Bamba,
Discussing the role of the Gambian press during the transition will be an
interesting one. Unfortunately, I travel tomorrow to Charlotte, North
Carolina, and will be back in almost a week. Depending on my little free
time from school and work, I will determine when I will actually descend on
your topic. But the sooner the better. I take note.
Thanks for the correspondence.
Cherno Baba Jallow
Detroit, MI
>
From: Bamba Laye <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: Bamba Laye <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Ebou Jallows' revelations/ The role of the Press in Gambian
> Politics
>Date: Wed, 29 Dec 1999 21:53:15 -0600
>
>Cherno,
>Pardon me for the delay in my response.
>I am glad you have seen my point and will not hesitate to commend you for
>the effort you've taken to clarify yours' and the Daily Observers'
>position. The discussion is quite a lesson for me too.
>My call for the scrutiny of the role of the press during the transition
>period is not directed towards any one particular paper. I am confident
>that yourself and many others on this list will agree with me that the
>press is a very critical element in the political awakening of any society.
>Therefore, it is very important that we look into the role of the press and
>pin point the wonderful work they have been and are continuing to do as
>well as their blunders and consequences thereafter.
>With that in mind, allow me to change the thesis of our discussion to that
>which probes into the role of the press in Gambian politics before, during
>and after the transition into a "second republic."
>I hereby invite you and everyone on this list to give your assessment of
>the role of the press in Gambian politics during the periods mentioned
>above. I am hoping that this will stir up a very interesting discussion.
>Get your fingers to work!
>
>
>Abdoulie A. Jallow
>
>"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter".
> - Dr. M. L. King Jr.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: chernob jallow <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Tuesday, December 28, 1999 11:39 AM
> Subject: Re: Ebou Jallows' revelations
>
>
> Bamba,
> It's not simply a matter of substantiating the 'source' of the
> letter/article, that makes it wothwhile to go to press. It is also
>when that
> source's presence is attainable for the newspaper, when it lands into
>legal
> pitfalls. That's why letters to the editor must include the sender's
>name
> and address, before any publication can take place. Editors need this
> information for legal reasons. True, the source of the information was
>Ebou
> Jallow, but Jallow was out of reach for the editor, and no way was it
> possible to check the veracity of his allegations at the time.
>
> Dave Manneh is very right about newspapers printing information, which
>would
> compel the other party to react, thereby widening the scope of the
> newsreport. True, editors do use this method to bring news to the
>public,
> but it is a method not applicable to all instances. It was not simply
>a
> question of throwing Jallow's allegations on the front page, and hope
>the
> affected party would just react and defend their versions of the
>story.
> Remember those affected by Jallow's ghastly details, had their
>integrities
> sullied, and without even a scintilla of evidence to support such a
> newsreport, an editor would squirm in his seat before going to press
>on
> that. I understand our collective interest to package Jallow's
>information
> for public consumption. Gambians were in hushed anticipation for
>information
> about Koro's gruesome death. But it was a difficult scenario having to
> balance your journalistic duty to ferry out information to the public
>with
> ethics requiring that that information be true, verifiable and
>sacrosant to
> the national collective.
>
> Let me reveal this, which I failed to do earlier: I, personally, along
>with
> Ebrima Ceesay, did want Jallow's letter to go into print. We did argue
>our
> points to that effect,like all of you are currently doing. But when it
>came
> to assessing and verifying Jallow's allegations and measuring up to
>the
> legal consequences, we lost the debate to some senior editors. You are
>very
> right I and others did write very controversial stories during the
> transition. I personally wrote numerous times on Koro, and I used my
>column
> to constantly call the government to account. Needless to say, do you
>know
> the number of threats I received just for doubting Jammeh's intention,
>very
> early in the transition, to order a probe into Koro's death? The
>anonymous
> phone calls with vile threats? True, with God's help, I was able to
>survive
> all this.
>
> In my opinion, publishing Jallow's allegations would have marked the
>highest
> point of criticality of newspaper reports in The Gambia. I don't think
>we
> would have published stories more controversial in scope and content
>than
> Jallow's allegations, had they went to press. If my memory serves me
>right.
>
> I agree with your clarion call to start probing the Gambian press
>during the
> transition. Journalists are the most unaccountable people in society;
>the
> only way they can be held accountable is when their readerships put
>their
> integrities and those of their stories, to the test.
>
> Your exchanges with me are quite interesting and educative. You have
> compelled me to share my little knowledge of journalism to others.
> Realistically, I am not in the business of journalism anymore. I am
>now
> carving a new niche in other areas.
>
> Once again, excuse me for the misundertanding. My presumption of your
> believing Jallow's allegations was not necessarily indicative of
>certainty
> or believability on your part, about Jallow's account. I wish I made
>my self
> clearer. And you are at liberty to scrutnize the Observer and any
>other
> newspaper in The Gambia. That's healthy.
