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Momodou
Denmark
11804 Posts |
 Posted - 13 Feb 2007 : 13:25:11
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FOCUS ON THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN THE GAMBIA
By Suwaibou Touray
In this colomn, we will be engaging in rewriting the history of the Gambia from pre- independence to the attainment of independence from British Colonial rule.
We will begin with our history, precisely because we feel that our youngsters are not genuinely informed about our history in the established institutions of learning. This column is needed to raise the awareness of the people on the political situation. It will also help to compare our system with others to see how we can advance or develop ours. The colomn will also aim at giving as much information to our readers with a view to helping create what we would call "critical view of our body politic."
The column, as I said, will begin from what is considered to be the lowest level and climb steadily on to a higher ladder even to the stage of political ideology, etc. This is important because many people are influenced by political ideology but they may not knowingly subscribe to it or may unconsciously absorb it for it is part of the opinion received at the time. So we will also inform our readers on the salient provisions of our constitution relating to our political system and make an attempt to critique where necessary. For example, constitutions may bar or out law political violence which is logical to many people but observing it closely, political theory may also ask if justification might not be advanced depending on the circumstance, or even what sort of violence.
Again for example, South Africa under Apartheid denied the majority the freedom to state their case, and that denial had been authenticated by the constitution and other laws. So should the oppressed majority or even the oppressed minority denied the freedoms not have a justification to use violence depending on the sort of violence and against whom it is directed? So as you can see, only political ideas can help us to have practical answers to such questions. Politics and political ideas free us to think critically. It also helps us to speculate about the future otherwise we are instead trapped into describing what exists as if what exists never changed.
Our people need knowledge. Our people also need information, and as a small country, the only weapon, it seems, that is at our disposal against the political economic, military network comprising states and of course the global economy is perhaps information and intelligence. Genuine political awareness will generate the required information and intelligence necessary to make us more defensive and even skeptical of the justifications of the system which we have complied with and to make us to even search for alternative political and social systems.
We must reach that level of political awareness to have the continued success of our system or otherwise change it if that is what suits us. We want to make the column interesting and stimulating for readers. This is why we will be inviting readers to make contributions. Let readers get ready and write to even debate issues as well as ask questions. That is what will help us learn together and ultimately not only will it inspire us but also energize us to practically participate in the decision making process of our democratic dispensation, which is relatively very young compared to many other countries. Because of the low level of political awareness all mainly due to two reasons;
Illiteracy and the fact that our nationhood is relatively young, the spirit of Nationalism is extremely low among the elites and some time almost absent among the masses of our people. This is precisely what is responsible for politicians reverting to tribalism, sectionalism and age old differences to rekindle the sentiment of the electorates, in the political process for their selfish interests. This is why only a systematic and painstaking effort will in the long run uplift us to a genuine democratic transition. See next issue, "Gambia before nationhood."
See next issue on Gambia's Political History.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 017/2007, 12-13 February, 2007
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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