Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue Issue No. 47/2004, 14-16 June, 2004 Editorial Imam Abdoulie Jobe’s Message To The Living A Torch Of Tolerance, Reason And Modesty Has Ceased To Shine People who came to pay their condolence did not go to a high storey building to pay their last respect. Imam Jobe was in a position to amass wealth but he did not. He was among the first to go to the Arab world. He was literate in English and Arabic. He was a very bright scholar. He took part in intellectual discussions very freely. People who witnessed his discussions some fifteen years ago could hardly take him for a religious scholar. He could discuss mundane issues as he did spiritual issues. He was invited to every workshop where the opinions of elders were sought. He continued to respond without hesitation until illness made it impossible for him to move about freely. Imam Jobe could have the oil wealth of the Arab world at the most advantageous period to be a multi millionaire. He could have mystified himself as a writer and religious scholar in order to receive money from followers. Imam Jobe only struggled to have what was necessary to have self-respect and continued to live a simple and good life. Even though he became physically infirm he was mentally alert up to the day that he was carried to his grave. Halifa Sallah had more than an hour’s discussion with him when he could hardly utter audible words. One could read in his shining eyes that he was concerned about the future of this country. He emphasized that the nations leaders should have a national conference to discuss peace and reconciliation. This was in line with his character. He was a man of peace and tolerance. He worked for peace and tolerance to prevail between Muslims and Christians. This is why he left a Mosque standing opposite a Catholic Church not as a sign of rivalry but as a sign of tolerance of religious diversity. We hope the lessons he has given on religious tolerance will filter down to all levels of Gambian society so that as a result of respect and tolerance of diversity peace can be built and preserved. Foroyaa pays tribute to this great sy! mbol of modesty, reason and tolerance. Rest in peace!! Halifa’s Letter to the Director GRTS The media is a tool. How it is utilized will either enhance our fundamental rights and freedom of expression or subject them to abuse. Very recently, the media has been under great pressure in the name of combating unprofessional conduct. The media however is a horse that robber barons or the just may ride. Those who have the capacity to display maturity and decency are those who are fit to utilize the media. The purpose of addressing this letter to you is to caution you on the use of the public media. Section 208 of the Constitution states that “All state owned newspapers, journals, radio and television shall afford fair opportunities and facilities for the presentation of divergent views and dissenting opinion”. Section 207 subsection (3) adds that “The press and other information media shall, at all times, be free to uphold the principles, provisions and objectives of this Constitution, and the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people of The Gambia.” You would agree with me that the quickest way to drive a government into a state of disrepute is to convey messages that are at variance with the truth. The media must ensure that it is not a collaborator in distorting the truth. For your information we have reliably learnt that the President had said somewhere in Wuli that Sidia and my humble self did not take oath at the National Assembly before taking our seats. This is utter fabrication. Needless to say, if it is broadcast you must grant us the right to reply, failing which I will be left with no option but to take GRTS to court to get redress. If the President had sought legal advice he would have been informed of Standing Order No. 3 of the Procedures of the National Assembly, which states categorically that “No member of the Assembly shall sit or vote therein, save for the purpose of electing a Speaker, until he or she has taken and subscribed the oath of allegiance.” All members of the National Assembly have taken oath: The President is in error to state the contrary. It is therefore hoped that you will not hesitate to grant us airtime to state our opinion on his statements once they are broadcast over Radio and TV. While anticipating your maximum cooperation I remain yours in the service of the nation. Halifa Sallah. AS NOMINATION DRAWS NEAR ANOTHER WAVE OF ARRESTS IN JARRA WEST CONSTITUENCY As the date for the nomination of candidates for the Jarra West constituency by elections draws near and the fact that the ruling APRC cannot convince credible Jarrankas to apply on an APRC ticket, the people in the hometown of the former majority leader Baba K. Jobe are facing Police arrest. Saturday afternoon five men were arrested by the Police in Soma. According to Seedy Jobe one of the arrestees, they were picked up by the Police from their homes and taken to Soma Police Station were Mr. Kawsu Fofana and Afang Buramanding Fofana were already detained unknowingly to them. Upon arrival they were told to be the people behind the unpopularity of the APRC and in this regard they were causing hardship for the party to run in this coming by election. He said they are also accused of discouraging those who had the intension of coming as a candidate. Mr. Kawsu Fofana is accused of insulting the Minister and his delegation who were going around many times from village to village. Also they are said to accuse Kawsu of insulting the President. The five