APRC Has Lost War of Words - Waa Juwara




The Independent (Banjul)

June 22, 2001
Posted to the web June 22, 2001

Sheikh Al-Kinky Sanyang & Lamin Dibba
Banjul, the Gambia

Lamin Waa Juwara the organising secretary of the opposition UDP has said
moves by the "APRC-controlled" management of the Daily Observer showed that
the ruling party has lost the war of words between it and the UDP.

Mr. Waa Juwara who was reacting for the first time after news of the
so-called edict against his statements in the Daily Observer told The
Independent that the "decree" against him suggests the desperate nature of
the APRC in its attempt to stifle the truth.

Mr. Waa Juwara described Observer journalists as a group of young people who
in principle are prepared to sacrifice their jobs instead of being used as
political tools. He said the situation represents a signal to President
Jammeh that Gambians are no longer in a position to "stomach" everything
that come their way.

"The APRC is so weak that they challenge everything and can resort to such a
high-handed way of handling an independent media and its crew of magnificent
journalists who have seen great hope for The Gambia's future" he said.

"It is a big surprise to me that I carry much weight to warrant APRC bigwigs
to make an unnecessary and unwarranted clampdown on the Daily Observer" he
added.

He said he heard the story about the alleged decree banning anything from
him in the Daily Observer on BBC's Focus on Africa and had to cut short his
trip to return home after he registered in his village of Niamina Dankunku.
He noted that it's very amusing to accept that this is not a democratic
government, which he said is in disarray an unable to justify the
"dictatorship".

Mr. Juwara said he is duty bound to stand by the truth and remain prepared
to take on anybody. He said he felt quite honoured when his party selected
him as the organising and propaganda secretary at a time when he was in
detention at the Mile Two Central Prisons. "My task is to propagate and sell
the agenda of the party in order to make sure that democracy is restored in
The Gambia", he said. He opined that the APRC is fighting a lost battle
against the majority of Gambians who have lost faith in the government.
"Their renegades, sycophants and politically naïve supporters are foolish to
an extent that they can be used by the regime that has lost political
initiatives and directions. They are no match for people who are principled
and know what they are doing" he charged.

Waa further noted that censuring stories related to him in the Daily
Observer was not his challenge but that of the UDP and the Gambian people.
He said it suggests the biggest signal to the entire world that the APRC has
lost the war or words. He said the APRC despite all the facilities including
the state-owned radio and television at their disposal could not stand and
defend their ideas. The organising secretary said he could not turn around
and lie against the entire establishment of the governing party with all the
laws. He said the "hidden controllers" of the Observer have developed cold
feet in the war of words between the two parties. He said the decree against
his statements showed the desperate actions of a desperate political
organisation.

"I am overwhelmed to hear that people like Pascal Eze, who is not a Gambian
but professionally honest enough to keep the ethics of the profession has
resigned" he said. He also commended Pa Kalifa Sanyang whom he said was very
close to the regime but behaved professionally. Mr. Juwara said this is a
pointer to those working for the GRTS to emulate "these great young people
who did not accept to be enslaved but stood by their principles." He urged
Tombong Saidy and his team to call it a day and tell President Jammeh that
they are not going to be his propaganda mouthpiece, dishing out lies to the
Gambian people.


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