Non-Government Organisations: For the people or For their salary

Understanding NGOs (Non-Governmental Organisation)
Many Gambians want to work for NGOs, EDF, EEC, USAID, IMF, World bank etc, why? The salary primarily and not saving Gambian people. Any cut to EDF funding in the Gambia, spell job loss, because another country will get the funds. IMF, World Bank officials meet Gambians who work hard to make sure, the government get funding, through that, they too get job security. The sinister side to NGO work is thus:

The Gambia government work hand in hand with certain NGO officials in facilitating funds being made available to the dictatorship. We have to remember, EDF, EEC projects or USAID all make it possible for some people to have secure jobs through the NGO branches. So in as much as we see EDF as a non-government organisation, the people who work there see it as an avenue to have an employment, so if we propagate against the government, the NGO officials see it as a threat to their job. The abandonment of NGO projects means, the loss of work.

 This is why, EEC, EDF, and other NGOs secretly help the bids of the Gambia government. They will make presentations, highlighting that, without the EEC budgetary support, without EDF, without USAID, etc, the Gambian people will suffer. But in actual fact, they are only protecting their position. It is a complex world, whilst we speak, rant, scream, and highlight the human rights abuses, it is also in the best interest of NGO officials to secretly encourage their donors and campaign for funds to continue supporting the projects and making direct help to the Gambia government. 
Hence, we have to continue working hard in making our case. This is why, speaking with a one voice is paramount. NGOs are indirectly helping Yahya Jammeh secure funds...
World bank for instance knew the Gambia banking officials were making false presentations in securing help. They decided to fund the computerization of the Gambia treasury department.

The secrets to the Chambers of Tyranny

The tyrant was asked, how did you succeed for so long??

He felt dazed and perplexed...

Wondering, whether the questioners knew anything of human folly!

Isn't it obvious he thought to himself that, “a tyrant is always a singular individual, who does not have unique any human super human abilities. He eats, drinks, use the lavatory, sleep, cohabit, indulges his fancies, and will ultimately die”.

In essence, tyrants are always quietly laugh out loud. They keep wondering the societal make up that allows, one man and his click holding them captive!!!

So the tyrant answers: “tyrants succeed because people offer themselves for cheap, in being enablers. They come at the cheap, because they refuse to belief in the veracity of the criminal acts the whole society is subjected to.”

The questioner couldn't understand still, The tyrant dwell further..by saying, “people prize themselves at the cheap, because of multiple factors.. they either fear hunger and taste, or the fear losing their ranks and prestige”

The tyrant could not make it any simpler, the more society places more values on status, name, greed, titles, fear of poverty, and the like and are happy with humiliation so long as they get small tile and recognition, tyrants and tyranny thrives.

It just happen that, there are Head of States who are tyrants, but on lower levels, there are minor tyrants all over the place. With people willing to accept small favors, in return for picking crumbs.

The Elephant occupying The Gambia’s Political Space

by Suntou Touray

The phrase is use in situations where everyone suspect what is dividing people or causing mistrust but no one wants to mention it.

The cause of the simmering bad blood in Gambian groups is linked to many factors. But what is the apparent, very clear factor, which affects, elites, highly educated men and women, ordinary folks, politicians, journalist, radio host, nearly all of us?

Some say, the elephant in the room is Poverty. They say because we are poor, people are not interested in the collective goal. However, poverty is sending Gambian thousand of miles away in search of greener pasture, crossing dangerous seas. It cannot be poverty.

 Some say, because are afraid. The fear of the oppressive regime has created the atmosphere of political apathy, but what about those not consume by fear. Why can’t opposition leaders unite, speak with one voice?

Some say, because we are political uninformed. However, we  have been voting and witnessing political campaigns for over 40 years. At least there is some awareness of politics. People get involve politically, and they feel the pains of high cost of food, water, school fees, medicine etc.

Some claim that, educated Gambians are to be blamed for their greed, distrust, treachery and lack of compassion for the poor. However, there is a sizable educated Gambians who have sacrificed the opportunities and prestige they may get if they don't stand against the oppressor in the Gambia.

Some say, President Jammeh uses the military, NIA, Militia killers, to intimidate and harass his opponents, however, if we stand together, no army, NIA, Police, Militia can divide or defeat us. 

We all know what is the ‘big elephant’ in our Gambian political square is!!!, it is ethnicity which is helping Yahya Jammeh, not the other way round. Hence, unless, we all overcome that illness, we may not be using guns against each other as South Sudan, or CAR, but we will be equally continue to be divided and far apart. We all lose.

