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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
 Posted - 23 Jan 2006 : 21:28:28
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I have just read in the Point newspaper that ALL police are to armed in Gambia.
Why is this? Will the police be used as a political tool against The Gambian people?
The thought of this frightens me very much. My friend who was taken away and beaten without being arrested and charged might end up shot in the head if this goes through.
Community policing doesnt need men with guns!
My heart went cold when I saw this article. 
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Jack
Belgium
384 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jan 2006 : 22:11:57
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Yes indeed Gambiabev, very frightening. It was already frightening last year with only the soldiers being armed and checkpoints everywhere in the Gambia. I never understood why they organise these checkpoints. Not a good initiative if tourism is the main income for a country like the Gambia.
Maybe there are 'free' elections in october ? and a armed policeforce could be usefull????? . |
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Amna
Gambia
76 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jan 2006 : 22:32:24
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Dear Bev,
I have no doubts in my mind that forming and arming so called divisional police is another tactic by The Gambia's clown dictator to increase the intimidation of the people and abuse of the civil services.
The mass majority of the services in The Gambia from the Army, National Intelligence, Immigration and Police are directly linked to the APRC, they continue to view themselves as extension of the military clowns that usurped power and the reins of the State in 1994.
Since then, progressively men and women of integrity in the Services, and all other institutions have been weeded out, recruitment of new staff have been perverted to take principally members of Junkung's ethnic group or know sympathizers. In fact a recent exercise at the GIA and Civil Aviation, staff members under questioning by the NIA and the Police were asked to state their political affiliation against the rules of the Civil and Public Service. Of course everyone said APRC..yeh right.
In the last two Presidential elections, Junkung had the July 22 Movement thugs to carry out the abductions and intimidation that the Army could not do openly. Now having imprisoned his main terror chief, Baba Jobe and lost largely the support of the July 22 thugs due to their sympathies lying with Baba Jobe, Junkung has been forming his own, from the Junglers, a dedicated force within the forces exclusively loyal to Junkung and trained by now disgraced and runaway Italian hustler Francesco Caso, some militia type group a la the July 22 has been formed but Junkung fears they will not be effective as in 2001, the UDP led coalition organized and stood up to the July 22, which clashes were mostly won by the Coalition and the death of one Mr Njie, one of the APRC affiliated thugs set to attack a coalition campaign led by Darbo resulted in over 80 Coalition officials and Darbo being charged with murder. A case thrown out and appealed by Junkung government.
But, even arming the Police will fail. The students in their uprising stood up and beat the crap out of the Police and thugs of the so called Paramilitary who incidentally played a major role in the massacre.
The arming of the Police could also turn on Junkung as Sir Dawda's army hastened and brought about the demise of his government back in 1994.
Peace |
Amna |
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jan 2006 : 22:49:57
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Isn't also the case Amna and gambianbev that most of the countries in the world have an armed police forces?
peace
Sister Omega |
Peace
Sister Omega |
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Amna
Gambia
76 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jan 2006 : 23:03:40
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Dear Sister Omega,
In the British and former British colonies, the Police are/were considered a Civilian force and mostly un-armed. Hence the un-armed bobbies in the UK. Special Units within the Police were armed or arms were issued only in extraordinary circumstances. This was the tradition and the police had their famous truncheons.
However over the past 30 years as criminals got more armed and violent, more police started being armed. In The Gambia, we had the Field Force [armed paramilitary unit and the Pioneer Unit as the only normally armed forces] before the 1981 coup.
After 1981, The Gambia formed its Army, the GNA and the Gendarmerie, a normally French Police Military unit, copied from Senegal as part of the Confederal Armed Forces.
In French countries though, it was different but mostly except in the US, Police forces were not armed normally and in normal circumstances.
I will also just add for the record that in the last 12 months, armed robbers or some say rebels have started operating in The Gambia, stopping and robbing Gambians on the nation's deteriorated highways. So if Junkung did not have such a bad reputation, it would have been viewed differently. The current Inspector General of Police was a major in the State Guards, and reputed to be one of the killers in the deaths of Lt Almamo Manneh and Sgt Dumbuya. This is something Gambians following events closely noted and there were howls of protest when this Sonko was named IGP as the late Deyda was very critical of the additional militarization of the Police.
Hope this answers your questions. Peace
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Amna |
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jan 2006 : 23:14:22
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Thanks for the explanation Amna it seems that the days of unarmed police the world over is resigned to the history books. Also bearing in mind the arms trade is always looking for new customers it seems as Gambia have just become one of the newest ones.
