"One Yaye Rose Camara of London Corner was brought before Principal
Magistrate Moses Richards of Kanifing Magistrates Court on Friday 25 May.
She
was
charged with unlawful assembly in a manner that can cause civil unrest. She
was
not represented by a lawyer. When the charge was read she pleaded guilty. At
the same time she denied that she and others assembled to march towards the
Police Station to burn it. She told the court that they were only showing
their
anger and emotions in the way Sheriff Minteh lost his life. She was
convicted
on her plea of guilty and sentenced to a fine of D2, 500 (two thousand five
hundred dalasis) or in default to imprisonment for a term of six months."
Foroyaa Newspaper
I am definately sure that if we do our best and find out how to contact this
Sister and assist an assist with the payment of the fine,She will very much
appreciate it and knowing that She is not alone in this struggle will no
doubt be a wonderfull feeling.
For Freedom
Saiks
>From: [log in to unmask]
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Fwd: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue No. 6 1/2007, 28 – 29 May
>2007
>Date: Thu, 31 May 2007 22:17:59 EDT
>
>Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
>Issue No. 61/2007, 28 – 29 May 2007
>
>Editorial
>AFRICAN LIBERATION DAY
>The Sovereignty of the people is in view
>May 25 has been set aside by the liberation committee of the OAU as
>African
>Liberation Day. By the end of 1960 only 17 countries on the African
>continent
>were independent. Today only the SAHRAWI DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC on the
>continent is under the colonial domination of Morocco. Needless to say all
>countries
>in Africa in particular and the world in general should take concerted
>action
>to put an end to the last bastion of colonialism on the continent and
>complete the first phase of the decolonisation process. This should be one
>of the
>fundamental resolutions of the AU Summit in Accra, Ghana in June 2007.
>
>50 years after Nkrumah declared that the independence of Ghana was
>meaningless unless it was linked to the TOTAL liberation of the whole
>continent Africa
>can claim to have succeeded in its decolonisation agenda. The second phase
>of national liberation which should witness the total economic, social,
>political and cultural emancipation of the African people is at hand.
>
>Hence, as the leaders meet in Ghana to promote the unification of the
>continent they should mutually remind each other that this is
>inconceivable without
>the establishment of a government in each country which recognises and
>respects the sovereignty of the people. The heads of state should
>therefore go to
>Ghana to set standards of best practice in democratic governance and
>transparency and accountability in economic management of states which
>should be
>adhered to by any government which aims to be incorporated in the new
>union.
>Those who refuse to adhere to such standards should be isolated by both
>the
>people and governments of the continent and the international community at
>large.
>This is the only way an Africa of the people and for the people can be a
>reality in our life time. History is again in the making. The progressive
>leaders
>will adhere to the standards while the reactionary ones will continue to
>oppress the people and would eventually serve as the last obstacles to the
>total
>emancipation of the people like the apartheid regime. All countries and
>governments can have a new start. If they fail to take opportunity of the
>new
>situation they will surely end up in the dustbin of history.
>
>Re - Groundnut Trade Plummets
>An article in Issue No. 60/2007 of FOROYAA entitled “Groundnut Trade
>Plummets
>” has attracted the following response from the Gambia Groundnut
>Corporation
>(GGC):
>
>We refer to the article captioned “Groundnut Trade Plummets” in the
>Foroyaa
>Issue No. 60/2007 of 25 — 27 May 2007. In the said article, your
>reporter,
>Mr. Yaya Dampha stated and we quote “In the season that has just ended
>that
>is, 2006/2007 according to the Managing Director of GGC, his institution
>bought
>only one hundred and fifteen (115) metric tonnes of groundnuts. He said
>this
>was the total purchases but he did not say the amount of money
>involved,”
>end of quote.
>
>We wish to state quite clearly that Mr. Dampha did not request for a
>formal
>interview with the General Manager of Gambia Groundnut Corporation Ltd
>(GGC)
>as such. He (Mr. Dampha) came to GGC and wanted to see the General
>Manager,
>the title by which the Chief Executive of GGC is known. Thinking that he
>was
>following up on payments for advertisements, he was referred to the
>Finance
>Manager. Mr. Dampha returned to say that he was asked to see General
>Manager
>for the information he needed and was consequently ushered into the
>General
>Manager’s office. In the presence of a visitor, the only question Mr.
>(Dampha)
>asked the General Manager was, “How many tonnes did GGC buy this
>year?” He
>was told that GGC purchased 7,015 (seven thousand and fifteen) tonnes.
>There
>were no follow-up questions and he just walked out of the office. At the
>time
>Mr. Dampha walked into the General Manager’s office, he was carrying
>neither a
>pen nor a notebook and consequently did not record what he was told. One
>would have thought that if Mr. Dampha intended to publish the information
>given
>to him or anything on the groundnut marketing, he should have carried out
>proper research into the issue by conducting interviews professionally
>with the
>relevant stakeholders in the groundnut industry.
>
>We are definitely disappointed with this deliberate attempt to misinform
>the
>public by quoting GGC as having provided some of the figures. We therefore
>request for this rejoinder to be published in the same front page as the
>original article.
>It is very disheartening to read through the said article. None of the
>figures stated therein is correct and we wonder where Mr. Dampha obtained
>them
>from. Are they the imagination and fabrication of Mr. Dampha for reasons
>known
>to him alone.
>
>We take this opportunity to refer Foroyaa. Mr. Dampha and readers who wish
>to know more about the 2006/07 groundnut-marketing season to an interview
>professionally conducted and published in The Gambia Daily Volume 1 No. 17
>of
>16th May 2007.
