>From: Joe Sambou <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list              <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: As media houses come under criticism >Date: Tue, 9 Nov 2004 20:50:24 +0000 > >Sanusi, I am surprised that the Point and Independent newspapers >fall for >this trap.  The Independent especially, after being firebombed twice >by >Jammeh's agents.  Now they are standing in line, hat in hand to join >the >corrupting of Gambia.  Thus, they were paying lip service to >everything they >said about the corruption that is Jammeh.  If they can accept bags >of rice >and sugar, what will they do if offered a car, or tractor, etc.?   >How come >they did not ask Jammeh where he get the money to buy the sugar and >rice? >You see how quickly their credibility is shattered when they go >counter >their principles, or do they even have principles in the first >place?  To >hide behind Ramadan is really a new low.  Kudos to Foroyaa for >refusing to >be corrupted.  The Independent and the Point need to tell Gambians >why they >willingly dined with the devil incarnate.  They have shown us that >they can >be bought and sold, when the price is right.  In this case a few >bags of >rice and sugar did the trick.  Gambians should not be surprise >should it >come out that some of these same media practitioners are on the take >with >Jammeh behind close doors.  This is pathetic. > >Chi Jaama > >Joe > > >Media Receive Jammeh's Ramadan Package > > >The Independent (Banjul) > >November 8, 2004 >Posted to the web November 8, 2004 > >Ahmed Carayol >Banjul > >A groundswell of the country's media fraternity Friday received >gifts of >rice and sugar from President Jammeh, as part of his countrywide >goodwill >Ramadan package to all Gambians. Media houses from the Daily >Observer, The >Point to The Independent, News and Report and Foroyaa received ten >bags of >sugar and ten bags of rice each from State House, whose Director of >Press >and Public Relations was on hand to formally hand over the items to >media >representatives. > >Marcel Thomasi said, Jammeh's Ramadan overtures to the media was >being >guided by his honest interest in the well being of every Gambian >irrespective of their political beliefs or persuasions. Mr. Thomasi >quoted >the Gambian leader (who is away on Umrah in Saudi Arabia) as saying >that the >gifts in question should be made available to all members of the >country's >media without undue discrimination and precondition. "It is his own >way of >sharing and caring for entire Gambian populace irrespective of their >political convictions," he said of the president's overture. > >One of the editors was Thursday informed by Mr. Thomasi of the >president's >intention to donate ten bags of sugar and the same amount of rice >bags to >The Independent. > >Relevant Links > >West Africa >Religion >Press and Media >Gambia > > > >In their reaction, the editors of the paper said since President >Jammeh was >extending a charitable hand to them in good faith, they were >accepting his >offer in good faith and expressed gratitude and goodwill in like >manner to >the Gambian leader. > >Swaebou Conateh, Proprietor and Editor-in-Chief of News and Report >Magazine >expressed appreciation to President Jammeh for the kind gesture, >noting that >although our ethnics stood in the way of accepting gifts, it is a >gesture >that needs to be welcomed in the spirit of Ramadan. > > > > > > >>From: Sanusi Owens <[log in to unmask]> >>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list >><[log in to unmask]> >>To: [log in to unmask] >>Subject: Re: As media houses come under criticism >>Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2004 18:58:29 +0000 >> >>Joe >> >>I agree with you. This is a big blunder by UNCLE Swaebou Conateh. I >>think >>this man should have used this occasion to challenge Jammeh after >>various >>arsonists attacks against the Independent Newspaper. Hamat Bah has >>disclosed the wo soldiers who committed that the last arson attack >>against >>an Independent Newspaper. >> >>Sad to read that Marcel Thomasi was doing the spin work. The Gambia >>Government has a lot of questions pertaining to the harassment of >>the >>media. I would prefer if the Government come clean on the arsonist >>attacks >>. >> >>Sanusi >>. >>Joe Sambou <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >>All, what on earth has gotten to some of the private houses to >>partake in >>Jammeh's corrupting of Gambians with his stolen loot? Is this a >>window in >>the minds of these journalists? How can they continue to be >>independent if >>they agree to be corrupted? Their behavior suggests that as long as >>the >>gifts from Jammeh goes to them, then it's ok. They need to be >>embarrassed >>and it is an insult to our collective intelligence for them to hide >>behind >>Ramadan for their miserly behavior. This is unbelievable!! Please >>read on. >> >> >>As media houses come under criticism >>Foroyaa reject Jammeh’s gift >>By Ebrima Jaw Manneh & Yusuf Ceesay >>Nov 8, 2004, 08:24 >> >>Email this article >>Printer friendly page >> >>Foroyaa, a bi-weekly newspaper has rejected President Jammeh’s >>recent >>donation of Ramadan gifts to media houses. >> >>Commenting on their stand, Halifa Sallah, a board member of the >>Foroyaa >>news >>paper said President Jammeh should have given the rice and sugar to >>the >>poor >>and needy and not media houses. He argued that government should >>have >>explained to the media how the gifts were acquired, quoting section >>207 >>which states that “the media is empowered to monitor and promote >>the >>transparency and accountability for the betterment of the nation.” >>He accused the government of being responsible for the “extreme >>poverty in >>the country,” adding that a civil servant who receives D1,500 >>monthly >>cannot >>live on a kilo of meat a day. >> >>“It is better for the government if people feed themselves on a >>permanent >>basis than to give out charity,” he said. >>In a related development, media houses have come under strong >>condemnation >>following their acceptance of Ramadan gifts from President Jammeh >>on >>Friday. >> >>According to critics, media houses should not have accepted the >>gift of 160 >>bags of rice and sugar as it is against the moral principles of >>journalism. >> >>“Journalists must never take gifts. I am confused by the remarks >>made by >>Swaebou Conateh that the gifts were given in the spirit of the >>religion. He >>was trying to sugar the whole thing. If people like him who are >>looked on >>to >>as the doyens of Gambian journalism could just speak like that, I >>am >>surprised. All I can say is a gift is just a gift,” one critic >>said. >> >>Another critic who spoke to the Daily Observer said: “I am >>surprised that >>the people we call veteran journalists are using the name of >>Ramadan to >>justify their wrongs. By accepting these gifts, they have >>endangered the >>independence and neutrality of the media. They have blundered.” >> >>_________________________________________________________________ >>FREE pop-up blocking with the new MSN Toolbar – get it now! >>http://toolbar.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200415ave/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 >> >>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> >> >>--------------------------------- >>Do you Yahoo!? >>  Check out the new Yahoo! 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