Mr Tunkara

It would be unfair for you to make these comments. about Pa Nderry's article. Perhaps,  I should  advise you to read this piece from the POINT newspaper

Good Morning Mr. President

Free Labour On Kanilai Farm
Monday - 29th August 2005

The other day, I came across a lady relation of mine who works for one of the government departments. While we were exchanging greetings, I observed that she was behaving as if she was in some pain. When I inquired from her what the problem was, she said she was among a group of women who were recently mobilized to go and work on your farm in Kanilai and that was what affected her muscles. When I further asked why she had to go when she knew absolutely nothing about farming, she simply said she had no choice. “We received a letter in our office requesting us to go and work on the farm and you very well know what the consequences would be if I failed to go,” she told me.

I can assure you, Your Excellency, that there are many people you see working on your farm who are in the same position with that lady. It is possible that you are being given the impression that all those people who come to work on your farm are doing so voluntarily and out of love and support for you, but let me assure you that the reality is completely different. A great majority of those people are actually being compelled to do so against their own freewill.

While you may not be aware of it, there are certain so-called “big men” and “big women” who use their positions and perceived proximity to you to exploit the gullibility of these innocent people by mobilizing them against their own freewill to come and work for you. They give you the impression that those people volunteered to work for you when it is not always the case. Instead most of those people had to be compelled by circumstances to participate, either to protect their jobs, like the lady mentioned above, or they have other interests to protect.

However, these “big” men and women apparently mobilize these people to work for you because they want something from you, either for them to maintain their privileged positions or to get elevated to higher heights, and they feel that mobilizing people to work on your farm is one good  way they can influence you so as to achieve their objectives.

Therefore, Your Excellency, you should be wary of what is going on with regards to the free labour that you frequently get on your farm. While it may be free labour to you, I can assure you that to some of those who take part, it tantamounts to forced labour, and there is no way you should endorse that.

Good Day,
Mr. President.


Lang Tunkara <[log in to unmask]> wrote:




Pa M'bai:

I don't know if I  agree to all what you have stated here even though  some of arguments seems genuine. But the one point that I have issue with and vehemently disagree with is quoted below:

"No one had ever implied that Jammeh should not engage in farming activities.  What we are against is the way he go about his so called farming. Using our parents for cheap labour is unacceptable and unGambian. We expect Jammeh to be able to take care of his own farming needs without subjecting poverty stricken Gambians into forced labour. Our young and senior citizens deserved some degree of decency and respect".

Since when has Yaya started subjecting our parents to forced labor, and besides whose parents?  I know my parents were not forced to work for anybody.  Look my brother, Yaya Jammeh may be the least on my list of favorable people, and don't get me wrong- I am not here speaking for him.  I am just worried about the hyperbole that many of us have the tendency of doing here on this List.  Call a spade a spade.  Yaya may be our list favorable leader, but to suggest that he force people to work on his farms is a serious accusation that have no base.  Those who work at Yaya's farms do so at their own will because they do not somehow belief he is the devil many of us believe he is.

My brother, please try and be a little careful about what is posted here, because this here is setting a bad precedent to the Listers and those who read this postings.

Thanks

Lamin




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