>Administrative Officer
>GGC
>Editor’s Comment
>We will not follow the administrative secretary in the polemics of what
>constitutes a professionally produced and published article. That would
>lead us
>to focus so much on the forest as to lose sight of the individual tree
>which
>is the subject of concern in HIS rejoinder. The basic point he wishes to
>clarify is that the GGC bought 7015 tones of groundnuts during the last
>season
>instead of the 115 tones as claimed by Mr. Dampha. When Mr. Dampha was
>asked to
>comment on the GGC letter he said the following:
>
>When I went to GGC the administrator was not present. When I gave the
>notice to his Secretary indicating that I wanted to interview him on the
>number
>of tonnes they bought this past season the Secretary came to tell me that
>the
>Managing Director said that I should get in touch with one Mr. Njai. When
>I
>got to Mr. Njai and asked him my question he said he had to get a green
>light
>from the General Manager himself before he talks to me.
>
>I decided to go back to (Mr. Colley) the General Manager and gave him that
>message since Mr. Njai was reluctant to contact him. The General Manager
>asked
>what my questions were: I told him we just wanted to know how many tonnes
>of
>groundnuts his institution bought in the past season. According to what I
>could recall he replied that the GGC bought 115 tonnes only and not
>7,015
>tonnes as mentioned in the rejoinder. If the figure is wrong the
>administrator
>should clarify issues without making other allegations. I am of the view
>that
>neither the General Manager nor my humble self had any interest in
>distorting
>the facts.
>
>Our editorial policy is that reporters do not have the last word. Every
>report submitted by a reporter and published is amenable to a validation
>exercise
>by readers. Foroyaa is committed to the principle of publishing the truth
>in
>good faith, in the public interest. The basic challenge of the paper is
>how
>to maintain the current concept of granting reporters the latitude of
>having
>their articles published with little interference without sacrificing
>credibility and quality. It is through feedbacks like yours, especially if
>they are
>done to help us to improve our performance, which enables us to separate
>the
>wheat from the chaff. The golden rule of the paper is that it is the duty
>of
>reporters to inform the public and to misinform those same people amounts
>to
>gross irresponsibility. We however find consolation in the willingness to
>subject the paper and its reporters to the same scrutiny and criticism as
>it
>subjects others. Please accept the assurance of our renewed commitment to
>publish the truth without fear or favour, affection or ill will in
>accordance with
>the best dictates of conscience and the public interest.
>
>SHERIFF MINTEH’S DEATH RIOTER CONVICTED
>By Fabakary B. Ceesay
>One Yaye Rose Camara of London Corner was brought before Principal
>Magistrate Moses Richards of Kanifing Magistrates Court on Friday 25 May.
>She was
>charged with unlawful assembly in a manner that can cause civil unrest. She
> was
>not represented by a lawyer. When the charge was read she pleaded guilty.
>At
>the same time she denied that she and others assembled to march towards the
>Police Station to burn it. She told the court that they were only showing
>their
>anger and emotions in the way Sheriff Minteh lost his life. She was
>convicted
>on her plea of guilty and sentenced to a fine of D2, 500 (two thousand
>five
>hundred dalasis) or in default to imprisonment for a term of six months.
>
>According to the police prosecutor 1748 First Class Constable Mballow, in
>the early hours of 9 May at Serrekunda London Corner, a group of people
>assembled themselves to attack the Serrekunda Police Station with intent
>to burn it.
>He said that the incident was provoked by the alleged killing of Sheriff
>Minteh by a police volunteer during a pursuit by the police task force in
>Serrekunda. He noted that the police urged the crowd to disperse so that
>they could
>do their investigation into the matter.
>
>Mballow indicated that between 7:00am and 9:00am on the following day, the
>people regrouped and marched towards the Serrekunda Police Station with
>fire
>and wearing red head bands. He narrated that some who were arrested
>confessed
>to the police that it was the accused (Yaye Camara) who bought the red
>cloth
>for them to use as bands and asked them to march towards the police
>station.
>
>Prosecutor Mballow noted that the accused person remained at large even
>though the police were looking for her since 9 May. He said that she was
>arrested
>on 21 May, but that she was not allowed police bail up to that day.
>Mballow
>said a cautionary statement and a voluntary statement were obtained from
>her.
>They were tendered in court and admitted in evidence as Exhibits A and B.
>In
>her plea of mitigation she pleaded to the court to temper justice with
>mercy
>on her. She said that her act was unlawful and she would never repeat it.
>
>When delivering the judgment, Magistrate Richards said that her act is not
>only inimical to the breach of peace in the society but in the whole
>country.
>He said that she pleaded guilty without wasting the court’s time and
>based on
>that he would not send her to jail but fine her. He therefore fined her
>the
>sum of D2,500 in default to serve six months in prison. He added that the
>punishment is a punitive one to deter others from doing the same act.
>
>GAMBIAN GROUNDNUT REJECTED AT WORLD MARKET
>By Bubacarr K. Sowe
>The presence of aflo-toxin in The Gambian groundnut has resulted to its
>rejection at the world market, said Mr. Lamin Dampha, of the Department of
>State
>for Trade, Industry and Employment.
>
>Mr. Dampha made this revelation on Thursday, May 24, at the Baobab Holiday
>Resort while presenting a paper at a workshop organised by the National
>Youth
>Association for Food Security (NAYAFS) on the Economic Partnership
>Agreements
>(EPAs) of the European Union and the Africa, Caribbean, Pacific (EU/ACP)
>countries. Aflo-toxin is a harmful substance that affects the liver and
>causes
>liver cancer known as Hepatitis B.
