More than 200 Gambians in prisons in Italy

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The number of Gambians at different prisons in Italy has gone up to 212 of whom 210 are male and 2 female, information from the Italy Ministry of Justice has revealed.The prisoners are feared to be facing deportation. The statistics, released on 30 April 2016, have stated that there are 18,074 foreign prisoners in Italy. Other African nationals in the Italian prisons are Senegal 258, Egypt 44, Guinea 50, Niger 20, Sierra Leone 18, Sudan 35, Mali 1, and Cameron 15. Our correspondent in Italy said the staggering number is not only a growing concern to nations of affected nationalities, but also for the host country, as the prisoners have to be given food, medicine, healthcare at the expense of the Italian government. However, due to the present economic condition in Italy, it is feared that many of the basic needs of the prisoners are not attended to. For Gambians, the number is too much, but what is even more challenging for them is access to justice.  Many have already been in jail for years as they know very little about the judicial procedure to seek freedom.  The Centre for Identification and Expulsion in Italy said it has “a staggering number of Gambians” undergoing the judicial procedures on whether or not to be deported.  Considering the fact that there are thousands of Gambians in Italy “illegally”, the number of Gambian detainees and prisoners could increase further, our correspondent said. Author: Alagie Jinkang in Italy

THE GAMBIA'S FACEBOOK REVOLUTION

I am not prepared to understand that Facebook revolution is not effective rather I am more concern about its effects on the society. The very name itself has said it all - it's seeing people's faces from a digital platform. Seeing them without knowing them, touching them without feeling them, analyzing them without empirical basis,a collaboration without a real  association. Arguably, it might be a civil commons. Nonetheless, I am not convinced that this “fictional characters” we might sometimes call them embed in themselves  a lot of nonfictional potentials. They are able to communicate from long ambiguous distances and conditions: they can try to explain or confuse matters, improve or worsen situations, encourage or discourage social, economic and political platforms. What is clear, however, is that every citizen can be a user. The modeling of Facebook is super illusionary. One might call it democracy - the freedom to say and do what you want and willing to bare the consequences. But in a real  democracy, Inasmuch as the citizenry is free to associate and exercise their rights to freedom and association, they are also monitored and controlled by some values which give essence to its whole existence. Of course, I am not saying per se, Facebook is bad neither am I saying what my dearest Gambians are doing on Facebook is all good. What I aim saying here is that, though Facebook might have its own private marketing regulations, we must also be aware of our own and use them. I am not a moralist nor am I changing from fundamentalism. What we need doing is to concretize our objectives through our common values and seek them at all cost and not the opposite. However, to me, it seems pretty much that we do not suit the Facebook democracy for now. We are totally lost, angry and unfocused. But this is not a failure in the journey rather obstacles to be challenged and improved. Now, what has gone wrong and what can be done about it?

In answering this question, we must take a brief historical passage to the times when Facebook usage was not a Gambian scenario. When messages were carried by direct telephone calls which were not, of course, smartphones as well. We must travel to the times when letters were the mode of communication and pictures and scenes were written instead of photographed or videotaped. Regardless of how less attractive and less efficient those means of communication might have been, they were consistent in their the goals of that time. Meanwhile, that old world has gone and the new Facebook democracy is struggling to be born. I must agree to the fact that we have all gone digital but I refute the fact that it suits all. Since democracy itself has its own bad tastes. We might all struggle to go hungry or brake social relationships just to go digital but are we prepared for it? 

Yes Facebook has led to many successful revolutions and continue until now to do so: the Arab Spring for example, the ISIS distraction, the market, the creation of groups, mass communication and so on. For Gambians, we are seeing our images from distant lands and from within. We can create and destroy, encourage and discourage, promote and demote but what is most important for the Gambian Facebook revolution is to build up a stronger, well focused and planned set of objectives embedded in well grounded common values that represent us. We must not be loss in this focus by forces that are constructed or unconstructed against our aims to a successful revolution -leading to the real democracy we are struggling for and that which will picture both the enemies and the friends. Enemies must exist and they will be stronger and most of the times well-focused than those terms as friends with a mission. 

