Paradise Lost

"We will not be beaten, we will fight," chanted around 100 Bahamians as they crunched over the crumbling gravel in The Bahamas. In a sea of jewellery and souvenir shops they walked steadily, plodding one foot over another. They carried a face of quiet determination and placards. "End Chinese control over local markets," "Advocating for Juvenile Justice system redemption," and, my personal favourite:  "Paradise Lost: Murder, poverty, corruption."

The overarching grievance was the lack of transparency shown by the ruling Progressive Liberal Party(PLP). "We need a government that's accountable. We need a government that's transparent. We need a government that's going look out for the interests of Bahamians first and that's not happening," said an angry protester. It is no doubt that the Bahamas have some interesting issues to mull over while sitting on the sidewalk sipping on a Bahama mamma.

What fascinates me the most, though, is this glimpse of how other countries protest. South Africa, as of late, seems to favour burning cars, intimidation ending in increased police brutality with rubber bullets and tear gas. They are even resorting to rubber bullets with a metal core. The call for free tertiary education in South Africa is an ambitious, yet worthwhile endeavour, yet it has become a fight of control between police and protesters alike. It has become completely different to the march in the Bahamas which, in comparison, seems nothing more than a casual afternoon stroll with some chanting and signs for entertainment.

When my manager explained that there are riots outside the ship the same question was on all South African's lips- are there burning buildings, debris, rubber bullets, tear gas? It is sad that protesting has become associated with nothing more than violence, intimidation and police brutality. Our country has a deep history of protest culture. It is embalmed in our nature from when we are born and I would be a fool to not acknowledge that race is not a part of it. With black South Africa oppressed until 1994, they have much more experience with raising their fists- as it often was the last resort they had to go to to get what they wanted- basic human rights granted to all of white South Africa.

Our history where the only way we got anything was through violence means that today we fight before we march, we raise our fists too soon and the idea that you can call that peaceful march in the Bahamas a riot is laughable to any South African in the room. 

I want to say that we should take a leaf from the Bahamians' book and become more peaceful about our grievances but I cannot ignore that our history is streaked with bloodshed. I can only hope for us to unite sometime, someplace, somewhere.