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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
 Posted - 01 Dec 2006 : 20:02:11
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I cannot see a senegalese invasion of gambia. There are already more than 300,000 senegalses in the Gambia according the census. All these people call Gambia "home".
We just need a small army of not more than 200 for a semblance but skilled enought to contribute to peace time duties. They can paint Govt buildings, repair pot holes on the roads,repair roofs etc rather than sit down drinking attaya and wasting gasoline which is now 30.00 per litre. Its like the old saying: DO NOT AIM IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO SHOOT. |
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MADIBA
United Kingdom
1275 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2006 : 20:02:38
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To disband the Army would be too far and the costs may outweigh the benefits. The soldiers in the army are Gambians and needs employment like any other Gambian.If you disband them what will you give them and at the expense of what? That would be a fertile breeding ground for armed robberies and even armed insurrection. With the high rate of failed projects and donor fatigue who is going to sponsor the rehabilitation of the disbanded army? If they have chosen to be soldiers why not. The Army may not be quite useful locally but they have done good jobs on the African continent notably in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Eriteria and even beyond the continent. With or without the Army if the gov't of the day wants to be a dictatorship it can do it with whatever force they have on the ground. Even knife wielding police can abate a dictatorship. The NIA is not an army but is more FEARED today in the Gambia.
In my opinion, nothing is wrong in having an Army, what is wrong is its misuse. I concur with those that say an educated, sizable and professional army would be better. However, presently the engineering section/Unit of the Army is not doing bad. The are known to have been given contracts to build schools. Though they are mainly into civil engineering. The Army until recntly was meant for those not having brilliant GCEs or So. Some of them borrowed papers to enlist hence one person two names and the like. Howver,the education must go beyond book-learning. There was a rare graduate in the Army when it took over the reins of power in 1994. The guy had a poor humanrights record with his dealings with the civilians> He even once threathned a journalist by openly telling the boy that he 'was too young to be destroyed'. So book-learning education is not enough it must go in tandem with political education.
I definitley agree that the Army needs reformation. The bullying, the alledged disapperances etc must cease. |
madiss |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2006 : 20:08:57
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quote:
Originally posted by MADIBA
To disband the Army would be too far and the costs may outweigh the benefits. The soldiers in the army are Gambians and needs employment like any other Gambian.If you disband them what will you give them and at the expense of what? That would be a fertile breeding ground for armed robberies and even armed insurrection. With the high rate of failed projects and donor fatigue who is going to sponsor the rehabilitation of the disbanded army? If they have chosen to be soldiers why not. The Army may not be quite useful locally but they have done good jobs on the African continent notably in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Eriteria and even beyond the continent. With or without the Army if the gov't of the day wants to be a dictatorship it can do it with whatever force they have on the ground. Even knife wielding police can abate a dictatorship. The NIA is not an army but is more FEARED today in the Gambia.
In my opinion, nothing is wrong in having an Army, what is wrong is its misuse. I concur with those that say an educated, sizable and professional army would be better. However, presently the engineering section/Unit of the Army is not doing bad. The are known to have been given contracts to build schools. Though they are mainly into civil engineering. The Army until recntly was meant for those not having brilliant GCEs or So. Some of them borrowed papers to enlist hence one person two names and the like. Howver,the education must go beyond book-learning. There was a rare graduate in the Army when it took over the reins of power in 1994. The guy had a poor humanrights record with his dealings with the civilians> He even once threathned a journalist by openly telling the boy that he 'was too young to be destroyed'. So book-learning education is not enough it must go in tandem with political education.
I definitley agree that the Army needs reformation. The bullying, the alledged disapperances etc must cease.
WE DONT CREATE JOBS BECAUSE WE NEED PEOPLE TO COLLECT SALARIES. THERE MUST BE A NEED FOR THEM. THIS LED THE ERP OF 1985. ITS BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO, THEY HAD TO EVOLVE DOING POLICE DUTIES WITH CHECK-POINTS EVERY 200 METERS.
THEY DO NOT ADD VALUE TO QUALITY OF LIFE OF GAMBIANS. SOME OF THEM CAN EVEN SERVE AS TEACHERS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS WHICH WE SO BADLY NEED. THEY NEED TO BE PRODUCTIVE SOME HOW AND STOP BEING A DRAIN. |
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njucks
Gambia
1131 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2006 : 20:13:21
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quote:
Originally posted by MADIBA
To disband the Army would be too far and the costs may outweigh the benefits. ...In my opinion, nothing is wrong in having an Army, .... However, presently the engineering section/Unit of the Army is not doing bad. The are known to have been given contracts to build schools. Though they are mainly into civil engineering..
thank you Madiba. naturally i am not a spokeperson of the Gambian Army, someone is being paid to do that job. its the principle i defend.
you brought up some good points on civil duties, infact there are many cases where the army has been instrumental in bringing relief to assist NGOs etc . some years back there were floods in Farafeni i think or Basse and they helped a lot. they also helped with the refugee influx from the Casamance etc.