I think the Gambian Facebook democracy can turned into a real political democracy only if it is aware of it current situation and prepared to take certain invaluable mechanistic and spiritual approaches as suggested below;

First, Gambian Facebook revolution must have a strong framework focused at emancipating Gambians but of course this must first welcome divergence within itself. It must first call for divergence and then convergence. There cannot be a flat ground for revolution anywhere in this world. It isn't that easy. There are barriers everywhere: from cultural, religious, and religious values. So there must be conflicts that that should not distract us: every conflict should lead to a positive construction. Thus, the communication mechanisms must be all embracing. 

Secondly, Facebook is often termed as a fictional platform. Though, arguable but not totally untrue. However, Facebook users might have to model out what realities they want to reach  and what realities are on the ground. Jumping and cropping anything in Facebook might call for a revolution but its sustainability will be very fragile. A revolution have to be stronger and depicts the reality.

Thirdly, a revolution is not a day venture. The Arab Spring took some years with unceasing genuine efforts to disempower the oppressors. They have been consistent and they did it although with a lot of controversies deepening on how one looks at it. However, my opinion is that the Arab Spring was focused at annihilating the oppressors without a concrete model prepared to be applied after its success. And this is why we continue to doubt if they will ever finish to democracy. This must be avoided in any revolution.

Thirdly, Gambian Facebook revolution has attracted audiences from all over the world but most of its active users for this purpose are not experiencing the realities at home themselves. This might have a little relevance but it do have a lot of relevance when those genuine efforts are augmented by those on the ground experiencing the brute facts as it inevitably begins to happen. There must be a collective effort to challenge a collective problem. The agenda is that of self inclusion but also that of a common responsibility. Gambians everywhere have more than just the Facebook democracy to express their genuine likes and dislikes towards their authorities. It is more than being present on the ground. We all are spiritually interconnected.

Fundamentally, is the language usage. It must be our moral duty to communicate responsibly to implement the changes we want. This must be done with a cordial language that suits Gambian consumption . We might have to learn that we still have our own cultures that are strong and healthy and we are proud of them. Unhealthy languages whether coded or not are very detrimental and might go all long to disempower the power of our cultures, languages and most importantly our revolutionary language.The weaponry power is language is a polite truth. 

We must work out a better holistic and systematic approach that will suit first our revolution and then our democracy -we are on the fight for. Language can bring you more friends than enemies and vice verse. 

Everything is under construction and everything is taking form. The Gambian Facebook Revolution must avert the ongoing political tragedy and not add to it. 

The Gambia’s Facebook Revolution

THE GAMBIA'S FACEBOOK REVOLUTION 

I am not prepared to understand that Facebook revolution is not effective rather I am more concerned about its effects on the society. The very name itself has said it all - it's seeing people's faces from a digital platform. Seeing them without knowing them, touching them without feeling them, analyzing them without empirical bases,a collaboration without a real  association. Arguably, it might be a civil commons. Nonetheless, I am not convinced that this “fictional characters” we might sometimes call them embed in themselves  a lot of nonfictional potentials. They are able to communicate from a long ambiguous distances and conditions: they can try to explain or confuse matters, improve or worsen situations, encourage or discourage social, economical and political platforms. What is clear, however, is that every citizen can be a user. The modeling of Facebook is super illusionary. One might call it democracy - the freedom to say and do what you want and willing to bare the consequences. But in real  democracy, Inasmuch as the citizenry is free to associate and exercise their rights to freedom and association, they are also monitored and controlled by some values which gives essence to its whole existence. Of course, I am not saying per se, Facebook is bad neither am I saying what my dearest Gambians are doing on Facebook is all good. What I aim saying here is that, though, Facebook might have its own private marketing regulations, we must also be aware of our own and use them. I am not a moralist nor am I changing from fundamentalism. What we need doing is to concretize our objectives through our common values and seek them at all cost and not the opposite. However, to me it seems pretty much that we do not suit the Facebook democracy for now. We are totally lost, angry and unfocussed. But this is not a failure in the journey rather obstacles to be challenged and improved. Now, what has gone wrong and what can be done about it?

