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ylowe
USA
217 Posts |
 Posted - 15 May 2006 : 03:56:45
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i noticed lately that some gambians are accusing each other of tribalism. Please dont tell me that it doesn't exist because it does even in gambian politics. We need to talk about and not just put it under the carpet. i am thinking we need some kind of an act of law that purnishes individuals that are guilty of tribalism. For example managers hiring only their fellow tribemen. Another way of taking care of this problem is to start educating our young ones in school that we are all gambian or africans. Tribalism will ony detard economic development.
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Sitasungo
77 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jun 2006 : 01:11:56
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ylowe,
What do you is your jest?Alaw banning people speaking their and we speaking one whole language?Maybe like Senegal where everybody speaks wollof.
There cannot be any law on tribalism.People are created into groups and tribes by Almighty himself for identification purposes.So leave it as it stands.
Anyone who can try not to be tribalist,will try and those who are,well they world is moving with or without tribalism.In some arrears,its hardly noticed.
One medicine against tribalism is intermarriages between tribes and as you might well know this is really happening.Now what else?This cannot be over in just one second.Thats why we are a nation and not just the old kingdoms of Fulladu,Nuimi,the Foni, or Sine/Saloum, it is Gambia combining all the rest.
sitasungo |
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kassma
334 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jun 2006 : 09:32:25
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quote:
Originally posted by Sitasungo
ylowe,
What do you is your jest?Alaw banning people speaking their and we speaking one whole language?Maybe like Senegal where everybody speaks wollof.
There cannot be any law on tribalism.People are created into groups and tribes by Almighty himself for identification purposes.So leave it as it stands.
Anyone who can try not to be tribalist,will try and those who are,well they world is moving with or without tribalism.In some arrears,its hardly noticed.
One medicine against tribalism is intermarriages between tribes and as you might well know this is really happening.Now what else?This cannot be over in just one second.Thats why we are a nation and not just the old kingdoms of Fulladu,Nuimi,the Foni, or Sine/Saloum, it is Gambia combining all the rest.
sitasungo
i don't think he is advocating us Gambians leaving our individual ethnic groups behind and just be Gambians, he is talking about not being discriminated against or losing out on good opportunities because you don't belone to a certain ethnic group. and a law baning that would be good |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jun 2006 : 10:46:32
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The Mandinkas I know would see marrying 'out' as second best.
The preferred choice is a first cousin who is a virgin. Next best any other relative.....third choice someone from same village where you have been bought up close to the family, fourth choice, a mandinka from another village close by, fifth choice another mandinka from anywhere else in Gambia.
Further down the list comes other Gambian tribes, then other Africans, then non muslims.
My feeling is this is all to do with controlling the lives of women. Keeping them in a very small insular world of domestic life in the village.Never moving away from the village they were born in.
Of course people do marry across tribes, cultures, religions, colours, social groups etc....... The 'melting pot theory' of the world would encourage that for peace and harmony.
On an individual basis though, marriages are most successful when you marry someone who is your social match, and equal who has the same values and aspirations.For examle in UK a jewish family would encourage their child to marry another jew.
Obviously a first cousin is the closest possible match, unless you married a brother or sister! In many countries marriage between first cousins is illegal because scientists believe it weakens the genetic pool and causes health problems.
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jun 2006 : 10:52:02
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If Gambia had strong equality of opportunity laws then everyone could feel they had a stake in the future of hte country regardless of tribe. This is really important in uniting a country.
If someone feels discrimated against in the work place they should take it to law and prosecute the firm. Only then will employers, including the government, take the issue seriously.
It will take some brave people to stand up and do this for the betterment of everyone elses lives.
Likewise wrongful dismissal. Hotels especially seem to hold all the power when employing staff and can terminate the workers employment on a whim. This is not fair and not good practice.  People need more security in their employment. Can anyone tell me if there is wrongful dismissal legislation in Gambia? |
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sab
United Kingdom
912 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jun 2006 : 12:40:28
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Section 6 Worker Rights
a. The Right of Association
The Labor Act, which applies to all workers except civil servants, specifies that workers are free to form associations, including trade unions, and workers exercised this right in practice. Unions must register to be recognized, and there were no cases where registration was denied to a union that applied for it. The act specifically prohibits police officers and military personnel, as well as other civil service employees, from forming unions. Approximately 20 percent of the work force was employed in the modern wage sector, where unions were most active.
In 2004 the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions reported that the government had not implemented the eight International Labor Organization (ILO) conventions known as "core labor rights" and criticized the government for prohibiting civil servants from forming unions. The government responded that it is updating the Labor Act to incorporate the ILO conventions; however, no new labor legislation was in place at year's end.
Employers may not fire or discriminate against members of registered unions for engaging in legal union activities, and the government intervened to assist workers who were fired or discriminated against by employers.
b. The Right to Organize and Bargain Collectively
Unions were able to negotiate without government interference; however, in practice the unions lacked experience, organization, and professionalism, and often turned to the government for assistance in negotiations. The law allows workers to organize and bargain collectively, and although trade unions were small and fragmented, collective bargaining took place. Union members' wages, which generally exceeded legal minimums, were determined by collective bargaining, arbitration, or agreements reached between unions and management. The act also sets minimum contract standards for hiring, training, and terms of employment, and provides that contracts may not prohibit union membership.
