From http://www.observer.gm Editorial What a shame! By DO Apr 14, 2004, 13:50 We condemn in the strongest terms the fire attack on the printing press of The Independent newspaper Monday night which gutted the facility as is adequately captured in our front page lead story today. The attack deserves our condemnation because it will sully the image of the Gambia as a tolerant and democratic state. Further, the attack is another hard blow against the institution of press freedom in this country. The attack is all the more scary because it is not the first of its kind against this particular paper, and it is also one of several against the media in this country. In 2000, the studios of Radio One FM was attacked and partly destroyed. Luckily, that did not keep it off air for long, thanks to public support. Therefore, the Police are challenged to catch up with the perpetrators of this most recent attack. No stone should be left unturned in their effort to find those involved in the attack and make sure that they are brought to justice. The Press is a pivotal pillar in any democratic state. Any person or group that feels that we can have democracy without a free and vibrant press is living in delusion. The Press should be allowed to do its work without hindrance. Those who see the Press as a threat should mollify their opinion and instead see it as a partner in the quest for national development. The private Press is employing Gambians, bringing in foreign exchange, paying taxes to the State and nourishing our democracy; it therefore deserves respect and support from all Gambians. This is why no one should see the press in the myopic lens of what they write or broadcast, it is an industry which if nourished would help to bring about a better Gambia. Such attacks will not deter journalists. It will embolden them, revitalise their spirit to do their calling even more firmly and give them much deserved public sympathy. This is why such attacks are self defeating. This attack has given a bad name to the reputation of the country, and has once again reminded Gambians that while some are working hard to gather, others are ready to scatter. © Copyright 2003 by Observer Company --------------------------------------------- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~