arrested are Mr. Kawsu Fofana, Alpha Jarah Jobe, Seedy Jobe, Nfamara Lang Jobe and Afang Buramanding Fofana. Kawsu is the only person who is put behind bars. All the other four were asked to go home and later report by 6:00 am the same day. When I contacted the Police and asked for the offence or crime that this people were charge of, they referred me to their P.R.O who could not be reached for comments. Kawsu Fofana who is a nephew of Baba Jobe is an out spoken person within this community and he has never hide his support for the coalition comes this by election. Many other youths from other parts of Jarra West told me that even with this arrest they will never cast their votes for the APRC. The wife and other family members of the arrestees were seen around the Police Station in Soma. Up to the time of reporting, Kawsu Fofana was still in Police custody in Soma. And the others were also back to the station but they were told to sit and wait. According to unconfirmed reports those arrested are said to have threatened to beat former commissioner Momodou Soma Jobe for speaking at the meeting in Soma. Mr. Jobe spoke at the President’s dialogue with the people tour in Soma where he was quoted to have said: “before one respects the Jammeh government, you wait until you are appointed to a post and later dismissed”. He said if president Jammeh dismisses anyone from his government that person becomes useless in society. Those arrested were said to have confronted Momodou Soma Jobe for his statement. Many doubt if Soma Jobe could continue to live amicably with his families and relatives after causing them to be locked in Police cells. Floods Begin In KMC Again The normal floods that had been occurring in compounds and streets along the Westfield – Mandinaba road, for the past three years started again, following the first major rain of the 2004 season on the 10th June. Immediately after the rains this reporter went out and was able to see people in compounds and streets laying blocks and old tyres as steps. When Foroyaa spoke to them as to what forms of remedy they thought was best to address the situation, the inhabitants first and foremost, accused the directorate of technical services of abdicating their responsibility to the society. They added that it has been three years since the start of the Westfield – Mandinaba highway project; that year after year they have been lamenting on the need for the creation of a better drainage system on the west side of the road leading to the Westfield and Abuko end; that year after year the Technical Services Department will promise to address the situation. Foroyaa tried to talk to the Director of Technical Services but he could not be reached. NO PROVINCIAL BUS SERVICE FOR A WEEK NOW Passengers travelling by GPTC buses are seriously stranded in town due to lack of provincial services. The problem arose in the wake of the President’s Dialogue With The People Tour, where most of the buses have been deployed. GPTC who claimed to have, and can provide enough bus service to every corner of this country are today without bus services for the provinces. Passengers who complained to this reporter said that the reason for their travelling by GPTC buses is because of the bad condition of the road and the safety of the journey. They indicated that it is very unsafe to travel by ‘Gele-Gele’ van to Basse on such roads in bad condition. Other passengers spoke about the surprise move; that such a move should have been announced over the national media so that passengers will not waste their time to come all the way to the depot only to be told that there is no service for the provinces. One Momodou Jallow, a businessman living in Brikama said since he was told there is no bus on Monday he decided to go through Barra to Kuntaur and cross to Barajally, then proceed to Brikama Ba. He said that this journey cost him a lot of money; that despite this, he is on his second trip and he will use the same route with many of his colleagues this time. At the depot, our reporter met a young man from Janjangbureh. He indicated that since 1988 he has been a regular traveller on GPTC buses until he was officially recognised by the management; that he was recommended to have a bus pass which he uses when travelling by GPTC buses and changes it every 3 months; that from 1992 to 1996 there were more than 15 services operating in the provinces different from those in the Greater Banjul Area. He lamented of the present poor services. That there is only one bus service operating from different ends of the country. The director was contacted for comment but it was indicated to the reporter that he was on tour with the president. His assistant was also not available for comment. According to the Financial Director GPTC Mr. Demba Ndow who spoke on behalf of the Managing Director Mr. Jagne, said lack of buses for the provinces is not the fault of GPTC, but the bad condition of the road; that many passengers run away from Gele-Gele vans and join GPTC buses; that presently many buses went for contract and others are deployed for interstate services whilst some are running in the urban areas. Concerning the provincial services, Mr. Ndow said he couldn’t tell because there are people responsible for that area. He also highlighted that many buses are under maintenance and they will soon be ready. Mai Fatty Strikes Compromise With DPP The treason trial involving Abdoulie Sonko and the state resumed at the Banjul High Court before Justice M.A Paul with senior members of the Bar (namely Surahata Janneh, Antouman Gaye, Musa Bittaye and Ousainou Darboe) coming forward to defend Mai