Friday, January 2, 2015

The "reconciliation" trap

A seance season at the Gambia Embassy in Washington

A single 9-word sentence I posted on my Facebook page cause so much brouhaha, I wondered why the disproportionate reaction and comments on my page.  The sentence was this:  "Today, the reconciliation nonsense has died a natural death."

The ensuring reaction revealed more about the cause than the content of the simple and straight forward message which led me to think deeper than the issue warrants.  I'm glad I did.

The Gambian Embassy in Washington DC is a receptacle for third-rate intelligence and counter-intelligence wannabes who rival the fictional Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau in composure and dexterity.   They are as clumsy and amateurish as they come, whose only accomplishment appears to have been transforming a diplomatic post in the world most important capital to an APRC (ruling party of Jammeh) Party den of sycophants where even routine consular functions are dysfunctional.

Gambian residents in the United States face obstacles in trying to extend or renew their passports because they support the wrong political party or are affiliate with dissident groups.

The entire time of the Embassy - as in other Embassies in France and Spain - is devoted to party political activity that entails trying to recruit from the dissident and opposition pools in the United States under the banner of 'reconciliation' to shore up the sagging popularity of Yaya Jammeh as well as louring the the old, the tired and the less educated.  We warned the faint-hearted here that the fight against tyranny is not for them.    

Naturally, the question that flows from their efforts is what two positions, views, concepts are being reconciled?  It is this fundamental issue that has brought about all the rancor, and unless these questions are answered, we run the risk of engaging in the futile exercise of trying to reconcile the irreconcilable.   Is it possible that this is what Jammeh and the promoters of reconciliation want?

Our position has always been, and will continue to be: ignore the reconciliation efforts as distraction tactic and also to lure some former prominent personalities of the regime.  This sinister design was hatched in State House.

The above notwithstanding, The Washington DC Embassy effort has paid off somewhat with the parading of a prized-convert before the public and pictures plastered across Facebook for proof of success.  There are others, however, who were on the verge of defecting but will now have to reconsider given developments that apparently led to the 30 December events at State House.

There are still others who are dangerously straddling the fence, trying to play both sides.  My one-word advice to them, and to those who have been promised tickets and allowances to Banjul: BEWARE.  Jammeh is treacherous as he is undependable capable of sacrificing his wife and kids to stay in power.  A word for the wise will suffice for now.  Cheers !