>
>Dampha said that the processing of groundnuts from the field to the store
>needs to be looked at. He added that the period of keeping nuts at the
>depots
>has trippled, and the level of aflo-toxin has not been controlled.
>
>Dampha emphasized that a lot of effort to control it is needed, adding
>that
>a close collaboration with the Department of State for Agriculture is
>looking
>at the issue. Answering a question from a participant at the gathering on
>the impact of the rejected groundnut on the Gambian economy, Dampha said
>that,
>that needs to be studied, noting that the problem surrounding the
>groundnut
>trade is having a serious impact on the economies of the rural dwellers.
>
>An agriculturalist present at the forum said the mixing of late and early
>varieties of nuts by cultivators results in the harvesting of unripe nuts
>which
>are moist, and later on become mouldy thus attracting aflo-toxin.
>
>IFJ CONGRESS IN MOSCOW
>The Sixteenth Congress of the International Federation of Journalists will
>take place in Moscow from May 28 to June 2, 2007. This Congress, the
>Largest
>representative gathering of journalists in the world, is held every three
>years.
>The theme for this year’s event is “Making News for Democracy:
>Building
>Trust in Quality Journalism”, and will include a core programme of
>events
>including sessions on
>
>• Journalism and Inter-Cultural Dialogue in the Face of
>Terrorism
>and Intolerance
>• Global Media and the fight for decent work
>• What Future for Journalism?
>
>In addition, to the above a special one-day conference prior to the
>opening
>of the Congress, will be held on May 28, 2007 Challenging Impunity: the
>Global Campaign for Justice in Journalism when, an International
>Commission of
>Inquiry into Impunity in the Killing of Journalists in Russia will be
>launched.
>
>The total attendance will be around 1,000, including delegates, invited
>guests and observers, and participants from Russia and the CIS countries.
>There
>will be numerous side events and cultural activities which have a daily
>theme
>attached to each region-Latin America, Africa, Asia, the Middle East.
>
>In addition, the Russian Union of Journalists is offering all delegates
>and
>guests a three-day river trip to the Old Russian city of Nizhniy Novgorod.
>This would involve a full cultural programme.
>
>The Gambia Press Union as a member of the IFJ is represented by its
>president, Madi M.K. Ceesay.
>
>YOUTH O/AU MARKS AFRICA LIBERATION DAY
>
>By Baboucarr Ceesay
>As part of the events marking Africa Liberation Day, Youth O/AU - Gambia
>Chapter organised a symposium at the Alliance Franco-Gambienne on Friday
>25, May
>2007. The central theme of the day was “How liberated is Africa after
>two
>hundred years of the abolition of slave trade.”
>
>In his welcoming remarks, Mr. Daniel Cardos, the chairperson of the
>ceremony
>said Africa Liberation Day is a very significant day for Africa and its
>citizens. He said among other things that, that is why they were very
>selective
>as far as the panelists are concerned, whom he said are erudite
>intellectuals
>to give the audience food for thought.
>
>Mr. Momodou Max Jallow, the Chairperson of the Organising Committee called
>on young people to be patriotic to their country and continent, Africa.
>
>Dr, Siga Jagne of the Pro-Poor Advocacy Group and a gender activist dwelt
>on
>the need to promote and nurture our good African values as a people if
>liberation is to have a meaning.
>
>She questioned how many of us read, write or even speak our native
>languages
>today. She said these are crucial factors which need to be critically
>looked
>at as part of our identity as Africans. She said colonialism has not gone,
>it is still here. Dr. Jagne said that these are some of the realities that
>are
>keeping us from not being liberated.
>
>However, she said, despite all what happened, Africans are still a happy
>people.
>
>She reminded the audience of times when our country, The Gambia, was
>producing most of the food stuff like rice which we are importing today.
>She went
>further to ask; why The Gambia is still not an exporting country. But was
>quick
>to add that though our leaders are doing their best, may be their hands
>are
>still tied.
>
>Mme Victoria Blackey (Ndella), Administrative Assistant, University of The
>Gambia, emphasised that it is Africans who can liberate themselves and no
>one
>else.
>
>Dr. Saja Taal, Managing Director, Daily Observer, in his remarks indicated
>that ideology is seen as a disgrace and many people are scared of
>ideology.
>He said he sees himself as a universal being; first a human being, then an
>African and then a Gambian. He opined that there should be a self
>consciousness of seeing oneself as a universal being. He added that
>freedom lies in the
>human mind and not the mentality of being black African because there are
>white Africans. He further mentioned that it is the minds that ought to be
>free,
>because minds can be in chains – locked. “We must not compromise
>ourselves,”
>Dr. Taal said.
>
>After mentioning Nelson Mandela, Nkrumah and other heroes and their
>contributions to the lives of the African people as well as happenings in
>parts of
>the African continent, he asked: “What about our youths in the ghettoes
>of
>Serrekunda? What are we doing about that?”
>
>Mr. Facuru Muhammed Sillah, Coordinator of Youth O/AU – Gambia Chapter
>also
>harped on the significant roles of Nkrumah, Sekou Toure and other African
>liberators who pioneered the independence of their countries. Facuru
>quoted
>Sekou Toure as saying he preferred being free in poverty to being a slave
>in
>riches.
>
>Rongo, the musician, had attracted the attention of the audience earlier
>by
>entering the hall singing his Pan-Africanist song.
>
>Rapper Joe also read a redemption-like lyric with Africanist stanzas.
