Folks, just thought I forward this article culled from the Forayaa
Newspaper.  Please read on

Give Them Jobs Not Scars

Law Enforcers Should Not be Law Breakers
The Secretary of State for Tourism and Culture has declared a war on what
they term as the Bumser menace. Interestingly enough operation wipe out the
bumser is not only restricted to the beaches. There are many operations to
raid the ghettos and arrest young people.

We have received reports that such young people are being severely subjected
to torture, inhuman and degrading punishment. They are released and not
taken before any court. This means that it is a crime to be a bumser or to
look like one. It also means that some security officers are being ordered
to violate the law in gross disregard of the principles of their profession.

Law enforcers should not be law breakers. Those who should protect the
Gambian people should not be a source of public menace.

It is open secret that there are a thousand and one young people roaming
about without skills or jobs. Many of them are from homes where parents earn
less than D500 a month. Money becomes very difficult to get for such
families. They therefore find it extremely difficult to exercise any
influence over their children.

Some people accuse parents of not having control over their children. The
fact of the matter is that a parent who cannot feed, cloth and shelter a
child will have very little moral authority to exercise over their children.
These are social problems to them. Force is not going to end poverty. Those
who are driven from the beach will go to town. Crime will only change in
form. In fact, the most dangerous form of organised crime develops from
fascist methods of trying to suppress petty crimes.

Those who manage the affairs of nations should have knowledge of society and
basic human psychology. In Brazil street children were killed like pests for
years. That did not put an end to the crime problem. Under military rule in
Nigeria thieves used to be taken and shot by firing squad but new thieves
continued to be brought before the firing line. Finally it was Abacha who
was discovered to be the master thief. Only the small thieves went before
firing squads.

There is a tendency to believe that preaching respect for human rights is
what encourages crime. The fact remains that crimes are more prominent where
human rights are not respected. In war zones people can be robbed, raped and
killed with impunity. What we want is a human society where those who manage
society give examples of human decency to those who become criminals.
Indecency cannot be fought using indecent means. Tough talk and arrogance in
pursuing policy are the trade marks of tyrants and not civilized leaders of
a modern society. We need to acknowledge the bomser phenomenon and take
concerted and civilized measures to ensure that those who visit the Gambia
are left with a pleasant memory. A Gambia that is a prison camp for its
youth and a haven for the tourists is not the Gambia Gambians aspire for in
the 21st century.









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