Folks, this is from The Daily Observer Aug 3, 99. The old adage goes "Action
speaks louder than words"!

Malanding Jaiteh

Independent editors released


 The editors of the Independent newspaper, Baba Galleh Jallow and Alhaji
Yoro Jallow, who were arrested Sunday night by officers of the National
Intelligence Agency were released last night.

NB Daffeh, reporter, who was arrested Friday morning was also released.

Speaking to the Daily Observer shortly after their release, Baba Galleh
Jallow, editor-in-chief, said, "we were told this afternoon that we were
arrested because we did not have the authorisation and the requisite
documents to operate a newspaper. From our understanding, the NIA was given
the impression that we did not have the authorisation to publish and that we
did not have the affidavit and other documentation to publish a newspaper.
We've been asked to report to the NIA at 9am tomorrow and take along copies
of these documents which we will do."

Narrating his experiences at the NIA, NB Daffeh said, "the only unfortunate
thing is that I was treated like a criminal. I was dumped in a cell together
with some criminals and I slept on the bare floor."

In reaction to the incident, the Gambia Press Union, yesterday issued a
press statement condemning the arrests. We reproduce the full text of the
statement:

The harassment of the staff of the Independent newspaper has taken a turn
for the worst with the arrest of the paper's editor-in-chief and managing
editor, Baba Galleh Jallow and Yorro Jallow respectively on Sunday.

On Friday the entire support staff and a staff reporter, NB Daffeh were
picked up from the  Independent office.  They were whisked to NIA
headquarters where they were cautioned not to work for the paper and
released, except for NB Daffeh.  He is still in detention.

This development is a cause of great concern and alarm to the Gambia Press
Union, which further believes that the crisis is being blown out of
proportion.

Reviewing the situation, the union is satisfied that the paper has committed
no crime and that the matter could have been handled differently without
resorting to high-handedness.

The invasion of the  Independent office and the mass arrest, detention
incommunicado  of its staff, coming close on the heels of the official order
of July 23 to the paper to cease publication, point once again to
government's relentless campaign to silence the free press whose only crime
is that they dare to differ.

Therefore, in the interest of our fledgling democracy, a free press is an
indispensable guard against the prospect of this country being classed among
the fascist states of the new millennium.

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