The law authorizes strikes but also places restrictions on strikes by requiring unions to give the commissioner of labor 14 days' written notice before beginning an industrial action (28 days for essential services); given the restriction on strikes and weak trade unions, no strikes occurred during the year. The law specifically prohibits police officers and military personnel, as well as other civil service employees, from striking. Upon application by an employer to a court, the court may prohibit industrial action that is ruled to be in pursuit of a political objective. The court also may forbid action judged to be in breach of a collectively agreed procedure for settlement of industrial disputes. It prohibits retribution against strikers who comply with the law regulating strikes.
There is a government-established export-processing zone (EPZ) at the port of Banjul and the adjacent bonded warehouses. The labor code covers workers in the EPZs, and they were afforded the same rights as workers elsewhere in the economy.
c. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor
The law prohibits forced or compulsory labor, including by children; however, there were reports that such practices occurred (see section 5).
d. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment
The statutory minimum age for employment is 14 years; however, child labor was a problem. There was no effective compulsory education, and because of limited secondary school openings, most children completed formal education by the age of 14 and then began work. Child labor protection does not extend to youth performing customary chores on family farms or engaged in petty trading. In rural areas most children assisted their families in farming and housework. In urban areas many children worked as street vendors or taxi and bus assistants. There were a few instances of children begging on the street. The tourist industry stimulated a low, but growing level of child prostitution (see section 5). Employee labor cards, which include a person's age, were registered with the labor commissioner, who was authorized to enforce child labor laws; however, enforcement inspections rarely took place. The Department of Labor under the Department of State for Trade and Employment was responsible for implementing the provisions of the ILO Convention 182 on the worst forms of child labor; however, the government generally was ineffective in enforcing those provisions.
e. Acceptable Conditions of Work
Minimum wages and working hours are established by law through six joint industrial councils, comprised of representatives from labor, management, and the government. The lowest minimum wage, according to law was approximately $0.42 (12 dalasi) per day for unskilled labor, but in practice the minimum wage was approximately $1.78 (50 dalasi). The national minimum wage did not provide a decent standard of living for a worker and family. The minimum wage law covered only 20 percent of the labor force, essentially those workers in the formal economic sector. A majority of workers were employed privately or were self-employed, often in agriculture. Most citizens did not live on a single worker's earnings and shared resources within extended families. The Department of Labor is responsible for enforcing the minimum wage and it did so when cases of underpayment were brought to its attention.
The basic legal workweek is 48 hours within a period not to exceed 6 consecutive days. Nationwide, the workweek included four eight-hour workdays and two four-hour workdays (Friday and Saturday). There are no limits on hours worked per week and no prohibition on excessive compulsory overtime. A 30-minute lunch break is mandated. Government employees are entitled to one month of paid annual leave after one year of service. Most government employees were not paid overtime. However, government workers holding temporary positions and private sector workers received overtime calculated per hour. Private sector employees received between 14 and 30 days of paid annual leave, depending on length of service.
The law specifies safety equipment that an employer must provide to employees working in designated occupations. The law also authorizes the Department of Labor to regulate factory health and safety, accident prevention, and dangerous trades, and to appoint inspectors to ensure compliance with safety standards. Enforcement was inconsistent due to insufficient and inadequately trained staff. Workers may demand protective equipment and clothing for hazardous workplaces and have recourse to the labor department. The law provides that workers may refuse to work in dangerous situations without risking loss of employment; however, in practice workers who do so risk loss of employment.
The law protects foreign workers employed by the government; however, it only provides protection for privately employed foreigners if they have a current valid work permit. Legal foreign workers may join local unions.
I thought you would find this of interest, but of course they really employ & work their own rules sab.
culled from
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2005
Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
March 8, 2006
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The world would be a poorer place if it was peopled by children whose parents risked nothing in the cause of social justice, for fear of personal loss. (Joe Slovo - African revolutionary) |
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Sitasungo
77 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jun 2006 : 14:15:45
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Kassma,
I still don't understand!
Look I don't like the word tribalism because I don't belief in it.I think people talk about it because they want to create an idea of insecurity in the minds of a minority tribe.Look tribe must co-exist as a nation.Being discriminated against is blood rooted.As I have said,we can only wipe it out totally by cooperation through intermarriages between tribes and this is happening.
Language is a sign of easy communication.Look for example any where in the world (1) A Chinese police will understand complaints of a chinese detainee who speak chinese than a Thailander who cannot speak chinese but Thai,like wise a mandinka policeman wwho cannot speak any other language but Mandinka will understand a mandinka convict more than a fula convict.
The reason why we use an international language (English,French) to easily communicate.But You know and I know that even in our offices tribal languages are spoken amongst officers of the same tribe.A Manjago inspector will have a manjago private as his closest confidant.A president Jola will have a jola to cake care of his/her security because He/she will think a person from my tribe will understand me more as He/she speaks my tongue.
If there is a law banning tribalism,all offices should speak no other language other than the official language and what is the official language?What about wollof?As even non wollofs tend to converse in wollof when in office or doing business.
Sitasungo |
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jun 2006 : 16:10:36
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Ylowe . quote For example managers hiring only their fellow tribemen.
how can this be done. this is a form of discrimination. it can be taught in schools if teachers do not discriminate against a potential student a tribe that they believe is not good or can be trusted. in the UK this is called postcode(ism). To be accepted in certain schools you should live in a "good post code area". you are automatically put into a group (tribe).
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