The decision by foreign governments concerned about the depleting human rights situation to close their embassies in The Gambia have forced citizens of the once embassy-friendly country battle the pain of crossing the borders in search of visas. A country once dubbed the ‘Smiling Coast’ has now been turned into ‘frowning and crying Coast’. Gambians today form the bulk of visa seekers queuing in foreign embassies in Dakar, Senegal. Most of these Gambian applicants seek European visas. Sadly, many of them queue for hours without being able to get inside the embassy offices let alone acquire a visa.
One desperate Gambian who alerted Kairo News about the desperate situation heaps the blame on President Yahya Jammeh’s wayward behaviour.
“Yahya Jammeh’s behaviors and cantankerous manner has made many foreign embassies pack up and leave The Gambia. That is why we are today suffering to travel, buy food and look for accommodation in Senegal,” said the man who wished to remain anonymous. He wonders why any Gambian should support the Devil President. “The man had created headache for us in almost everything. Even acquiring a visa has become a headache.”
The key to turning the tide in our country does not lie in merely lodging endless complaints; it lies in our strive to raise the level of awareness of our people, especially those who blindly follow the Dictator. Gambians should at all times be reminded about the sufferings of the masses and the need to knock him out of power. But they also need to be wary of the fact that even the devil has his loyal followers. It is not a winning strategy to be angry or upset with our people who sing the praises of a brutal Dictator. Rather, we will make a difference through enlightenment.
Our anger and frustration should be dumped on our brothers and sisters in the West [United States and Europe] hell bent on misusing the power of the online radio, newspapers and social media to defend tyranny and repression at home. They will write or say anything without being sensitive to the harm being cause by their hate speech. It behoves on all of us – progressive and patriotic Gambians – to team up against those who are bent on importing Jammeh’s anarchy abroad. They must not be allowed to control the narrative through polarisation. We will surely be free from Jammeh the Tyrant and the bullies doing his bidding everywhere.
Ends
They ain’t see nothing yet. The worst is yet to come.
Majority of Gambians who defended the regime in the diaspora are hopeless and unskilled individual like Falai Baldeh and Sam Sarr types. These are people without any profession in diaspora. They resort to being used as agents of the regime to be able to make a living. They are no different from ignorance NIA officers masquerading as intelligence officers. When you hear them on the radio or Facebook, you can hear desperation and ignorance in their voices. We know who they are.