AN OPEN LETTER TO THE GAMBIAN OPPOSITION LEADERS:
Movement for Democracy and Development
P. O. Box 500
Bronx, NY 10453
Modegam2006@yahoo.com
National Democratic Action Movement (NDAM)
National Reconciliation Party (NRP)
People Democratic Organization for Independence and
socialism (PDOIS)
Peoples Progressive Party (PPP)
United Democratic Party (UDP)
National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD)
February 26, 2006
Dear Gambian Opposition leaders:
On behalf of the Movement for Democracy and Development and on my behalf I am writing you this letter out of genuine concern for our country and its future. I am doing so, fearing that unless we, especially those of you seeking the presidency, make a firm decision concerning a single opposition candidate, we might see another five years of Jammeh's misrule. I don't believe you want that, and neither do the majority of Gambians.
As we move toward the October 2006 elections, many Gambians have been wondering about the key issues the president contenders should be debating other than one over-riding issue that must claim everyone's attention, and that is to defeat Jammeh and thus prepare the country for genuine democracy.
With respect to development, no single Gambian has an absolute solution to the various problems concerning our nation. So there is no promise anyone of you can make as far as development is concern that should be more important at this time than the fact that Jammehmust go, and that can come sooner if we are united behind a single opposition candidate. With Jammeh out of the way, we can make Gambia conducive for genuine democracy.
Today most Gambians, and friends of The Gambia believe that our best chance of freeing Gambia from Jammeh's rampant corruption and misrule is to unite behind a single opposition candidate. I am sure that you all agree with this approach, but the biggest problem among you the leaders hasbeen your collective inability to choose that one person that you all can support to defeat Jammeh in October 2006.
You have been meeting here and there with no solid progress to show Gambians that you are ready to compromise on a single opposition candidate for the seek of bring an end to Jammeh's dictatorship. We the members of the Movement, that is why we are so frustrated when we see that you are still at loggerhead as to who should be the one opposition candidate we all can support.
We still have an opportunity to do the right thing that is to have one opposition presidential candidate against Jammeh. I believe that having Jammeh as thecountry's president for another five years will mean adevastating blow to our dream of a democratic Gambia.
I believe that many of you are qualified and could lead The Gambia for the next five years if conditions were different, but I also believe that you can only be president one at a time. So to make sure that Jammeh is defeated so as to prepare the country for genuine democracy in which some of you can run freely, it will be in everybody's interest to field one candidate at this time. In this light, you all will have to make a very difficult concession in the interest of democracy for The Gambia.
I have no doubt when you come together with a single presidential candidate, the Movement would find it easy to contribute and raise funds as we did in the past to support your activities toward the campaign.If you fail to compromise to come up with a single presidential contender, I am sorry but it would be very difficult for the Movement to rally financial support from members, ordinary Gambians and friends of the Gambia to support more than one presidential candidate while knowing that it would be cheaper and easier to finance a single presidential candidate than more than one candidate.
Finally, the Movement for Democracy and Development is here to support the democratization process and developmental efforts in The Gambia however would not dictate Gambians at the grass roots level on to whoshould lead them. Thank you all for your understanding.
Sincerely,
Chairperson
Saihou Mballow