Fatty. However, the legal row over Mai Fatty’s eligibility to continue to appear for Abdoulie Sonko went into coma when the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Akimoyae Agim told the court that he was not objecting to Mai’s standing on the matter. The senior members of the Bar who were ready for a legal debate were left speechless and they had to walk out of the court room with some of them smiling. “Our position remain the same as we have informed the court at the last sitting. I would like to say that the appearance of learned counsel for the defence, not minding my information, is his right. The situation as it is, is optional for counsel to decide what to do. He has chosen to continue with his case. He has not been convicted of any crime. I have no objection,” DPP Agim remarked. Mai Fatty stood up to say that he was ready to proceed with his submissions in the light of his learned friends’ position. For his part, Justice Paul posited that it was done in the interest of the profession, noting that it was not anticipated that it would be blown out of proportion. Continuing his submissions on the judgment on the criminal code involving Ballow Kanteh and others sought to be tendered by the DPP, Mr. Fatty averred that Abdoulie Sonko is a stranger to the records sought to be tendered by the prosecution, whilst noting that judgment against strangers is irrelevant in a criminal proceeding. He said his client was not a party to that judgment and therefore he could not be bound by it, stressing that judgment is opinion evidence. Going further, the learned counsel noted that the judgment against Ballow Kanteh is hearsay in the light of the current proceedings. Continuing his submissions, counsel Fatty stated that the honourable court is concerned with what happened in that court, noting the records are extraneous before the issues in court. He said the material sought to be tendered by the prosecution is conclusive whilst in the present p! roceedings no determination has been made. Buttressing his point, Fatty made reference to Justice Hassan Jallow’s book on the law of evidence. He cited the penultimate paragraph of page 101. He submitted that hearsay is not admitted at all, noting that the authorities he cited has proven that hearsay is not admissible. “Assuming without conceiving those persons are not before this court for trial. It cannot be tendered for any purpose other than to show that accused person should follow a similar faith,” he remarked. He said the tendering of the documents is aimed at poisoning the mind of the court, which he said should not be entertained at all. He argued that it is prejudicial to admit such records as evidence in court. The case continues. Issue No. 47/2004, 14-16 June, 2004 Editorial Imam Abdoulie Jobe’s Message To The Living A Torch Of Tolerance, Reason And Modesty Has Ceased To Shine People who came to pay their condolence did not go to a high storey building to pay their last respect. Imam Jobe was in a position to amass wealth but he did not. He was among the first to go to the Arab world. He was literate in English and Arabic. He was a very bright scholar. He took part in intellectual discussions very freely. People who witnessed his discussions some fifteen years ago could hardly take him for a religious scholar. He could discuss mundane issues as he did spiritual issues. He was invited to every workshop where the opinions of elders were sought. He continued to respond without hesitation until illness made it impossible for him to move about freely. Imam Jobe could have the oil wealth of the Arab world at the most advantageous period to be a multi millionaire. He could have mystified himself as a writer and religious scholar in order to receive money from followers. Imam Jobe only struggled to have what was necessary to have self-respect and continued to live a simple and good life. Even though he became physically infirm he was mentally alert up to the day that he was carried to his grave. Halifa Sallah had more than an hour’s discussion with him when he could hardly utter audible words. One could read in his shining eyes that he was concerned about the future of this country. He emphasized that the nations leaders should have a national conference to discuss peace and reconciliation. This was in line with his character. He was a man of peace and tolerance. He worked for peace and tolerance to prevail between Muslims and Christians. This is why he left a Mosque standing opposite a Catholic Church not as a sign of rivalry but as a sign of tolerance of religious diversity. We hope the lessons he has given on religious tolerance will filter down to all levels of Gambian society so that as a result of respect and tolerance of diversity peace can be built and preserved. Foroyaa pays tribute to this great sy! mbol of modesty, reason and tolerance. Rest in peace!! Halifa’s Letter to the Director GRTS The media is a tool. How it is utilized will either enhance our fundamental rights and freedom of expression or subject them to abuse. Very recently, the media has been under great pressure in the name of combating unprofessional conduct. The media however is a horse that robber barons or the just may ride. Those who have the capacity to display maturity and decency are those who are fit to utilize the media. The purpose of addressing this letter to you is to caution you on the use of the public media. Section 208 of the Constitution states that “All state owned newspapers, journals, radio and television shall afford fair opportunities and facilities for the presentation of divergent views and dissenting opinion”. Section 207 subsection (3) adds that “The press and other information media shall, at all times, be free to uphold the principles, provisions and objectives of this Constitution, and the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people of The Gambia.” You would agree with me that the quickest way to drive a government into a state of disrepute is to convey messages that are at variance with the truth. The media must ensure that it is not a collaborator in distorting the truth. For your information we have reliably learnt that the President had said somewhere in Wuli that Sidia and my humble self did not take oath at the National Assembly before taking our seats. This is utter fabrication. Needless to say, if it is broadcast you must grant us the right to reply, failing which I will be left with no option but to take GRTS to court to get redress. If the President had sought legal advice he would have been informed of Standing Order No. 3 of the Procedures of the National Assembly, which states categorically that “No member of the Assembly shall sit or vote therein, save for the purpose of electing a Speaker, until he or she has taken and subscribed the oath of allegiance.” All members of the National Assembly have taken oath: The President is in error to state the contrary. It is therefore hoped that you will not hesitate to grant us airtime to state our opinion on his statements once they are broadcast over Radio and TV. While anticipating your maximum cooperation I remain yours in the service of the nation. Halifa Sallah. AS NOMINATION DRAWS NEAR ANOTHER WAVE OF ARRESTS IN JARRA WEST CONSTITUENCY As the date for the nomination of candidates for the Jarra West constituency by elections draws near and the fact that the ruling APRC cannot convince credible Jarrankas to apply on an APRC ticket, the people in the hometown of the former majority leader Baba K. Jobe are facing Police arrest. Saturday afternoon five men were arrested by the Police in Soma. According to Seedy Jobe one of the arrestees, they were picked up by the Police from their homes and taken to Soma Police Station were Mr. Kawsu Fofana and Afang Buramanding Fofana were already detained unknowingly to them. Upon arrival they were told to be the people behind the unpopularity of the APRC and in this regard they were causing hardship for the party to run in this coming by election. He said they are also accused of discouraging those who had the intension of coming as a candidate. Mr. Kawsu Fofana is accused of insulting the Minister and his delegation who were going around many times from village to village. Also they are said to accuse Kawsu of insulting the President. The five arrested are Mr. Kawsu Fofana, Alpha Jarah Jobe, Seedy Jobe, Nfamara Lang Jobe and Afang Buramanding Fofana. Kawsu is the only person who is put behind bars. All the other four were asked to go home and later report by 6:00 am the same day. When I contacted the Police and asked for the offence or crime that this people were charge of, they referred me to their P.R.O who could not be reached for comments. Kawsu Fofana who is a nephew of Baba Jobe is an out spoken person within this community and he has never hide his support for the coalition comes this by election. Many other youths from other parts of Jarra West told me that even with this arrest they will never cast their votes for the APRC. The wife and other family members of the arrestees were seen around the Police Station in Soma. Up to the time of reporting, Kawsu Fofana was still in Police custody in Soma. And the others were also back to the station but they were told to sit and wait. According to unconfirmed reports those arrested are said to have threatened to beat former commissioner Momodou Soma Jobe for speaking at the meeting in Soma. Mr. Jobe spoke at the President’s dialogue with the people tour in Soma where he was quoted to have said: “before one respects the Jammeh government, you wait until you are appointed to a post and later dismissed”. He said if president Jammeh dismisses anyone from his government that person becomes useless in society. Those arrested were said to have confronted Momodou Soma Jobe for his statement. Many doubt if Soma Jobe could continue to live amicably with his families and relatives after causing them to be locked in Police cells. Floods Begin In KMC Again The normal floods that had been occurring in compounds and streets along the Westfield – Mandinaba road, for the past three years started again, following the first major rain of the 2004 season on the 10th June. Immediately after the rains this reporter went out and was able to see people in compounds and streets laying blocks and old tyres as steps. When Foroyaa spoke to them as to what forms of remedy they thought was best to address the situation, the inhabitants first and foremost, accused the directorate of technical services of abdicating their responsibility to the society. They added that it has been three years since the start of the Westfield – Mandinaba highway project; that year after year they have been lamenting on the need for the creation of a better drainage system on the west side of the road leading to the Westfield and Abuko end; that year after year the Technical Services Department will promise to address the situation. Foroyaa tried to talk to the Director of Technical Services but he could not be reached. NO PROVINCIAL BUS SERVICE FOR A WEEK NOW Passengers travelling by GPTC buses are seriously stranded in town due to lack of provincial services. The problem arose in the wake of the President’s Dialogue With The People Tour, where most of the buses have been deployed. GPTC who