Fellow G-Lers,
  Please join me in congragulating Mr Madi Ceesay, President of the Gambia Press Union for the highly prestigious International Press Freedom Award bestowed on him by the Commitee for the Protection of Journalists. 
   
  Bravo Madi, Keep it up!
   
  Bailo
   
   
  The following is culled from the latest edition of the Forroyaa newspaper:
   
  GPU President Receives Prestigious Award 
  The president of The Gambia Press Union (GPU) and General Manager of the 
Independent, Mr. Madi Ceesay, on Tuesday 21st November received the prestigious 
Committee for the Protection of Journalists (CPS) International Press Freedom 
Award at Waldorf – Astoria in New York City, U.S.A. Mr. Ceesay is also 
Deputy President(s) of the West African Association of Journalists (WAAJ). 
The USA in their press release on the occasion noted that the award “is 
indeed a fitting award to an independent and deserving journalist.� We publish 
below the full text of the speech delivered by Mr. Ceesay at the occasion: 
In the name of all the journalists back home in the Gambia, I would first 
like to thank the Committee to Protect Journalists, and all those who 
contributed to my nomination. I would also like to thank my family for all the support 
they have given me.
Today is a great day in my life as a journalist. I would like to accept this 
prestigious award in the name of all independent journalists in the Gambia 
who continue to work hard despite a very hostile media environment.
Ladies and gentlemen, let me describe to you the sad climate in which we 
work. In the past few years, we have seen repeated arson attacks on journalists 
and their media houses, without a single suspect being brought before the 
courts. Four media houses have been shut down by government, including my own 
newspaper. 
In December 2004, our colleague Deyda Hydara, editor of The Point newspaper, 
was murdered in a drive-by shooting. It was a shock to all journalists in 
the Gambia, who felt a great loss and also a sense of fear that such a thing 
could happen in our country. Government investigators have not brought anyone 
to justice so far. They produced a report that seemed to blame Deyda for his 
own death… and did not address the question of who killed him. 
After my newspaper was shut down and I was imprisoned in March this year, 
several other journalists were also detained, and one journalist has been 
missing for more than three months. One of my colleagues from the Independent is being tried for publishing false information, under a law which could bring a 
possible jail sentence.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Gambia is a small country, and some of you may not 
be familiar with it. But our problems are typical of many African countries, 
where the independent press is struggling to hold governments accountable… 
governments which may profess to be democratic but violate democratic 
principles such as press freedom.
Ladies and gentlemen, Gambia’s embattled independent media desperately needs 
support. I call on you to help us by speaking up when abuses occur. We also 
need practical support to strengthen the Gambian media, so that we will be 
better able to investigate abuses and report on issues of vital public interest
Once again, thanks to CPJ for this great honor, and thank you all for your 
attention.

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