The recent spate of attack against one ethnicity and another in The Gambia is becoming a cause of concern. The messaging app –Whatsapp and other social media platform have now become a fertile ground, where people send hostile audio messages against one ethnicity or tribe. This phenomenon must cease with immediate effect.
In this day and age, an attack against any ethnicity is seem as an attack against all. And we must let our emotions override us to an extent it makes us harbor hatred against a particular group. The recent remarks by one woman insulting the Mandinkas is just rather unfortunate.
As rightly stated by Mai Ahmad Fatty, leader of Gambia Moral Congress, tribal bigotry and hostility must not be permitted.
After emerging from a 22-year dictatorship characterised by right violations targeting a particular ethnicity, now is the time to come together and reconcile to better develop this great nation of ours and speak in one voice: NO TO TRIBALISM.
Tribalism will never take this nation anywhere only abject poverty and backwardness.
We must not forgo the peaceful coexistence we are currently enjoying in this democratic dispensation for our selfish gains. Let us combine our effort and put The Gambia on the right footings.
What is really amazing is the fact that every now and then, vile audio from deranged minds make the rounds on social media attacking an entire ethnic group with impunity.
We believe law enforcement officers have a great role to play by arresting those found wanting and prosecute them. Until then, these occasional attacks against a particular tribe would go on and on.
The Gambia is a country of peace and moral values and if these attacks against tribes are not put to a halt, they could have the tendency to escalate into something else.
As Fatty rightly stated, the ministries of Justice and the Interior must ensure that these criminals are identified, arrested and prosecuted. Our criminal justice system must adequately respond to this dangerous trend to avert a potentially more serious threat.
For The Gambia our homeland, to The Gambia ever true!
"Tribe follows tribe, and nation follows nation, like the waves of the sea. It is the order of nature, and regret is useless."
Chief Seattle