THE DRUM (‘The Heartbeat and Tempo of the Dominican People’) was a newspaper which was published in the Commonwealth of Dominica from December 1982 through March 1984. Here, we intend to re-create as much of it as possible in a responsive and searchable format so that THE DRUM may be properly archived for future generations.
So far, the only complete pages that we have been able to locate are the front pages of the first and ninth issues, thanks to the Dominica Library & Information Service.
Anyone who has any additional information about this newspaper or is able to provide copies, photographs, or scans of any pages should kindly contact us at research@thedrum.news
THE DRUM was published by Y.M. Hamid, who was previously the emir (امیر: commander, leader, prince) of the Islamic Party of North America.2 Unlike the previous decade’s Al-Islam: the Islamic Movement Journal,3,4 THE DRUM was not a tool of da‘wah (دعوة: proselytism in Islam); instead, it was primarly political in nature. The newspaper promoted itself as non-partisan and unaffiliated,5,6 but it was also a much-needed counterpoint to the political right. At the time, the Freedom Party had a strong hold on Dominica’s politics,7 and the nation’s leading newspaper The New Chronicle was widely viewed as nothing more than a media mouthpiece for the government.8,9 But in response to the accusation that THE DRUM was an agent for the opposition parties, the publisher re-iterated that they reported from all sides, and that ‘in doing so we accept being characterised as opposition and controversial, because neither conflicts with being independent’.6
1. ‘The Drum in Suspension’. The New Chronicle, June 22, 1984, p.2.
2. ‘The IPNA’, from The Expansion of African-American Muslim Movements beyond the United States, by Philipp Bruckmayr.
3. ‘Publisher's comments’. Al-Islam, volume one, winter [issue] one, number one, p.4.
4. The Decisive Solution, by Muhammad Shareef bin Farid, p.123.
5. ‘Publishing policy’.The Drum, volume one, number one, p.1.
6. ‘The Drum Denies Allegations’. Barbados Advocate, August 27, 1983, p.3.
7. The Dominica Story: A History of the Island, by Lennox Honychurch, p.274–275.
8. Islands of the Commonweath Caribbean: a regional study, edited by Sandra W. Meditz and Dennis M. Hanratty, p.285.
9. A Rain of Stones, by Gabriel J. Christian, p.16.
Universal declaration of human rights Article 19. Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression: this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Remember - Democracy only has value to the degree that people are free and feel free to practice democracy without fear.
As former Prime Minister of this sovereign nation, being fully cognizant of the tremendous problems facing our continued development, both in socio-economic terms, as well as the political consciousness of our people, it has become necessary that I make a statement pertaining to the ongoing serious debate between the two national newspapers of this country, THE DRUM and THE NEW CHRONICLE.
FREEDOM of the press per se is not what concerns me, in view of the existing constitutional protections pertaining thereto. However, the development of our country and sources of aid are of grave concern to all Dominicans. Last week THE NEW CHRONICLE made an unprincipled attack on the sovereign state of Libya and its leadership, which could have serious repercussions on aid sources and therefore the development of our country. Libya is a member of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and it is a major contributor to the pool of Arab funds through which Dominica has benefited and continues to benefit. The government and people of Libya have in the past rendered valuable assistance to the development of Dominica, particularly after Hurricane David, along with other Arab countries. The people of Dominica are very appreciative of this aid and various other sources of aid that continue to flow into this country from various other Arab and Muslim countries, even under the D.F.P. government. Furthermore, there are several Arab and Muslim persons from various countries currently serving in Dominica through their affiliation with various international agencies.
IN view of the destabilization and misinformation “journalistic work” of THE NEW CHRONICLE during the period of Labour Party rule, and in consideration of the fact that THE DRUM newspaper is rendering invaluable services in the field of news and widening the understanding of world affairs in Dominica, and in view of the many complaints I have heard from Dominicans in various constituencies about this issue, I call upon THE NEW CHRONICLE to cease its misinformation efforts on the people of Libya, its leadership, and THE DRUM. The article entitled “Hamid, Jonestown, and Ghadaffi” promotes another national crisis for Dominica. Prime Minister Charles and her government have unfortunately contributed to this climate by voicing in the House of Assembly further misinformation about the leader of Libya while dealing with the Libyan/DLM scholarship issue. I am convinced by evidence that has been brought to my attention that the current campaign is designed to destroy THE DRUM. Cont. page 6 (This page is not yet available.)
