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SOH
Gambia
46 Posts |
 Posted - 21 Jun 2006 : 16:56:20
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From SOH, (Son of Haileh).
Indeed this question needs to be asked these days and for some good reason.
If to focus on just one aspect of the army's behaviour in public, one would then have more than enough reasons to feel some level of reticence if not an outright sense of revulsion against our national army.
Just some days ago, 2 most annoying incidents happened right in front of me and all in the very same day!! As I was driving from Banjul just after Palm Grove Hotel, as the road maintenance team was doing some work on the side coming Serrekunda therefore diverting trafic to the opposite side of the highway, an army truck full of soldiers and policemen overtook a taxi car when there was hardly room for overtaking then as that lane was used for two way traffic. Not only did the taxi driver and his passengers suffer humiliation, pounding on his car by the servicemen, but the truck driver also swerved hard on the taxi sending him way out of the highway to save his life and that of his passengers.
Less than an hour after this incident another one happened just after the intersection of Kairaba Avenue going towards the Senegambia area, just adjacent to the Golf course. There again another army van full of soldiers overtook some private cars at a time when overtaking was most unsafe as there was thick traffic coming from the opposing side. The army van not only forced its way on traffic but also literally threw away many cars into a confused mayhem, and that was not to mention the insults, shouts and abuses thrown on innocent drivers and their passengers.
To the best of my judgement, both of these army vehicles were without doubt in any emergency of any kind, they were simply soldiers and servicemen on a lift going home, period. Therefore this being the case, why were these army vehicles and their occupants so arrogant, so unruly, and such a threat to the very citizens they are supposed to protect in the first place??!!
One must say that this is certainly not the first time when we witness such savage attitudes by our army levied on unsuspecting and totally innocent civilians going about their business. One could understand if there was some kind of emergency, but then in such cases the rules are clear; fit such vehicles with sirens and rooftop lights to signal the approach of such vehicles. For heavens sake, everyday we encounter ambulances ferrying people under emergency situations, yet never have I seen one vehicle that obstructed these ambulances, why can't the army observe such laws then?
Of course it takes a child to answer such a question, all of us knowing well what drives our soldiers to act so ruthlessly against their own citizens, but what they must know, they and their commanders, that they are certainly not above the law and therefore their sick behaviour cannot be excused nor tolerated. If we the people keep quiet about it, it certainly does not mean that they can continue in their ways. There could come the day when people will no longer tolerate such bullying and that could just spark off the unthinkable.
Did our soldiers ever forget that their ranks are made up of our own children and if so who on earth some of these soldiers think they are bullying??!!
Lest we forget, is our army not aware that it is here for the protection of the people and the nation, plus its bounderies?? Should we also remind our army that we the people are not fools, we all know what the role of an army is and by the same token we are also aware that our army will never be able to resist from an attack say coming from our only direct neighbor Senegal? By all accounts, it will take Senegal just a couple of days to overun all of Gambia, but thankfully international laws are here to make sure that such a catastrophe doesn't happen.
So OK, we need an army and for sure it does indeed have a noble role amongst others to play. It could for instance be stationed in some sensitive areas of our common border with Senegal, for instance to check the influx of refugees and those rebels that may come from the Casamance areas. Again, it could help the police patrol the urban areas at night, right?
Aren't we supposed to be a democracy and act like one? If so then why such gutter-style attitudes, many times in front of foreign visitors? Is this the impression we want to give to our friendly Gambia?!!
I read a poster panel in front of one of army camps which says something like "The army, protector of the people and the nation"......??!!....I mean that sounds great, right? So how about practicing what the army preaches. No more double standards, either the army protects us and treats us right, or we end up protecting ourselves against the protector and treat him the way he treats us. We don't want to fear our army but to trust it and to love it. Let's all uphold the law and the peace, for all concerned and for the good of people and nation.
Peace.
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Moe
USA
2326 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jun 2006 : 03:27:25
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| Greetings,Bro Haile am glad to see your name on the forum again.Its been a while, hope you been doing good. |
I am Jebel Musa better yet rock of Gibraltar,either or,still a stronghold and a Pillar commanding direction
The GPU wants Me Hunted Down for what I don't know ..... |
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SOH
Gambia
46 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jun 2006 : 09:58:31
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Hey Moe, my good and beloved brother, I am fine and keeping well. I've been real busy all this time but now I am back. Hope you are well. Always good to see the nation's soul kicking and alive.
To you I send my warm greeting and wishes.
Jah's Peace bro.
Son of Haileh. |
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