(JollofNews)- When I think of The Gambia the smiling coast of Africa so many question come to my mind such as.
Where are we heading to?
Is that Democracy?
Are we in the era of constitutional hijack and coup?
Are we in the era of selective justice?
Are the youth well informed?
Is that The Gambia we want to see where folks are treated based on their loyalty to a political party?
In rebuilding a new Gambia we want to live for our children’s, all hands should be on desk despite of our political differences and ideology. Therefore The Gambia first before any other thing else. The Gambia is small in size when looked at the world map but believe you in me her people have gigantic brains and minds.
Previously, Kanilai bigot the unusual as a bitter confrontation between the peaceful protesters and Senegalise soldiers at the entrance of the village letting to blood shell. Resident of the rural settlement and the Foni environs demanding the immediate evacuation of both the Gambian and Senegalese soldiers in Kanilai.
The protesters were shot on their route to Kanfenda resulting to some civilians sustaining injures some in critical condition and one fatal, by the name Mr. Haruna Jatta as a result of gunshot. Who was laid to rest on the 06th June, 2017 in his native village Kanilai. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace. Amen!
If Edward Francis Small were to arise from the grave yard and witness the killing of innocent protesters. How will he fell? He will be disappointed to see such in The Gambia he dream where one day will be the last place of peace on earth.
The Faroto folks also demonstrated which ended to riot and resulted to the burning of cars owned by individuals but known were shot with a life bullet neither a tear gas was used unlike what was done to the people of Kanilai and environs.
Brother Baboucarr Sey once organized a press conference and a peaceful demonstration which lead to his arrest and detention.
In Bakau the Police were also being attacked by the angry, irritated youth as a result of arresting the drug dealers. The Police are not enemy to any one since you are innocent you can live with them peacefully without fear.
They are maintaining peace and order to make The Gambia the heaven of peace. The question one might ask will be how on earth should one fight a Police Officer who is executing his/her task as per the constitution of the land?
Of recent the most madness, psychosis, stupidity, foolhardiness occurred when angry folks register their total dissatisfaction through dumping the collected waste at the Mayor’s office. This attitude is on Gambian, undemocratic mathematically calculated and wrongly executed.
The Mayor’s office is not own by him neither me no you it is owned by all Gambians. Dialogue is very important since it create the room, space and the opportunity to reach peace. This reminds me of the former American president John F. Kennedy when he said “Never fear to negotiate and never negotiate out of fear”.
NEA is this malicious attitude not a violation of anti littering? If yes then the victims should be arrested and face justice as per the laws of our dear mother land.
The other question one might ask will be since the Bakoteh dumpsite is temporary closed where will be the waste placed? When the place was closed was another option given?
Registering grievance through conflict, inconsistency and violence will not solve an issue. The people of serrekunda voted Mr. Yankuba Kolley through the democratically ballot box. Therefore if he is not meeting up their demands as per promised during campaign. Let them vote him out through the same ballot box or through the formal constitutional procedure as per the local government act.
To my surprise there was a bitter confrontation between the PIU. Officers and the people of Bakoteh, but none were shot with a life bullet neither ECOMIG forces intervened. Rule for one rule for all should be our motto in life in ensuring peace.
President Barrow cannot do it all therefore through collectivism we can achieve his great philosophy dream “one Gambia, one people and one nation”.
Finally I wish to inform all that I will never and shall by no means write as anonymous and shall continue to fight to ensure peace and stability and the injustice for the voiceless as far beyond mountain Kilimanjaro. If need be to cross the red sea I will do so!!
God save The Gambia. Amen……
By Saidina Alieu Jarjou
Believable and Sensible;
Thankz
SA Jarjou
I think your analysis is one sided or bias to say the least. You are comparing events that have nothing in common. I think all honest thinking Gambians know why the Senegalese soldiers are stationed around Kanilai and its environs. If the people of Kanilai give shelter to those who laid landmines to kill our innocent citizens and connived with these same people to destabilize not only our country but our neighboring Senegal, then i don’t think you can compare that to those youths who acted inappropriately when they saw their friends being arrested.
Soldiers are trained to defend the country against external or internal aggression and i doubt that include managing an unruly crowd that is bent on driving them out of their mandated place of residence without resorting to using what they were trained to defend themselves and the country with and that is guns, so hence an unfortunate loss of life.