>
>In his closing remarks, Mr. Pa Malick Ceesay, Executive Secretary,
>National
>Youth Council reiterated that our culture and language, as a people, are
>indispensable parts of our liberation process. Ceesay said conventional
>education
>should not lead to the demise of valuable aspects of our cultural
>identities.
>
>The ceremony ended with prayers followed by the national anthem of The
>Gambia.
>
>CONSTITUTION OF THE GAMBIA PRESS UNION
>
>1. PREAMBLE
>Cognisant of the rapid changes and transformation taking place in our
>society, socially, politically and Economically,
>Aware of the pivotal role that the media is expected to play in such a
>process,
>It has been deemed necessary to revise the constitution of the Gambia
>Press
>Union in order to reflect those Important changes.
>1. NAME
>The name shall remain the GAMBIA PRESS UNION, henceforth referred to as
>the
>UNION.
>2. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
>The Union shall:
>Be purely a professional and non-political organisation concerned with
>matters affecting journalism and all aspects of the mass media, although
>not
>unconcerned with the political and socio-economic needs and aspirations of
>the
>society in general.
>Defend the freedom of the press and professional independence in
>journalism.
>Promote unity and understanding amongst journalists and other media
>workers
>through collective bargaining and the provision of welfare schemes.
>Safeguard the freedom of the press and protect the rights, liberties and
>welfare of journalists and other media workers.
>Develop the prestige and enhance the social role of journalists and other
>media workers, as well as endeavour at all times to maintain the standards
>of
>the profession.
>Uphold the freedom of the collection and dissemination of information, the
>right to opinion and fair comment.
>Forge closer collaboration with other journalist orgnisations and media
>institutions both in The Gambia and abroad.
>Encourage budding journalists and others interested in the profession.
>Seek training facilities and opportunities for members, both locally and
>abroad, as well as seek to enhance the professional competence of members
>through various other means necessary.
>Promote solidarity amongst journalists and others in the profession.
>3. MEMBERSHIP
>(a) Membership of the Union shall be open to all practicing
>journalists and other media workers in The Gambia.
>(b) There shall exist the following category of membership:
>(i) Full
>(ii) Associate
>(iii) Affiliate
>(a) Full membership shall be extended to full time Gambian
> Journalists
>and
>other media workers, both in The Gambia and abroad.
>(b) Associate membership shall he extended to others concerned with
>the
>mass media; including Gambia-based foreign journalists, public relations
> officers and students of Journalism.
>(c) Affiliate membership shall be extended to Gambia-based
>organizations
>and other bodies connected with the mass media; and they shall have only
>
>one vote.
>4. ORGANS AND FUNCTIONS
>(a) The organs of the Union shall comprise the general membership
>and
>the Executive Committee, as well as any other ad hoc body that may be
>created.
>(b) Both the general membership and the Executive Committee shall
>have
>powers to establish ad hoc committees and to co-opt outsiders on an
>advisory
>capacity as and when necessary.
>5. GENERAL MEMBERSHIP
>(a) The general membership shall comprise members of the categories
>and ranks. It shall be the highest decision making body of the Union.
>6. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
>(a) The Executive Committee shall comprise the following:
>(i) President
>(ii) Two Vice Presidents
>(iii) Secretary General
>(iv) Two Assistant Secretaries
>(v) Treasurer
>(vi) Two co-opted members (one of whom must be a female)
>(b) The Executive Committee shall be elected from fully paid up members
>during the triennial congress, and unless elected members leave their
>posts under
>any circumstances, they shall hold office for three years
>(c) The Executive Committee shall be the main organ for
>implementing
>Union plans and decisions and its members shall in their respective
>capacities be individually and collectively responsible to the general
>membership for
>carrying out the running of the Union.
>(d) All former Chairpersons/Presidents of the Union as well as
>proprietors
>of media houses who are members of the Union shall be co-opted as advisers
>of
>the Executive Committee.
>
>7. OFFICIALS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS
>(a) The President and in his/her absence the first and second Vice
>Presidents respectively shall Chair all meetings and other functions of the
> Union, In
>their absence, the function shall Be performed by such person that members
>may determine.
>(i) The President shall not serve more than two three-year terms.
>(b) The Secretary General, and in his/her absence, any of the two
>assistant secretaries shall be responsible for recording minutes of
>meetings as
>well as responsible for general correspondence of the Union.
>(c) The Treasurer shall be the custodian of the Union’s accounts
>and
>all monies due shall be payable to him/her. He/she shall be required to
>submit an annual statement of account to the Annual General Meeting as
>well as lay
>the audited accounts before the Triennial Congress for scrutiny.
>d) There shall be an Administrator of the Secretariat who shall be
>an ex-officio member of the Executive Committee. He/she shall be
>responsible
>for the day-to-day administration of the Secretariat under the direct
>supervision of the President and he/she shall be held accountable for all
>the assets
>and properties of the Union.
>He/she shall submit a monthly report on the status of the Secretariat at
>every general meeting.
>(e) No proprietor or part owner of a media house or organ of news
>shall be eligible for election to any position in the Executive Committee.
>
>8. MEETINGS
>(a) There shall be an Annual General Meeting of the Union at the
>beginning of each
>calendar year and an ordinary general meeting on the first Saturday of
>each
>month.
>(b) The Executive Committee shall be responsible for the convening
>of
>both the Annual General Meetings and the monthly meetings, as well as all
>other meetings of the Union.
>(c) The Executive Committee shall also meet as and when necessary.
