Hi All,

Four and-a-half years back, Gambians reacted with anger and consternation when the head of the Stockholm metroplotan police when out of his way to point an accusing finger to all Gambian nationals in Sweden for alleged involvement in drug trafficking.  Despite resounding protests from Gambians, it took the police more than two years before murmuring an open apology to Gambians in the media. The damage, obviously, had already been done.

During the past two months more than a dozen Gambians have been remanded in custody for drug related crimes in Stockholm.  There is no reason to believe that police raids of Gambian homes will not continue. True, individuals must be held accountable for what they do. But as a group all of us will suffer  the consequences of  media demonisation, when the day arrives. Can the Gambian Organisation pepare in advance for the crises? Or should we all just go on pretending that we do not know what is amiss until, once again, we panic after seeing our nation's name emblazoned on Swedish tabloids? 

Momodou S Sidibeh

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