Peace
Sister Omega |
Peace
Sister Omega |
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Amna
Gambia
76 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jan 2006 : 23:22:56
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U welcome Sister and trust me, you got that right. Since 1994, The Gambia has expended millions of hard earned dollars on arms and sadly so.
Unfortunately I always argued, it was in 1994 that The Gambia finally joined the real world of big business and blood money. Sadly but so.
The struggle for freedom and human dignity continues.. |
Amna |
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BornAfrican
United Kingdom
119 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jan 2006 : 01:18:20
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I read the article at the Point site about the arming of the Gambain police force. I am a bit confused about it though. I just can't understand whether the police are given the right to carry fire-arms with them in the streets or whether they are just to be armed like any police force elsewhere in the world.
I believe it is right to arm the police (give them access to fire arms but not carrying them in streets) since the police force is the primary institution for curbing violence but the use of fire arms should always be the last thing any civilized poilce force should resort to.
Recently we have seen a situation here in England where police have been given the right to carry arms to protect citizens against potential terrorists, eventhough it all ended in the De menezes (the young Brazilian guy) saga, unfortunately. Armed robbery for example, is becoming another style of anti-social behavior in the Gambia. This i consider terrorism (since terrorism is any organized activity that spooks the living daylight out of the people in any society). In such cases, since police are the only force to tackle such situations, they have all right to confront those "armed robbers" with arms.
I have witnessed that kind of situation in Nigeria where we have the worst armed robberies in West Africa. The only way to deal with anti-social behaviors (ASB) of that manner is to apply an equal amount force against them.
In a nutshell, this is my point: "I disagree with police carrying fire arms with them in the streets like the skunk American police force, but i agree with arming the police force (giving them access to firearms)like any other police force in the world and only to use their arms as the last resort in any confrontation". I am judging this from the perspective of civilized societies ruled by well mannered institutions such as governments whose primary objective is to protect civil rights of people living in their countries. Unfortunately, this is not how it has happened in most African countries, but i believe it is right to give the police force access to arms for taking care of situations that really and truly threaten national security and not against genuine people trying to bring down monster regimes. |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jan 2006 : 08:22:10
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Thanks for all those replies. The police force n a democracy should be seen , as in Britain, to be on the side of the majority of law abiding citizens. They are there to PROTECT the public, and as such an ordinary citizen has nothing to fear from them.
In USA this is NOT the case. The police are violent and quick to use guns....especially against black people in the inner cities.
In the uk more police are being armed for violent situations. MOST police STILL dont ROUTINELY carry arms, and they dont want to. But as violence in society escalates it is easy to see where the call for the police to have more weapons comes from.
If ONE person is killed by police in a shooting...even if that person is a known violent criminal it is all over the front of the papers and a full investigation is done. It is still not considered routine for the police to go around shooting people. It is not what the public want. In a true democracy public opinion is listened to.
So what will happen in Gambia if the police are all armed? I think people will feel intimidated, also unless the training of the police is first class, I think many more Gambians will be killed by their own kind. This is a terrible thought.
If the oppostion can manage to get elected perhaps they should fire ALL the police and restart a police force that the people can have faith in. |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jan 2006 : 08:36:09
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Born African
I had read in Daily Observer online various cases of people being held up by highway men..... How common place is this? Is it in a particular area? Is it just comomon robbery or are these people a politically organised group? There was a suggestion there may be an armed 'terrorist' force operating in the area. Though as we know throughout history one mans terrorist is anothers freedom fighter.
If they are just robbers are they motivated purely be greed or do they have drugs problems like in uk???
I have travelled in Gambia as part of a very large group (100 plus) on 4 buses and also on my own just with a driver and guide. The two experiences were very different. Alone we had to stop at every check point and as soon as they saw a westerner in the car the police wanted money or would invent some jumped up charge against my driver.
I was getting SO angry. At one point I wanted to get out of the car and go and argue with the police. My guide was very worried and said no you musnt it will make it worse for the driver. Little everyday situations like this make you realise Gambia is far from democratic!!
Also at one point we were ambushed by a group coming out of the bush...my heart went into my mouth...but then I realised it was a group with some young boys being prepared for curcumscision. It was a peaceful, happy, friendly encounter.
If the Gambia wants to expand tourism outward from the coast to benefit more Gambia people security of travellers and the corruption at the police check points needs to be addressed.
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Formby
United Kingdom
246 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jan 2006 : 13:56:00
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This seems a dramatic turn-around. While I was there (Dec-Jan)I read the exact opposite, that Jammeh had decided NOT to arm the police force in its entirety; something people seemed to agree with.
Why the sea-change? Is the subtle hand of foreign influence at work? |
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