>It
>shall also convene an extra-ordinary general meeting as and when
>necessary,
>or at the request of not less than a simple majority of the general
>membership.
>(d) The Annual General Meeting shall receive and examine reports by
>the President and the Secretary General on the activities of the Union
>during
>the year under review, while the Treasurer shall present a statement of
>account. The AGM would also consider and adopt an annual action plan
>prepared by
>the Executive Committee, as well as consider and adopt resolutions and
>decide
>on any amendments to the Constitution.
>(e) The AGM shall also consider and adopt the subsequent year’s
>budget
>prepared by the Treasurer in consultation with the Executive Committee.
>
>9. QUORUM
>(a) One third of the general membership shall form a quorum in any
>properly constituted general meeting of the Union, and all decisions taken
>in
>such a meeting shall be binding on the Union.
>
>10. DECISIONS
>(a) All decisions of the Union shall be taken by consensus or by a
>simple majority of the members in attendance in a properly constituted
>meeting.
>Voting on any issue shall be by show of hand and the President shall have
>a
>casting vote, which shall be used only in the event of a tie.
>
>11. FUNDS
>(a) The Union shall derive its funds from either or all of the
>following sources:
>(i) Membership subscriptions
>(ii) Donations and contributions
>(iii) Sale of publications
>(iv) And through other fund raising activities sanctioned by the general
>membership.
>(b) All individual members of all categories shall pay a membership
>registration fee on admission as well as monthly subscription fees as
>determined from time to time by the general membership.
>(c) Affiliate member organisations shall pay membership
>registration
>fees upon admission and annual subscription fees due and payable at the
>beginning of each calendar year.
>(d) All monies collected by the Treasurer shall be payable into the
>Union’s bank account, unless otherwise determined by the general
>membership.
>(e) The President, Treasurer and one member of the advisory body
>shall
>be the signatories to the Union’s bank account.
>(f) No money shall be withdrawn from the account unless it shall be
>authorized by the general membership, except in cases of emergency when
>the President
>or in his/her absence, the First Vice President can authorize such
>withdrawals and thereafter refer the matter to the general membership for
>consideration and endorsement.
>
>12. DISCIPLINE
>(a) Any member who is accused of gross professional misconduct or
>financial
>misappropriation involving Union funds shall have his/her membership
>suspended by a simple majority of members in attendance in a properly
>constituted
>general meeting. The matter shall then be referred to a special
>disciplinary
>committee selected for the purpose, which shall consider the matter and
>recommend any further action to be taken against such a member.
>(b) Constant failure by a member to pay his/her dues as well as
>abide
>by the Union’s Constitutional provisions shall be deemed to be lack of
>interest and may result in withdrawal of membership without notice.
>(c) Any member subjected to disciplinary measures shall reserve the
>right to petition the Executive Committee for a review who shall be
>obliged to
>table the matter in a subsequent general meeting for consideration.
>
>13. AMENDMENTS
>(a) The whole or any part of this Constitution shall be subject to
>amendment by a simple majority of members in attendance in any properly
>constituted AGM.
>(b) All proposals for amendment of the Constitution shall be done in
>writing by fully paid up members and forwarded to the Secretary General at
>least one week prior to the AGM.
>
>14. DISSOLUTION
>In the event that the Union is to be dissolved, all its assets and
>properties shall be given to a media organization in this country with
>similar aims
>and objectives.
>DONE IN BANJUL ON THIS 15TH DAY OF NOVEMBER 2001
>
>The Freedom of the Press Act
>The right to publish a newspaper without having the contents monitored in
>advance by any government agency is one example of freedom of the press.
>The
>Freedom of the Press Act serves to safeguard freedom of speech in printed
>form.
>It gives all individuals a fundamental right to express their opinions and
>disseminate them without prior censorship. The right of free access to
>official documents is also enshrined in the Freedom of the Press Act. This
>means
>that anyone is entitled to contact a public authority or agency in Sweden
>and
>request access to an official document, such as a decision it has made. An
>individual who makes such a request does not need to give his name or
>specify the
>purpose of his request.
>Another principle contained in the Freedom of the Press Act is the freedom
>to communicate information. According to this principle, all persons in
>Sweden
>are entitled to communicate to the press information that they consider
>important and necessary to make public. The publisher of the material is
>not
>entitled to reveal the source if the individual in question wishes to
>remain
>anonymous. It is a punishable offence for anyone, for example the head of
>a
>public agency, to try to find out who has leaked information to the media.
>Sweden’s first Freedom of the Press Act was introduced as early as 1766.
>See next issue for further details.
>
>36 BLACK BEAUTY CONTESTANTS HONOURED
>By Sarjo Camara-Singhateh
>The United States Ambassador to The Gambia, Mr. Joseph D. Stafford hosted
>a
>colourful reception in honour of Ms. Black USA contestants on Saturday,
>May
>26, 2007 between the hours of 19.00 to 21.00 hours at his residence.
>Addressing the contestants, Ambassador Stafford described them as
>Ambassadors of Peace and determined “queens”. He said, he was impressed
>with the way
>and manner the “queens” were received by the Gambian people.
>
>He said it is a land mark history between the US and the Gambia. He said
>this described the strong historical, social and cultural relationship
>between
>the Gambia and United States.
>
>Speaking on behalf of the delegates, Ms. Kerin Arrington described the “
>queens” as beautiful, talented and intelligent. She said the beauty
>pageant is
>not meant to make participants celebrities, but they are here to link the
>Gambia and the United States. She emphasised that the arrival of the
>queens on
>this trip to The Gambia is a mark of history.
