In 2004, Lamin Waa Juwara of the Opposition National Democratic Action Movement Party NDAM, informed the Point Newspaper that his life was threatened by people posing as NIA officers. Waa intimated that the men wanted to abduct and kill him. But thanks to his gallant NDAM supporters, the assassination attempt was quelled. They insisted that "Mbarodi" was not going to move an inch and that they placed their lives on the line if the alleged NIA abductors should behave otherwise. I remember the late Deyda Hydara talking to Waa on the phone and expressed concerned about the state of affairs. As a matter of fact, Deyda, condemned the alleged plans to kill waa in his "teeth Bite column" He urged Gambians to nurture our cherished peace. In short, he said killing of political opponents was not the solution to the country's economic and political woes. Hydara urged the Jammeh administration to be tolerant and uphold the rule of law. JAMMEH SILENCE OVER DEYDA'S DEATH Decent and democratic leaders will always condemn such barbaric act. But president Yahya Jammeh have not demonstrated this. He had been silence over Deyda's death. To say that the police have condemned it is not enough. Gambians are eager to hear what their president will say about this horrific incident. May be his government is implicated. That is why he is reluctant to comment on the issue? Whatever, the case might be Gambians will know those behind this cowardly act one day. Jammeh had always perceived the private press as illegitimate sons of Africa. Such a leader will do everything to undermine the patriotic sons and daughters of Africa trying to advocate for press freedom and democracy. He always used the word patriotism, when he doesn't practise it. If Jammeh was patriotic as he claimed, he wouldn't have used violence to topple the democratically elected government of Jawara. When you joined the military, you sworn to defend and uphold Gambia's constitution. But due to greed and ignorance you and other junior officers of the Gambian army decided to stage a coup against the PPP administration. TERROR CAMPAIGN AGAINST JOURNALISTS Just recently, a prominent opposition figure in the person Hamat Bah, named two or three state Guards personnel as being allegedly responsible for the arson attacks on the Independent Newspaper. The government have not done anything to arrest those responsible for this barbaric act. Instead, it tried to down play Mr.Bah's claims. Whether they like or not these implicated soldiers will face justice one day. The crime they are linked to is a serious one, which cannot go unpunished. The regime had repeatedly targeted the Point and the Independent Newspaper for persecution. Arresting and fire bombing media houses in the country. The hands of Jammeh and his tyrannical regime are stained with blood and its time to seek repentance before it is too late. Gambians will not forget the persecution they suffered from Jammeh's Gambian / Libyan trained thugs. WHY WAS ARMY CHIEF VINCENT JATTA FIRED FROM THE ARMY? Jammeh is good at diverting public attention when such horrific things happerned. Vincent was sacked few days after Deyda's death. It is widely claimed that Vincent protested Deyda's killing and vowed to resign from the army if the killings should continue. Apparently according to highly placed sources, the former Army chief is placed on constant surveillance. Gambians should not be surprised if Vincent is arrested and placed on bogus charges. We do know that the autopsy report on Deyda's death had indicates the mark of the bullets which was used to kill the journalist. The Gambian army should conduct an inventory now to establish the owners of the guns. WHY WAS DEYDA KILLED? Shortly after the Independent Newspaper arson attack, a former senior soldier came to our office to indicate that he recognised the pistol which was used by the arsonists to burn down the independent Newspaper. According to the former soldier, the pistol was a "French Mark" which was used by the Gambian Army and the then TSG. He said if proper inventory is conducted the perpetrator(s) of the Independent arson attack will be apprehended. Upon receiving this patriotic ex soldier in my office, i informed Deyda who insisted that the man's assertions should be published. In an interview, the former soldier also criticised the police crime coordinator for touching the pistol with his hands, while at the scene of the crime. The soldier said the CMC failed to apply basic investigative techniques to probe the incident. He argued that the CMC should have used a plastic cover to touch the gun. By touching the pistol with his hands, said the soldier will discredit future investigations. He cited the possible way of erasing the finger prints of the perpetrators by the CMC. He was very right. You don't need to go a detective school to know these basic things. But for whatever reasons, these fundamental investigative procedures were ignored. Our paper ran the soldier's story, but there was no denial from the side of the government. The former soldier went as far as saying that if he was in the military he will trace the perpetrators. What type of government do we have back home? Its time to end the culture of gun happy soldiers. Nobody is safe in today's Gambia. _________________________________________________________________ Don't just search. Find. 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