When tribalist journalists like Ferdinand Nahimana and Jean-Bosco Barayagwiza of Radio Television Libres des Mille Collines, RTLM and Hassan Ngeze of Kangura Newspaper received long prison sentences for their role in the Rwandan genocide, many have thought that it would serve as a lesson to other journalists around the world who hide behind the profession to poach at others simply because they belong to a different tribe, race or religion.
Over the past few days, the Freedom Newspaper has been releasing lists of Gambians working both in the private and public sector whom it identified as Jolas appointed by President Jammeh. As a Gambian, I have tried to ignore responding to such a sensitive topic in order to avoid being called a tribalist. But the time has come when I cannot turn a blind eye to certain tribalist comments in the articles that could incite tribal hatred among Gambians. Tribalism, like racism is such a sensitive issue and journalists must be careful of what to publish or broadcast in our various media outlets.
I am not having a go at Mr Mbai and the Freedom Newspaper for publishing such articles. He has a right to publish anything he wants under the sun. But journalism goes with responsibility. That is why professionals like Kevin Marsh of the BBC's Today Programme expressed the need for a profession built on values; fairness, impartiality, open mindedness, inclusivity. The public deserves – and our system needs – journalists who read from both sides of the balance sheet and who understand that a partial truth is more lethal than a blatant untruth.
In this 21st century, it is beyond believe that we still continue to look at each other as Jolas, Mandinka, Wollof, and Fula and not as Gambians. This is very unfortunate. And what makes it more unfortunate is the decision of Freedom Newspaper to name these men and women serving their country whose only crime is to belong to the Jola tribe.
Looking at the way the Freedom Newspaper is portraying things in the country, it make one believe that the Gambian civil service is dominated by Jolas. This is far from reality. In fact some of the people identified as Jolas are not Jolas. Having a surname like Jarju, Jammeh, Camara, Sanyang et cetera, does not in anyway make you a Jola. It is the same with Wollof and Serers. Take for instance; Pa Kalifa Sanyang is a Mandinka from Faraba Banta. Fatim Badjie does not even know what is how are you in Jola. Susan Waffa Ogoo is an Aku. Fabakary Jammeh of the National Lottery is a Mandinka.
Another thing I cannot comprehend is the tribalist way Mr Mbai plays with his news headlines and intros. Just take a look at this: “Western Region Governor Abdou FM Badjie Fired!!! Another Jolla Takes Over Brikama!! Western Region Governor Abdou FM Badjie has been sacked with immediate effect, the Freedom Newspaper, can authoritatively reveal. Badjie who shared the same ethnic group with the President has been replaced by another Jolla Lamin Sanneh; NIA Director, Arrested, Sacked And Detained!!! Another official of the Mandingka ethnic group at the NIA has been arrested, sacked and detained at the Mile Two Central Prison.”
Reading this makes me sick. And looking at the substance of the story, the NIA officer's removal was as a result of alleged financial mismanagement and not because he is a Mandinka.
Again, in trying to confuse the public by making them believe that Jammeh that is only appointing Jolas in positions of public trust, Mbai has failed to point out that Jammeh has nothing to do with the appointment of some of the people he is listing in his newspaper nor has their ethnicity played a part in their appointments.
One thing I found interesting in Gambian politics is the way we keep pointing the dirty finger of tribalism at each other. For example, a Mandinka who supports the UDP is not tribalist. A Fula who supports the NRP is not a tribalist but a Jola who supports Jammeh, is called tribalist. This is very, very unfair. If we can describe Jammeh as tribalist for having men and women of different tribes to work for him, then it makes me wonder what we think of the UDP and NRP. We have to stop this conservative way of thinking if we are to progress as a country.
