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     EDITORIAL  NEW
  As we enter the year 2006, we want thank our esteemed readers, well-wishers, and loyal sources, without some of whom, we wouldn't have reached to this level today. We appreciate your contributions, be it positive or negative.  We at The ALLGAMBIAN believe  in empowering our readers and this is confirmed by the  uncensored letters and opinion pieces  published by this paper . We will never at any given time attempt to condemn or vilify our readers, as they have the right to reply or comment on our daily publications. We may from time to time set the records straight, if the need arises. No amount of criticism will shake us. Constructive criticism will help us do our job better. We therefore, call on our readers, not to hesitate to criticise us, when you  feel that we are not meeting your expectations. This includes biased and unfair reportage of news events. We shall always stick to the truth at all times  and will never attempt to depart from our mission statement-that is to
 provide accurate, balance and up to date news items for our esteemed readers.

  We want to state that the editorial column, is the  position of the paper,on burning issues of the day.Issues published on this column, are not  news items, but factual interpretation of issues of public interest. We used this column to comment on topical issues. The position of our paper, on such  debatable issues are clearly spelt out. We will quick to add that issues published on this column are factual. We are not bothered about how others react to our commentaries and interpretations of news items we covered. The author of this widely readable column, will continue to provide good stuff for his readers. We do not care about  who is affected in our day to day coverage  of issues of national interest. As long as,  the commentaries and the news are reported in good faith, we have nothing to fear.

  We do know that this column is not popular within President Yahya Jammeh's camp. We had been rattling Jammeh's cage and will continue to rattle his Kanilai cage. There will be "NO RETREAT, NO SURRENDER IN OUR QUEST TO EXPOSE MONSTER JAMMEH AND HIS CRONIES." The year 2006, is a crucial period for our dear country, and we called on all true sons and daughters of The Gambia, to harmonise our  efforts and resources to effect a democrat change in The Gambia, come October. Failure of which, we are "DOOMED TO FAIL AS A  NATION."  Our country, is currently ranked among the failed states on the African continent and with the presence of  Jammeh, at the state house, we will witness more failures. It is time to act now to avoid seeing more kids and families dying of hunger and starvation.

  The average Gambian, today cannot afford one decent meal, while President Jammeh is hell bent on  importing animals from overseas to feed his Kanilai Zoo. Jammeh once said and I quote"While some of you are praying for the country to face hunger, let me tell you that before I the President,  will die of hunger, a good number of you will perished. I will be the last person to face hunger, since I'm the President of this country."  The late Deyda Hydara, was very upset by Jammeh's ranting and had to delegate me to interview a local Imam, in The Gambia. The imam, who refrained from attacking Jammeh, directly condemned Jammeh's utterances in the strongest terms. The imam says a leader who worth his salt was not expected to make such remarks against his people and wondered if such comments will ever help to provide any solutions  to  the nation's fragile economy.

  This goes to show how wicket and self centred Jammeh is. Jammeh, does not care for the interest  of Gambians, but his personal interest.We have started seeing the  hunger, he was talking about. We are witnessing more infant and maternal mortality, ever in the history of our country. Hospital records hinted about low life expectancy rate and growing malnutrition across the country. We were not surprised when he Jammeh, resorted to curing Gambians, with his faked "AFRICAN TRADITIONAL MEDICINES"  We are faced with a serious state of affairs. We have a "SICK PRESIDENT"  trying to cure a nation. I'm not convinced that Jammeh, is okay mentally. Going by his utterances and personal comportment, one will not hesitate to say that he will fail a mental test, if examined by credible doctors. We don't expect a man with sound mine to engage in such maroon behaviour. After, all these so called "Kanilai medicines" are not clinically certified. There is more to the said Kanilai medicines and it is
 only Jammeh, who can tell us what his objectives were. Gambians should be cautious about such risky drugs and abstain from using them.

