December 1, 2016 marked the start of a new deal, or so many Gambians thought. There was an air of optimism that things would turn out differently; that the era of impunity is over for good; that the negative peace that Gambians were accustomed to has finally disappeared. There was a palpable conviction that this time things would be different, that a positive peace that goes beyond the simple absence of physical violence but allows for peace of mind and thought is within reach. However, recent events in the country have awakened citizens to new, serious and unprecedented security threats, which in turn have created an atmosphere of fear and worry in the hearts and minds of many Gambians. Numerous reports in various media outlets and the general public have noted a dramatic increase in gruesome murders, armed robberies, kidnappings, politically motivated ethnic clashes, seizures of weapons from individuals, etc. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayIn fact, according to Foroya newspaper on April 16, 2018, the Gambia Inspector General of Police (IGP) announced that he would. re-establish checkpoints across the country in a bid to curb the rising crime rate in the country. This comes amid the recent armed robbery at Jah Oil gas station in Brikama. As recently as April 4, 2018, the body of a Gambian army corporal was found in a well near the village of Tanji (ibid). These events represent a radical change from what The Gambia has been accustomed to over the past 50 years. This article will seek to identify some of the possible factors responsible for the blatant breakdown of security in this small West African country. Peace and security have always been taken for granted by many Gambians, but it is time for the government, which is supposed to control the coercive apparatus of the state, to realize that maintaining peace and security of a nation is not obvious, but it requires eternal vigilance. One might be tempted to ask, what is “security”? Safety is not an absolute value because absolute safety is almost impossible and it is a constant challenge to keep sociopaths and other offenders at bay. The bad guys are constantly devising new strategies to defeat the security apparatus. It is therefore the responsibility of the government to be constantly on guard to protect the lives and properties of the citizens. In fact, it is precisely for this reason, in order to protect our natural rights to life, liberty and property, as Locke posited, that we have voluntarily ceded our rights to a higher authority (government and state) . Essentially, if government fails to secure our lives, liberties, and property, then it has failed in its purpose. He violated the terms of the contract he had made with the people; it has failed to deliver on its promise and therefore can and should be removed by citizens. To Emma Rothschild (1995) in her article entitled “What is security? she posited that… security must be broadened from its traditional focus on the security of states to the security of people. The United Nations Development Program chose as the main theme of its 1994 Human Development Report the transition "from nuclear security to human security", or to the "core concept of human security", defined as protection against “chronic threats such as hunger, disease”. and repression” and “protection againstsudden and harmful disturbances. The United Nations Secretary-General called in 1995 to “go beyond armed territorial security” to strengthen or protect “the security of people in their homes, jobs and communities.” In light of this, it is fundamental that relevant security actors understand that the absence of outright large-scale conflict does not mean that security is assured as many Gambians have experienced since 2016. The problems Gambia's security situation can be attributed to a number of factors, including those described in this document. The views expressed herein are my own and are not necessarily sacrosanct. Peace is the mother's milk of progress and therefore there can be no meaningful progress in the absence of a stable and peaceful environment. The Gambia, which is a small country known for its peaceful atmosphere, must not degenerate into a Hobbesian state of nature where everyone wants to prey on everyone. There is no path to peace; peace is the way forward, as Mahatma Ghandi once said. It is therefore incumbent on every Gambian, and even more so on those who use the coercive apparatus of the state, to redress the situation. Many experts, political and civil commentators have claimed over the years that the former government was a dictatorial government. These thoughts and opinions were accentuated in December 2016, when the regime of Yahya Jammeh was overthrown in a democratic peregrination. Some will say that security is still fragile after the ousting of “dictatorships” and that the current security failures are the consequence. It should be emphasized that dictatorships are authoritarian regimes that place too much emphasis on security and therefore suppress any dissent or delinquency. However, since the 2016 elections, there has been a remarkable increase in criminal activities, including armed robberies, murders, prosecutions, rapes and even kidnappings. As some would say, this is because criminals feel like this is the break they've been waiting for. This new government's lack of focus on security has provided fertile ground for criminals. The current regime's promises of democracy and lack of brutality only encourage those on the margins of society. However, security problems cannot be blamed solely on the vacuum left by the former regime, as there are other culminating factors that further expose the situation. the country's security problems. Dr Ceesay, a political analyst and lecturer at the University of the Gambia, at one point stressed that the presence of ECOMIG troops in the country will not prevent a long-term security risk unless the President Barrow is only trying to gain trust and support. of the Gambian Armed Forces. I am tempted to agree with him on the simple fact that the Gambian army is the long-term solution to our security challenges. In fact, it would be fatal for the state if Gambian army officers become disgruntled. The number of ECOMIG forces in the country is not sufficient to control all border posts and organize effective patrols to stop the armed robberies that are occurring. It is a well-known fact that the Gambia Police Force has never been and is not well equipped to effectively respond to the security needs of citizens. It is therefore incumbent upon President Barrow to be proactive in trying to gain loyalty and support. officers of the Gambian army, because a rebel army is dangerous. Besides, they are all Gambians and want the best for this country. Moreover, the borders of this country are so loose thatpeople can enter and exit without any proper controls. The integration of Gambian army officers into the security fabric will help alleviate these border problems. Essentially, the sidelining of the Gambian military has contributed to the increase in security concerns, particularly the crime rate in the country. It can be argued that the internal security of the state is the responsibility of the police, but the frequent armed robberies have proven that the police are incapable, through no fault of their own, to deal with this menace. The army could and should therefore help in these difficult times. What happens when we combine gross insecurity with poverty, unemployment, drugs, poor education and deportations? It's a recipe for disaster if you're not careful. Countries like the Philippines, Colombia, Brazil and others have a never-ending drug and gun problem. Security in some areas of these countries is a nightmare, due to unemployment, drugs and lack of security, no education and poverty. The Gambia has a high unemployment rate, especially among the youth, poverty is rampant, marijuana is the first and last concern of the unemployed and evicted youth who struggle to reach Europe in search of greener pastures. It is logical that in most countries with high crime rates, the most obvious reasons recognized by the criminals themselves are poverty, unemployment, lack of education and drugs. The government in power cannot ignore the absolute urgency of the current situation. The government must create an environment conducive to the development of young people, as they constitute the majority in this country. This is especially important in the case of deportees who have been frustrated with the system for years. Frustration leads to anger and that's when people look for places or objects to vent their anger on. This is seen in the increasing crime rate and other social vices. The inexperience and indecision of politicians emboldens criminals. Politics is an art but unfortunately most of our politicians do not understand how politics is played. We have repeatedly seen indecision on the part of politicians when events arise that require a position to be taken. Whether this is due to incompetence or a lack of political will is open to interpretation. Politics in Africa is so ugly that most of the time it does not attract our best men and women, but rather kleptocracies and kakistocratic regimes. Most of the time in Africa it is the case of the blind (politicians) leading the helpless (the crowd). The new government must look further and start being more decisive about the future of this country. The Gambia and Gambians need to be a more pragmatic people rather than a people who do nothing and that starts with our leaders. Time and time again, we have seen our leaders beg for funds from other countries and other institutions, and it is just sad. Now is the time to focus on rebuilding from within and understanding that development cannot come from without. “Remembrance through learning” are the words written at the entrance to the Kigali Genocide Museum and indeed, they have learned and everyone should learn from it. Traveling to Rwanda has always been an experience. Today's Rwandans don't talk about tribes at all because the 1994 genocide is a painful reminder of what tribal conflicts can trigger. Nowadays, in Little Gambia, we see people and political parties clashing over tribal differences. From time to time.