living. Nature ha=
s provided mankind with everything he needs for his life. Nature provides=
for us the food we eat. It also provides us the oxygen we breathe. Nat=
ure provide us the oil we use for industrial purposes. So , mankind must=
respect nature for all the provisions. Let us avoid polluting and destr=
oying; otherwise we will end up poisoning our life and finally kill ourse=
lves. <BR>
An Environmental Sanitation work that is geared or directed toward preven=
ting our health condition is very essential in mankind's daily life. We =
all need natural fresh air to breathe but when this environment in which =
air circulates, is polluted, it becomes dangerous to our life, so let us =
try to keep our surroundings clean and free from contamination. <BR>
I remain your reader.<BR>
<P>
Mamat Cham<BR>
<P>
Please Let Sleeping Dogs Lie<BR>
<P>
Mr Editor<BR>
<P>
Please let me express my sincere concerns about the interview with the A=
PRC General Secretary, Saihou Sanyang which appeared in your Spotlight Co=
lumn with Sheriff Bojang on March 21-23, 1997.<BR>
My main purpose for writing this letter is to advise Mr Sanyang and any o=
ther person who may be granted interviews like these to be very careful n=
ot to create an atmosphere of debates or commotions especially at this ti=
me of reconciliation in our dear nation.<BR>
Mr Sanyang, a very respectful figure in the society, without even thinkin=
g what it might cause, went all the way in making examples to say: "For e=
xample you (the Daily Observer) put the UDP leader's return from a summit=
in Botswana on the front page, while you put the appointment of a State =
Secretary, Lamin Bajo on the back page." My God! I still shudder in thi=
nking of this serious allegation. What if the UDP leader had reacted to =
this? Would that not create a state of commotion or debates? After all =
the Daily Observer know their job, how they work and what might sell the=
ir paper, and besides, although it is there for the public, it is their o=
wn newspaper! I thought they once told us how they work and what might s=
ell their paper. Don't create commotion to gain a name/recognition. As=
Pa Modou Faal said, "This is not the time". <BR>
I advise 'Let sleeping dogs lie very very low'.<BR>
<P>
Ibra Gaye<BR>
Kaur Wharf Town<BR>
<P>
Choice of Music<BR>
<P>
Mr Editor<BR>
<P>
I wish to express my dissatisfaction on the choice of music shown on Gamb=
ia Television on Saturday, March 22, which was presented by Jainaba Nyang=
=2E I think such music should not shown on TV, it is a bad example for l=
ittle kids/teenagers to watch women rolling their hips and bottoms to the=
rhythm of Zairean music in such a provocative manner. Whatever children=
see they tend to copy and for a programme like week-end magazine much is=
expected in terms of choice of music. There are loads of other music th=
at could have been used instead.<BR>
In future when selecting music for programmes please keep in mind that ch=
ildren are watching, remember its the weekend and most kids stay up till =
late watching TV.<BR>
<P>
Please lets be seen doing what we preach. Our children must be taught go=
od morals and not be seen copying the Western culture or lifestyle.<BR>
No hard feeling Jainaba.<BR>
Hamida Kamara<BR>
<P>
Well done, Darboe, Jatta<BR>
<P>
Mr Editor<BR>
<P>
I write to commend UDP leader Ousainou Darboe and Sidia Jatta, PDOIS memb=
er of the National Assembly for Wuli, on their positive response on the a=
ppointment of the new Vice President, Isatou Njie-Saidy.<BR>
Contrary to what sceptics predicted, these two gentlemen of our vibrant o=
pposition minced no words in saying that Isatou Njie-Saidy is a good choi=
ce. This indicates a level of political maturity that is very admirable a=
nd is another feather to the cap of Gambian politics. Indeed, this is the=
level of political maturity we expect from all our politicians, both of =
the ruling and opposition parties. If someone is good or does something g=
ood, we must be honest enough to appreciate it.<BR>
Of course, public fears that our new VP is simply symbolic are well found=
ed, but yet to be proved. We hope our new VP will live up to our expectat=
ions of her, which are very high.<BR>
Ousman Drammeh<BR>
Bakau<BR>
<P>
Tobacco Docked : Inhumanity Looms<BR>
<P>
Within the law and with due regard for the rights of others, there is the=
freedom to choose, to act and to be. That freedom is the crying paradox=
associated with the booming worldwide trade in tobacco products. Despit=
e the claims and counterclaims, the accusations and denials vis-a-vis the=
effects of tobacco smoking on health, the habit continues unabated.<BR>
Sighs of relief are interspersed with spells of concern. While the anti-=
tobacco campaigners go on their relentless drives, and, leaving no stone =
unturned in the process, the tobacco lobby continues to retain support, a=
nd, the tobacco industry with their millions, even billions, go on to use=
the aid of sophisticated advertising techniques to keep in business, to =
keep many hooked and exposed to whatever the inevitable consequences of t=
hat association.<BR>
There is the view that some four hundred and twenty thousand deaths occur=
annually in the United States as a result of tobacco related ailments. =
No doubt other countries have their own statistics. In the nature of the=
reactions to tobacco, figures cannot be sacrosanct, nor are they agreed =
points of departure.<BR>
For us in The Gambia, Alex Haley's revisit of a past in his Roots is a v=
ivid reminder of our compatriots' traumatic and dehumanising involvement =
in the tobacco fields of the Southern United States. That tobacco should=
still be a significant crop there testifies to an entrenched engagement,=
and, implies the economics of continuity and the rationalisation of the =
irrational there. Of course, tobacco grows elsewhere and that adds to th=
e variations on the theme. Hence Cuba can revel in her prized cigars.<BR=
>
News of the tobacco company Legate's admission that "nicotine is addictiv=
e and causes cancer", has come as a stunning blow and a stab in the back =
to the large tobacco companies and the pre-tobacco lobby. Legate's willi=
ngness to set aside twenty-five percent of profits to support smoking rel=
ated health care is evidence of its unequivocal stand. Naturally, and tr=
ue to form, others are not taking this lying down. They are exploring av=
enues to seeing that activated threat to survival countered. For, to bow=
to what some are beginning to sense as the inevitable, will be the creep=
ing death of the industry, and, of the livelihood of the very many which =
derive from it.<BR>
That research evidence had been pointing to adverse effects of smoking on=
health, which evidence had in many instances been suppressed and not rea=
cted to positively, leaves much to be desired. That whilst thousands wer=
e said to be dying from tobacco related ailments, the products were being=
aggressively advertised and pushed, beat the imagination. Are jobs and =
profit morally justifiable objects against human suffering and lingering =
death?<BR>
Efforts made to sensitise people about the possible dangers to health tha=
t might derive from smoking, the ban placed on smoking by airlines and in=
public places, but above all, the stance taken and the example given by =
Legate, deserve commendation. May good sense deriving from reverence for=
