Prince,

Your posting on the above subject has let loose some ropes to be tied:
You write: "I am still searching for a reason why The Independent published
this article instead of first sending it to(sic)forum." Well, it is not
difficult to find out why: the paper was simply using its role to inform,
educate and pique the interest of its readership on an issue that had some
importance.

The problem is how the paper handled the issue, not publishing its comments
without first sending them to the Gambia-L. The Independent didn't need to
send its editorial to this forum before it went to press. It wasn't
required. The Independent, like all other newspapers, has the right to put
any subject, whether it is the Gambia-L or the Rwandan War Crimes Tribunal,
under the microscope.

You write further:"The Independent is asking us to be responsible in our
debates but instead of telling us directly, they consider it professional
journalism to publish it to the nation." And you conclude: "Is this not one
of the worst practices of what I call Humpty-Dumpty journalism?" Again, it
was within the journalistic ambits of the Independent, to publish its
editorial to the nation, but what was not professional was the
narrow-mindedness and irrationality tossed into the editorial.

If the paper had dilated on both the good and the bad of this forum, or
better still, if it had put the "obvious hostility, hatred and sometimes
vendettas....quarrels and character assasinations"(the Independent's own
words), in rational perspective, without resorting to
moralism-alarmism-journalism, our criticisms and opinions would  have been
on different wave-lengths. Perhaps.

You ask: "Was it not recently that this very paper published what is now
known to be a DAMNED LIE that they have to prove in courts?" Who told you
the story was a DAMNED LIE? Was true? Does it pique your interest knowing
that President Yahya Jammeh has since dropped the libel charges against the
Independent? Think about that.

Best Regards,
Cherno Baba Jallow
Detroit, MI




>From: Prince Obrien-Coker <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: What Independent View?
>Date: Sun, 6 Feb 2000 17:41:50 +0100
>
>Gambia-L,
>I am still searching for a reason why The Independent published this
>article
>instead of first sending it to forum. The Independent is asking us to be
>responsible in our debates but instead of telling us directly, they
>consider
>it professional journalism to publish it to the nation. Is this not one of
>the worst practices of what I call Humpty-Dumpty journalism? Man, Look good
>at yourself!! Was it not recently that this very paper published what is
>now
>known to be a DAMNED LIE that they have to prove in the courts? Remember
>that the tenet of the Independent is "TRUTH IS OUR PRINCIPLE". Principle my
>...., when they deceived us and exposed themselves with LIES. An
>unprincipled newspaper cannot and should not interfere in other people's
>business.
>Ask yourselves, brothers and sisters, whether the Independent Newspaper is
>a
>sincere and respectable medium to demand respectability from others. I am
>always of the conviction that where 3 (three) or more Gambians meet, there
>is always an argument or disagreement of some kind. If it is not so, then
>that gathering is either un-Gambian or its not healthy to a Gambian.
>"Ras-to-ras" is an inalienable characteristic of our society.  The last
>thing we need on this forum is a regulator, for there are moderators enough
>on the Gambia-L doing
>their jobs.
>I do not think that the Independent was spurred by Sulayman Bajo's posting
>to publish that ... about the Gambia List. Saul Bajo's reaction, in my
>opinion, is a typical Gambian reaction. It is the reaction of a man whose
>love-one has been accused of being  "the most empty-headed and disloyal
>person in the history of security forces in the Gambia." All Bajo wanted
>was
>to clear his brother's name of those accusations. The only disagreeable
>thing about it, is its publication on the List. He has been advised to send
>such mails, in future, to the person it is meant for. Saul Bajo has
>publicly
>apologised to the Forum and from all the postings about this subject, it
>seems as if he is forgiven and as far the List is concern "his case is
>closed". I have personally sent Saul Bajo a Pmail telling him of his
>violation of the Gambia-L's ethos and I am sure I was not the only one to
>do
>that. We do not need a discredited newspaper to tell us how we have to
>conduct ourselves.
>One thing bothering me, though, is The Independent's ulterior motive in
>publishing this subject. Hasn't the Independent a bone to pick with Yaya
>Jammeh? Could this be a form of mitigation to the libel suite hanging round
>their necks? Are there not more pressing issues in the country to report
>on,
>than the behaviour of few contributors of the Gambia-L? Did Sulayman
>Bajo's posting prompt this article or was it alluding to the person he was
>angry with?  Was this an attempt to gag Ebou Colly, so as to gain a
>plaintiff's favour?  Well brothers, for your information, Ebou Colly
>promised ". many more shall come but based purely on my plan and pace".  If
>the Independent is looking for a way to extricate themselves from the mess
>they put themselves in; they should not use the Gambia-L as an agent for
>that course.
>They wrote of  "obvious hostility, hatred and sometimes vendettas" of
>"quarrels and character assassinations" as if the whole Gambia-L is
>comprised of groups of hooligans who indulge in nothing but feuds. This is
>an insult, in itself, to the vast majority of Gambia-L contributors. If the
>out-burst of a member or two of the Gambia-L could be levelled against all
>its members then the Independent is YET to be an unblemished and
>respectable
>national newspaper.
>The Independent did not mention in its article that when some of them were
>arrested for telling the nation and the whole world a LIE about Yaya
>Jammeh's so-called third wife from Sintet, the Gambia-L stood by them and
>many contributors of Gambia-L registered their discontent and abhorrence,
>which we STILL do not regret. Or was that also a feud among  the Gambia-L?
>How dear The Independent to accuse the Gambia-L of irresponsibility? If
>they
>want Yaya Jammeh off your backs, let them please go and find out what is
>buried at the back of the latrines at Yundum Barracks. There are more
>things
>there, in The Gambia for them to write about than trying to "rock the boat"
>here.  I would like to ask the Independent Newspaper of  The Gambia to look
>at the beam in their eye rather the mote in others' eye. In other words
>"BACK OFF", because the Independent Newspaper is the last medium to lecture
>people on ethology.
>If the Independent Newspaper doesn't like what I am saying here, then they
>can "slaughter a goat and take the..." As far as I am concern THE
>INDEPENDENT can G.T.H., for I say WRITE ON brothers and sisters.
>
>Prince Coker
>
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