I am not disputing the fact that we do have some Jolas in cabinet and other government positions. Yes we do but so too is people from other tribes. Take for instance, I will only consider Ousman Sonko, Secretary of State for the Interior, Isamaila K. Sambou, secretary of state for Local Government, Lands and Religious Affairs, and Abdou Kolley, secretary of State for Trade, Industry & Employment as the only Jolas in Jammeh's cabinet. The remaining members of cabinet like Dr Aja Isatou Njie-Saidy, Musa G. Bala Gaye, Dr Malick Njie, Momodou Kotu Cham, Ousman Jammeh, Lamin Bojang, Dr Omar Touray, Nancy Njie, Crispin Grey Johnson, Marie Saine-Firdaus, Yankouba Touray, Fatou L. Faye, Fatim Badji, Mass Axy Gye, and Abdoulie Momodou Sallah are all Gambians of different tribes. So where is the Jola domination that we are whining about?
The speaker of the National Assembly, who is the most powerful person in the country after the president, is a nonJola. The Chief Justice is not a Jola, the mayor of Banjul, the chairman of North Bank, Central River, Upper River, and Lower River Regions of the country are all not Jolas. Again where are the Jolas said to be dominating all positions of public trust? Furthermore, talking about the Jolas dominating the civil service, name five Jolas who are permanent or deputy secretaries, name one single Jola who is a judge or magistrate, name five Jolas heading the Gambian diplomatic missions abroad. The issue of Jammeh using the Jolas to govern the country falls flat on the face.
Pa Nderry's statement that: "He [Jammeh] is favoring his tribe men and women to the expense of the Gambian nation. If you are not a Jolla today in The Gambia, you are considered as a " bad person, unpatriotic, enemy of the state, the list goes on and on…..The President has undermined the country’s cultural and ethnic diversities in the name of tribal discrimination ," can only be described as a figment of his imagination.
One thing we have to bear in mind is the fact that a larger percentage of the people who support Jammeh are the Mandinkas, Wollofs, Fulas, you name them and it would be counter productive if not suicidal on his part to insult them.
The statement "prior to the advent of the Jammeh administration, we have been happily living with Jollas in this country. It’s Yahya Jammeh who is trying to promote tribal discrimination in The Gambia. He hides in the name of governance to discrimination against other tribes," is what I will call a whopper to borrow from Mike Moore. If Jammeh's ways of governance is deemed tribalist, then how would Pa Nderry describe his own antics? It’s like the cooking pot calling the kettle black.
It is true that Gambians have been living happily and they are still, but the problem here is that there are some big-headed men of other tribes who think that God created their tribe first before the other tribes. They are so conservative and never will they ever tolerate the fact that they are being rule by someone from another tribe, a tribe they deemed inferior for that matter. Every African is proud of his tribe and none of us will ever regard ourselves as inferior to another tribe. Therefore, the issue of tribalism will always be a problem as long as we don't see ourselves as Gambians belonging to one big family.
With regard to the statement: "Based on the feed backs we are getting, Jammeh has a special project on Mandingka, Fulla and Wollof army officers and other public servants. His main intention is to get rid of potential threats and replace them with his own tribe men.....Yahya Jammeh is a hater, who should be apprehended. His discrimination against other tribes is getting out of hand. He puts Jollas first, before any other tribe. Look at the way, he sends his tribe men and women for overseas studies. He denied other tribes scholarships. Jammeh is building a Jolla Kingdom in The Gambia. Gambians should open their eyes. This tribal discrimination got to stop. Let us reclaim our country back. Jammeh discriminates against other tribe.!!"
I see such a statement as an incitement of tribal tension. We need to be very professional when playing the tribalism card. This is because outrageous remarks like this will bring nothing but tribal war in our God blessed country. Talking about reclaiming the Gambia, is the Gambia in the hands of a Gambian or foreigner? Or does he want to make us believe that it is wrong for a Jola to rule the Gambia?
We have to grow up and see each other as brothers and sisters who are all progenies of Adam and Eve. We are Gambians and not Mandinkas, Fulas, Jola or Tukulor and we must resist against any thing that tries to divide us on ethic lines.
May Almighty Allah continue to shower His love, protection and guidance on us all. Amen
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