BY Abdul Savage
THIS Article, like with all my articles, and public pronouncements, are considered public domain. So, please feel free to share with any and all audience, in any and all settings or medium, Facebook, Twitter, etc, in order to provoke and stimulate discussions, which I hope will lead to fruitful action. Please note that I do not qualify the “fruitful action” here, and so I intentionally leave that open.
And this is why I titled this piece like that: All kinds and varieties of dishes are being served, and by all kinds of “cooks”, from self-proclaimed experts on Gambian affairs, to “journalists”, “talk-show hosts”, “radio hosts”, “commentators”, “human rights activists”, “freedom fighters”, and so on.
Please allow me first to present my thesis, before you go on an attacking spree or malicious escapade of trying to tarnish me and or my reputation. And as for those critics who will be so quick to lash out, and bark and bark, I urge these critics to attack the content of my presentation, not the person who presents it. Attack the content of my presentation, not the person who presents it. Can you distinguish the difference, and respond accordingly. Respond to the content of my presentation, instead of attacking me. And no innuendos and things like that. That is very childish.
And so, here is the content of my presentation:
Talk indeed is Cheap. In fact, in this case, TALK is beginning to be FREE.
There is more to politics than the administration and efficiency of government. If and when we are exhibiting and displaying this much disunity in the diaspora, I wonder what it would look like during the rebuilding process after Jammeh when power, egos and self-interests will be floating all over the place. Don’t tell me it will all be fine, rosy, well and dandy.
“Campaigning” and “Ruling” are two different things. And we are not even in the campaigning phase yet in the Gambia “political entities” of the Gambia but outside, which are in the diaspora, and those with political ambitions, are already acting as if they are running campaigns. Improve and or change the status quo FIRST in the Gambia, and then launch your campaigns. And do not disguise your campaigns here in the diaspora under the guise of “educating people”, or advancing democracy in the Gambia. Talk is really beginning to go from “cheap talk” to “free talk” now in this diaspora.
We must give credit where it is rightfully due and deserved. And we must take credit where it is rightfully due and deserved. When I and others called for Unity among these diasporan entities way back to fight a shared and common predicament in any and everywhere we can, we all know what has happened or is happening to that call since then. If anything, we are exhibiting and displaying more disunity now than we were few months ago. I have said time and time again that egos, ambitions and self-centered interests must, repeat, MUST, be secondary to the interests of the Gambia.
The Gambia is bigger than any and all of us.
We all know what the problem is, and knowing what the problem is, is the first step to solving the problem. In this case, we not only know what the problem is, we also know what the solution is, but for whatever reason or personal egos and agendas, we refuse to take ourselves up on the solution.
I called for leaders in all these disporan entities for all of them to meet over coffee in Atlanta, Raleigh or anywhere else, and talk about UNITY, and about how to converge, consolidate and merge themselves and their efforts. I, like many others, did this call privately and publicly. At one point I even heard someone remarked to me that if I would pay for these diasporan leaders to meet in Raleigh or rent the hall. Really?
What happened to those $20, $30 or $10 here and there from “gofund me”? Or what happened to the few dollars as wire transfers that were made into bank accounts when wire instructions were posted on facebook, and other social and non-social sites? What happened to accountability and transparency of diasporan entities in the diaspora? Let me guess: they are exempt from accountability or transparency, right? Or they are just plain immune from that?
If we cannot hold ourselves accountable and transparent now in the diaspora, how can we do so in and during the rebuilding process back home? Or we would have changed our ways by then? Or it is ok to give ourselves “little room” in the diaspora to “maneuver” when it comes to accountability and transparency? We must hold ourselves up FIRST to a higher standard of transparency and accountability in a brotherhood or sisterhood of UNITY. A united effort to fight a common and shared enemy in any and every way possible is ELOQUENT and EFFECTIVE, than divisive efforts.
There are probably more Gambians in this “diaspora” seeking attention than there are in the Gambia. And they are doing so for fame, glory or other ulterior motives, or agenda, while they are not meaningfully contributing to help the poverty and suffering going on back home. Some talks are beginning to go from “cheap talk” to “free talk”. Attention seeking and self-gloating are all over the place, at the expense of the majority poor in the Gambia. Sad, very sad.
The truth hurts. It is a poison, but it heals. We have to face reality of facts. We, particularly us in the diaspora, sometimes need to do some “thorough” self-examination, and set aside our personal, and sometimes, selfish interests and self-centered perspectives for the good of The Gambia. The Gambia is bigger than any and all of us. And the interests of the Gambia MUST NOT be secondary to any individual and or group interest. This is just my infamous two-cent on this. The Gambia MUST supersede all individual or group’s interest.
The Gambia is not a band, a radio, or a lab, nor a commodity. It is a beautiful shoreline under threat that needs salvaging, through tough love and plenty of nurturing. And the plight in the Gambia is certainly not a launching pad for some with ambitions of fame, glory or notoriety.
The Gambia is certainly not an employment opportunity in the diaspora disguised for some. Instead of using the Gambia as an employment opportunity or scheme in the diaspora, why not sing about your two-cent contribution towards the suffering and poverty in the Gambia? While at the same time singing about regime change that some of us know you are far from advancing, other than engaging in “free talk” about it.
You can love The Gambia and still hate the regime. Don’t let personal sentiments cloud your loyalty and affection to the Gambia.
You can love your country, without having to “like” and or “support” the government. We must distinguish the barbaric regime and a dictator from the people of the Gambia. We want minimal or no collateral damage to the people, and we do not want to compound a deteriorating situation with an unplanned and ill-equipped action. Caution and planning are needed and warranted.
