Time for a Boycott _- Those artists that are benefiting from our Oppression and Suffering.
Article below originally published March 2014. The article has been modified a little to address current issues regarding Senegalese artists and media .
Boycott Thione Seck – Senegalese Musician!
Let’s take the fight against Dictator Yaya Jammeh to his friends and collaborators in our oppression
Let us not sponsor our own oppression – Lets hit our oppressors in them in the pocket!
By: Kaba Sallah
As you may have already heard, Thione Seck, is preparing for a tour of the United States. Some of the most loyal fans of Senegalese musicians are Gambians. Unfortunately, some of the most renown and celebrated stars including, Thione Seck, are no friends of Gambia! (March 2014). Fast forward April 2015.
On the day Gambians all over the world commemorated the April 10/11 2000 Massacre of 14 students in Banjul during a peaceful protest, Tyrant Yaya Jammeh pulled the biggest distraction by inviting the newly crowned Senegalese wrestling Champion to Banjul for a coronation, on a chartered aircraft, to shower him tax payers money. Eumeu Sene has only become the latest Senegalese celebrity bought to drive a wedge between the Senegalese people and their government’s policy of welcoming Gambian dissidents from across the border. As a signatory of various international conventions, protecting refugees, to the annoyance of Yaya Jammeh, President Macky Sall stood his ground despite all sorts of blackmail and threats. This aggressive strategy by Tyrant Yaya Jammeh is an attempt in getting into the hearts and minds of materially inclined Senegalese celebrities, so that they can be his biggest advocates against Senegalese laws that do not favor him. This is the big picture we cannot afford to miss. The hypocrisy from prominent public figures like You Ndour is astounding. They are willing to tolerate economic crimes and human rights violations that they will never accept in their own country! How come President Abdoulaye was ran out of town by people like Youssou Ndour, because he wanted his son to stand elections, or because of the latter’s ill-gotten wealth (now serving a 7 year sentence at Reubeuss). The only conclusion we can reach here is that these people are willing to sell their souls for money, from a misguided dictator next door.
Ladies and gentleman; this man is no friend of the suffering people of The Gambia. Thione Seck is an unapologetic supporter and promoter of the Butcher of Kanilai, but he is counting on our slavish and unconditional allegiance and ignorance! It is time to send a strong and unmistakable message to all those who partake in the looting, oppression and rape of the Gambian people and economy ( March 2014).
These artists and media people are partaking in a feeding frenzy from across the border in Gambia. They are willing to check in their professional ethics and morals at the border, walk in to Gambia smiling to grab as much loot as offered and head back spewing words of praise and endorsement, as their battered Gambian cousins look on.
It is time to make Thione Seck eat his own words when he slapped us in the face with his recent comments and excuse for sleeping with Dictator Jammeh. We need to promote our own, be proud of our own and promote only those who support us. Well, that is a topic for another day ( March 2014)!
How can people of conscience rationalize this kind of misplaced benevolence when the ferries that connect northern to southern parts of the country cannot dock because of silt build up. The Banjul/Barra ferry crossing does not have a dredger to remove silt, or the docks are not calibrated to dock the ferries.
An economic boycott is one of the most effective and proven tools against Dictator Jammeh. We need to put it to use right away and right now. Please tell your friends and family all over the U.S. This is one opportunity by which we can put our money where our mouths are so that we can free our people and beleaguered country of Gambia.
For all those associated with promoting Thione Seck, please re-consider your actions and its implications, not to mention the hypocrisy of promoting someone who promotes the Dictator who has his boots on the kneck of your own families and friends back in The Gambia ( March 2014)!
There is such a thing called accepting stolen goods and property from questionable sources The question is what are we willing to do about this robbery? We cannot continue to excuse the behavior of people who are benefiting from our misery. It’s time Gambians send an unmistakable message to any artist, Gambian or otherwise, that we can fight back with our wallets. Stand up for something or you will fall for anything. Thank you