life go on to prevail.<BR>
<P>
Speaking Out<BR>
<P>
One of the world's most powerful and aloof leaders, Indonesia's Suharto o=
ffers a rare and vibrant defense of his reign - the longest of any leader=
in Asia. <BR>
<P>
by Ron Moreau<BR>
<P>
When president Suharto speaks, he generally holds forth from on high - a =
lofty speech from the presidential podium. Indonesia's proud patriarch i=
s one of the world's most powerful and least accessible rulers. Yet ther=
e is so much to ask, as the 75-year-old president approaches his 33rd yea=
r in office. In a rare interview with NEWSWEEK, Suharto answered the spo=
radic questions about his health just by his appearance. Dressed in a da=
rk Western suit, he looked fit and relaxed, and offered a confident and s=
pirited defense of his reign - the longest of any leader in Asia.<BR>
<P>
Suharto's is an epic story, and a tricky one. Most leaders who rule so l=
ong are autocrats who ultimately run their countries into the ground; Suh=
arto yanked the world's fourth most populous nation out of poverty and po=
litical chaos, a record for which he is widely admired. But by last summ=
er rising incomes had created a new middle class - and rising hopes that =
the "father of development," as Suharto is known, would loosen his politi=
cal grip. Rallies for opposition leader Megawati Sukarnoputri dissolved,=
under pressure of a police crackdown, into the worst rioting Jakarta had=
seen in decades. In his comments to NEWSWEEK, Suharto warned that such =
riots "must not happen again." A few days later, as if to drive home the=
point, authorities jailed opposition politician Sri Bintang Pamungkas fo=
r advocating a boycott of May parliamentary elections.<BR>
Suharto was accused last summer of failing even to listen to his people -=
yet clearly he's listening now. He declared himself "fully aware of the=
dangers of corruption" - a main wellspring of middle-class discontent. =
He volunteered a vigorous rebuttal to what Indonesian political analyst J=
uwono Sudarsono calls "the popular perception that the income gap is wide=
and will last a long time." In recent months, this perception has helpe=
d fuel deadly riots in poor ethnic communities of the Indonesian hinterla=
nds, particularly West Kalimantan, and Suharto made clear his concern. T=
hough he defended his administration against charges that it is too cozy =
with big business, he emphasised that big business would be made to help =
alleviate the woes of the poor. And he proudly touted a "national family=
-prosperity" program that (unlike China's more draconian efforts) has suc=
ceeded in controlling an immense population without coercion.<BR>
Indonesia's transformation has been so dramatic, it could hardly have avo=
ided upheaval. Consider even the bright side. Just in the last two year=
s, the number of middle-class families (defined as those making more than=
$500 a month) has increased by two thirds and now makes up 21 percent of=
the urban population. As these newly minted consumers enter the shoppin=
g class, sales skyrocket; the number of people who own motorcycles has go=
ne up 83 percent since 1995. Moreover, many of these urban workers are s=
ending money back to relatives in the countryside, where one can now see =
cement houses and satellite dishes sprouting among the huts. Having more=
, however, has not stopped Indonesians from demanding more from Suharto. =
It is the children of prosperity, says Sudarsono, who are most critical =
of Suharto, most impatient for "political liberalisation."<BR>
The question that dogs any septuagenarian leader is the succession questi=
on, and watching Suharto's next move has become a global cottage industry=
=2E Many Indonesians would like Suharto to step aside for a younger man,=
but those who know him well are convinced he'll stand for yet another fi=
ve-year term in 1998. Suharto has not tipped his hand, but he did tell N=
EWSWEEK that "this generation of leaders has played its role in ensuring =
Indonesia's stability." Among Suharto watchers, the use of the past tens=
e will be enough to trigger a new round of conjecture. Was it a hint tha=
t he's getting ready to pass on the reins of power?<BR>
Culled from Newsweek<BR>
<P>
Yeltsin Puts Brave Face On Helsinki Summit<BR>
<P>
MOSCOW, (Reuter) <BR>
Boris Yeltsin, accused by opponents of capitulating over NATO expansion d=
uring last week's summit with Bill Clinton, said on Wednesday that cooper=
ation with the West was the only sensible way forward.<BR>
"Will the danger be reduced if we return to the way of mutual threat=
s? No, on the contrary, it will grow! We do not intend to return to that =
path. Our choice is cooperation and mainly economic," Yeltsin said in a n=
ationwide radio address.<BR>
The Kremlin leader acknowledged that he had been unable to persuade =
the U.S. president that NATO's plan to take in some of Moscow's former co=
mmunist allies was a mistake.<BR>
But he said Russia had made important gains at the two-day summit in=
the Finnish capital on March 20 and 21.<BR>
These included a NATO pledge not to move nuclear weapons on to the t=
erritory of new members, not to threaten Russian security with military m=
ovements to the East and agreement to produce a future binding document o=
n relations between NATO and Russia, he said.<BR>
More controversially, Yeltsin said Clinton had made concessions on a=
nti-ballistic missile defences and promised that Russia "will become a fu=
ll member" of the Group of Seven leading industrial nations.<BR>
Analysts have said it was Russia which made concessions on the missi=
le defences issue and U.S. officials have said that, although the next G7=
summit will be called "the Summit of the Eight," Russia will still be ex=
cluded from some discussions.<BR>
On the economic side, Yeltsin noted that Clinton had agreed to help =
press for Russia to join the World Trade Organisation in 1998, helping to=
lower customs barriers against Russian goods.<BR>
<P>
"This year Russia will join the Paris Club. It will help us get back=
money which many countries owe to Russia," he said.<BR>
Economists say Russia is some way away from WTO membership, but nego=
tiations with the Paris Club of creditor nations are under way and member=
ship is possible later this year, if the two sides can agree terms.<BR>
"I know my opponents will tell me our position in the negotiations w=
as not tough enough," said Yeltsin, who had already come under fire from =
his communist and nationalist critics before his plane even touched down =
in Moscow on Saturday from Helsinki.<BR>
"We could of course have angrily knitted our brows and banged our bo=
ots on the table as in the Cold War years. But what would have been the r=
esult? Again irreconcilable enmity, again Russian isolation," he said.<BR=
>
Yeltsin's comments contrasted sharply with the aggressive tone of hi=
s statements before the summit, indicating that, despite continuing offic=
ial opposition to NATO expansion, Moscow had come to terms with the fact =
that it cannot prevent it.<BR>
"Despite the importance of the problem of responding to NATO expansi=
on, it's not the only direction of our external policy. We will, as befor=
e, develop and deepen our friendly relations with our traditional partner=
s," Yeltsin said.<BR>
He cited China and India, as well as the 12 former Soviet republics =
who make up the Commonwealth of Independent States, but did not hint at a=