The Farato incident was handled by those trained to deal with situations like that without resorting to the use of firearms, hence there was no live bullets fired. Then comparing the different scenarios with a disguised tribal undertones will only divide us further. Our country need cool heads in this trying times to enlighten our populace with what we shared as a people as a nation, but not as a tribe. You are a living proof of what a wonderful people we are as a nation, where we marry out of tribal lines and out of religious lines.
The educated elites among us have great responsibilities and that include the messages we inseminated to our people.
God bless our beloved nation.
You Point is well noted with thanks!!
Tribalism is a big treat to peace and democracy
Tribalism in Africa has been a major stumbling block to democracy as well as socio-economic development. It affects every sphere of development, from social economic, political to educational spheres. In political spheres, tribalism persists since it provides an avenue via which state goodies and favors trickle down from those in power to their tribesmen. Therefore, loyalty to tribe is given ever greater relevance than loyalty to the country.
In the overall sub-Saharan African political ethos, so long as a larger chunk of the negative vestiges of colonialism predominate, ethnicity as a political tool in the long run may, of course, involve several thoughts in the dimensions of social sciences like anthropology or sociology in the academic world, but in practical politics, especially in the contemporary African context of increasing ignorance and backwardness, ethnicity or ethnic politics exist as a blatant, gruesome instruments of accumulating private wealth and an easy accesses to unearned political power. In short, ethnic politics is an excuse to the profession of brigandage.
“People who sow seeds of discord by preaching tribalism, racism and religious misunderstanding should find another place to go.” Mwai Kinaki
I dream of The Gambia where one day her citizens will continue to live as a family, where the joking relationship buried the menace of tribalism.
Thankz once again
I think your take is very sensible. But I also think you seem to always go around the idea that Jammeh is responsible for the fracture in our communities and the enduring suspicion that bred. That it takes time to heal the many horrible things this man created. I believe that anyone writing on Gambia today, without acknowledging this long recent past, is insincere and cannot be relied upon for a commensurate diagnosis and remedies to our problems.
That tribalism is a menace is common knowledge. Your analysis of this theme is to me superficial. Maybe it would be more enlightening if you analyse why it was possible that Jammeh, who came to office with broad support from junior officers from cross-section of the Gambian ethnic composition, would rule a country for 22 years where, as according to your own view, is chronically mired in tribalism! I hope you have the tenacity to say that he was a bad leader! Bad leaders produce suspicion and tribalism.
Comparing apples and oranges. It’s sad that you prefer to use your writing skills for such nonsense. All the riots you mentioned were Gambians rioting against Police units with no one alleged to threaten their lives. The Kanilai incident is Gambians protesting against ECOMIG with some alleged to carry weapons. How these incidents are the same to someone as smart as your self is baffling. Sometimes the bias in us shows without us realizing it. Its sad that even someone who tries to be objective as you claim can’t even see it
Noted human being are not perfect Sir
But will try to be!!
You made some very good points Mr SA Jarjou and I must add, with a sense of level headedness that is hard to come by in Gambian discussion fora.
1. Until the “alleged weapons” are no longer mere allegations but proven facts, the scenarios cannot be regarded as different, except in the manner they were dealt with, and in that respect, the young man seems more balanced in his views, than some of us (adults).
2. It’s definitely a sign of naivety and gullibility on our part, to simply accept the narrative of the Senegalese ECOMIG contingent at face value, without a shred of evidence, and then form and express opinion disparaging the community of Kaninlai and environs, based on this fantasy and “cooked story”. That’s what is bias.
3. The Senegalese Armed Forces have a history of using deadly force against demonstrators, with what seems to be a policy of “shot to kill.” Amnesty International recorded the death of two demonstrators in Podorr in 2012, and according to eye witnesses, the demonstrators were fired at with life bullets by the Gendarmerie, without any provocation.
In 2014, it was a student shot dead by what was described as an “unidentified Policeman”, during the student demonstrations in relation to unpaid scholarships.
Perhaps, those demonstrators were also armed with local weapons, like hunting rifles and machetes. Let’s stop making excuses for what’s wrong.
Thankz, Brother Bax,
Please be informed that Kanilai bigot the unusual as a bitter confrontation between the peaceful protesters and Senegalise soldiers at the entrance of the village letting to blood shell. Resident of the rural settlement and the Foni environs demanding the immediate evacuation of both the Gambian and Senegalese soldiers in Kanilai.
