What a suprise, now he has gone.

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Too long for me to comment on now..I'm rushing out. James, the image will be removed as it might be defaming the persons in the picture.

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One World, One People

The opinions expressed by Samba are not the official opinions of ETJ or its owners.

Well the only thing i have to say on this subject is that kind of thing exists all over the place....I am white and i hav expereinced prejudice against me in Jamaica.....lots, I get charged more for everything...etc....and recently i recieved a text on my phone from a woman, who lives in Jamaica...she said "Fram days of Rosa parks...we hate white people...its just what we can get from dem and you are just seen as targets"
I consider the source of that text and i know not all people feel that way but there is at least one hateful person...in Jamaica who claims they all feel that way....

The man that is being beaten in the picture was a man that was dressed in woman clothes walking around looking men. As you all know we Jamaicans don't support this kind of behaviour.

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James you did not indicate your nationality. Are we to assume that you were in Jamaica as a foreigner and when it was time for you to leave you went directly to the airport and tried to leave on other documents (you did not state what type of documents). Any reason why you did not first go to the Canadian embassy? That is usually the first move.

You went on to say the following,
Incidentally, this person happened to be a young white woman who was getting ready to board a flight to New York. She was dressed very indecently, like a common prostitute, in a bikini top and tight shorts, and although she had absolutely no documentation whatsoever proving her identity
I can’t speak for this case but these might not be the type of comments to place in a post where you want to make a point about racism. I should point out that the customs officials will have a bias against a “black” person trying to fly to Canada on a driver’s license as opposed to a “white” person. Reason being, Jamaicans, mostly those of darker hue try many ways to get to Canada and the USA everyday. Call it profiling, call it what you may. You can argue the point that the female should have been detained (I don’t know her facts), but that does not mean that you should not have been detained. James (the names sounds Ghanaian so that will be my guess) if you are of West African decent and trying to leave Jamaica on a drivers license you are asking for trouble(Sorry). It would have been quite obvious to you the similarities between West Africans and Jamaicans.

They were extremely rude and ignorant, displaying all the nastiness and psychopathic callousness typical of the “Jamaican character”

I can understand your anger but, why did you even remain in this island filled with “nastiness and psychopathic callousness typical of the “Jamaican character”

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One World, One People

The opinions expressed by Samba are not the official opinions of ETJ or its owners.

The Hutu-Tutsi conflict and the Jamaican “Black-on-black” racism you described is nothing more than hate. People can be taught to hate, to hate others as well as themselves. You took the time to explain to us how the Europeans help build some of the corrupt government systems that presently exist in parts of Africa. You however failed to see how “hatred of self” was also institutionalized in Jamaica. The penetration of European power was much greater in the West Indies than in many other parts of the World. The British still own most of the land in several Caribbean countries. The case of the Hutu-Tutsi was easier, all they had to do was teach some people to hate and fear another set of people. It’s the same approach; it was only used differently in the Jamaican and Caribbean case. It’s called hate. The Hutu and Tutsi were taught to hate and fear each other.

I think you can only compare Jamaica with the case of South Africa (not regarded by many Africans as part of Africa). All the different hue of people you have described are only known in Jamaica as “Jamaicans”. Not Euro-Jamaican or Anglo-Jamaican, just Jamaican. We never looked at our leaders as white or black, just on their policies and persona. A politician cant just say, “I’m black, vote for me”. That will not cut it. The fact is the descendents of the colonizers are now part of Jamaican society.

You failed to identify the contradiction (hard for many to understand really) how this nation of people who you have defined as racist, have had leaders such as Marcus Garvey, poets such as Claude McKay. Singers such as Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Burning Spear. This small nation is a world leader in black identity. Many nations have lined up behind us. As has been mentioned before, people from many nations adopt Jamaica as their nationality when they are in other peoples nations (e.g. USA, Canada, Japan, Europe, etc) I have had many African and Caribbean friends who have done this to get by. Why, they know Jamaicans will not accept being stepped on.

How do you explain the contradiction that Jamaicans have been the first in many things in Canada, USA, Europe and even Africa. Who else would dare to enter the Winter Olympics?. Who else would form the largest Pan-African organization in the World? Who else would colonize Britian and Europe with music? Who else would dare to believe that a Black person can fly a plane around the world? It seems only half the story (or research) has been told.

This contradiction is a battle borne out of the recognition that we have suffered from many years of hate (mostly self-hate). While this self-hate still exists and was formed over many years it is our responsibility to heal ourselves.

