The below-mentioned statement in Abdoulie's mail has instigated me to write
more today!
Actually Abdoulie's 'citation' is acceptable in certain instances as far as
Neo-Colonial or Post-colonial African regimes are concerned.However,my
position may defer from the latter's if the above 'citation' is reduced to
fit the Jammeh regime alone. Why? See below:
For one reason or the other the over speeding sentiments of nationalism
shouldn't be applied if the situation is a personal interpretation of any
policy maker per se.This syndrome started from the No!of Ahmed Sékou Touré
in 1958 plus the Katanga scenario and beyond.Yes i agree that to some extent
baseless ultra radicalism made some African post colonial or neo colonial
reformists gain nothing out of Naionalism at the farthest.On the other hand
some of the ultra nationalistic moves were indeed engineered by ultra Facist
and Colonial masters's rude methods!
Like what Lumuba said:"si vous n'arrêtez pas mi-crime je n'arrêterais jamais
mi-chemin!" Yes! that was justified nationalism! Because he was making the
Belgian colonialists understand that (if they do no stop midway in
commmitting crimes against his people he wasn't ready either to stop midway
in resisting against colonial domination).
In general the above was useful for freedom fighters during the Lumuba
era.Now what stands is;Are we resisting against domination or trying to sell
principles to partners in order to be able to work in an atmosphere where
respect is reciprocated?
If a nationalistic feeling is based on adventurism,thats not a good card to
earn respect.Likewise if aid is to be sent with arrogance and patronage to
leaders who want to design their home policies that are independent of aid
attached to conditionalities,that also isn't a good card!
Neither party should adopt the above strategies.Indeed if the scope of
foreign policies is seen beyond nationalism one should give paramount
interest to PEOPLE TO PEOPLE RELATION and not STATE TO STATE
RELATION.Although this challenge doesn't only affect the Gambia, it
scratches on the backs of almost all regimes in the world nowadays.
The issue lies on how often the public that has elected those regimes to
represent them, conveys its checks and balances to the states created by
those very regimes? And also how many states do understand that their
mandate can be subjected to scrutiny by those who elected them? Plus the
fact that not all electorates understand that public opinion matters a lot
in carving foreign policies.Then the paramount duty for us all is to
improve public awareness on both domestic and foreign policies.
I remember when some Swiss demonstrated against the Bern Gvt for spending
millions of Swiss francs on the deportation process of some African
immigrants who were flown to some African countries and were refused entry
because their nationalities couldn't be athenticated on legal documents(ie
passports,id cards etc).The Swiss Police felt embarassed for having wasted
public funds!The Swiss media reported the matter and the next day those
Swiss who thought that deporting people by force was against human rights
protested peacefully thus the gvt rescinded its decision and freed those who
were supposed to be deported by force.Later on we saw how the Swiss
population reacted on a referandum that was to decide on the issuing of
Swiss visas etc(or other related immigration policies).The outcome of the
referandum showed that the population wasn't xenophobic instead it was the
state that created 'xenophobic' laws.
That is why states consult experts before taking decisions.Now there comes
the importance of the role that our team played in Belgium.Whether a 'faux
pas' or not this isn't A YAHYA JAMMEH PROBLEM!Its a whole machinery of
professionals that has produced a decision.I believe all states do draw
their analysis and ultimately react basing it on either general public
opinion or advices from professionals within any given domain.
Recently we saw the reaction of the public in Tripoli and other parts of
Libya.They went on the rampage and beat up a lot of Africans,who thought
that they were lodged by the state that many Pan Africans see as a role
model.
There comes the issue of misunderstanding nationalism per se.The state
designed a Pan Africanist approach that did welcome African brothers and
sisters but the people of JamaHiriya thought that the rest of those visitors
where there to loot their resources! This very scenario was even worse in
South Africa,because their public resorted to throwing a Senegalese
national throw the window of a speeding train! Was that nationalism or
xenophobia? I tend to believe it was the latter.
Now the issue of linking the state's understanding of the word NATIONALISM
to the awareness of the public towards the same goal poses a challenge for
many regimes and intellectuals back home in Africa.
A foreign policy is designed to interalate with foreign nations indeed in
good terms.Being friends also shouldn't be a hurdle that stops us from being
frank to each other when something goes wrong on either sides.
I believe the understanding of where the difference lies between nationalism
and foreign policies isn't that easy to solve without expanding public
awareness on issues surrounding world politics.The wider the scope the
better the judgement.
SO THE BLAME IS NOT ONLY FOR OUR REGIMES IT IS ALSO FOR THE DONOR COUNTRIES
TO AVOID THE 'Patron' syndrome.
YeroPulloh.
>From: Abdoulie Jallow <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Gassa>>Re: Gambian Domestic/Foreign Policy
>Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2002 09:41:23 -0500
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>From [log in to unmask] Tue, 15 Jan 2002 06:46:05 -0800
>Message-ID: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sender: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>
>"The problems in The Gambia today are due to the government’s failure to
>formulate distinctively pragmatic, domestic and foreign policies that will
>be patterned after the principles of nationalism – which they seem to adore
>so much but have very understanding of in the context of the current global
>economic environment."
>
>The above should have read:
>
>"The problems in The Gambia today are due to the government’s failure to
>formulate distinctively pragmatic, domestic and foreign policies that will
>be patterned after the principles of nationalism – which they seem to adore
>so much but have very LITTLE understanding of in the context of the current
>global economic environment."
>
>I apologize for the typos.
>
>
>Abdoulie A. Jallow
>(BambaLaye)
>"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
>-M.L. King Jr.
>
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"YEROMAMA PULORI GALO HAAWA BAROGEL N'DIMOU"
"Speak the speeches and let the speeches not spit you."
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