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Momodou
Denmark
11634 Posts |
 Posted - 16 Oct 2007 : 22:08:44
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Are There Alternatives To Begging?
By Isatou Bittaye & Ebrima Dibbasey
Following a story carried in the Daily Express Newspaper, there are reports that the police have started arresting beggars on the streets again. These reporters went round and interviewed some of the beggars in a bid to seek their opinion regarding the reported arrests.
One Mam Jarra Secka, a visually impaired woman, when interviewed, said she is not aware of any news that the police have again started arresting beggars following the first wave of arrests in January. Mam Jarra explained that she was among those who were first arrested and was detained until her husband bailed her. Mam Jarra added that she was asked by the police to leave the highway and roadside where she normally sits to beg, because according to them it is not safe for her. She said that at that time she used to sit at the Brikama garage in Serrekunda. Mam Jarra indicated that she was not born blind but that she no longer has any other job except to engage in begging. She noted that she depends on begging for her survival and called on the concerned authorities to give them chance to beg because that is the only thing they can do to make ends meet.
One Rabbiatou Jarju, a physically disabled woman, said she was not aware of any arrests again but was quick to complain that sometimes the police asked them not to sit on the streets to beg, especially around the Serrekunda market. She added that they were asked to stay home because they (the police) did not want to see them begging on the streets. She indicated that when they asked the police what they (beggars) have done to deserve this mistreatment, she said that the police only replied that they were just sent to drive beggars off the streets. Rabbiatou appealed to the government to leave them in peace because they depend on begging for their survival. She noted that she is a Gambian citizen and if she were sent out of The Gambia she would not have anywhere to go.
Mr. Momodou Jallow, a disabled who sits at International Bank for Commerce (IBC) Serrekunda branch to beg, said he was not aware of any arrest and was not part of those who were at first arrested. He said that he had people saying that the police have started arresting beggars on the streets but he did not see them. Momodou told these reporters that he is a Senegalese national and he has been sitting at the Bank to beg since 1999 but was never driven away or arrested.
Another disabled woman, Njie, said she was aware of the first wave of arrests and was even among the victims who were taken to Bundung Police Station. She said that they were arrested first by one Fallou Choi, Lamin Suso and Inspector Colley, all police officers, but that she was not aware of another wave of arrests again. She said that they are begging because they are poor and have no means of survival and it is through begging that they get food, clothes and pay their children’s school fees. She said the police always disturb them. She said they therefore call on the president to act before it is too late.
Ousman Gomez said that he heard an announcement over the radio that all beggars are banned from the traffic lights; that if any beggar is found begging around the traffic lights, the government would not have any mercy or sympathy on them. He said that they depend on begging and if they are banned from begging the government should provide them with means for their survival if not they cannot stop them from begging.
When contacted to express his views on the issue of arresting beggars in the name of clearing them off the streets, Mr. Muhammed Kora, President of The Gambia Federation of the Disabled (GFD), said that he was not aware of any arrests yet, and that whenever such things happen he was always given the information. Mr. Kora said that since the last time they were arrested in January he did not hear of any arrest but was aware that the police were advising beggars to leave the traffic lights; that no force was used but it was just sensitization over the radio because the traffic lights area is not safe. Mr. Kora indicated that The Gambia Organisation for the Visually Impaired (GOVI) is implementing a programme to help the visually impaired where they would be given vocational training to acquire life skills in the forms of business, farming, soap making and tie-dye and some small scale loan would be provided after the training for the people to start a business in the areas they were trained. He noted that if they were given chance for the next five years, most of the people would give up begging. Mr. Kora said that this programme was implemented in the North Bank Region and the people there have now given up begging. He said that the programme is now being extended to cover the Greater Banjul Area. The GOVI President noted that the programme is specifically focused on the visually impaired and is funded by Sight Savers International. Mr. Kora added that the blind children are provided with education and in future they would not go for begging. He urged the government to increase the annual subvention they are giving to the organisations of the disabled that would enable them to empower their members. Mr. Kora also appealed to the business community to support the GOVI in its celebration of World White Cane Day in October because the day is very important to the visually impaired community. He also appealed for support to the federation of disable organisations to celebrate World Disability Day, which is an important event for the disabled.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 121/2007, Tuesday 16 October 2007
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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