Finally, I am Jamaican, not African. I am a descendant of Africans (among other things). I am not regarded as African by most Africans living in Africa. I respect Africa and would not call myself an African either.

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One World, One People

The opinions expressed by Samba are not the official opinions of ETJ or its owners.

"Black-on-black racism in Jamaica: Jamaican nationals around the world are raping and killing innocent people of African descent in record numbers"
This is news to Jamaicans and Africans James. Did Jamaica declare war on Africa?

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One World, One People

The opinions expressed by Samba are not the official opinions of ETJ or its owners.

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I would like to touch on a topic that many are sensitive about (maybe even James). Homophobia in Jamaica.

This also has contradictions. DJs sing about “burning” gays. How many gays are burned in Jamaica? The reason this music is not wanted in other countries is because the people there will literally go and burn gays/homosexuals. Gays live and exist in many communities in Jamaica. People know they are gay and give them no problem. Remember the African male slave was often sodomized while women watched. This made the issue not only very taboo (to discuss) but generated a sense of insecurity about human sexuality.

When this or any homosexual is seem/perceived as a threat to the community the people will act in defense. Homosexuality in Jamaica has a lot to do with power. A similar power structure that existed between slave and slave master. We therefore have a serious problem with our family structure. Especially regarding our males. They are fatherless and are become confused with the issue of human sexuality when they reach near puberty. It has been documented that most male homosexuals in Jamaica (80%) have suffered/experienced some sort of sexual harassment from their father/step-father/mentor, etc. Quite often this has been their introduction to their own sexuality.

A homosexual that is seen as a threat is one who the community feels will be exploiting (enslaving) their youth (does not apply to dons, long story). Jamaicans historically are insecure about their human sexuality (IMO). It has to do with love for self, or lack thereof. So Jamaicans don’t actually hate homosexuals, they feel insecure about their own sexuality. This does not mean that a Jamaican male does not think he is a MAN. Many would attack me for even suggesting such an idea (further strengthening my point); but place the image of a confident naked male (such as that in our Emancipation Park) and many will react in disgust.

When a homosexual tries to impose their sexual choice it becomes a social conflict the homosexual is challenging the insecurity of the community.

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One World, One People

The opinions expressed by Samba are not the official opinions of ETJ or its owners.

How about calling it what it is, black-on-black racism in white supremacist Jamaica.

The fact that a white person, who was slovenly dressed and possessed absolutely no documentation to corroborate her identity, was given preferential treatment over a black person, who happened to be well-dressed and possessed personal identification, is a clear instance of black-on-black racism. Furthermore, the fact that a white person was allowed to leave the country with virtually no difficulties whatsoever, whereas the black person was detained, demonstrates a society that associates having a white skin with power and privilege. In case you are oblivious to the actual definition of what racism is, it is the denial of equal treatment based on skin colour, something that clearly occurred in this case.

Jamaicans are well-known for mistreating and violating the human rights of African people, even practicing racial discrimination against black visitors, while treating white visitors like kings for a day. Read this:


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 youthe 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 [COLOR=orange! important][COLOR=orange! important]Master's [COLOR=orange! important]degree[/color][/color][/color] in Cuba, came to [COLOR=orange! important][COLOR=orange! important]Jamaica[/color][/color] in November 2006 to visit a Jamaican friend from Clarendon she had met in [COLOR=orange! important][COLOR=orange! important]Cuba[/color][/color]; 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 allowed to 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 [COLOR=orange! important][COLOR=orange! important]legal [COLOR=orange! important]advice[/color][/color][/color].

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 for mistreating 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!

Before travelling to Jamaica, I did not realize that the island, being a supposedly black majority society, would be so racist and intolerant towards people of African origin, even to the point where many Jamaicans advocate white supremacist ideology.

If you actually paid attention to what had been written, you would realize that I was unable to leave the country because I did not possess adequate documentation. According to Jamaican customs and immigration, having a white skin is the only passport needed when flying in and out of the country.