ny partnerships directed against the West.<BR>
CIS leaders meet for a summit in Moscow on Friday.<BR>
<P>
Basse Hosts Influx Of People<BR>
As 15th "Safra" Conference Opens<BR>
<P>
The 15th Edition of the annual sub-regional youth and sports conference, =
SAFRA, opened at the high level park in Basse on Tuesday evening. <BR>
The one week programme took its unique but usual character - a convivial =
and brotherly meeting. All participating countries of the SAFRA Zone exce=
pt one, turned up with large numbers of participants all of whom took par=
t in a pre-opening march past watched by a solid 10,000 people.<BR>
In his opening address, the Secretary of State for Youth and Sports, Lami=
n (Kaba) Bajo, firmly impressed on the gathering that the occasion must n=
ot only focus on sports and cultural activities, but should also provide =
the youths with an opportunity for meaningful dialogue particularly on th=
e many problems affecting youths in the subregion.<BR>
"These problems include unemployment, drug abuse, prostitution and under =
employment, and since the youths themselves are the principal actors in t=
he drive to eradicate these vices, you must use this occasion to review t=
he policy base and orientation of this subregional meeting, drawing lesso=
ns of your experience of the past 18 years," he told participants.<BR>
The secretary of state further stated that there is a strong need to inte=
nsify the concept of regular exchanges to enable our youths to live and w=
ork together and exchanging ideas on matters of common concern. "In this =
way, we will be promoting positive change among our youths by exposing th=
em to our national and subregional realities which will also assist in or=
ienting them especially for skills development, cultural awareness and ta=
ke on their rightful roles in the development process," he said.<BR>
Mr. Bajo said in order to achieve the desired goals of socio-economic dev=
elopment, we cannot fail to make maximum use of the energies and dynamism=
of this potential important segment of our population - the youths.<BR>
This, he said, "is why our grassroots approach to youth mobilisation and =
motivation, through SAFRA, deserves our full support". In fact, according=
to Mr. Bajo, the general approach to the question of youths should go be=
yond the mere rhetoric of participation and promotion of youths as subjec=
ts rather than objects of economic and social development. "I therefore c=
all on you to re-examine your operations and suggest ways and means of im=
proving them as we have a serious challenge ahead of us," Mr Bajo said.<B=
R>
Other speakers at the occasion included the Commissioner, URD Major Momod=
ou Badjie, who in his speech stressed the importance of youth in society.=
"As youths, we must see ourselves as people called upon to propel the so=
ciety towards a new horizon." He further stated that what the present day=
situation in the subregion requires is for greater understanding of our =
historical past. "Before Colonial days, we were one people and the concer=
n of every youth today should be how effectively we should participate to=
wards the unification of our subregion in general," he said.<BR>
The occasion, which attracted great attention from the local people, also=
recorded the highest number of participants in recent history. Indeed, t=
he local organising committee immediately ran into trouble. "We have made=
plans as neatly as possible, but the unexpected number of participants f=
rom some of our visitors far exceeds the number usually allowed for SAFRA=
," said Charles Baldeh, head of the press committee. Guinea Bissau alone =
is reported to have turned up with some 400 (four hundred) participants, =
instead of the 120 allowed.<BR>
<P>
Indeed, the problem was so acute that by the start of the opening ceremon=
y (delayed from 3pm to 6pm), the whole coordinating procedure seemed to h=
ave collapsed. Scores of people arrived to wait for hours without accommo=
dation. All lodges are booked to the brim. Although 21 heads of cattle we=
re obtained, many people, including members of the press who were promise=
d catering, stayed without it for days not to talk about accommodation. O=
ne youth representative from Lower River Division was spotted at the nigh=
t cultural show hanging his bag in frustration. "I arrived here since 10a=
m but I have neither eaten nor have a place to sleep," he later told Obse=
rver Sports. Indeed, up to the second day of the programme, these problem=
s persisted.<BR>
However, many people seemed to be sympathetic to the local organising com=
mittee. "This situation is unexpected and so no one could take blame. The=
committee is overwhelmed with the sudden unprecedented massive turn out =
and so these problems should be expected," said one delegate. The local c=
ommittee <BR>
meanwhile, says the minor hitches would soon be history as everything is =
being done to get things under control. If that happens, the ground would=
be cleared for a colourful sporting and cultural display as each partici=
pating country registered abundance of athletes and dancers.<BR>
<P>
THREE ALKALOLU DISMISSED FOR "INEPTITUDE" AND "INSUBORDINATION"<BR>
<P>
by Sheriff Bojang<BR>
<P>
Three village Alkalolu of Kafuta, Sohm and Faraba-sutu were recently remo=
ved from their posts for alleged "ineptitude" and "insubordination".<BR>
The removal of the alkalolu was contained in letters from the Commissione=
r's Office Brikama, dated March 10th, 1997. The letters did not elaborat=
e as to reasons prompting the termination of the alkalolu.<BR>
Efforts to get comments from the Commissioner's Office and from the actin=
g head chief of Kombo East district were unsuccessful. The octogenarian =
alkalo of Kafuta, Sulayman Bojang, was replaced by Alhagi Ya-Faye Bojang,=
Malang Sanyang of Faraba Sutu was replaced by Omar Darbo, while Nyabai J=
arju was replaced by Baring Jarju.<BR>
Speaking to the Daily Observer, on Tuesday, the new alkalo of Kafuta, Alh=
agi Ya Faye Bojang, said he was jolted by news of his appointment, but r=
esolved to "loyally and diligently execute" his trust. "I have already =
formed advisory, development and peace committees to help me tackle the s=
ocial, developmental and administrative needs of the village", alkalo Boj=
ang explained. Kafuta is one of the largest villages in Kombo East distr=
ict. One week since his appointment he was able to collect D2,493 in un=
paid taxes: "By next week I hope to collect the rest of the unpaid rates=
," he vowed.<BR>
On his immediate priority intervention areas, the new alkalo cited "promo=
tion of unity, encouragement of agriculture and upgrading of the village =
skill training centre," as first.<BR>
Ya-Faye Bojang, a former forestry employee, is reputed to be one of the m=
ost successful farmers in Kombo. He is married with four wives and sever=
al children.<BR>
The dismissal of the three Kombo East alkalolu is reportedly linked to th=
e recent sacking of several alkalolu in Sami, Niani, Bansang, Yona Musa, =
Lamin Koto and Kuntaur.<BR>
<P>
ROC's Industrial Experts Drop Hints On Gambian's Investments<BR>
<P>
Mercy Eze<BR>
<P>
Two investors from Taisun Enterprise Company Limited, a private sector in=
the Republic of China (ROC) have concluded their one-week feasibility st=
udies in The Gambia, not without dropping economic advice to the governme=
nt.<BR>
