Tribalism: Blame Yahya Jammeh    

             

By Mathew K. Jallow, Associate Editor

 

The ascendancy of Yahya Jammeh’s regime, the APRC, and its rule over the past thirteen years has ushered in an era of unprecedented tribalism and patronage. Regrettably, however, this regime-sanctioned practice of tribalism has never really been discussed in any detail and depth in the past, but that all seems to be changing now. The past couple of weeks have seen both The Gambia Echo and Freedom cast the spotlight on this perennial and vexing problem of tribal prejudice. But, the indifference to tribalism exhibited by most Gambians, is largely a product of religious and customary belief, which teaches subservience and servitude as God’s own redeeming virtues. Consequently, every word or act emanating from any position of authority must be regarded as gospel truth and obeyed without dissention, irrespective of the pain and agony visited on society. Tribalism in The Gambia though is no longer an abstract concept, rather a very humiliating and dehumanizing practice that exposes the ugly underbelly of our society. Yahya Jammeh’s regime has over the past years perfected tribalism in The Gambia and used it as a means of ensuring his regime’s survival.

The past thirteen years of APRC rule has witnessed the domination of all aspects of Gambia life by Yahya Jammeh’s tribe; the Jolas. Incidentally, the Jolas are a mere seven percent of the country’s population, effectively meaning that without the collaboration of members of the Fulas, Mandinkas, Wollofs, Sereres, Manjakoes and Serahule tribes, the Jolas will not have the population numbers to be able sustain the oppression of the other tribes. The irony here is that by collaborating and protecting Yahya Jammeh’s regime, Mandinkas, Serahules, Wollofs, Manjakoes, Sereres and Fulas are inadvertently taking part in the murders, arrests and detention, tortures and disappearances of their own tribesmen. Although we appreciate that not all Jolas are in cohort with Yahya Jammeh, those that are, and who are flaunting their power and material wealth must be reminded of a simple lesson: “what goes around, comes around.” The Jammeh regime will see its end sooner rather than later, and when it does; Jammeh’s collaborators will be the objects of scorn and possible target of revenge and reprisal.

After the fall of the Jawara regime in 1994, the Asset Management and Recovery Commission laid its claims to properties that were acquired by corrupt public officials. That should serve as a reminder to all the Jolas ruling our country that the properties they are building and the wealth some are amassing, will some day be seized and returned to The Gambian people. Although the Jolas are not being blamed for the tribal prejudices practiced by Yahya Jammeh, to the extent that they enabled the practices continue, they too will bear some of the consequences. The past thirteen years of Jammeh rule has also seen the mushrooming of corruption to levels no one ever thought possible in our country. One of the clearest indicators of the acts of corruption in The Gambia is the way and manner civil servants and public officials are appointed. Given that Yahya Jammeh is insecure in his position and distrusting the other tribes to the point of paranoia, Jammeh has surrounded himself with his tribesmen and appointed them to positions of authority where they not only wield unprecedented power and influence, but also are free and encouraged to loot the nations financial and other resources. Below is a list of Jolas appointed by Yahya Jammeh to prominent positions, but where Fulas, Mandinkas, Wollofs, Sereres, Manjakoes and Serahules are excluded from sharing in our nation’s opportunities and possibilities. This list is courtesy of The Gambia Echo and other newspaper archives.

Security Forces

Lang Tombong Tamba- Army Chief of Staff, Jola

Benedict Jammeh- Inspector General Police, Jola

Modou L Jarju- Director General, NIA, Jola

Lt. Col. Lamin Bojang- Guards Commander, Jola

Lt. Sillah Kujabi- Naval Commander, Jola

 

Secretaries of State

Yahya Jammeh- President & Agriculture Secretary

Ousman Sonko- Secretary of State Interior, Jola

Ousman Jammeh- SOS Petroleum, Jola

Lamin Bojang- SOS Works, Jola

Abdou Colley- SOS Trade and Development, Jola

Ismaila Sambou- SOS Local Govt. and Lands, Jola

Fatim Badjie- SOS Information, Jola

 

            Foreign Service

Susan Waffa Ogoo- United Nations Representative, Jolanized Aku

Angela Colley- Ambassador, Nigeria, Jola

Ousman Badjie- Ambassador Morocco, Jola

Yusupha Bojang, Deputy High Commissioner, U.K, Jola

Ebrima T.J Kujabi-Deputy Ambassador, D.C, Jola

Lamin Sanyang Accounts Clerk /NIA operative, D.C-Jola

 

Civil Service

David Colley- Director Prison Services, Jola

Abdou FM Badjie- Commissioner W.D., Jola

Modou L. Gibba- M.D. Ports Authority, Jola

Omar Gibba- Chief Protocol VP’s Office

Lamin Sanyang- Deputy Director, Immigration, Jola

Essa Tamba- Operations Director, Immigration, Jola

Yankuba Colley- Mayor Kanifing Municipal, Jola

Yusupha Sanyang- Deputy Mayor Kanifing, Jola

Sunkary Badjie- Chairman Brikama Area Council, Jola

Momodou Sanyang- Director Gambia Radio& TV Services

Olimata Jammeh- PRO Immigration, Jola

Khalipha Sanyang- Pro Kanifing Municipal Council, Jola

The above list does not include Jolas in other senior positions throughout the Civil Service, planted there as spies for Jammeh’s regime. In addition, there are many other positions held by Jolas in middle management or as assistants, where these individuals are often more powerful than a Department head. Jola informers who act as a new security layer for the Jammeh regime infiltrate the entire civil service, from the army, the bureaucracy, and to other security services. The objective of dispersing so many agents and informers throughout the Civil Service and all around the country is to preempt dissent and hold the population in a permanent state of subjugation. For now, the way to break out of this seemingly intractable jam is for the Fulas, Mandinkas, Wollofs, Sereres, Manjakoes and Serahules in the military and security services to realize that Yahya Jammeh is not interested in the development of their own tribesmen and that he only trusts Jolas in the military and other security services. We, therefore, urge the Fulas, Mandinkas, Wollofs, Sereres, Manjakoes and Serahules in the military and security forces to break away from Jammeh’s Jola led military and security organization, and to refuse to enforce Jammeh’s orders, which have led to the killing, maiming, jailing, torturing and denying employment to their own fellow Fulas, Mandinkas, Wollofs, Sereres, Manjakoes and Serahules. Gambians in exile all across the world, from Senegal to U.K, and The U.S and Western Europe and Asia, be they Mandinkas, Wollofs, Sereres, Manjakoes, Fulas and Serahules, from the university professors to technology geniuses’ are behind you. The whole world is waiting to see when we as a country will get rid of this tyrannical regime and restore civilian rule. Yahya Jammeh must go one-way or the other. It is now time to act.