I do not deny that black self-hatred in Jamaica is ultimately of European origin, however I do disagree with your statement that "the penetration of European power was much greater in the West Indies than in many other parts of the World." To my knowledge, the penetration of European power was much greater in Africa, than the West Indies, where it was only minimal. The subjugation of Africa in the late nineteenth century involved a tremendous amount of arms, in the form of cannon and ammunition, and all the leading nations of Western Europe contributed millions of soldiers and mercenaries to fight wars of conquest on African soil. For example, the Germans employed a tremendous amount of both manpower and weaponry in their attempt to physically exterminate the Nama and Herero people of what was then known as German South-West Africa during the early 1900s; the British fought a number of wars against the Zulu, forcing them onto reservations known as Bantustans; millions of African tribesmen were enslaved by King Leopold in the Congo to grow rubber, and many milions more who resisted Belgian occupation and colonization had there arms and legs amputated or were deliberately starved to death by the King's mercenaries in one of the greatest genocides of modern history. Nothing like this, on so vast a scale, ever occurred during the entire history of the European colonial occupation of the West Indies, with the exception of the Amerindian genocide at the hands of the Spaniards.

In spite of this, no other black majority society in either Africa or the Caribbean, except for Jamaica, has ever democratically elected governments dominated by a small white/mulatto elite or allowed the white minority to control the means of economic production. It would seem that the psychological internalization of white supremacist ideology by the overwhelming majority of Jamaicans reflects the fact that the penetration of European values and culture (rather than European power) was much greater throughout the West Indies, especially in Jamaica, than Africa, or indeed many of the islands of the British Caribbean.

James, can I ask, is it this one incident that has incited all this from you? One trip? Or is this an ongoing thing for you.

Seriously, if you are so upset, I really suggest you don't go back to visit. Why put yourself through it again?

I'm sorry. Really I am.

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Life's just a crazy ride on a run away train
You can't go back for what you've missed
So make it count, hold on tight find a way to make it right
You only get one trip
So make it good, make it last 'cause it all flies by so fast
You only get one trip

Jamaica cannot be compared to South Africa, because many of the indigenous inhabitants regard the Boers and the English who were once in power, to be foreign invaders who should be expelled from the country, as happened in the former colony of Rhodesia. Note that there is strong political pressure within the country itself to have it's name changed from South Africa to Azania. South Africa was always seen as an integral part of Africa's people and way of life, only Boer/British rule during the era of apartheid was rejected as having nothing to do with Africa.

Your statement that "all the different hue of people you have described are only known in Jamaica as 'Jamaicans'. Not Euro-Jamaican or Anglo-Jamaican, just Jamaican" still doesn't explain the fact that both political and economic power are almost exclusively concentrated in the hands of a small white/mulatto elite. Why are the very wealthy, as well as those who possess the greatest amount of social/economic mobility within Jamaican society, always exclusively drawn from the ranks of whites and light-skinned mulattoes? Why have Jamaicans always elected leaders who deliberately promoted black-on-black rivalry (Norman Manley and the Jamaican-initiated dissolution of the West Indian Federation in 1958) or outright black-on-black racism (Hugh Shearer and his contempt for black civil rights, black pride, and black nationalism)? It should be obvious from a brief examination of black voting patterns in Jamaica that Jamaican society is one that institutionalizes both black-on-black racism and black racial self-hatred. How does one explain the fact that skin bleaching has reached epidemic proportions in Jamaica, with the majority of Jamaicans bleaching themselves white in one form or the other? and the fact that most Jamaicans believe that becoming white is the only way to achieve power and success? Just because one refuses to consciously recognize the existence of distinct Euro-Jamaican/mulatto/Afro-Jamaican communities on the island, does not change the fact that there are substantial social, cultural, political, and economic differences between these communities. Calling everyone "Jamaican" does not change the fact that people of European and mulatto ancestry in Jamaica are much better off, economically speaking, and more politically and socially advantaged than the majority of Jamaicans, who happen to be neither white nor mulatto.

Marcus Garvey is important for African and African-American history; he did not have the same narrow-mindedness and parochialism as those who advocate Jamaican nationalism and his work had absolutely nothing to do with Jamaica. Claude McKay was a figure who played a major role in the Harlem Renaissance during the 1920s and 30s. Interestingly enough, Claude McKay was also a practicing homosexual who was rejected as a "battyboy" by Jamaican society and culture. Although of Jamaican birth, neither of these men had anything to do with Jamaica and carried out all of their work on foreign soil. It is a well-known fact that Jamaica has never produced any pan-African/black pride/black nationalist/black civil rights movements of any importance; neither has it produced any writers or artists of note, who both lived and worked in Jamaica, that explored the politics of the black experience in depth. To call Jamaica a world leader in black identity is an overexaggeration to say the least, as most Jamaicans see themselves through the lense of white culture.