>
>The reception could be described as an interactive one. The Ambassador’s
>residence was decorated with all the flags of the states within the United
>States and the Gambian flag fluttered as well. The reception was opened by
>the
>national anthems of The Gambia and United States.
>
>U – 20 Team Final Selection 6 in 5 Out
>By Modou Nyang
>The final selection for the U – 20 have been made with six new players
>making the team and five others facing the axe.
>Most notable among the absentees from Coach Bonu Johnson’s 22 man
>selection,
>is team Captain Ken Malamin Jammeh who is dropped because of injury.
>Fringe
>players Habib Kunta, Demba Sanyang and Sarja Leigh also lead the exit door
>together with Pierre Gomez falling out of favour for the team’s Fifa U
>– 20
>World Cup party.
>Kebba Bah, Paul Jatta, Ebrima Jatta and Abdourahman Dampha gained entry
>into
>the team together with Abdou Jatta and goalkeeper Suruwa Bojang.
>They will join the other players who were part of the team during the
>African Youth Championship in Congo earlier this year. Coach Peter Bonu
>Johnson is
>supposed to travel with a team of 22 players including 3 goalkeepers to
>the
>Fifa U – 20 World Cup holding in Canada.
>The team is expected to leave for the UK for a three week training camp
>and
>then move to the US before their final destination in Toronto, Canada.
>They
>will play Mexico in their first game on July 2nd.
>
>Controversial Goal Gift Wallidan
>By Modou Nyang
>A 43rd minute controversial goal by Amadou Gaye earned Wallidan a vital
>win
>against Sait Matty at the Serrekunda East grounds on Sunday.
>The leggy Wallidan striker broke through and slipped the ball under the
>keeper into the bottom post of the Sait Matty goal just as the first half
>was
>about to end. The goal sent the Sait Matty bench wild as they protested to
>the
>linesman for not ruling Gaye offside.
>Elsewhere Hawks continued their poor form as they threw a 2 goal advantage
>to level with division 1 strugglers Seaview FC at the Serrekunda West
>grounds.
> Seaview cancelled one goal in each half to register a remarkable
>comeback
>against the FA Cup holders.
>And on Saturday Gamtel drew one all with Steve Biko at the Independence
>Stadium in Bakau and Real de Banjul inflicted a one goal defeat to Armed
>Forces
>deepening further the woes of the Soldiers. The match between Bakau United
>and
>Ports Authority did not proceed.
>
>2nd Division Week Six Roundup
>By Modou Nyang
>In week six of the GFA second division matches on Friday, Interior FC drew
>2
>all against Tallinding United whilst Samger and Kaira Silo fired blanks.
>Brikama United hammered Jambanjelly FC 3-0. Serrekunda East FC knocked Ham
>Ham
>3-1 and Nema United picked up their first win by edging past Young
>Africans by
>a lone goal.
>The game between Ham Ham and Serrekunda East witnessed a tough battle at
>the
>Serrekunda West grounds. Serrekunda East took the lead in the 11th minute
>when Ham Ham keeper Dam Jaye failed to handle properly allowing the ball
>to
>slip into his net. Ham Ham came back into the game when Pa Omar Nyang
>scored
>from the penalty spot as they fought to avoid defeat in their own ground.
>But the Easterners forced their way back into the lead in the 67th minute
>through a penalty when Ham Ham’s Alagie Baker was adjudged to have
>handled the
>ball. Assan Njie made no mistake as he sent Dam Jaye flying in the wrong
>side. And as Ham Ham struggle to get back into the game central defender
>Assan
>Njie gifted Modou Worry Jallow in the 84th minute to seal the day for
>Serrekunda East.
>
>JARRA CENTRAL, JARRA EAST GET NEW CHIEFS
>By Yaya Dampha
>The people of Jarra Central have a new chief in the person of Mr. Momodou
>L.
>Ceesay, the APRC candidate in the last National Assembly elections.
>
>Mr. Momodou L. Ceesay was appointed Chief of the District on Friday 25 May
>2007. He received his appointment letter when he was invited by the
>Regional
>Governor, Mr. Momodou Soma Jobe, to a meeting in Jappineh. His predecessor
>Alhagie Haruna Sabally who is yet to receive his letter of retirement was
>elected Chief since the first Republic when he defeated Mr. Sheik Burama
>Dampha in
>1978. He succeeded Seyfo Bakary Dampha of Jappineh. When contacted, the
>Governor of LRR said Mr. Sabally is retired because of old age. He said at
>the
>time of his retirement, Haruna was the oldest chief in the country.
>Governor
>Jobe noted that up till Saturday 26 May, Haruna could not be given his
>letter
>because he is not yet seen. Sources close to Haruna say he has travelled.
>
>In another development Mr. Ansumana Kanagie who works at the Department of
>Technical Services in Mansakonko is appointed Head Chief of Jarra East. He
>has
>succeeded Mr. Alhagie Fafanding Darboe of Jarra Pakaliba who has been the
>Chief for Jarra East since the first Republic.
>
>Mr. Kanagie got his letter of appointment on Friday through the Governor
>of
>LRR. It was the same day that Mr. Darboe got his retirement letter. When
>contacted the Governor LRR, Momodou Soma Jobe, confirmed the appointment
>of Mr.
>Kanagie. He said this happened because Fafanding Darboe has been having
>poor
>health for the past two years.