outside the Gambia, gambian soldiers have served to bring,preserve peace in Liberia and Sierra Leone through ECOMOG and currently in Sudan. some have died leaving behind widows and orphans!!!!!
to look back and just scrach off all that sacrifice is an ungrateful nation. |
Edited by - njucks on 01 Dec 2006 20:16:45 |
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MADIBA
United Kingdom
1275 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2006 : 20:20:34
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quote:
Originally posted by kondorong
quote:
Originally posted by MADIBA
To disband the Army would be too far and the costs may outweigh the benefits. The soldiers in the army are Gambians and needs employment like any other Gambian.If you disband them what will you give them and at the expense of what? That would be a fertile breeding ground for armed robberies and even armed insurrection. With the high rate of failed projects and donor fatigue who is going to sponsor the rehabilitation of the disbanded army? If they have chosen to be soldiers why not. The Army may not be quite useful locally but they have done good jobs on the African continent notably in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Eriteria and even beyond the continent. With or without the Army if the gov't of the day wants to be a dictatorship it can do it with whatever force they have on the ground. Even knife wielding police can abate a dictatorship. The NIA is not an army but is more FEARED today in the Gambia.
In my opinion, nothing is wrong in having an Army, what is wrong is its misuse. I concur with those that say an educated, sizable and professional army would be better. However, presently the engineering section/Unit of the Army is not doing bad. The are known to have been given contracts to build schools. Though they are mainly into civil engineering. The Army until recntly was meant for those not having brilliant GCEs or So. Some of them borrowed papers to enlist hence one person two names and the like. Howver,the education must go beyond book-learning. There was a rare graduate in the Army when it took over the reins of power in 1994. The guy had a poor humanrights record with his dealings with the civilians> He even once threathned a journalist by openly telling the boy that he 'was too young to be destroyed'. So book-learning education is not enough it must go in tandem with political education.
I definitley agree that the Army needs reformation. The bullying, the alledged disapperances etc must cease.
WE DONT CREATE JOBS BECAUSE WE NEED PEOPLE TO COLLECT SALARIES. THERE MUST BE A NEED FOR THEM. THIS LED THE ERP OF 1985. ITS BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO, THEY HAD TO EVOLVE DOING POLICE DUTIES WITH CHECK-POINTS EVERY 200 METERS.
THEY DO NOT ADD VALUE TO QUALITY OF LIFE OF GAMBIANS. SOME OF THEM CAN EVEN SERVE AS TEACHERS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS WHICH WE SO BADLY NEED. THEY NEED TO BE PRODUCTIVE SOME HOW AND STOP BEING A DRAIN.
Konds,
You make things look so easy. I think you need to take a break from the heat of the sahara desert . Prsently Education Sector has the mammoth tasks of PROVIDING ADEQUATE TEACHERS in many schools in the pronvinces , but their efforts are hindered by the follwing:
Poor Grade 12 results, thus Gambia College must revisit the entry requirement to match the times (poor English and Maths Grade 12 results), Teacher trainning costs( Gambia College is struggling wit the 500 or yearly in-take enshrined in the 2nd education proj backed by the WB and ADB.Gambia College can no longer feed these students thus their dorms are closed.And eif you are bothered about quality, then in-takes to Gambia College must be good or else as is said in Computing Jargon GARBAGE IN , GARBAGE OUT(GIGO).
It comes to the same thing those soldiers turned teachers to be qualified teachers MUST pass via Gambia College. So you see its not that easy my brother. The Gambian problem is multi-faceted. Its like a man wit boils all over his body. You don't know which part to hold and which to leave. |
madiss |
Edited by - MADIBA on 01 Dec 2006 20:28:15 |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2006 : 21:04:47
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quote:
Originally posted by njucks
quote:
Originally posted by MADIBA
To disband the Army would be too far and the costs may outweigh the benefits. ...In my opinion, nothing is wrong in having an Army, .... However, presently the engineering section/Unit of the Army is not doing bad. The are known to have been given contracts to build schools. Though they are mainly into civil engineering..
thank you Madiba. naturally i am not a spokeperson of the Gambian Army, someone is being paid to do that job. its the principle i defend.
you brought up some good points on civil duties, infact there are many cases where the army has been instrumental in bringing relief to assist NGOs etc . some years back there were floods in Farafeni i think or Basse and they helped a lot. they also helped with the refugee influx from the Casamance etc.
outside the Gambia, gambian soldiers have served to bring,preserve peace in Liberia and Sierra Leone through ECOMOG and currently in Sudan. some have died leaving behind widows and orphans!!!!!
to look back and just scrach off all that sacrifice is an ungrateful nation.
Is it not ironical that they brought "peace" to some countries when at home they have brought sufferrings to their own people who pays their salaries. I am not sure what peace you talk about. Dafur, Liberia etc.