The investors, Lin, Wen-Hsiang Vincent, chief Executive Officer and Jeng,=
Jiann-Yih, Director, Techniques Division of Taisun company arrived in th=
e country recently, following President Jammeh's beckon to investors duri=
ng his last year's visit to Taipei. He mentioned that The Gambia has abu=
ndant fruits such as mangoes, tomatoes and others for exportation.<BR>
The investors feel there are prospects in canning and bottling of tomatoe=
s, mangoes, and grapes but their studies revealed they have problems in t=
he process of tomato paste.<BR>
They mentioned some bottlenecks like cans and bottles, which according to=
them have to be imported since there are no such manufacturing industrie=
s here for these items as "it entails hiring large vessels to bring them =
(bottles and cans) here and this involves a lot of money", one of them co=
nfirmed.<BR>
The ROC's investors compared economically the prices of processed/and non=
-processed fruits and found out that tomato paste sells for D7.00 while f=
resh ones sell for D3.00.<BR>
On mangoes, they recommended that The Gambia should export directly, fres=
h mangoes to Europe since according to their claim, the world market on j=
uice is dominated by orange/grape/apple, thereby rendering mango market n=
on-competitive.<BR>
The visiting investors however announced they have found prospects in the=
nation's groundnuts and promised buying up all the produce irrespective =
of the quality produced.<BR>
The experts had during their visit met with a number of authorities at th=
e Central Bank, Gambia Ports Authorities (GPA), GAMTEL, Department of Imm=
igration, Ministries of Works', Agriculture, Finance, Trade, NAWEC, IBAS,=
Labour Department, Chamber of Commerce and a host of other sectors.<BR>
<P>
At a dinner party organised in their honour at Bungalow Beach Hotel by th=
e ROC embassy, Jeng, Jiann-Yih who is also the president of a Rotary Club=
in ROC, thanked The Gambia authorities, ambassador Francias C. R. Lee an=
d his fellow Rotarians, president Jones and secretary Drammeh of Rotary =
Club of Banjul for the hospitality throughout their stay.<BR>
The experts left on Saturday 21st March for Taipei.<BR>
<P>
Unicef Decries Child Abduction By Ugandan Rebels<BR>
<P>
The executive director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), ha=
s issued an urgent appeal to world governments and international organisa=
tions to apply pressure on the Lord's Resistance Army fighters in Uganda =
to stop "their continuing abduction of children".<BR>
A release from the UNICEF office in Banjul quoted Carol Bellamy as accusi=
ng the LRA soldiers of "deliberate killing and for the abduction of thous=
ands of school children". These soldiers, active around northern Uganda=
, have been accused by Human Rights groups including Amnesty Internationa=
l, of torture of captives and sexual abuse of girls. Thousands of boys c=
aptured are forced to take part in armed attacks. But despite the escala=
ting nature of the problem, the UNICEF boss expressed hope that "the prob=
lem is neither too big nor too complex to solve".<BR>
"We have to identify, beyond a shadow of doubt, those from whom the LRA a=
re drawing support for their despicable campaign of terror and abuse," sa=
id Bellamy. Bellamy averred that "concerted international pressure in th=
e right places could put an end to the abductions of children, if not to =
the war itself".<BR>
The campaign of terror waged by the LRA in the fields and villages of nor=
thern Uganda, has now brought the area to the brink of famine. "The live=
s of an entire generation of children are being shattered in the contagio=
n of violence consuming the Great Lakes Region." Carol Bellamy provokes =
world conscience querying "How long before the world hears the silent scr=
eams of children in Eastern Zaire, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda? "These chi=
ldren," notes Bellamy, "are victims not only of war, but of the lamentabl=
e failure of adults to protect the lives of their children". Bellamy sai=
d whatever the origins and complexities of these intricate and tragic cri=
ses, there is no "just cause" for the death or torture of a child. There=
fore, the world must take responsibility instead of taking cover.<BR>
<P>
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) <BR>
<P>
by Abraham C. Olungwe BSN, MPH.<BR>
<P>
The history of vitamin C is linked with that of scurvy. Scurvy was known=
long before the vitamin era; the ascorbutic effects of certain foods wer=
e described several centuries ago. In those early days, scurvy was a par=
ticular scourge of sailors who went for many weeks without fresh food. <=
BR>
It was not until 1747, however, that James Lind of Scotland demonstrated =
that scurvy could be cured or prevented by the consumption of citrus frui=
t. Well before the discovery of vitamins, Lind's discovery led to the in=
clusion of certain fresh foods and fruits in sailors' diets.<BR>
In the 19th century, scurvy began to occur among infants who were being f=
ed newly introduced canned and powdered milks, instead of the usual breas=
t milk or fresh cow's milk. The vitamin C had been destroyed during the =
time these milk products were heated to make them better than breast milk=
=2E In spite the value attributed to ascorbic acid, the substance was no=
t isolated until 1928 and was finally synthesised in 1932.<BR>
Our bodies cannot store large amounts of vitamin C, so blood levels of th=
e vitamin reflect recent intake and are measurements of the white crystal=
L - ascorbic acid; the chemically active form of vitamin C storage occur=
s in the adrenal cortex and generally is sufficient for 90 days according=
to some sources. If no vitamin C is ingested in that period, scurvy sym=
ptoms develop. Excess vitamin C is excreted in the urine.<BR>
Vitamin C is the most active reducing agent in living substances and ther=
efore plays an important role in the body's nutritional processes. The a=
cid in the vitamin maintains irons in ferrous form, increasing iron absor=
ption. Vitamin C similarly facilitates calcium absorption and so enable =
adequate calcification of the teeth and bones. It serves an essential ro=
le in converting folic acid from its inactive to active form. Vitamin C =
is necessary in synthesising two of the neurotransmitters that transmit n=
erve impulses between cells such that the deficiency of those two neurotr=
ansmitters result in fatigue and weakness characteristic of vitamin C def=
iciency.<BR>
Deficiency of Ascorbic Acid<BR>
<P>
A deficiency in vitamin C can initiate the symptoms of scurvy. These inc=
lude fragile blood vessels that rupture easily, resulting in diffuse tiss=
ue bleeding, pinpoint type of haemorrhage (petechial), and bleeding in th=
e joints and gums. Since collagen is a primary part of our skin, wound h=
ealing is adversely affected by vitamin C deficiency. Individuals with s=
curvy, especially children, develop bone fractures and malformations, sin=
ce bone adversely affects collagen synthesis.<BR>
<P>
Food Sources Of Vitamin C<BR>
The best sources of absorbic acid are citrus fruits, tomatoes, and green =
vegetables. Although certain foods are high in vitamin C content, the vi=
tamin is highly unstable, and its benefit is easily lost. For example, =
cooking destroys 50 to 80 percent of this vitamin in foods. Since the vi=
