On this 24th day of March 2024, your popular election symbolizes the rejection of the decades-long French-established economic and political dominance, marking Senegal’s stride towards total independence and self-reliance.
I have consistently championed and supported the PASTEF manifesto, advocating for the overhaul of the exploitative political and economic systems forcibly imposed by the French across post-colonial Francophone nations. These systems disproportionately benefited French colonialists at the expense of independent Africans.
Indeed, this arrangement has perpetually disadvantaged the majority of Senegalese economically, while enriching a select few politicians and technocrats favored by a corrupt system. Since 1960, when President Leopold Senghore’s government acquiesced to France’s colonial pact as a condition for independence, Senegal’s economy has been under French control, facilitated by collusion with corrupt government officials.
Senegalese politicians who dared challenge this system in the past were persecuted and coerced into submission by puppet governments acting in cahoots with French interests.
That’s why it came as little surprise to witness the authorities in Senegal, led by Macky Sall, targeting the leaders of PASTEF, beginning with their Secretary General Ousmane Sonko, and extending to Bassirou Diomaye Faye and several other members of their party. The members of PASTEF have worked diligently to establish their party and have persistently campaigned for both a change in regime and system. Thankfully, they achieved their primary objective when Faye won the presidential election.
While many supporters of the party expected Ousmane Sonko, the main leader, to win the election, they are nonetheless satisfied with Faye’s victory, recognizing that both Faye and Sonko contributed to crafting the party’s manifesto and are dedicated to its principles.
However, my thoughts are with President elect Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the PASTEF party, and the entire Senegalese population as they embark on this new journey. I hope they navigate it with great success and always remember that Senegal is The Gambia, and The Gambia is Senegal. Despite our historical separation by colonial powers, we aspire to a future where Senegal’s new leaders and independence unite us in a genuine collaboration that serves as a model for African unity, a dream that has long eluded us despite the efforts and desires of our ancestors.
Long live Senegal, long live The Gambia, and long live the solidarity of SeneGambia.
Samsudeen Sarr
Retired Lt. Colonel
Doing ‘TheFatty’
Imam Fatty seems to be the culprit leading the FGM legalization movement, a bizarre effort to supposedly improve the well-being of Gambian women. He reportedly said that female circumcision is not Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), probably because it sounds less damaging. Well, according to THE DICTIONARY, circumcision means removing the foreskin of a male penis and removing a female clitoris. Is this what he and his supporters want? This is rather extreme, to put it mildly.
After the circumcision claim, other pious experts who support the crime have stepped up to give conflicting opinions about how the deed is to be done properly. It looks as if there is no agreement among cult members about what they promote. That alone is a recipe for disaster for defenseless girls. What is clear, though, is these cult members have not thought carefully about the consequences of changing the existing law.
A fair question then is, what does the good Imam support? If it is not circumcision as defined by THE DICTIONARY, nor the depraved FGM, then a new word is needed. ‘TheFatty’ would be a suitable term-a memorial- for whatever form of cutting the Imam and his supporters decide is adequate for their purposes. Better yet, it sounds harmless.
Should the ‘TheFatty’ cult manage to get the current anti-FGM law changed to their liking, all those unfortunate young girls who are forced to undergo ‘TheFatty’ will be forever reminded of just who is responsible for the pain and suffering they have been made to endure. A well-deserved, shameful legacy awaits Imam Fatty.
The time is ripe for President Barrow to offer some leadership here. This is what he is paid to do, isn’t it?
Over and out,
Amet Ngallan
Fajara