And in this day and age of technology, one does not have to depend on Gamtel to announce to the world that you have taken over the government of the Gambia by force. Satellite phones and other means of communications can do that. And you lead by example, lead from the front in this case, set the standard by example. And be on the ground to take effective command and control of any and all situations, and get real-time data and intelligence. Instigating people to take over the government by force while you are thousands of miles away is entirely another thing. That is not bravery, it is cowardice.
And for the record I, personally, frequent the Gambia almost every year. I love the Gambia, but hate that Monster dictator and his regime. And when I go to the Gambia, I respect the laws of the land, and I plan accordingly, and take the necessary precautions. And whenever I go, I help the people in whatever little ways I can. If you go to Saudi Arabia (which I have been to couple times anyway), and the law is that you must wear hijab in a public setting, would you say you will not wear it, because in America or in London, you do not have to wear hijab in a public setting? You get the gist of where I am going with this, don’t you?
You respect the laws of the land you are under, despite if you agree or do not agree with the law. So, whenever I am in the Gambia, I respect the law of the land; I don’t go around being cocky, stupid and or arrogant. Being brave is not being stupid, cocky and or arrogant. And I am contemplating of going to the Gambia soon, and I will.
And I am certainly far from being a coward. My record, both private and public, speaks for itself. I, like almost all of us, have loved ones in the Gambia. And as such, I see no reason why people like us who can go to the Gambia should not go there. And what is wrong with when we are in the Gambia we keep a low profile and keep our mouths shut, but as soon as we come out we start lashing out at the barbaric regime there.
In fact, I submit that is a smarter move, and should not be envied by some. And I respect that some wish they could go to the Gambia without any ramifications, legal and or otherwise.
Disenchantment and fed-up sentiments are being expressed against certain or all of these entities in the diaspora, and rightfully so. Where is our sense of loyalty? Is our sense of loyalty to a group, entity, and individual or to the Gambia? Is the interest of an individual or group of individuals more important and more paramount than the interest of the Gambia? Where is our sense of responsibility? Where is our sense of duty and service? What is wrong with speaking the truth? Why mislead people? Why give people false hopes and aspirations? Where is our honor and integrity? Before you make public statements that you know are “incomplete”, “inaccurate” or “misleading”, why not take into account first your own strength and shortcomings ?
I submit that one can love your country and do not necessarily have to “like” and or “support” your government
I must make a disclaimer here that we all help and contribute in whatever way we can to help alleviate poverty and suffering in the Gambia, and we all do it in varying and different ways and means. I admire and respect many of us for that. And we do not question each other as to why one does it this way, and not the other way, or didn’t do it this way, but did it that way. Such questioning will be a repetitive and futile task.
Bottom line is, as long as we are all contributing in whatever way we can, and from wherever we may be, be it in the Gambia or outside, to help our people, it is good. That $100, more or less, you send every month back home makes a difference in their lives. That phone call you make once a week, or every other day, brings joy and happiness to our people back home.
So, my brothers and sisters, instead of banging each other in the head on petty, and sometimes, “insignificant issues”, let’s keep in mind and look at the broader, most crucial and vital issues at hand. And that broader, wider and crucial issue is that our people are suffering.
And ohh, if we wanna throw mud at each other, don’t you think we got enough mud to throw around? How about the so-called Jammeh enablers and Gambian Mandelas in the diaspora who, until few months ago, or few years ago, were complicit for their prior part in the havoc being wrecked in the Gambia? Or you wanna tell me there are no “Jammeh enablers” and “Gambian Mandelas” in the diaspora who are now masquerading as “freedom fighters”, “human rights activists” and so on. I submit that we got plenty of mud to throw on each other, for varying and different reasons. So, instead of engaging in this futile, repetitive and daunting endeavor, that is why I have been calling for unity in this “struggle” to fight a shared and common predicament in any and every way we can, not discounting “force” either. And since I mentioned force here, and given my expertise, training and experience let me make clear here again where I stand on the issue of force and that is: I support “use of force” if called for and necessary, and that I will lead and or follow, but I will not, repeat, Not, do so blindly. Hope I am able to quell some misconceptions here, relative to this subject.
While we are wrangling back and forth, as to how to effect regime change, that does not reduce and or obliterate the poverty and suffering going on there. There are no good schools, good clinics, and some people can’t even eat two meals a day. I don’t need to tell anyone here the problems our people are facing and dealing with. We all know that, Folks.
It is high time we start talking about ways and means about how we can directly help our people back home without directly or indirectly supporting the government. I believe we can do that. How many of us Western Union money on regularly basis to our people back home? How many of us send packages back home on regular or interval basis? Is that supporting the government? For example, can we not put money together and send packages of anti-biotic and other medications for a clinic in Basse or Sanyang? Can we not put money together to buy a water pump and send it to a village in Georgetown so that a village there can use the water for the well in their village? How about other forms of assistance to school children and schools? And please, don’t tell me that is only the function of the government, or already being done through some foreign aid, or it is being done but corrupt officials are misusing such projects or funds? If anything, I submit that, if anything, we are better equipped than some or all of these NGOs, t help send help to the people directly. And if and when this help we are sending directly to the people is intercepted, or interfered with by the government, we will know, and we will make an even louder noise about it. Anyway, all this is just a suggestion. We all can talk more about all this, and as we do, better ideas and even more other better suggestions will come up. I am just submitting this t stimulate discussions, that might lead to fruitful action, relative to helping the poverty and suffering ging on back home.
By Abdul Savage