tamin is water-soluble, it can be leached by water. It is sensitive to a=
ir, heat, and light, and therefore easily oxidised.<BR>
Major Functions<BR>
Since there are much claims about how vitamin C can cure almost all the d=
iseases, let us look at the general characteristics of vitamin C again.<B=
R>
1. Utilisation of other nutrients: Vitamin C facilitates calcium absorpti=
on and thus enable adequate calcification of our bones. It also converts=
folic acid from its inactive to active form; and increases iron absorpti=
on.<BR>
2. Body metabolism: Ascorbic acid is the most active reducing agent in li=
ving substances, thus playing an important role in the body's nutritional=
processes.<BR>
3. Collagen formation: The major role of vitamin C occurs in relation to=
cellular connective tissue. Collagen is an insoluble protein within con=
nective tissue and is found in skin, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, bones=
, teeth, and blood vessels. Vitamin C enables the synthesis of two major=
amino acids in collagen, and collagen holds cells and tissue together in=
an organised manner. This is a reason why vitamin C is also referred to=
as the cement of the body. When vitamin C is not present for this major=
role in collagen synthesis, scurvy results. Again, the healing of wound=
s associated with Vitamin C, may be due to the synthesis of two major ami=
no acid in collagen.<BR>
Some Health Claims About Vitamin C <BR>
Most of the claims about vitamin C as the "cure-all vitamin" come from e=
xperiences with scurvy. Since the clinical manifestation of the disease =
are numerous, it seems only logical that vitamin C deficiency can result =
in bleeding, fatigue, tooth loss, anaemia, fever, convulsions, bone, brea=
kdown, skin disorders, ingrown hairs, shock, and death, vitamin C supplem=
ent should benefit our bodies in many ways in addition to curing scurvy.<=
BR>
In the seventies, a great deal of support developed for the concept that =
large doses of vitamin C can prevent the common cold. It was further sug=
gested that massive doses could terminate a cold even after the appearanc=
e of symptoms. Dr Linus Pauling, a Scientist, even theorised that human =
diet may at one time have involved ascorbic acid levels as great as fifty=
times the presently recommended levels. However, Dr Pauling reported stu=
dies have been criticised because of the methods involved in his studies.=
Other investigators have undertaken studies that failed to produce clin=
ical significant results.<BR>
Again, vitamin C is experiencing increasing popularity as a potential can=
cer treatment. Such treatment involves megodose therapy, and has its the=
oretical basis in anecdotal findings and in successful animal studies. A=
lthough it is hoped that such hypotheses proves true, no clinical trial h=
as yet been conducted to verify these hypotheses.<BR>
Toxicity from Vitamin C Overdosage<BR>
There is a potential harm from overdosage of vitamin C. Excessive supple=
ment may result in the following problems: Diarrhoea, nausea, cramps, for=
mation of excess oxalic acid in the body, acidification of urine, interfe=
rence with the use of therapeutic drugs, intestinal obstruction, and fals=
e positive urine diabetic test.<BR>
Since vitamin C is generally required by our bodies in small quantities, =
upholding the recommended dosage that will support human life, will be a =
focus in the right direction.<BR>
<P>
ARTS & CULTURE<BR>
<P>
Multi-Culture Music Meeting in <BR>
The Gambia<BR>
As Migell Tamba and Eiko take the Centre-Stage<BR>
<P>
by Obiozor williams<BR>
<P>
Trying to describe the feeling one gets from watching six gifted music ta=
lents across Africa and Europe converging in one place - a tourist nation=
, the smiling coast, doing what they know best, is like trying to write a=
television documentary on an age-long traditional heritage of a communit=
y. No superlative is too much for that aesthetic, frenzy and thrilling e=
nthusiasm and at once, rapport and friendly satisfactory feeling and memo=
ries that lingers after such event.<BR>
Perhaps it's not too surprising when you discover that Gambia's tourism i=
ndustry is having a 'swell' time with a quality entertainment sector. Th=
e effort boosts the morale of tourists from different parts of the world,=
thus encouraging more visits from others.<BR>
And so, Sunday March 14, 1997 was quite a day to remember by tourists in =
The Gambia, when all roads led to Sir William restaurant, Kotu for a spec=
ial music carnival packaged by entertainment guru Willie Meurer as part o=
f the restaurant's contribution to the promotion of unity, peaceful co-ex=
istence and co-operation between African and European artists/tourists in=
The Gambia.<BR>
On band-stand was the Real Beat Band led by Patrick Veneye supported by h=
is Ragga Toaster Wales. The Band made up of Gambians and other nationals=
kicked off the concert with some popular oldies times, followed by the p=
erformance of Swedish-born Catherial - tourist on holidays and also rock =
melodies from self-styled 'Everly Brothers of the Gambia' made up of UK b=
ased Tony and Keith. Another artist, Isaac Rom, who sings Calypso tunes,=
mounted the stage and gave an explosive performance with his "Lover Mama=
" tune and dancing steps. <BR>
<P>
As the night progressed, a German-born deadlocks guitarist, Eiko Falckenb=
erg, came on stage with a thrilling rendition of late Bob Marley's rythms=
, "No woman No Cry", "Jamming", "One Love", "Redemption Song", all san=
g by Patrick and Wales. The ace guitarist took the crowd along with his =
expertise on the Solo guitar, skanking all over the stage.<BR>
The climax of the five hour concert was the introduction of the special g=
uest star of the night, Migell Tamba, who gave a good account of his seve=
ral years of experience in music. Aside from doing a native Gambian song=
"Mama Tamba", he rendered more thrilling and explosive rhythms like "La =
Bamba", "Guantamela", etc to the delight of Gambians and tourists that be=
sieged the Sir William restaurant.<BR>
The more he performed, singing and dancing energetically, his age <BR>
notwithstanding (he's 61), the audience sang along with him. The Swedis=
h Star, who is billed to perform next month in a bigger concert with Gamb=
ia's Kora prince Tatadinding, received a standing ovation at the end of t=
he show.<BR>
Arts and Culture learnt from the show organiser, Willie Meurer that speci=
al events like this are packaged on a regular basis attracting both indig=
enous and foreign stars "just to add glamour in our efforts to make the t=
ourists enjoy their stay in The Gambia as well as create opportunities fo=
r cultural and musical exchanges among the audience," he concluded. <=
BR>
<P>
CASAMANCE BAND CHANGES NAME<BR>
As it records double album for Gambian producer<BR>
<P>
by Buju Boots <BR>
<P>
The oldest music group in Senegambia have officially changed name from UC=
AS BAND DE SEDHIOU to SEDHIOU BAND. In an exclusive interview with Sene=
galese Radio SUD F.M, Abou Kunta, the manager for Sedhiou Band and one of=
the founding members of the band said "a change of name from Ucas Band t=
o Sedhiou Band is necessary because Ucas refers to a sporting association=
=2E "Now that the band is no longer part of that association, it is abso=
lutely necessary for us to rename the band," he said. "Ucas was formed t=
o entertain mainly the people of Sedhiou; now that we see ourselves as an=