How about widows we created in our country. Talk to those families and see and feel their loss. I am more concerened about the gambian widow who is part of the country.
PEOPLE WHO OWE MONEY CANNOT GIVE CHARITY.
We can only be good peace keepers if we respect rule of law, defend the defenceless, remove the check points, and account for every citizen in the country. IF YOU LIVE IN A GLASS HOUSE, YOU SHOULD NOT THROW STONES.
I am not being ungrateful. According to you, any one who questions their role are part of an ungrateful nation.
What principle do you defend. Please be more explicit. yaya Ceesay was deadly against the setting up of an army and today he is vindicated.
Since they dont have work to do, they have decided to write their own job descriptions and expanded the last function " ANY OTHER DUTIES". |
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njucks
Gambia
1131 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2006 : 21:09:46
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| NONE. ALL HUMAN LIFE IS SACRED. THANK YOU. |
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MADIBA
United Kingdom
1275 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2006 : 21:28:35
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[/quote]
Is it not ironical that they brought "peace" to some countries when at home they have brought sufferrings to their own people who pays their salaries. I am not sure what peace you talk about. Dafur, Liberia etc.
[/quote]
Konds,
You may rattle and ramble, but the above highlighted is grossly un-fair. When GNA GAMCOY 1(code name for the first company that went to Liberia under the aegis of ECOMOG) Liberia was a blazing hell. If not for the gallantry of the Gambia troops and other Anglophone speaking west africa troops with Guinea Conakry as the only Francophone country, Liberians would have been annihilated by their own insane brethren. Gambia lost two soldiers L/Cpl Bojang and Private Sama Jawo. The outfit of the GNA then is not the same as the one today. They were poorly paid then but highly disciplined and eficient. So to throw their achievement through the window is definitely not fair for those poor soldiers who sacrficed alot for the Liberians to have something called home today. |
madiss |
Edited by - MADIBA on 01 Dec 2006 21:30:11 |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2006 : 21:38:48
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I am sorry for that comment and i apologise. I borrowed the line from a sit come Fresh Prince of Bel-Air when Will Smith made fun of Uncle Phil about his active days as a human rights person. He was talking about their march on washington, bus boycotts etc. Will then said "It looks like everywhere you went trouble followed.".
I am editing it.
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MADIBA
United Kingdom
1275 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2006 : 21:41:49
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quote:
Originally posted by kondorong
I am sorry for that comment and i apologise. I borrowed the line from a sit come Fresh Prince of Bel Air when Will Smith made fun of Uncle Phil about his active days as a human rights person. Hw eas talking about htier march on washington, bus boycotts etc. Will then said "It looks like everywhere they went trouble followed.".
I am editing it.
Dats ur trait the most endearing to me. Being genuine. Thanks. |
madiss |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2006 : 21:48:46
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We are all human and should apologise when we make mistakes. I am not shy to say so. Sorry sorry sorry again.
Sorry to my Gendarmerie boys |
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Santanfara
3460 Posts |
Posted - 03 Dec 2006 : 21:50:35
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WELSAID GUYS. the topic is an important one ,the reason i suggested the army disbanding was as a result of how our government utilise them. there is no problem in having a productive and useful army but i want you all to think deeply and carefully. did african countries having army's ever stop the countless rebellions and overthrows ? who are the one's overthrowing elected governments ? who help africa's harden dictators to commit countless atrocities ? there are many mishabs of having an unfruitful army. the countless rebel movement in africa continue to exist with vibrant armies ,they seems useless in seira leon, liberia, uganda, senegal ,ivory coarst,sudan ,congo ,burundi, etc.where are the army with the scary weapons ? no were to be seen. if we think the army will stand and defend us from internal and external attacks then we are dreaming.
the main reason for my raising this question was as a result of a conversation i heard with a former rebel commander in the defunct spla . this guy is weleducated and a very strong rebel solder. he narrated to me how there encounters with the sudanese army took place and i watch vedio's of this events. solders don't give a darm about the civilians in real battle fields. this guy told me how solders hide behind civilians for shielding themself and the rape AND SO ON.
this guy is now a key figure in the new form government. but for nearly twenty years the sudanese army could not break down the rebels. every body think solders are there for protecting us ,but just revisit idi amins diaries of brutality.manchistu's red army, mabuto callous night raiders, and our own junglers .if this army personel don't have any regard for the citizen what purpose do they serve ? the lack of respect and care in the part of our armies is what cause any civilian uprising to be brutal and bloody because they are bitter with the army. in conclusion the army is there for the head of state not us ,so let us let them go and retrain our police to be professional and ethical. i have never seen any solder in u.k since i came here but go to the gambia today ,you see them every were. the army are men with civilians but yapats with rebels.they do not protect democracy instead they muck it. just a quick look at fiji today and thailand and even madagasga. so let them go.they can be farmers and contractors .the bullying need to stop. |
Surah- Ar-Rum 30-22
"And among His signs is the creation of heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours. verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge." Qu'ran
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