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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
 Posted - 23 Jul 2007 : 19:06:08
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Several German newspapers 'discover' the topic of sex tourism in Gambia at the moment. A specially malicious example is a piece from conservative 'Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung' (FAZ), one of the most important newspapers in Germany. The article was published on June 14th and appeared in the FAZ net issue a few days later. Here is the link for German-speaking Bantabarians:
http://www.faz.net/s/RubB4457BA9094E4B44BD26DF6DCF5A5F00/Doc~E6948B4277C824428A7724F60C08ADD8E~ATpl~Ecommon~Scontent.html
First this nasty French TV documentary, then the flood of negative articles in Germany. What is going on there? I know that if one newspaper has a 'hot' topic, all the others follow like a herd of sheep.
Is it only this? Or do they want to destroy the destination for normal tourists and advertise it to sex tourists, like they did it with Thailand in countless hypocritical articles? Nobody seems to think about what they can do to a small country which depends a lot on tourism by spreading out this c...
German readers should write letters to the editors telling that Gambia is a destination for all kinds of tourists, not only for sex tourists.
And I would like the Gambian government to protest officially against such campaigns. The German/French/etc. governments will answer that this is press freedom etc. blabla, but insisting may be a little bit helpful after all. If it goes on like this, I fear that Gambia's reputation is done for.
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Edited by - serenata on 23 Jul 2007 19:21:29 |
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MADIBA
United Kingdom
1275 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jul 2007 : 19:44:39
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| Serenata, is an English translation available? After all the gov't will suffer but those that would be hard hit are the poor honest folks working in the industry. Maybe its high time gov't diversifies its econnomy from Tourism and so-called agriculture to something more lucrative to the people. |
madiss |
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jul 2007 : 10:35:56
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i am gald someone has woken up to the fact that this is not good for the imagine, people say "oh the government cannot stop this, oh yes you can and YES YOU SHOULD" he british press have run a few negative stories, one regarding a lady wo was 65 who married her 27 friend and how he is now in UK claiming dole because they have split, one about a man who was sponsoring a young lady about 22 and was leaving his wife to set up home for with her. Not just sex but the story gave it the feel was that gambians were all about money, and sex was part of the deal.
how sad this is for Gambia. take it off the streets, if you cannot stop it control it. |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jul 2007 : 12:15:33
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Madiba, there seems to be no English translation. I am going to hospital again this week (not a big thing; I'll be out on saturday), this could be a good opportunity to try a translation. I'll post it (or a summary) next Monday.
jambo, I hope the government can do something about the problem itself, and about the labeling in the western media.
I think it is also a question of PR and marketing. Thailand succeeded to clean its dirty image a bit; meanwhile the destination - except for certain places - is seen as appropriate even for family holidays. The Philippines didn't work on the problem, and until now the Islands are no-go-area for decent tourists. |
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MADIBA
United Kingdom
1275 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jul 2007 : 16:08:39
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| Serenata while expecting the translation,i wish you good luck and see you here soon. |
madiss |
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MADIBA
United Kingdom
1275 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jul 2007 : 16:10:05
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quote:
Originally posted by jambo
i am gald someone has woken up to the fact that this is not good for the imagine, people say "oh the government cannot stop this, oh yes you can and YES YOU SHOULD" he british press have run a few negative stories, one regarding a lady wo was 65 who married her 27 friend and how he is now in UK claiming dole because they have split, one about a man who was sponsoring a young lady about 22 and was leaving his wife to set up home for with her. Not just sex but the story gave it the feel was that gambians were all about money, and sex was part of the deal.
how sad this is for Gambia. take it off the streets, if you cannot stop it control it.
Jambo, any suggestions on how you think Gambia Gov't or stakeholders in Gambian tourism can tackle this problem? |
madiss |
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jul 2007 : 10:37:17
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suggestions for government and stakeholders to stop the problem,
1 admit there is a problem, not on have tunisia, egypt, and the far east done this, but look at new York, the mayor of the city became a tourist for the day. they cleaned up the streets within a matter of months. it was an economical decision pure and simple. They frighten off moeny spenders and respectable people.
2 Do it, don't think about it do it. More females police on the streets is a calming method.
3 Ban foreigners, it would at least cut down the numbers, there are enought Gambia bumsters without letting toher "african nationals" getting in on the act, nigerians, liberians, sierra leones and others being part of the scene.
4. look at the worse case scenario loss of tourists = money = unemployment Gabmia cannot afford to let this happen.
5. HIV/aids this will increase if the trade is not stopped. That will be a big disaster for gambia and the international community.