international band, the change of name is more than necessary," said Sai=
du Ndure a founding member and lead vocalist. Ucas Band de Sedhiou has c=
ome a long way, crossing many rivers and jumping many hurdles since its i=
nception in January, 1959 in the Casamance province of Sedhiou. In spite=
of the change in name, the 15-member multi-talented Cultural band mainta=
ins not only four of its original members but its unique style for 38 lon=
g years. Exactly eight years after its formation, Ucas Band de Sedhiou h=
as won three gold medals at St Louis, at the Festival de la Musique et Sp=
orts organised by the Government of Senegal. In 1970, the band recorded =
it's first album 'Setajuwo' (Baobab tree) with financial assistance of th=
e Senegalese Government. In 1973 it made it's first official trip outsid=
e Senegal to France and Spain. Upon return, the band went on yet another=
tour of West Africa - Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry and Ivory Coast.<BR>=
The Band was hit by financial problems and could not record for the next=
12 years. Luck came in 1985 when they released the best - selling doubl=
e album for SARRO AND SAMALA.<BR>
In 1995 the new Sedhiou Band left for a promotional tour of Europe, to Sp=
ain, France, Italy and Germany. From Europe, they flew direct to Banjul =
for what was initially going to be a 21 day stay. The band was based in =
Banjulinding Village. The 21 day stay lasted 12 months. Sedhiou Band ma=
de contacts and new friends. These 12 months won them thousands of fans =
all over The Gambia. It has signed a contract with Ousman Ceesay of Ker=
ewan sounds production and distribution for the recording and marketing o=
f a 12 track double album, volumes 1 and 2. They have already finished re=
cording the cassette at Studio 2000 in Dakar. According to Lamin Sawaneh=
and D.J Focks of Kerewan Distribution, the album will be out in a few we=
eks.<BR>
Good Friday Is Good: Let Us Appreciate It<BR>
<P>
by Lawrence Kweku Yamuah<BR>
<P>
Good Friday is a day that Christians mourn their Saviour who was crucifie=
d on the cross. In those days, to be crucified was suggestive of the fact=
that one was a thief. So the Saviour was maltreated just as they will do=
a thief. If such an inhuman and disrespectful treatment was meted to the=
King of kings one should wonder why that day is still remembered generat=
ion after generation as "Good Friday." But it is a very historic day in o=
ur salvation as Christians.<BR>
It is very important to remember this day because the Lord of lords laid=
down His life for us at a time when we were still hard core sinners. He =
did not wait for us to make up our minds to be holy before he decided to =
save us. That is one reason why Good Friday is good.<BR>
On this important and Good Friday, our Saviour Jesus Christ did things th=
at no one has ever done before; He overcame. Until that time, every soul =
was scared stiff of that dreadful and awful thing called death. Because t=
he concept of life after death was not well understood, the fear of death=
was even deepened. That costly death of Christ however made a very big d=
ifference or impact on life after death. He Himself has said again and ag=
ain that death is not the end of life, but the beginning of another life =
of bliss. Saint Paul in his letter to the Corinthians wrote that "death i=
s destroyed; victory is complete. Where death, is your power to hurt."<B=
R>
<P>
But as He conquered death going through the bitter shame and sorrow that =
has never happened before, what did we do and what are we doing. We rathe=
r make the Saviours pity plea in vain by showing Him through our sins tha=
t we are more interested in "all of ourselves and none of Him." Irrespect=
ive of that, He still went ahead and found us. We all beheld Him bleeding=
on the accursed tree and heard Him pray: forgive them, Father. It is at =
the remembrance of this that for some of us our wistful hearts say faintl=
y: "Some of self, and some of the Lord." But we all know from, the teachi=
ngs that some of us is really not enough to go by.<BR>
As His tender mercy is shown to us day by day through healing, helping fu=
ll and free, sweet and strong, prosperity, protection and guidance, healt=
h and strength, let us take a bold and complete step forward. As we do th=
at let us lower ourselves and whisper to the Lord: "Less of ourselves and=
more of Thee." And considering the fact that His love shown to us is hig=
her than the highest heavens and deeper than the deepest sea, let us try =
to be grateful and thankful and try to do more of His will. Again, since =
His love has at last conquered every sinful and troubling aspect of life,=
let us pray that He grants us our supplication so that we can make a bol=
d step towards: "None of ourselves, and all of the Lord." In His confidin=
g love, let us seek His face, worship and adore Him for His wondrous grac=
e.<BR>
For forty days and forty nights, the good Lord fasted in the wilderness, =
was tempted though undefiled just to save us from our sins. That is why G=
ood Friday is good and should be perceived that way. As He fasted all the=
days through scorching sunbeams, chilly drops of dew in the night, prowl=
ing beasts, perhaps using the earth as His bed and stones as His pillow, =
our father looked on and did nothing when He was being persecuted for our=
sake.<BR>
I hope now we can appreciate His suffering for us, we will be able and wi=
lling to share the endurance and abstain from our earthly greed. And whet=
her Satan be angry with us or not, we should be able to stand firm and no=
t fail.<BR>
When you are put down by disappointments or when everything you wanted fa=
ils don't give up. The devil will want to keep you down, but God will lif=
t you up. If you want to make a fool of somebody, you have to think twic=
e. Do you really know what you will be doing? If we really and truly appr=
eciate what Christ did for us, there is one of many ways that we can show=
it. And that is to love Him and love one another; one of the conditions =
for being Jesus' friend.<BR>
It is my fervent prayer, that the all merciful Lord who cares for the dyi=
ng will rescue those of us who are perishing, and snatch us in pity from =
sin and the grave as well as lifting up those who are falling. Now that t=
here is victory over satan's power, let all the ransomed sing and triumph=
in the dying hour through Christ the Lord our King, because He had made =
Good Friday a good day. for all this and the beauty of the earth and skie=
s and for the love which from our birth have been over and around us, let=
us raise our sacrifice of praise unto our Gracious God. Because He is ki=
nd and His mercies are forever faithful and sure, let us praise the Lord =
with a gladsome mind.<BR>
Apart form everything else, by carrying our shame on the cross, he has ma=
de Good Friday good. Let us therefore, with joyful voices give glory to H=
is grace. We should also remember that He now stands knocking at the fast=
-closed door of every sinners heart. Sinners like me and you do not need =
to keep Him out any more or force Him to depart. In lowly patience and te=
ars on His face, He is still knocking and waiting and with a gentle voice=
still pleading more than ever before that we let Him into our hearts. In=
meek and lowly accents he pleads that He died for us so why can't we wit=