Due to ethnic animosity and pseudo battles, people continue to pretend to one another, and undermine collective efforts. Gambians who know, without a shadow of doubt, they are incapable of competing for leadership in the struggle, all hide behind certain media personalities, feeding them lies, falsehood, to conduct treacherous fights for them.

This is the reality of our dictatorship. Ethnicity and tribal mud slinging is according President Jammeh a free way to do as he pleases, without solid unified encounter. Gambia is divided, angry, bitter and imploding. All due to insignificant motives.

Powerful Quote

"The physical strength of a man is not to abuse, assault,  beat or attack women and children, it is to protect them from external dangers." Jali Mamadi Amadou Diabateh 

Stability and Honest Societies

A stable society is nearer to an honesty society. I come across all sort in my work, but a lady called to say, she was given a grant of money to use for a job. "I hired some contractors, they came and did half the job and never came back since to complete the work. I still got the money, should i hire another contractor to complete the work with the same money" .

This may sound simple, but how many people in poor societies will call back to explain about their non-spending of a grant? Hence, with a stable society, a working social safety net, people are more likely to be honest. As Africans, we need to work hard in making our government deliver on stability and a social safety net, this will lower corruption and dishonesty.

The Gambian Military Failed Us

The fear against the barrel of the gun is the biggest enabler of dictatorships and tyranny in Africa. And who are the elements within our country that are professionally train to lawfully take life, to kill and attend to normal business? The military, hence the British mirror columnist referred to them as “professional killers” Brain Reade.

The threat of the use force, the use of arms against civilians is what has kept Yahya Jammeh and those like him in power. Henceforth, the need to have a security team within our movements and organisations cannot be sidestep or underestimated.

God is my witness, ‘A Gambian soldier pointed an AK47 assault rifle at my face threating and throwing insult. And I was also detained at the Gambia Navy headquarters for close to 1 hour for no reason.’ So The military have a lot to answer for.

People don’t fear Jammeh, they fear the men with guns around him. If highlighting that fact turns you off on my analysis Chris, I will go to bed quiet content actually. At every given elections in the Gambia, the military is mobilise to scare the civilian population. Which ex-Army officer put himself forward to provide succinct backdrop to this behaviour? Now coming to the issue at hand, the abductions and executions of army officers themselves, what credible inside and outside source connections do we have? Mostly, when the boys left the force, they cut off all connections, if not, what is stopping them providing key intelligence as to the madness Gambians are struggling against?

I am aware that we have opinions and views of one another, we came from different experiences and we take stock of one another through varied lenses, some quiet tinted, but such is human nature…

It is not bad to be cynical sometimes, however, on this occasion, far from it. Some of the things I write or comment on are either deep felt or an attempt to create a discussion.

Lucky for you, you have never felt the boots of a Gambian Army personnel. The GNA officers, some of them have stinking reputation of seeing the civilians as their enemies.

If truth be told, Din Din Mansa (The young Mansa) can attest to the excessive power and aggro against civilians by Gambian security forces.

It is the Gambian militia (para military and army) who brought the mentality of intimidating the civilian populace. One would hope, upon leaving the environment which ferments such brutalities against ordinary citizens of the Gambia, the ex-GNA boys will play their part in exposing and ending the state of affairs in the Gambia.

Is this the case Chris?  Readership generating has nothing to do with it, if it does, I would have stated “This is the soldier, permission to speak Sir”.

The ex-Gambian army men are largely invisible in all this commotion taking place. Now, we don’t expect them to use arms because, it require a harder efforts. If they can’t stand up and be counted in routine political discourse, what about the arm part of things.

The reason I state categorically that, they are missing in action is thus: ‘one expect the military in Africa as amongst the most organised institution that follows strict codes of conducts and routines’. The military are bind by common brotherhood, and the claim that, they are the defenders of our rights and lives. The time they spend together, is supposed to create a network, where they can be in contact even after retirement. In scenarios as ours, wouldn't that be helpful and eventually a way to save lives if the ex-military officers keep in contacts with serving officers, helping exposing imminent threats to the life of serving or ex-army officers’.

I can be controversial, however, in this case, and many others, I felt that, the ex-Gambia military officers did not and are not making any attempt to fill in the vacuum in helping the civilian politicians and activist end the dictatorship.

I will not indulge in responding to the boys in Green/ or grey.

My Barada (green tea) cooking pot

During the Eid cerebration, I was brewing a slow cooking Attaya. Lo and behold, we got some guest. A British couple distracted me. The lonely barada brew the water dry. The bottom of the pot got slightly burnt.
However, My lovely wife did her magic on it. I thought the barada which I had for four years will finally retire. But happily, it is still going well. For those concern about my Barada, here it is, well and cooking. Thanks to all concern. I hope our Gambian brother who invented an electric attaya cooking pot can go into mass production quickly.