>
>COMIUM JOINS THE TELECOMMUNICATION ARENA
>COMIUM Gambia Ltd was on Saturday 26 May inaugurated by the President of
>the
>Republic. In his speech, President Jammeh indicated that in a bid to
>promote
> Telecommunications Technology, Gamtel and Gamcel have already embarked on
>a
>new wireless communications programme aimed at promoting easy access to
>digital facilities as well or the enhancement of the International Gateway
>VSAT
>facilities. The President indicated that he is informed that COMIUM Gambia
>Ltd
>will provides access to new and innovative mobile services with high
>quality
>coverage, affordable and accessible services to Gambians for both local and
>international calls.
>
>He also said that COMIUM will also introduce services such as GPRS which
>will give customers the opportunity to send e-mails and instant messages
>on
>their phones and provide services such as multimedia messaging (MMS) to
>allow
>customers to send voice pictures and video over the network with ring back
>tones, and ringing tones.
>
>On her part, the Secretary of State for Communications and Information
>Technology Mrs. Neneh Macdouall-Gaye indicated that the launching of this
>GSM
>operator is another milestone in the communications sector that
>complements the
>efforts and policy objective of her Department of State in a bid to
>implement
>the National Information and Communication Infrastructure Policy.
>
>SoS Gaye said that COMIUM was granted a cellular licence in May 2006 to
>provide mobile and internet services, and that having a third GSM operator
>will
>give more choices to customers and encourage competition which has great
>benefit such as costs reduction, better service delivery and innovative
>ideas.
>
>On his part, the Managing Director of COMIUM Mr. Amer Atwi said COMIUM
>will
>offer Gambians the widest range of value-added services, the most
>efficient
>and the highest quality coverage The Gambia has ever experienced. He said
>they
>will be the first to provide coverage to the entire country.
>
>Mr. Atwi said entering a new market is always a challenge and they have
>already enjoyed good challenges. He said increased competition means more
>choices
>and therefore higher standards of service.
>
>The inauguration ceremony was characterized by dancing and drumming. It
>was
>colourful event.
>
>TWO DROWN AS BOAT CAPSIZES
>By Musa Barrow
>Reports coming from Wuli indicate that two youths from the Village of Jah
>Kunda drowned after the boat which was ferrying them capsized.
>
>Kalley Danjo and Kawu Danjo, who come from the same family, died on
>Wednesday 16th May 20 at Limban-mbulu river crossing point and were laid
>to rest on
>the same day.
>
>The Danjo brothers left their home early that morning apparently on the
>search for “palm rope” which is used for tightening the roof of
>thatched huts
>and other domestic purposes.
>
>Reports further indicate that when the two brothers reached the river
>crossing point, they attempted to cross by using a locally made canoe, and
>it was
>this venture that claimed their lives.
>
>Kalley Danjo who is the elder of the two and believed to be in his early
>30s
>is survived by two children and a wife. He has also been described as a
>person who was highly respected by his colleagues and elders.
>Kawn is said to be in his 20’s.
>
>Several attempts have been made by Foroyaa speak to the police PRO on this
>case, he but could not shed light on the matter.
>
>FOCUS ON POLITICS
>1981 POLITICAL CRISIS
>JAWARA HELICOPTERED TO BANJUL, DID HE LEARN NEW LESSONS?
>With Suwaibou Touray
>We have been focusing on politics in general. This motivates us to analyse
>the trend of politics from the pre-colonial to post colonial era. We have
>started reviewing the happenings of July 30th 1981 crisis which we said
>was a
>crisis of monumental proportions. In the last issue, we have stopped where
>we
>said the estimated number of casualties stood at hundreds dead and many
>more
>wounded. Let us continue from where we have stopped.
>
>Gambians abroad particularly the educated elites in Britain demonstrated
>after two days of the crisis against the intervention of Senegal in what
>they
>called the internal affairs of The Gambia.
>
>According to BBC reports, Gambians staged a protest procession at The
>Gambia
>High Commission in London demanding for the immediate withdrawal of
>Senegalese troops from The Gambian soil.
>
>Kukoi who had once aspired to be a priest must have been shocked after
>realising the number of people killed and wounded as well as the
>destruction of
>property. This must have motivated his mind not to carry out his threats
>to
>kill his hostages. He also did not order any killing of top bureaucrats.
>According to Foroyaa, even though Kukoi and his men were in control of the
>Pipeline
>area for days, their feeling was that he might have had good intentions
>but
>wrong ideas.
>
>However speculation had it that Kukoi had eliminated the two Senegalese
>combatants, he had earlier captured. At this stage, Kukoi who felt the
>battle had
>been lost, left the as the radio announcement continued, at a time when a
>lot of his combatants were still armed waiting for further instructions.
>Many
>also believed Kukoi’s insinuation when he continued to call on the world
>socialist community to help in arresting the Senegalese aggression. In so
>doing,
>Guinea Bissau was constantly mentioned as the closest socialist country
>that
>was expected to send troops. It became clearer as hours passed by and
>Kukoi’s
>voice steadily receded into oblivion that their intervention was a dream.
>Little did they know that Kukoi had infact gone for good. He had gone when
>his
>combatants such as Mustapha Danso and others were in hiding. They had to
>retire from the woods. Mustapha Danso who was already sentenced to death
>but was
>yet to be hanged was one such person who was released from prison to
>fight. He
>was later executed by firing squad according to a radio announcement.
>With the airport, the Bakau Barracks, radio Gambia and Banjul secured, and
>the Senegalese tanks stationed at Denton Bridge near the baobab trees with
>their turrets pointing at each direction, Sir Dawda could also finally
>come from
>Senegal.