h shame and sorrow open the door for the Saviour and ask Him never to lea=
ve us. If nothing else, let us remember His grief and pain as He died for=
us with love that passeth all knowledge and understanding making Good Fr=
iday good.<BR>
<P>
35 Youths Stand Trial For Allegedly Causing Damage To <BR>
Stadium<BR>
<P>
by Momodou .L. Jaiteh<BR>
<P>
Thirty-five young men on Wednesday, 26 March, 1997 re-appeared before the=
Kanifing magistrates' court charged with various offences, including dam=
age to the Independence Stadium.<BR>
In adducing evidence, Police Prosecutor Ceesay of Serekunda Police Statio=
n said the accused persons, on Sunday 23 February, 1997 at the Independen=
ce Stadium in Bakau, during Youssou N'dour's show, jointly conducted them=
selves in a manner that could lead to public disorder, thereby violating =
the Laws of The Gambia. He added that the accused persons also wilfully a=
nd jointly obstructed the police Intervention force by stoning them while=
they were executing their lawful duties. They were further accused of ca=
using damage to the stadium.<BR>
When the charges were read in court during the last sitting, all the accu=
sed persons pleaded not guilty.<BR>
In testifying before the court, prosecution witness, Cadet Inspector Alha=
gi Nouha Manneh, told how he and his colleagues were on guard when the ac=
cused started misbehaving. He said he had advised everybody to be in the =
queue before getting inside. <BR>
<P>
"Some people followed the instructions while the accused persons did not,=
" he alleged. Instead, he said the accused, most of whom he said were wit=
hout tickets, broke the gate near the score board and attempted sneaking =
in.<BR>
Upon seeing them, Mr. Manneh said he personally approached them to ask th=
em out but they started uttering all sorts of words. He said at that poin=
t, he called his colleagues to come so that the situation could be contai=
ned. <BR>
However, Mr. Manneh added, the accused went to the extent of throwing sto=
nes at them and as a result, some of them sustained injuries.<BR>
During cross-examination, some of the accused persons put it to Mr. Manne=
h that they were not arrested by him personally and that they were not in=
volved. Others said they were arrested even though they bought tickets to=
get in. <BR>
Mr. Manneh, however, maintained that all those arrested must have been in=
volved, which was the reason why they were brought to court.<BR>
The case, which was presided over by Magistrate Sulayman Batchilly, was a=
djourned to April 3,1997 for further hearing.<BR>
<P>
STARS FOR MARCH 27<BR>
ARIES<BR>
(March 21 to April 20)<BR>
Following hot on the heels of yesterday's transforming Sun/Pluto ray the =
heavens offer up the star of love, Venus, in divine alignment with the pl=
anet of sex, Pluto. The effects of this can be perfectly devastating for =
your affairs of the heart in the nicest possible way.<BR>
<P>
TAURUS<BR>
(April 21 to May 21)<BR>
The chances of fate intervening in your love life is more likely due to t=
he power of Venus and Pluto. It is hard to predict how it will precisely=
happen, but be prepared for anything like a chance meeting or something =
extraordinary to throw you into somebody special's arms.<BR>
<P>
GEMINI<BR>
(May 22 to June 21)<BR>
You are about to come under the influence of a pretty incredible woman, w=
ho will take your life by the scruff of the neck and turn your future int=
o something super special. The force of this female is subtle but nonethe=
less transforming for you. She is a fiercely faithful friend.<BR>
<P>
CANCER<BR>
(June 22 to July 23)<BR>
A complete and utter head to toe metamorphosis of your image is required =
to bring you the success you crave for. Power dressing is very much in fa=
shion for you now, as the first impressions you create in your career spe=
ll the difference between success and failure.<BR>
<P>
LEO<BR>
(July 24 to Aug. 23)<BR>
You have more luck in the heavens than you can handle but the most import=
ant thing is to be aware it is there! Your destiny us about to change gea=
r and throw your situation and set ups that will alter your world making =
it unrecognisable in the future, Just don't fight fate.<BR>
<P>
VIRGO<BR>
(Aug. 24 to Sept. 23)<BR>
If you thought yesterday's vibes were pretty sexy, then today's are even =
more seductive and sensual. Of course you may not be aware that you are h=
ot stuff but the vibes you give out will leave folk transfixed in your pa=
ssionate presence. Make love whilst Venus and Pluto shine!.<BR>
<P>
LIBRA <BR>
(Aug. 24 to Oct. 23)<BR>
What becomes of the broken hearted? According to your stars they get mend=
ed again! No, this is not some frivolous statement it is a fact that whet=
her you get back together with the love of your life or you meet somebody=
new and fascinating, you won't lose anything now Libra.<BR>
<P>
SCORPIO<BR>
(Oct. 24 to Nov. 22<BR>
Your personal allure is always something to burn holes in the heart of th=
ose who love you and adore you. But this time the magic can work in unexp=
ected areas like employment. In other words you can mesmerise folk around=
you professionally giving you great powers over all.<BR>
<P>
SAGITTARIUS<BR>
(Nov. 23 to Dec. 21)<BR>
When it comes to having an enchanting and sexy personality you take some =
beating today! You exude an enigmatic charm and incredible passion that w=
ill take people's breath away. If you are clever you will use this potent=
power to progress and advance your self interests.<BR>
<P>
CAPRICORN<BR>
(Dec. 22 to Jan. 20)<BR>
A female relative is a tower of strength and will help you out of a large=
emotional hole, possibly one you have dug yourself. You need the advice =
and guidance of a person who is totally in control so yield to this woman=
's greater force and let her take your life in hand.<BR>
<P>
AQUARIUS<BR>
(Jan. 21 to Feb. 19)<BR>
The power and influence you have over other folk with your ideas and hypn=
otic presence puts you in the driving seat in more ways than you can imag=
ine. You have the ear of people who can help your cause so communicate yo=
ur thoughts as someone, somewhere is listening just to you.<BR>
<P>
PISCES<BR>
(Feb. 20 to March 20)<BR>
Whether you are about to win some money on the lottery, pools or at bingo=
cash does seem to have an irresistible and magnetic quality towards you =
today. Because fate plays such funny tricks it's hard to know how it will=
land in your lap but prepare for a windfall of some kind.<BR>
<P>
YOU BORN TODAY <BR>
Your image and personality is out of this world! Use this year to make so=
mething of yourself and just watch offers flood in in love, career and mo=
ney.<BR>
<P>
</BODY>
</HTML>
--PART.BOUNDARY.0.12500.emout06.mail.aol.com.859594810--
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 1997 22:43:03 -0300 (ADT)
From: Cherno Waka Jagne <C_JAGNE@tuna.stmarys.ca>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: Gambian Education
Message-ID: <15C75054D1F@tuna.stmarys.ca>
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
On Thu, 27 Mar 1997, Andrea Klumpp wrote:
> > > Hello GambiaLers>
> > I tried to figure out the people who expressed their wish to join the
> > group dealing with support for Gambian education:
> >
> > Abdou Oujimai
> > Al Mballow
> > Andrea Klumpp
> > Francis Njie
> > Haddijatou Secka
> > J. Gaye
> > Malanding S. Jaiteh
> > Momodou Jagana
> > Musa Sowe
> > Nkoyo ...(?)
