By Alagie Saidy-Barrow
If you follow American cinema, chances are you have heard of the actress and singer Barbara Streisand. If you are not into American cinema but you happen to be a communications professional, chances are you have heard of the Streisand effect. If not, here’s a bit of background. More than two decades ago, Barbara Streisand sued a “climate activist” for taking a photo of the California coastline, which included a view of her mansion. MS Streisand claimed that the publication of that photograph invaded her privacy. Of course, you can always find a lawyer to file any silly suit because you will have to pay them, win or lose. Before Ms. Streisand filed her lawsuit, the photograph in question was downloaded fewer than 10 times. After her lawsuit, the photograph was downloaded more than 400,000 times! In a vain attempt to protect her privacy, her actions inadvertently drew far more attention to the image she sought to suppress. This phenomenon, in which attempts to censor or ban information result in greater public awareness, is known as the Streisand effect. What does that have to do with the Gambia Police Force, you may be wondering.
This is in no way meant as a slight on Gala, but through the GPF’s dictator-influenced abuse, they are turning Gala into a formidable force that the rest of the world is taking note of. The abuse underscores a recurring pattern, and that is, when those in power rely on repression, fear, and emotional responses to maintain their authority, they often achieve the opposite of their intended goals. Instead of quelling dissent, the GPF is bolstering the very movement they seek to diminish. Talk about shooting oneself in the foot. But these are the people Barrow trusts, just as Yaya trusted them. And these Adama Barrow faithfuls are afraid!
The police officers you see manhandling Alieu Bah and others are only projecting the deep-seated fear reverberating all the way to State House! The deep-seated fear of losing power! The fear of losing the privileges that come with unearned power. It is this underlying insecurity that makes the authorities so visibly uneasy and reactive. They are jittery.
As it is with most governments, the Barrow administration’s only way of maintaining control is through fear. It was Jammeh’s modus operandi, and sadly, surrounded by so many people who know next to nothing about effective strategising, they simply resort to the state’s monopoly on violence as a means of governance. Ironically, these oppressive measures are producing the opposite effect. Rather than suppressing dissent, the heavy-handed treatment of Gala is inadvertently transforming the organization into a powerful revolutionary symbol. This, in essence, is a textbook example of the Streisand Effect. The more Barrow’s GPF attempts to stifle Gala, the more attention and support the movement gains, both nationally and beyond the colonial space!