>
>According to The Gambia Outlook, Sir Dawda was introduced to the pilots of
>the Senegalese Air force by President Abdou Diouf before he boarded a
>helicopter to Banjul. He was met by the then Vice President, Mr. Assan
>Musa Camara
>plus some dignitaries, escorted by Senegalese troops.
>
>According to The Gambia Outlook, nobody believed that Jawara had entered
>the
>country. The PPP was said to have organised a private meeting at their
>bureau which Jawara attended, amid heavy Senegalese troop presence.
>
>What Next?
>The first thing Jawara must logically do was to consolidate his position
>after the uprising. This can only be done when there is no remaining
>threat or
>remnants of resistance. Immediately, people began to see machinery in
>operation. In Brikama, Chief Sanjally Bojang, Mr. Dembo Jatta, a cabinet
>Minister and
>other PPP militants could be seen with Senegalese soldiers engaged in
>house
>to house searches. It amazed many people to see especially them to engage
>in
>such a rigorous search considering the pronouncements they had earlier on
>made during the heat of the struggle. Many young people who simply moved
>on the
>streets attempting to pass through Senegalese troops check points as if
>nothing out of the ordinary happened got themselves arrested on mere
>suspicion.
>The searches and arrests continued unabated in all the towns across the
>country
>and even in remote villages.
>
>According to The Gambia Outlook, many Field Force personnel were rounded
>up,
>tied up, huddled together like sardines in tin and only in their
>underpants
>and dumped together at both the Bakau Depot and several police stations.
>At
>the Police Headquarters in Banjul, the cells were said to be overcrowded
>with
>detainees, some were said to have suffocated to death.
>
>The second thing that was done to consolidate the president’s grip was
>to
>establish a state of emergency. The Attorney General and Minister of
>Justice,
>Honourable M.L Saho swiftly convened an emergency parliament to ratify the
>Emergency Powers Act which was unanimously carried by the house.
>
>Immediately after the meeting it was announced that two members of the
>house
>were absent, Mr. S.M Dibba and Mr. Gibou Jagne, all of the main opposition
>NCP party. They were arrested. It was also announced that a Mr. Mbye was
>also
>said to be in detention in connection with similar offences. This was what
>effectively laid to rest the rumour of the NCP leaders’ arrest and
>detention.
>Mr. Cheyassin Secka NLP leader was also arrested and detained, which was
>said
>not to be in connection with the crisis.
>With the state of emergency imposed throughout the country, Gambians had
>most of their normal freedoms curtailed. Anybody could be arrested under
>any
>pretext. In less than two weeks after the battle dust had settled, over
>1000
>people had been arrested and detained. The foreign media criticized the
>Government for the terrible conditions of detainees but M.L Saho; the
>Attorney
>General dismissed outside reports and said it was made by a few misguided
>individuals in some foreign countries.
>
>With the swelling of detainees in detention centres, the BBC criticized
>the
>government for disallowing detainees to seek for legal counsels. At this
>stage, the detainees had reached over a thousand people. Many opposition
>elements
>described it as revenge or vendetta against them to cow them.
>
>According to records, Jawara himself was so overwhelmed with the number of
>detainees and therefore had to comment. He said the condition of detainees
>was
>made difficult because of their number. He then allowed lawyers to go to
>the
>detention centres to make their services available to detainees. What
>Jawara
>may not have known was that his militants and so many other people who
>wanted to be close to him made it their duty to report all those who were
>supporting the opposition. This was why people like Muhamadou Jobarteh,
>detainee No
>721 and more than twenty other NCP supporters of Brifu in the Wuli District
>were arrested. Alhagi Tobaye Touray of Fatoto detainee No. 814 was
>arrested.
>Some elders were said to have died during the detention. These reports
>could not
> have been mentioned by the papers during the state of emergency for fear
>of
>arrest. The situation was made so chaotic that the president ordered for
>quick preliminary scrutiny of cases and people who were in no way culpable
>could
>be released to reduce the swelling of the detention centres. By about the
>17th of August 1981, the president had released over 91 detainees who were
>not
>found in any way connected to the uprising but were reported by people who
>considered them enemies.
>
>The period had been succinctly captured by Sam Jones when he said,
>“Terror
>reigned in the hearts of many, fear of victimization, fear of
>intimidation,
>fear of losing the rights and privileges enshrined in the rules of
>democracy
>and so on reigned.”
>
>After a while, many were trying to relax their minds; that Jawara would
>not
>after all listen to opportunists who were advocating for “an eye for an
>eye”
>, “tooth for a tooth” principle. But by the 27th August, Sir Dawda’s
>axe
>fell on the following people; Chief Sanjally Bojang of Kombo Central
>District
>was dismissed. The reasons were not elaborated but many felt that his
>express
>support for the rebels or denunciation of Jawara’s regime was what led
>to his
>putsch. Mr. Dembo Jatta the then Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and
>Culture also lost his portfolio for what the Outlook called, “Yielding
>to the
>intimidating tactics of the revolutionaries.” Mr H.O Semega Janneh also
>had his
>job terminated on 9 September as Minister of Information and Tourism and
>replaced with Mr. B.B Darboe, the Member of Parliament of Kiang West. No
>reasons
>were advanced.
>
>Observers at the scene were of the view that the crisis must have taught a
>lesson to the president; that the slogan that one should not mind one’s
>enemies, but one’s so-called best friends is a misconception. According
>to Mr Sam
>Jones, “Sir Dawda by now knows that his enemies know nothing about him
>as much
>as his friends do.”
>
>See next issues as the country struggles to put behind the crisis
>
>
>
>
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