>
> Thanks. Bye.
>
> Cherno Baba Jallow
> Detroit, MI
>
> >From: Bamba Laye <[log in to unmask]>
> >Reply-To: Bamba Laye <[log in to unmask]>
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: Re: Ebou Jallows' revelations
> >Date: Mon, 27 Dec 1999 09:33:08 -0600
> >
> >Cherno,
> >Thanks for the effort in clarifying. Mr. Manneh has said most of what
>I was
> >going to write here, but one thing I would like to get out of the way
>is
> >your presumption of my position in the whole affair:
> >"Presumably, you've already made up your mind that Jallow's
>revealations
> >are
> >true or are verifiable by his own narration of events. "
> > Cherno, sorry if I sound blunt, but it is damned ludicrous for
>you to
> >think that I believe Ebous' story just because I challenged
>Observers'
> >decision not to publish it!
> >No wonder you came up with that decision. Is this how you view
>critics as a
> >competent professional journalists? When I first read Ebon writings,
>I had
> >my reservations like many have said in this forum, he was part of
>them. Why
> >did he wait so long? So, when you mentioned that he did indeed write
>a
> >similar story few years earlier, I had to reposition my thoughts
>about the
> >issue, not necessarily accept the story as the truth. What I am
>trying
> >emphasize is that the people have the right to read his side of the
>story
> >at a time when they are dying to know, whether they will buy it or
>not
> >should be left for them to decide.
> > I may not be familiar with journalistic ethics but I do believe
>that
> >if a letter is sent to a paper about an issue that had whole country
>at
> >it's laurels and the source of the letter can be substantiated as you
>did,
> >I do not see why you can't get away with publishing such a letter by
> >clearly quoting the source if you have pledged to serve the people.
>Of
> >course I am well aware of the menace you could have gone through by
> >publishing such a letter, but the truth is, you did write more
> >controversial issues at the time and you survived it!
> >
> >Perhaps we should start scrutinizing the role of the press during the
> >transition period as some of us are doing with PDOIS. I bet a lot of
> >anomalies would be unfolded.
> >
> >Stay safe my brother.
> >
> >Abdoulie A. Jallow
> >
> >"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that
>matter".
> > - Dr. M. L. King Jr.
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Dave Manneh <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: [log in to unmask]
><[log in to unmask]>
> > Date: Monday, December 27, 1999 6:42 AM
> > Subject: Re: Ebou Jallows' revelations
> >
> >
> > Mr Cherno Jallow,
> > You wrote:-
> > <<And we couldn't either at the time. Better still, Jallow's
> >allegations are one-sided,
> > a narration of events, he indicated to have been spoon-fed to
>him by
> >those he
> > alleged to have "killed" Koro.>>
> > If Ebou's allegation/revelations are so ridiculous, and
> >unsubstantiable rubbish,
> > why then did the Jammeh regime seemed it fitting to ban
>VoiceOut?
> >
> > I am no journalist, and have no knowledge of the ethics of this
>very
> >important and
> > noble profession, but I was, and still am with the notion that
>if a
> >story is printed in
> > paper/media, and is then refuted by one party or another, then
>what
> >that party has
> > to do is to counter the claim with proof, in other word prove
>it's
> >false.
> >
> > Why were the involved parties not given these opportunities in
>this
> >case?
> >
> > Why didn't you contact the "other party" and challenge them to
>refute
> >Ebou's
> > allegations/revelations?
> >
> > Please forgive me here, if am out of my depths here, as I stated
> >earlier on
> > am not much versed in journalistic ethics and practices? But one
>thing
> >which
> > comes out crystal clear to me is that your paper's decision not
>to
> >print
> > "the one-sided story" is truly "amazing" to say the least.
> > It's a bit mind-buggling, in'it?
> >
> > All the best
> > Mr Manneh
> > chernob jallow wrote:
> >
> > Bamba,
> > I agree with your feelings. It's sad that Ebou Jallow's
> >allegations couldn't
> > get through to the Ceesay family or the Gambian people. We
>all
> >would have
> > loved to paste his allegations on our newspapers, but
>provided
> >they could be
> > substantiated by him or by us, in our own investigations.
>Jallow
> >was already
> > in the US;there was no way he could be sought to confirm in
>a
> >court of law,
> > the validity of his allegations. And we couldn't either at
>the
> >time. Better
> > still, Jallow's allegations are one-sided, a narration of
>events,
> >he
> > indicated to have been spoon-fed to him by those he alleged
>to
> >have "killed"
> > Koro. Yes, it would have been nice to the Ceesay family or
>the
> >Gambian
> > public, to have been told the "circumstances surrounding
>Koro's
> >death"
> > according to Ebou Jallow. But what if Jallow's allegations
>turned
> >out false?