6. gambians tut tut at the atitude of the tourists, they should look at the attitude of the bumsters and address that issue.
during last AU last year they took the criminals/bumsters/ sex off the streets and it was great, tourists still came, the conferences happened it was nice and that is how it should be.
7 local business have been successfully in getting the other businesses off the streets, peanut sellers, craft sellers, cigarette sellers etc off the streets and they have benefitted. They could band together and lobby their the MP/councillor for the area to stop the bumsters. The businesses are paying to be in the area they are all part of GTA.
ITS IN THE HANDS OF THE GAMBIANS.
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Drammehkangi
Sweden
40 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jul 2007 : 18:28:47
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Good suggestions, Jambo. By any means necessary!
Apparently, GTA did have programs and activities put in place in the areas of protection, prevention, recovery and reintegration of people loitering around the TDA, and these efforts are meant to improve the situation. It is however evident that many the strategies put in place are flawed, ineffective or difficult to implement. Most lack specific provisions and to be candid, successful protection is not possible because law enforcement that we seem to depend on around the TDA remains a problem. A holistic approach is needed to the fight against all forms of ill practices going on around the TDA.
With reference to recovery, rehabilitation and integration, there are inadequate services available to combat Bumsting and sex tourism around the TDA. I have suggested in a paper, “Revisiting The Gambia, Bumting and Sextourism” 2005; that there is a serious need to carry out awareness raising and information campaigns, development assistance, and the promotion of behavioural change among, not only bumsters and sex workers, but with even hospitality and tourism personnel. As far back as 1979 Wagner suggests that the older generation of Gambians have complained about the plight of their sons being exploited by tourists. Similar problems were reported by Steffen and Diane 1986; in their study of “tourism and culture change in Bakau Old Town. The Gambia is yet to take these suggestions seriously.
The fact that tourists will travel abroad to enjoy uninhibited casual sexual encounters is not a new phenomenon (Cooper et al, 1998). The early European tourists were to some extent motivated by the liberal attitude towards sex in some of the Third World countries they visited, and these include The Gambia. Preconceived images of “exotic” local black men have fuelled the idea that “they are full of sexual energy” or that “they only think about sex.” This variant of tourism usually doesn't include outright prostitution, as some local males consider it a kind of making their way out to Europe in search of “greener pasture” too. So obviously, this is not only about prostitutes, but even others who into contact with tourists. With all due respect many are trying their best, just that there are some scrupulous elements among them who are also doing more harm than good. It is said to be a very lucrative industry that spans the globe based on networks that provide services such as tourist guides, prostitutes, brothels, and massage parlous, and even hotel workers are sometime caught being part of act or acting as one. The industry in The Gambia is faced with serious problems of lack of service minded, and informed entrepreneurs. Training on recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration is clearly required in the industry in this country.
Sex tourism is one of the many impacts of tourism and therefore needs special attention. It is part of the many impacts that are the most common theme of research in tourism. It is not an isolated case for The Gambia, but is a case that needs serious attention. We have been a way long back, but put on deaf ears. Understanding the host nation’s perception of tourism is fundamental to tourism planning and development. There is a general lack of understanding of the tourism system, and it goes far beyond blaming local communities, but the apparatus put in place that triggers the need for scrupulous acts within a system that could have been utilised effectively. Researchers over the years has point out detrimental environmental, socio-economic and cultural effects as impacts of tourism, and has come to be viewed as one of the most contentious issues surrounding the industry. I always wonder why we are too complaisant, negligent and think that things just happen by accident?
We are however grateful that our country is a favourite holiday destination for many decent visitors. More than 100,000 tourists visits The Gambia, mainly from Britain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, The Netherlands and Germany. This is good news for The Gambia, and it is just why we can not afford to leave intruders (the scrupulous elements) unchallenged otherwise we will gradually lose the profitable customers we are trying to attract to come in their numbers. We are optimistic, with proper measures in place; The Gambia will continue to attract many people. Nevertheless, authorities must start to be objective in their ways of thinking and act now.
Yeks
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2007 : 17:27:49
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Madiba, here is the promised summary, or at least a small part of a summary. I cannot but agree with the author, Anna Windhorst, in some descriptive points. Nonetheless I object to her tendency to label Gambia as a destination only for sex-tourists.
The article starts with a reference to ’Runzel-Ich’ (a game of words, meaning ’being wrinkly’ or ’wrinkly self’), a book now leading the German bestseller lists for several months. According to the author this concoction is lying on many a deckchair in Kombo St. Mary, which she calles „the infamous Africa grill“. The message of the book is ’Grow old and have fun’.
