Sillah wrote:

"The role of an unfettered press in all this for people to make
informed choices even for the type of poverty alluviation programme that
they want for them selves cannot be over-emphasised. But if we you think
that everybody's rights should be kept on being violated before we can get
to the place we are aspiring for our country, then you are making a fool of
yourself. As Kofi Annan himself said just two months ago "genocide begins
with the abuse of an individual's rights" so if
we can avoid this to the minimum, the better for us".

Sillah, whereas we can rely on the media to promote social justice and make
informed choices, you will also agree with me that one of worst genocides of
recent African history, vis-s-vis the Rwandan genocide, was largely the
making of the media. There are two sides to every story and as such
different people may come to different conclusions regarding the same thing.

Don't get me wrong. I have never condoned any arrests and tortures. What I
have always advocated is for both the media and government to move away from
the brink as it can only lead to more harm than good. Both the media and
government have a role to play for the benefit of our peoples and that
should be of paramount importance. It is an open secret that the
relationship between the private media and government is not always
conducive to the above ideals and both sides have contributed to that. Both
sides owe it to the people to reverse that and this cannot happen if both
are suspicious of the other. That's my take on the issue.

Olly Mboge, until you can debate me without the use vile invectives, I'm
afraid I have nothing to discuss with you. Whether people engage me or not
is relevant. I shall be posting all the possitive things on the L as they
happen. You are free to indulge on the negative.

Have a good day, Gassa.


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