By Kemo
On July 22 1994 was not only a day the Gambian peoples’ mandate was stolen but it also marked the departure point for the Gambians to enjoy their freedom of movement, association and freedom of speech. This day is like no other because Gambians were hungry for a change, and were looking forward with hope for a better life, and a promising future. Twenty years later, we are trying to wean ourselves from the scourges of years of oppression, exploitation and gross underdevelopment brought upon us by this change. Indeed the coup was like no other because the nation have had enough for one person being the president for 30 years. The people were loaded with lots of hope and expectations for a new Gambia.
In the last 20 years we have all witnessed that the task to overcome the years of abuse and neglect under president Jammeh in The Gambia is not only arduous but beset with numerous challenges among which are TRIBALISM and NEPOTISM. Tribalism is a serious problem in The Gambia which if not tackled head on will jeopardized progress of the Third Republic. Tribalism perpetuates insecurity, hinder development, negates democracy and threatens the rule of law. Tribalism is very prevalent in The Gambia as we speak. It is with this realisation that We the citizens of The Gambia will come together in the Third Republic to put up a fight against tribalism. We believe that the status quo in The Gambia is detrimental and can only lead to a failed nation which we all are witnessing at this moment. We will need to set up a civic society and advocacy group which will be dedicated to the eradication of tribalism and the promotion of peace and unity in a post Jammeh era. WE WILL NIP JAMMMEH IN THE BUD BEFORE 2016 and THEN..This civic service and advocacy group will work for a UNITED Gambia, free of tribalism and a people who will be proud of their nation, and living in peace and harmony with each other and theirs neighbors. This group which will consist of all the different tribes in The Gambia will engage the people from the grassroots level. The group will engage in an active campaign and sensitization of the people against tribalism through discussion forums, workshops, seminars in collaborations with institutions of learning, mosques, churches, NGOS and local leaders. The group will promote peace through conflict resolutions and active dialogue to address any prevailing or anticipated causes of tribalism and nepotism within and between different tribes. This group will encourage national and regional legislative bodies to adopt a legal framework on protecting property ownership, amicable use if shared resources, and punitive measures against acts of forceful possession or robbery of properties of others. Yaya Jammeh will not be spared. All the properties that he took from peoples will be given back.
We will engage the government of the Third Republic to invest in a strong police force with a mandate and capacity to enforce the law and protect local communities. The group will also encourage social interaction and cordial coexistence among various tribes in The Gambia. The group will also promote freedom of speech and expression, and movement. The group will also promote love, loyalty, and devotion for the common good and interest of The Gambia.
Fellow Gambians, the time is fast approaching for Yaya to exit the presidency. We need to prepare for a new Gambia. Let nobody be left behind…TOGETHER WE CAN.
Ends
I for one will only take the jolas as patriotic gambians when they themselves get rid of their BAD son causing HAVOC in the country. They are the ones closer to him security wise therefor they have the highest opportunity to show gambians that they don’t approve the brutal and criminal rule of their son. If they wait until someone else does the job then they will have a lot to explain why they let their son continue his atrocities for 21 years plus.
We all recall that it was Sanna Sabally a mandingo and Edward Singnateh a half mandingo the very soldiers who led the 1994 coup and stupidly handed it over to Jammeh the mandigo hater. For what ever reason they carried the coup, it was against a democratically elected mandigo president.
The jolas have a lot to learn from this 1994 coup.
Daida : Sanna Sabally is a Mandingo ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? Whaaaaaaaaaat !!!
Yes,agreed tribalism must always be fought wherever it dares rear its ugly head. But it cannot be fought on the battle field, but in the minds of citizens. But to captivate the minds of any people, issues that preocupy their minds must be address. The politics of issues, as A Possible Way Forward proposes, may be the only option available unfortunately.
Citizenship must be addressed too. Very sensitive but equally important……
thanks
Spot on Kemo & Batch Samba, tribalism quite sensitive & delicate issue but must have to be tackled head on objectively with concern of all tribes inclusive to avoid the very same mistakes committed repeatedly….
Very much true Karamo, citizenship must & shall be addressed in post dictatorship…. It won’t be much difficult to do as the indigenous people on ground in the towns & villages swamped & flooded with the illegitimate illegal foreigners for political reasons will know & be able to tell natives from illegal tyrannical aid-abet settlers; also their documentations shall provide vital clues, etc etc….
Deyda with some of the evil illegal inducements set at play by our murderous kanilai bandits some of the beneficiary jolas are left with limited choice but to rally behind the murderous tyrannical syndicate in their poor social & economic status… Apart from the state funding for ethnically driven tribal scholarship scheme set up for the jolas, the murderous kanilai devil has some more hidden projects captivating their resounding support…. There’s among others, e.g., a project in which evil yaya jammeh purchases brand-new vans, tripling the price & given to its tribesmen on loan, which one owns automatically once the price attached is cleared…. I’m aware of secrete tribal meetings exclusively attended by jolas ONLY in the Kombos & KMC/A & throughout Western Division/Region were coded messages & instructions are disseminated as how to stick together at all cost & strengthen the murderous kanilai fiefdom….
Saine, it’s not difficult to see where Deyda is coming from & that he isn’t wrong in entirety by placing Sanna Sabally a Mandinka if you know who Sanna really is… Sanna’s late dad, was an Alkalo of Kassa Kunda village & if my memory serves me well was called Bidgee Sabally & his granddad, Pa Bidgee’s father was called Illoh Sabally… E.g. Borrowing a leaf from our very own Lafia Touray Manjou, Hon Hallifa Sallah, please no disrespect intended to him, is a “Fula with Wollof culture” naturally influenced by his locality & environ where he is born & bred; one can’t be wrong in placing Hallifa in each/either & or under both ethnicities… The same goes for Sanna Sabally… Sanna is naturally Fula by birth but traditionally a Mandingo in all his doings including ceremonies…. One may wonder where he acquired his savage character attributive to him whilst no.2 in the company of the murderous cycle but if you knew Sanna before, you won’t believe he’s turned into such monstrous character… Sanna’s a twin with Sainey Sabally, used to live in London, not sure if he does still, a quite down to earth everybody’s humble daily guy who won’t hurt a fly; the same speaks for Sankung, Kura & other siblings & rest of family he hails from…. So in nutshell tribe’s not by virtue of birth only anymore… God bless Gambia & bless the collective endeavour to salvage the motherland; Ameen.