In answering this question, we must take a brief historical passage to the times when Facebook usage was not a Gambian scenario. When messages were carried by direct telephone calls which were not of course smartphones as well. We must travelled to the times when letters were the mode of communication and pictures and scenes were written instead of photographed or video taped. Regardless to how less attractive and less efficient those means of communication might have been, theywere consistent to the goals of that time. Meanwhile, that old world has gone and the new Facebook democracy is struggling to be born. I must agree to the fact that we have all gone digital but I refute the fact that it suits all. Since democracy itself has its own bad tastes. We might all struggle to go hungry or brake social relationships just to go digital but are we prepared for it? 

Yes Facebook has led to many successful revolutions and continue until now to do so: the Arab Spring for example, the ISIS distraction, the market, the creation of groups, mass communication and so on. For Gambians, we are seeing our images from distant lands and from within. We can create and destroy, encourage and discourage, promote and demote but what is most important for the Gambian Facebook revolution is to build up a stronger, well focused and planned set of objectives embedded in well grounded common values that represent us. We must not be loss in this focus by forces that are constructed or unconstructed against our aims to a successful revolution -leading to the real democracy we are struggling for and that which will picture both the enemies and the friends. Enemies must exist and they will be stronger and most of the times well-focused than those terms as friends with a mission. 

I think the Gambian Facebook democracy can turned into a real political democracy only if it is aware of it current situation and prepared to take certain invaluable mechanistic and spiritual approaches as suggested below;

First, Gambian Facebook revolution must have a strong framework focused at emancipating Gambians but of course this must first welcome divergence within itself. It must first call for divergence and then convergence. There cannot be a flat ground for revolution anywhere in this world. It isn't that easy. There are barriers everywhere: from cultural, religious, and religious values. So there must be conflicts that that should not distract us: every conflict should lead to a positive construction. Thus, the communication mechanisms must be all embracing. 

Secondly, Facebook is often termed as a fictional platform. Though, arguable but not totally untrue. However, Facebook users might have to model out what realities they want to reach  and what realities are on the ground. Jumping and cropping anything in Facebook might call for a revolution but its sustainability will be very fragile. A revolution have to be stronger and depicts the reality.

Thirdly, a revolution is not a day venture. The Arab Spring took some years with unceasing genuine efforts to disempower the oppressors. They have been consistent and they did it although with a lot of controversies deepening on how one looks at it. However, my opinion is that the Arab Spring was focused at annihilating the oppressors without a concrete model prepared to be applied after its success. And this is why we continue to doubt if they will ever finish to democracy. This must be avoided in any revolution.

Thirdly, Gambian Facebook revolution has attracted audiences from all over the world but most of its active users for this purpose are not experiencing the realities at home themselves. This might have a little relevance but it do have a lot of relevance when those genuine efforts are augmented by those on the ground experiencing the brute facts as it inevitably begins to happen. There must be a collective effort to challenge a collective problem. The agenda is that of self inclusion but also that of a common responsibility. Gambians everywhere have more than just the Facebook democracy to express their genuine likes and dislikes towards their authorities. It is more than being present on the ground. We all are spiritually interconnected.

Fundamentally, is the language usage. It must be our moral duty to communicate responsibly to implement the changes we want. This must be done with a cordial language that suits Gambian consumption . We might have to learn that we still have our own cultures that are strong and healthy and we are proud of them. Unhealthy languages whether coded or not are very detrimental and might go all long to disempower the power of our cultures, languages and most importantly our revolutionary language.The weaponry power is language is a polite truth. 

We must work out a better holistic and systematic approach that will suit first our revolution and then our democracy -we are on the fight for. Language can bring you more friends than enemies and vice verse. 

Everything is under construction and everything is taking form.