4 Responses to “XGW Digest: May 22, 2008”

1. toujoursdan, on May 22nd, 2008 at 11:02 am Said:

   I am going to be travelling to Sénégal, The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau on a backpacker trip this November. From what I read, the President (dictator) is a complete lune who says he can cure AIDS and all kinds of other diseases through an ointment and by reading prayers from the Qu’ran. His picture and slogans are everywhere and he has developed quite a personality cult. Mao would proud. There is no press freedom and journalists have been known to disappear.

   Westerners are left alone as long as they don’t do anything provocative, though some have been harassed for taking pictures of government buildings or asking too many questions. It’s a bit of police state.

   Gambia has a thriving tourist industry, with many Europeans flocking to the beautiful beaches there. Asking European governments to put pressure on The Gambia to reform its human rights practises would be the most effective way to deal with this. Money talks. Zimbabwe gets most of the news but Eritrea and the Gambia have worse dictators.

   Speaking for myself, I intend to keep a low profile and stick to taking pictures of wildlife.

2. toujoursdan, on May 22nd, 2008 at 1:35 pm Said:

   I left a post here but it seems to have disappeared. I am going to Senegal, Gambia and Guinea this fall and have done a little research in preparation for my trip.

   Jammeh, the President-for-life of Gambia is a bit of a lunatic who seems to be developing an Idi Amin complex. There are pictures of him all over the country, posters with his sayings everywhere, songs dedicated to praising him and his grandiose accomplishments; millions of dollars were spent on his son’s naming ceremony (which was declared a national holiday). On his website he claims to have cured HIV and other diseases with a traditional African ointment. Press freedom has all but disappeared, news is tightly controlled and journalists have gone missing. Gambia is a de facto police state.

   At the same time, it is an African tourist mecca that welcomes hundreds of thousands of European tourists to its beaches. Soliciting Europeans governments to put pressure on the Gambian government would be the most effective way to turn things around - not just for gays but for everyone.

3. David Roberts, on May 22nd, 2008 at 5:06 pm Said:

   I found your original in the spam filter. I’m only guessing but perhaps there is a lot of spam from those countries mentioned. Sorry it was snagged

4. SharonB, on May 23rd, 2008 at 5:11 pm Said:

   Gambia makes Jamaica look tame.

   Not so much Akinola in Nigeria (Anglican leader).

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