claimed to have, and can provide enough bus service to every corner of this country are today without bus services for the provinces. Passengers who complained to this reporter said that the reason for their travelling by GPTC buses is because of the bad condition of the road and the safety of the journey. They indicated that it is very unsafe to travel by ‘Gele-Gele’ van to Basse on such roads in bad condition. Other passengers spoke about the surprise move; that such a move should have been announced over the national media so that passengers will not waste their time to come all the way to the depot only to be told that there is no service for the provinces. One Momodou Jallow, a businessman living in Brikama said since he was told there is no bus on Monday he decided to go through Barra to Kuntaur and cross to Barajally, then proceed to Brikama Ba. He said that this journey cost him a lot of money; that despite this, he is on his second trip and he will use the same route with many of his colleagues this time. At the depot, our reporter met a young man from Janjangbureh. He indicated that since 1988 he has been a regular traveller on GPTC buses until he was officially recognised by the management; that he was recommended to have a bus pass which he uses when travelling by GPTC buses and changes it every 3 months; that from 1992 to 1996 there were more than 15 services operating in the provinces different from those in the Greater Banjul Area. He lamented of the present poor services. That there is only one bus service operating from different ends of the country. The director was contacted for comment but it was indicated to the reporter that he was on tour with the president. His assistant was also not available for comment. According to the Financial Director GPTC Mr. Demba Ndow who spoke on behalf of the Managing Director Mr. Jagne, said lack of buses for the provinces is not the fault of GPTC, but the bad condition of the road; that many passengers run away from Gele-Gele vans and join GPTC buses; that presently many buses went for contract and others are deployed for interstate services whilst some are running in the urban areas. Concerning the provincial services, Mr. Ndow said he couldn’t tell because there are people responsible for that area. He also highlighted that many buses are under maintenance and they will soon be ready. Mai Fatty Strikes Compromise With DPP The treason trial involving Abdoulie Sonko and the state resumed at the Banjul High Court before Justice M.A Paul with senior members of the Bar (namely Surahata Janneh, Antouman Gaye, Musa Bittaye and Ousainou Darboe) coming forward to defend Mai Fatty. However, the legal row over Mai Fatty’s eligibility to continue to appear for Abdoulie Sonko went into coma when the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Akimoyae Agim told the court that he was not objecting to Mai’s standing on the matter. The senior members of the Bar who were ready for a legal debate were left speechless and they had to walk out of the court room with some of them smiling. “Our position remain the same as we have informed the court at the last sitting. I would like to say that the appearance of learned counsel for the defence, not minding my information, is his right. The situation as it is, is optional for counsel to decide what to do. He has chosen to continue with his case. He has not been convicted of any crime. I have no objection,” DPP Agim remarked. Mai Fatty stood up to say that he was ready to proceed with his submissions in the light of his learned friends’ position. For his part, Justice Paul posited that it was done in the interest of the profession, noting that it was not anticipated that it would be blown out of proportion. Continuing his submissions on the judgment on the criminal code involving Ballow Kanteh and others sought to be tendered by the DPP, Mr. Fatty averred that Abdoulie Sonko is a stranger to the records sought to be tendered by the prosecution, whilst noting that judgment against strangers is irrelevant in a criminal proceeding. He said his client was not a party to that judgment and therefore he could not be bound by it, stressing that judgment is opinion evidence. Going further, the learned counsel noted that the judgment against Ballow Kanteh is hearsay in the light of the current proceedings. Continuing his submissions, counsel Fatty stated that the honourable court is concerned with what happened in that court, noting the records are extraneous before the issues in court. He said the material sought to be tendered by the prosecution is conclusive whilst in the present p! roceedings no determination has been made. Buttressing his point, Fatty made reference to Justice Hassan Jallow’s book on the law of evidence. He cited the penultimate paragraph of page 101. He submitted that hearsay is not admitted at all, noting that the authorities he cited has proven that hearsay is not admissible. “Assuming without conceiving those persons are not before this court for trial. It cannot be tendered for any purpose other than to show that accused person should follow a similar faith,” he remarked. He said the tendering of the documents is aimed at poisoning the mind of the court, which he said should not be entertained at all. He argued that it is prejudicial to admit such records as evidence in court. The case continues. _________________________________________________________________ Stop worrying about overloading your inbox - get MSN Hotmail Extra Storage! http://join.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200362ave/direct/01/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~