There can be good debate on this issue if we can be tolerant with diverse views. Beran Why I Disagree With Charles Sam The Independent (Banjul) OPINION November 12, 2001 Posted to the web November 12, 2001 Ebrima Sillah Banjul, the Gambia The Gambia is indeed witnessing a rather interesting period, a period during which, all right minded Gambians should start pondering on the question: "why is it that sometimes some people take us so cheaply?" This is important because recent remarks about us as a people and the country are not only demeaning but uncalled for to say the least. If reports in the local media particularly the Thursday's edition of the Daily Observer captioned "Gambians should revisit National Anthem Charles Sam Urges" are anything to go by, then we The Gambian people should now urgently take-up our responsibility of putting the records straight. Mr. Sam who the paper referred to as an African Development Consultant and President of African Hope International was quoted as having said on Radio 1 FM's Sunday News Hour that "as we meditate carefully on the precious words of this powerful national anthem of ours, we would all agree that our individual lives, group conduct and national life do not adhere to the spirit and principles of the national prayer. Contrary to the words of our national anthem, we do not value our homeland, we do not strive, work hard nor pray, we do not live in unity, peace, and freedom each day neither are our actions guided by justice." Interesting revelations isn't? Charles must really be a good guest to know more about us than we know about ourselves. To say that we do not value our homeland is really not only dishonest but an insult to our idea of Gambianism inside The Gambia for The Gambian people and those non-Gambians living with us in The Gambia. Since time immemorial Gambians have been known to be hard working people who have strived to make this country a better place for all to live in. Look around Charles and see for yourself what the people of this country have been able to achieve under strenuous situations. Is Charles telling us that he is not seeing for himself the fantastic houses being built here by individual Gambians? What about our great professional football players abroad who are always willing to come and play for the country in order to put the Gambia's name on the sports map? What about those women's rights activists working very hard to help reduce teenage pregnancy, early marriage, harmful traditional practices in the country etc? What about those national NGOs working in the remotest parts of the country purposely to uplift the economic status of the ordinary people as well as raise their political consciousness? What about the media selflessly informing the people against all odds? What about the human rights defenders who came up with a framework for peace in the country? Surely it cannot be more the love for the country that all these people are engaged in such activities. But look at this statement of Charles "we do not work hard nor pray" and ask yourself why one should take this man seriously? If it were not for the desired need to clarify the issues at hand I would not really answer to this bit because Charles himself a Ghanaian by birth knows that this country was built on the virtues of hard work and that same spirit is still with us here. Go early in the morning to the markets to see how men and women are working to make ends meet; go to our villages to see how our mothers suffer to water their gardens; how our fathers toil on the farms then you will appreciate how hard working Gambians are. Mr. Charles have you ever been out on Sundays to see how Churches are full to capacity not with baboons and monkeys but with highly cultured people always praying for their country? Go to any of the Mosques anytime and see how Gambians pray for heavenly blessings to be showered on the Gambia. Charles was further quoted as having said "we do not live in unity, peace and freedom each day, neither are our action guided by justice." Again this is very misleading. Probably Charles was carried away by the cool studio rooms of Radio 1 FM. It is peace, love and unity that this country and are her people are known for and that is why all just minded people here are working very hard to make the governors guided by natural justice while at the same time ensuring that the weak are secure. That task will still continue. And we will not pass that as a burden to any third party. But the most shocking part of Charles Sam's statement is "we have become the most unpatriotic people on this earth, sabotaging and pulling down each others effort at development. Our relationship with God has soured, as we have chosen the path of wrongdoing." Charles are you serious? Remember divergence on political opinion does not make anyone unpatriotic, rather it strengthens our democracy, our spirit of a united country, and our resolved to make the Gambia a becon of peace in the whole world. It is too naive for Charles or anyone to believe that the Gambian people are unpatriotic. Am sure Charles was here when the election results were declared, when all the opposition parties called President Jammeh and congratulated him for his victory in the elections. What can be more patriotic than this? I think Charles should stop being petty. I expect a real African development expert to be more mature in his analysis of burning issues that are at the very core of Africa's current underdevelopment. But not for Charles and just have a go with this other one when he said "The Gambia today is not a place of truth, but falsehood and deception." Well Charles it is good to know that you have very little understanding of the issues at stake in the Gambia. It is also good to know from you that the Gambia today is not a place of truth. Let me tell you that the people of The Gambia can be too friendlyand accommodating but we are not the least naive. Our openness and friendliness should not be mistaken as naivete. Charles the Gambian people are proud of our identity and therefore to say that we do not value our homeland, we are not truthful people and so on and so forth is unacceptable. . There are truthful Gambians who am sure are more than ever ready to challenge you on any intellectual platform to make the records straight. And let me say that from now on any misleading and demeaning article about us as a people from you will not go unchallenged! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>