> > Pa-Mambuna O. Bojang
> >
> > Please let me know, if you are interested but don't find your name on
> > the list or if I added you falsely
> >
Yep, I'm interested, even though I've been silent...
Please count me in.
=====================
Cherno Waka Jagne
St. Mary's University
Halifax, N.S.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 29 Mar 1997 01:47:48 -0500 (EST)
From: ASJanneh@aol.com
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Francis Njie; the Observer
Message-ID: <970329014748_-602825675@emout04.mail.aol.com>
Gambia-l:
Sankung is working very hard to give us access to the "Observer." He and the
many others who have been toiling for us all deserve our commendation.
Francis Njie: please contact Sankung ASAP regarding the "Observer." His
e-mail:
sankungsawo@compuserve.com
Amadou Scattred Janneh
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 29 Mar 1997 20:10:30 JST +900
From: binta@iuj.ac.jp
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: Francis Njie; the Observer
Message-ID: <199703291108.UAA02639@mlsv.iuj.ac.jp>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
I was thrilled to see that first version of 'Observer Online'. When
shall we finalise the fee issue?
Lamin Drammeh.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 29 Mar 1997 16:51:50 -0800 (PST)
From: Latir Downes-Thomas <latir@earthlink.net>
To: Gambia-L <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
Subject: FWD: THE RISE AND FALL OF MOBUTU
Message-ID: <859694114@mail.earthlink.net>
THE RISE AND FALL OF MOBUTU
By MORT ROSENBLUM
AP Special Correspondent
PARIS (AP) - Marshal Mobutu must have been mortified, slinking into his collapsing capital to jeers and whistles to watch three decades of triumph recede like a film running in rapid rewind.
In hilltop seclusion, with an army of dissipating loyalty, he awaits a coming judgment. Will virulent prostate cancer cut him down before his archenemy Laurent Kabila drives him from power?
Or will the convoluted politics of Zaire deliver some other fate entirely?
Rebels who daily control more of the mineral-laced east hold the upper hand, refusing to cease fire against a crumbling army until Mobutu takes a step backward. Kinshasa, the capital, is thick with coup rumors.
Humbling comeuppance is an amazing sight to those who knew him when. But no one who has dealt with Mobutu Sese Seko, a master at reversal of bad fortune, believes it is over until it is over.
Mobutu's strength is his ability to pit factions against one another in bitter free-for-all while he hovers above the fray. For this he needs little real power. He only has to stay alive.
His rabble of an army may not be able to defend his capital, but the jungle might. Long neglect of the interior has left Zaire with no roads between Kinshasa and the rebels' widening territory.
Now a haggard 66, Mobutu winces when he walks, a sharp contrast to the fire-eater who inflamed followers in his early years.
CIA operatives were quick to see leadership in the young colonel with hollow cheeks and hungry eyes, a former journalist. With their help, in 1965, he seized control of the chaotic Congo.
Mobutu imposed his power the old way: He betrayed friends, coopted enemies, and made pacts he did not keep.
He used white mercenaries to crush rebels and then discreet American help to quell a revolt by the mercenaries. Outside help put down repeated assaults on Katanga province (now Shaba), Kabila's next target.
He excoriated racist South Africans with flaming rhetoric that enhanced his standing at summit meetings, but he accepted their secret support.
``We must isolate them,'' Mobutu thundered to a young reporter. ``Buy nothing! Sell nothing!'' The journalist then noticed what the president had offered him to drink: South African grape juice.
After the reporter transferred from Kinshasa, he kept tabs through a courageous local editor named Baudouin Kayembe. But, like many other Zairians, Kayembe ended up in prison where he mysteriously died.
Mobutu pardoned rebel leader Pierre Mulele and embraced him when he came home. Mulele then faced a long secret trial, with regular news bulletins on its progress. In fact, he was shot before it began.
Year after year, more opponents were murdered, and the amounts diplomats said Mobutu stole rose toward $6 billion. Yet U.S. officials privately insisted that only he could hold together Zaire and prevent bloody madness at the heart of Africa.
The answer was similar in Paris. President Francois Mitterrand welcomed Mobutu's Zaire to the club of former French African colonies, even though it had been owned by Belgium.
Justified or not, the pragmatism had a purpose.
>From independence in 1960 until Mobutu ended a string of coups and rebellions - from the short reign of the martyred Patrice Lumumba to Moise Tshombe's Katanga war with the United Nations - Congo was a five-letter synopsis of Africa's worst nightmares.
Zaire's 40 million people break down into 250 tribes spread in clusters across an area as big as Europe, with little communication among them. A handful of dominant tribes have been at odds forever.
Vast wealth is dispersed in pockets: diamonds in Kasai, copper in Shaba, gold in the east, oil in Kongo territory near the coast.
Rather than trying to detribalize Zaire, Mobutu simply made sure that leaders of each power faction had a share of the riches, while he skimmed off the top. He himself is from a tiny minority.
Ordinary people have fallen below any measurable poverty line, and most families survive by what was already known in the 1960s as the ``Congolese miracle'': a blend of barter, theft and suffering.
Kinshasa erupts on occasion. In 1991 and 1993, unpaid soldiers joined tumultuous mobs, and waves of looters picked the city clean. Yet again, France and Belgium sent troops to rescue their own.
And, yet again, Mobutu survived. He promoted commanders from different regions, whose foreign bank accounts enforced practical loyalty. He gave opponents a little rope and guarded leeway.
When the going gets tough, Mobutu takes the high road to safety.
His son and spokesman, Mobutu Nzanga, protested when a reporter wrote that Mobutu was responsible for economic calamity in the country he had ruled for 32 years.
``That is the prime minister's responsibility,'' Nzanga said. ``The president only looks after the army and the overall situation.''
As cancer advanced, he settled into his French Riviera estate, from which he makes periodic forays to Zaire. He made his latest return March 21, arriving too ill for the habitual staged welcome.
>From the start, Mobutu worked magic with symbols in a country long used to strong chiefs and superstitution. He kept leopards at Mount Stanley, his first plush armed camp above Kinshasa. Then he took to wearing a leopardskin cap.
In a push for authenticity, he renamed the country and its majestic river, illogically replacing the African name Congo with an old Portuguese name: Zaire. Along with everyone else's, he changed his own name.
In the end, it may be the title he chose that spells his final humiliation.
Mobutu's full name translates to ``the all-powerful warrior who, because of his endurance and inflexible will to win, will go from conquest to conquest leaving fire in his wake.''
Nothing is yet clear about the future of such a wily survivor. But with every passing day, those who know him say, the glorious epithet could come back to haunt him.
AP-NY-03-29-97 1137EST
Copyright 1997 The Associated Press.
------------------------------
End of GAMBIA-L Digest 61
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gambia-l: LOG9703F - Digest 61