  Having said this, we  want to add  that 2005, was a difficult year for Gambians. This was the year, when enemies of freedom take the life of journalist Deyda Hydara. This was the year, when President Jammeh, vowed to kill, jail,  abduct, and take our God given rights and freedoms. This was the year, when our economy sunk in the ATLANTIC ocean . This was the year, when our treasury and Central Bank were emptied by Jammeh and his cronies. While, the poor people are  crying for justice and equal rights,  dictator Jammeh, is being aided and abetted by Gambian sons in uniform and murfty. They execute illegal orders given to them to the detriment of the nation. Some will tell you"WE ARE BOUND TO OBEY LEGAL AND ILLEGAL ORDERS"  This is indeed serious. Where are we heading as a nation?  So this means, if  Jammeh says go and kill Mr.X or Y, you have no option, but to execute the Presidential order.  Chei.....This is not the peaceful Gambia, under Sir DK Jawara we used to know.   A land of
 flourishing democracy, had been  turned to a  no go area.  The pushing and fighting.....Under, Yahya, we are witnessing more atrocities.  What's  amazing is that, the same Jammeh errand hit squads,  will turned  around and say they were acting under duress to carry out such unlawful acts. You remember, the BLOODY APRIL 10, STUDENTS MASSACRE? The soldiers  told the Lartey Commission that they received orders from "the top" to shoot and kill the student demonstrators.  Who is this so called man at the top besides, Yahya Jammeh?  Yahya stop the killings.  There is too  much blood on your hands.

  While, we enter this crucial year in our history, the year  2006, we expect President Jammeh to start preparing for his life after the Presidency. Current political  indications, suggested that change is inevitable and the will of the people will prevail come October. Jammeh's ending is going to be a sad one, as other dictators will learn from his mistakes. He had wronged a lot of Gambians and the atrocities attributed to him and his government, cannot go unpunished. Jammeh's down fall will be historic, as there are lot of untold stories lingering in the minds of  people, he wronged. Many are scared to talk now, fearing reprisals, but come the inevitable change, the beans will be spilled. It is easy to forgive, but it is not easy to forget nightmares, tortures and other cruel atrocities, one suffered from a dictatorial regime like that of  Jammeh. We want to assure those wronged by this administration that freedom day is nearer and there is  no way that Jammeh, can escaped the full
 scale of the law.

  We at The ALLGAMBIAN, will continue to strive for justice, democracy and the rule of law in The Gambia. We are fully aware of Jammeh's intention to lay his hands on us. We are aware of  the file, he opened for us. They called it an open file. Chei....Did  Yahya, knows what awaits him in days to come?  But watch out Jammeh, the wind of change will not spare you this blessed year of 2006. We will one day watch you standing on the accused  dock, as their will be witnesses to testify against you on the atrocities and sufferings  you caused to our peace loving people. We will not only be spectators, but news men in action covering your past atrocities. God willing this day is getting nearer. We shall remain resolute and will never give into intimidation. We are privy of all your evil intentions against us and will never be shaken. Remember, the people you are talking  to are the same people, who report back to us before going to press. How is it possible that, we are able to expose
 classified state infos Jammeh?  Wake up the Kanilai boy. We even learnt that your wife Zeibeb, is reading us  these days.  Our revelations on your Moroccan and Guinean compounds, triggered her mind. She just could not believe that we have the means to unveil such Jammeh, secrets.  We have the means to expose your private matrimonial problems with Zeneb. This is no joke.  We will get to that later ....

  On a final note, we want to assure our readers, that The ALLGAMBIAN, will never, and I repeat, never, never, compromise its editorial independence. We will not allow to be used by any interest group. We owe no obligation to anybody, beside our esteemed readers, whom we shall provide with objective and balanced news items. We shall report any story that is in the public interest, irrespective of who is affected. We do not care to be called names. In our quest to report the truth,  we have no friends. We do not condone or support censorship. This could be attested by  the "WILD LETTERS, WRITTEN AGAINST this editor and his colleagues hear at THE ALLGAMBIAN by some concerned readers."

  We must point out that, despite our love for free expression, we will not promote indecent language or tribalism, here at The ALLGAMBIAN.  We received some letters from certain readers, and the said letter had tribal undertones. We have no option, but to drop such hostile letters. The Gambia, is a small country and we cannot afford to see another Rwanda. As a media institution, we will not allow anyone to use this medium to promote tribalism. We should refrain from following the footsteps of Yahya Jammeh, who openly promotes tribalism, despite its dangers. New year, new Gambia, President Jammeh is gone.  Let us keep our hopes high. Jammeh's days are numbered. Happy and prosperous new year to our esteemed and valued readers. We rest our case.....

  The author is the former Secretary General of The Gambia press Union and also a former Voice of America radio Banjul Correspondent. Mr. M'Bai who now resides in the US State of North Carolina Raleigh was a leading political and crime reporter with the Point and Daily Observer newspapers respectively. He can be reached by email at the following addresses: [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask]


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