The protesters were shot on their route to Kanfenda resulting to at list 5 civilians sustaining injures 3 were said to be in critical condition and one fatal, by the name Mr. Haruna Jatta as a result of gunshot. Who was laid to rest on the 06th June, 2017 in his native village Kanilai. May his soul rest in perfect peace. Ameem!!.
It was also highlighted that the Army will be posted to the family elicit of the Jammeh’s as their permanent base. All Jammeh’s brothers are not informed neither they were enlighten the reason why soldiers who were withdrawn after Yahya Jammeh had left for equatorial Guinea are brought back to Kanilai.
In another development it was narrated that the ECOMIG soldiers from Senegal were informed to shoot the protesters as they are rebels from Cassamance? If that is true then it is complete idiocy to allow any nation, regardless of the external generosity to fight their enemy within your land, and knowing very well and with supreme belief that the aftermath can be life threatening.
The narrow minded would say “who cares” its Jammeh’s home this issue is not a Jammeh’s issue neither Kanilai issue nor Foni issue. It is a national issue despite of our political differences because any weapon that is aimed at the Senegalese is a potential harm to our mother land.
The Casamance Conflict is a low-level conflict that has been waged between the Government of Senegal and the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) since 1982. If the Senegalese are really serious to end the conflict in Cassamance, the barrel of the gun is not the solution to end the situation. It is through dialogue that the situation can be remedy.
The intolerance and lack of respect for one another among Africans combined to invite trouble in Africa. Africans are killing each other and destroying the continent’s resources all because of these leaders’ power hunger. It is enough to mention the gun rule and slaughtering of people in Liberia and Sierra Leone, and killing of innocent civilians in Cassamance (southern Senegal) among others. These indicate that African leaders are themselves responsible for Africa’s underdevelopment and political mayhem. With this era of political ignorance and naivety occupying Africa, there is more than ever need for a continent, indeed a world, without leaders or political borders.
Many will asked this question. Why the heavy deployment of soldiers in one part of the country concisely Foni stuck in the minds of most Gambians?
To protest again external forces is not a crime as it happened in Congo, Haiti and many more, but the protesters were not shot to death.
In Senegal we learnt that the number of protest occurred is uncountable but none of the protesters were shot to death with a life bullet. All what they will do is to use tear gas, rubber bullet and hot water. But why on the Fonika’s?
Also if protesters were armed and with weapons, how came only civilians were injured and killed? Secondly the Fonika’s are not the Zulu tribe of South Africa who move and sleep with traditional weapons.
The question one might ask will be why the ECOMIG forces whose purpose is to maintain peace and stability in the country should fire a single bullet neither to shoot protesters.
To resolve the political violence, accountability, social, justice, transparency rule of law, gender equality and due process must guide governance and leadership in The Gambia.
The real trick to good governance is to place the needs of the masses above everything else; to lead not just with words but with action. Actions define priorities. It’s the only way the Barrow administration can successfully bring us the long sought dividend of democracy.
Electoral reforms must also include other things such as mass education through the national council for civic education.
The authorities should be frequently talking to the nation, visiting places and respond to people concern. You cannot run a government or public institution as your property; rules and regulation of leadership should be followed to minimize defects.
The ministry of interior as part of its responsibilities but not limited to responsible for the Gambia Department of Immigration, visas, the Police Force, running the Prison Service and registering NGOs. Should also place a surveillance to detect crimes and conflict before occurring.
In rebuilding a new Gambia we want. Policies should be re-written and all criminals despite of their political party, tribe, religion and position should be treated equally in front of the laws of the land. As per our national anthem “let justice guide our action towards the common goal”
All we need is honesty,resilience and be more aware of developments around us.We have just slipped through the fingers of one of the deadliest monster to mankind “war”. In many parts of the world such situations have lead to calamities and atrocities beyond comprehension.Even though in the Gambia some people will never live a normal life again because of the treacherous inhuman creel ties meted out against them.
We should now jealously guard our integrity with the Republic of Senegal to compliment the efforts of continental and international bodies. Let us be aware of wolves in sheep’s clothings.
I don’t think I have ever said Senegal was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. But if the cap fits then they should wear it, perhaps? I recall whenever Senegal and Gambia were playing soccer/ Jammeh used to seal the border and send all his fully armed troops up to the front. Macky Sall must think all his birthdays have come at once. Electric sensation, Docks rehabilitation, troops in Kanalai and body guards in suits almost making Mr Barrow and the first lady, look positively jet setting, international celebrated>>>VIP’s. It is good to see somebody doing well. In my next life I want to come back as an African President not Brad Pitt.