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(Our self-hatred can be seen even in the way we treat the Haitians. There are Jamaicans who won't even eat Haitian food but they will readily chow down on Chinese food; go figure!)
Now even Peter Espeut sees the truth!
We Jamaicans have a special affinity for Africa and things African, and rightly so; for the vast majority of us have deep African roots. But it is also true that we hate ourselves and our African-ness, our black-ness, such that we seek to bleach it out and straighten it out, and 'plastic surgery it out. More on that anon.
One of the ways we show our hatred for Africa and things African is how we treat native Africans on our soil. Even in the Church! I want to share with you the case of an African woman, Jainaba Drammeh from the Gambia, brought to my attention by someone commenting on last week's column.
Ms. Drammeh, who was doing a Master's degree in Cuba, came to Jamaica in November 2006 to visit a Jamaican friend from Clarendon she had met in Cuba; so we have to define her as a tourist. On entry into Jamaica at the Norman Manley International Airport, Ms. Drammeh was given permission to stay in Jamaica until November 29, 2006.
On November 19, 2006 she left Jamaica to return to Cuba through Nassau, Bahamas. For some reason the immigration authorities in Nassau refused her entry and returned her on November 20 to Jamaica. Upon arrival in Jamaica, she was refused entry, despite the previous permission to remain in Jamaica until November 29, 2006. She was held against her will at the airport for three days and then taken to the Horizon Remand Centre where she was locked up for five months. Ms. Drammeh was never informed of the reason for her incarceration, never taken before any court, never provided with the services of counsel, never allowedto contact her university in Cuba or her family in the Gambia. She was not assisted in any way to contact her Clarendon friend to tell her of her plight, even though the immigration authorities knew she had recently stayed there. She was unlawfully held during a period when she had permission to stay in Jamaica, and unlawfully incarcerated thereafter without recourse to any court or any legal advice.
Ms. Drammeh tried to smuggle a note with her friend's phone number out of Horizon, for someone to call her, but it was always found. It was only on May 1, 2007 that one of the immigration officers called her Clarendon friend inquiring if she could provide U.S. dollars for Ms. Drammeh on her journey home to the Gambia. The Clarendon lady was shocked that her friend and guest had been returned to Jamaica and was being held by the authorities for so long without her knowledge; on May 4, 2007 Ms. Drammeh was released into the custody of her Clarendon friend.
Repatriation time
Ms. Drammeh was only repatriated to her homeland this week. She came as a tourist, to visit her Jamaican friend, and always had the means to leave if given the opportunity. Would we treat a white tourist this way? As a result of her incarceration in Jamaica, Ms. Drammeh has lost the chance to continue her studies in Cuba.
Her family is not without influence in the Gambia, and no doubt she will tell everyone how we treat African tourists in this country. I can't blame her.
I am advised that during her time in the Horizon Remand Centre, a white European woman was brought in, but only stayed for a few hours.
We cannot as a country with international obligations, treat people - black or white - in this callous, immoral and illegal manner. Each person in these circumstances must be informed of the reason for his or her detention, advised of their entitlement to legal advice and released or repatriated within a reasonable time. These are the basic rights that everyone is entitled to.
The immigration officers responsible formistreating this tourist should be held accountable, otherwise it will happen again.
Yes, we have this love/hate relationship with ourselves, and we take it out on the native Africans we can get our hands on. And on Haitians too, if the truth be told; there are lots of black Haitian women at the Horizon Remand Centre right now! In this year when we celebrate the bicentenary of the abolition of the Atlantic slave trade, some of us Jamaicans don't like people who are too black. And we don't care!
Jamaica Gleaner May 23, 2007
Peter Espeut is a sociologist and is executive director of an environment and development NGO.
Now even Peter Espeut sees the truth!
We Jamaicans have a special affinity for Africa and things African, and rightly so; for the vast majority of us have deep African roots. But it is also true that we hate ourselves and our African-ness, our black-ness, such that we seek to bleach it out and straighten it out, and 'plastic surgery it out. More on that anon.
One of the ways we show our hatred for Africa and things African is how we treat native Africans on our soil. Even in the Church! I want to share with you the case of an African woman, Jainaba Drammeh from the Gambia, brought to my attention by someone commenting on last week's column.
Ms. Drammeh, who was doing a Master's degree in Cuba, came to Jamaica in November 2006 to visit a Jamaican friend from Clarendon she had met in Cuba; so we have to define her as a tourist. On entry into Jamaica at the Norman Manley International Airport, Ms. Drammeh was given permission to stay in Jamaica until November 29, 2006.
On November 19, 2006 she left Jamaica to return to Cuba through Nassau, Bahamas. For some reason the immigration authorities in Nassau refused her entry and returned her on November 20 to Jamaica. Upon arrival in Jamaica, she was refused entry, despite the previous permission to remain in Jamaica until November 29, 2006. She was held against her will at the airport for three days and then taken to the Horizon Remand Centre where she was locked up for five months. Ms. Drammeh was never informed of the reason for her incarceration, never taken before any court, never provided with the services of counsel, never allowedto contact her university in Cuba or her family in the Gambia. She was not assisted in any way to contact her Clarendon friend to tell her of her plight, even though the immigration authorities knew she had recently stayed there. She was unlawfully held during a period when she had permission to stay in Jamaica, and unlawfully incarcerated thereafter without recourse to any court or any legal advice.
Ms. Drammeh tried to smuggle a note with her friend's phone number out of Horizon, for someone to call her, but it was always found. It was only on May 1, 2007 that one of the immigration officers called her Clarendon friend inquiring if she could provide U.S. dollars for Ms. Drammeh on her journey home to the Gambia. The Clarendon lady was shocked that her friend and guest had been returned to Jamaica and was being held by the authorities for so long without her knowledge; on May 4, 2007 Ms. Drammeh was released into the custody of her Clarendon friend.
Repatriation time
Ms. Drammeh was only repatriated to her homeland this week. She came as a tourist, to visit her Jamaican friend, and always had the means to leave if given the opportunity. Would we treat a white tourist this way? As a result of her incarceration in Jamaica, Ms. Drammeh has lost the chance to continue her studies in Cuba.
Her family is not without influence in the Gambia, and no doubt she will tell everyone how we treat African tourists in this country. I can't blame her.
I am advised that during her time in the Horizon Remand Centre, a white European woman was brought in, but only stayed for a few hours.
We cannot as a country with international obligations, treat people - black or white - in this callous, immoral and illegal manner. Each person in these circumstances must be informed of the reason for his or her detention, advised of their entitlement to legal advice and released or repatriated within a reasonable time. These are the basic rights that everyone is entitled to.
The immigration officers responsible formistreating this tourist should be held accountable, otherwise it will happen again.
Yes, we have this love/hate relationship with ourselves, and we take it out on the native Africans we can get our hands on. And on Haitians too, if the truth be told; there are lots of black Haitian women at the Horizon Remand Centre right now! In this year when we celebrate the bicentenary of the abolition of the Atlantic slave trade, some of us Jamaicans don't like people who are too black. And we don't care!
Jamaica Gleaner May 23, 2007
Peter Espeut is a sociologist and is executive director of an environment and development NGO.
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