> >
> > Presumably, you've already made up your mind that Jallow's
> >revealations are
> > true or are verifiable by his own narration of events.
>Personally,
> >I think
> > that in as much as Jallow's allegations do give a glint of
> >information from
> > within, about Koro's death, they, however, should be viewed
> >carefully. They
> > may be true or false, but only a competent court of law or a
> >commission of
> > inquiry can authenticate them. And those he alleges to have
> >"killed" Koro
> > are "innocent" until proven guilty in a court of law or by a
> >competent
> > Coroner's inquest. So to publish his allegations, which were
> >one-sided,
> > unsubstantiated, unverifiable at the time, would have been
>legally
> >costly,
> > if not, dangerous to a newspaper's existence at the time.
> >
> > Recently, Jallow used the "Voiceout" column of the Gambianet
>to
> >spread his
> > allegations. Now, his information is domestic consumption in
>The
> >Gambia. You
> > think that if the Observer had carried his allegations, that
> >probably would
> > have "compelled others with some knowledge of what happened
>to
> >come forward
> > with their own version?" I doubt it. Quite recently, Local
> >Government
> > Minister Yankuba Touray,whom Jallow alleges to have taken
>part in
> >Koro's
> > death, villified the former AFPRC spokesman, rather than
>give his
> >version of
> > the story pertaining to Jallow's allegations. Following
>Jallow's
> >information
> > on Voiceout, the proprietors of Gambianet were summoned to
>the
> >NIA, and
> > subsequently, Voiceout disappeared from Gambianet. Rather
>than
> >speak on
> > Jallow's allegations and present their own version of the
>story,
> >Jallow's
> > alleged culprits simply resorted to authoritarianism by
>clamping
> >down on
> > Gambianet. Could a similar fate have happened to any Gambian
> >newspaper which
> > published Jallow's allegations, especially if there were no
> >substantiation
> > efforts on the part of the newspapers, and during those
>dark, lean
> >days of
> > press intimidation?
> >
> > Like I said before, newspapers have to be very careful not
>to
> >publish
> > information they cannot substantiate when asked, in court,
>or by
> >national
> > public opinion. In as much as we would have loved to render
> >service to the
> > Gambian people by publishing Jallow's letter, we were
>equally
> >restrained by
> > our bounden duty to publish something verifiable by us or
>the
> >source of the
> > allegations.
> >
> > I, personally, have written a lot in taking the AFPRC
>government
> >to task for
> > foot-dragging on any investigations into Koro's mysterious
>death.
> >I
> > interviewed the Ceesay family,and wrote a scathing column on
>the
> >AFPRC's
> > false pretences of pain and misery over Koro's death, when
>they're
> >unwilling
> > or unable to mount an inquiry into the late Finance
>Minister's
> >mysterious
> > death.
> >
> > Thanks for your comments. Bye.
> >
> > Cherno Baba Jallow
> > Detroit, MI
> >
> > >From: Bamba Laye <[log in to unmask]>
> > >Reply-To: Bamba Laye <[log in to unmask]>
> > >To: [log in to unmask]
> > >Subject: Ebou Jallows' revelations
> > >Date: Sun, 26 Dec 1999 20:15:00 -0600
> > >
> > >Cherno,
> > >You wrote:
> > >"Upon receipt of Jallow's letter, Daily Observer's
>editorial
> >board sat down
> > >to determine the publishability of Jallow's contents on
>KOro's
> >death. We
> > >agreed that they were serious allegations concerning senior
> >members of the
> > >Ruling Council. And since there was no way to validate
>Jallow's
> > >allegations,
> > >we decided not to publish them, but only to put out an
>'overview'
> >story on
> > >Jallow's resignation letter."
> > >
> > >This is quite an interesting revelation from your end Bro.
>I am
> >curious
> > >(and I am sure many on the list are) to know why your
>editorial
> >board
> > >decided to discard Ebous' revelations at a time when it
>could
> >have served
> > >justice in giving Koros' family and the entire Gambia an
>idea of
> >the actual
> > >circumstances surrounding Koros' death. Don't you think
>that
> >publishing the
> > >letter would have compelled others with some knowledge of
>what
> >happened to
> > >come forward with their own version? Don't you feel that
>you've
> >done some
> > >disservice to the people by not publishing the letter or
>atleast
> >hinting at
> > >why you think the letter should not be published?
> > >I am also interested in knowing if Foroyaa had a copy of
>this
> >letter and
> > >what have been done about it with regards to their own
> >investigation into
> > >the matter? I will be glad if Mr. Sallah could clarify
>this for
> >me.
> > >
> > >Have a great week and stay safe.
> > >
> > >Abdoulie A. Jallow
> > >
> > >"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about
>things
> >that matter".
> > > - Dr. M. L. King Jr.
> >
> > ______________________________________________________
> > Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
> >
> >
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