The author (correctly) calls this book „meaningless“, but points out that it seems to name the principle most female tourists in Gambia are following.
She describes the scene: „Crowds of young, clean-limbed men offer their services to much older, solitary travelling white women. Grey heads together with Rastafari manes are a common view in the bars, restaurants and at the beaches of the ’grill’“.
In the following Windhorst describes the tricks and the alleged (high!) fees of the bumsters, „the brawny boys who appear at every place where tourists go“.
Most women hate the idea of buying sex, so ’true love’, at least ’friendship’ is offered while the bumsters mean ’sex for sale’, and hope for a ’lasting relationship’ which can give them a visa to Europe or grant them continuous financial support.
And so on, and so on. I think we all know how the business works, maybe some of us even took part, so I don’t want to bore the reader with a further description.
Poverty is named as the cause of the problem, but the author misses the chance to give us a view of Gambia’s special economical situation. Instead it seems that she is telling female sex tourists how to avoid being pulled over the barrel.
Though it is also a subtle and intelligent study the article follows the typical hypocritical pattern: The problem is - more or less drastically - described, and the message hidden behind the moralising surface is ’If you don’t like sex tourism, stay away from Gambia (Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, Thailand etc.). But if you are looking for such a service – this is the place to get it.’  |
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2007 : 17:42:07
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if i look at this campaign and the posting on the gernal forum about drugs Gambia is not lookig to good. I ASK ALL GAMBIANS WHO HAVE INFLUENCE TO SPEAK TO THE GOVERNMENT AND GET THEM TO WAKE UP TO THE FACT THAT THE REPUTATION OF GAMBIA IS BEING RUINED.  
TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR COUNTRY |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2007 : 17:49:31
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| jambo, right - this is what is necessary! |
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MADIBA
United Kingdom
1275 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2007 : 22:13:36
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Serenata thanks for the translation.
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madiss |
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Alhassan
Sweden
813 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jul 2007 : 13:03:04
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quote:
Originally posted by MADIBA
Serenata thanks for the translation.
MADIBA,
This artickle is old news. There have been numerous TV programs about Sex tourist in the Gambia. Even the pedofiles have their own version. We(Jalikunda Stockholm)exchange information with ECPAT in Sweden because there are too many pedofiles from Europe to Gambia.
Sometimes we have to accept the truth. There are too many young Gambians who are married to people as old as their Grandmothers and grandfathers. Too many fake rastas or bumsters in the Gambia. I would like to question the author if possible and then draw conclussions. Remember Gambia is not the only sex turist country.
For those who can speak German why not question the author of her experience of the Gambia. Has she been there or is it just rumors she base her facts on? |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jul 2007 : 13:54:19
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Good idea, Alhassan, but I think she has been there or she has been given very precise informations. The article contains details I noticed myself, e.g. the bored faces of the young men when they are together with their sugarmoms, the silence between the partners, the almost visible alienation between people who pretend to be in love.
The real danger of media pieces like this is not lying about certain facts. It is the generalizing approach, which makes every Gambian a bumster, every tourist, male or female, a sex consumer or even a pedophile, and The Gambia on the whole a somewhat obscure place.
Second, it is this disgusting, hypocritical mixture of indignation and advertisement. Why, e.g., is it necessary to highlight the attractiveness of the Gambian men repeatedly? Thank you, Ms Windhorst, as a solvent elder lady (most FAZ-readers are educated elder people) I understand that Gambia is a paradise for solvent elder ladies...  |
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njucks
Gambia
1131 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jul 2007 : 21:42:47
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Serenata, Jambo & Co
would it be a bad idea to invite these over-paid travel writers/jounalists (from Germany, the UK, Holland, Sweden, France etc)to come to the smiling coast and enjoy a true holiday and actually meet the people they write so passionately about.
maybe they will get to accidentally meet some real people, experience their living conditions and then perhaps understand that the tourist industry here is not just about their readers flying 5000 km only to stay in a hotel room. its about meeting ordinary people, seeing poverty first hand, gambians trying to make a living from it as guides, artisans, students being sponsored to go to school, schools being built etc. it has +ve/-ve sides.
it is really difficult to understand these stories, considering the fact that in most EU countries like Germany, Holland prostitution is allowed and legal.
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 01 Aug 2007 : 14:34:35
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njucks, it could be a really good idea, maybe GTA could organize it.
So you are back after a longer while; nice to meet you here! What about your German lessons?
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