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From:  Pa Nderry M'bai <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To:  The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]>
To:  [log in to unmask]
Subject:  Bombshell at Observer; MD, Chief Editor Fired
Date:  Thu, 6 Oct 2005 17:48:03 -0700
>NEWS
>Bombshell at Observer; MD, Chief Editor Fired
>By Our Special Correspondent
>
>
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>October 6, 2005
>A bombshell was dropped at The Gambia's pro-government Newspaper, the
>Daily Observer on Wednesday, which left two casualties, as the paper's MD
>and it Chief editor were fired with immediate effect, The ALLGAMBIAN
>online Newspaper can confirm
>
>Observer MD Momodou Sanyang and Editor-in-Chief Lamin Cham both received
>their marching orders yesterday amidst reports that they offended
>President Jammeh and his government following their recent reportage of
>the "Economic operators meeting" which was held at the State House in
>Banjul.
>
>The observer which is widely said to be sympathetic to the Ruling APRC
>government reported Wednesday that the Chamber of Commerce meeting with
>Jammeh centred on the Gambia/Senegal looming border crisis, which
>according to the paper is having an adverse effect on Gambia's fragile
>economy. The paper went as far as quoting GCCI President Abdoulie Touray
>as saying that they discussed ways and means to find a lasting solution to
>the border crisis.
>
>According to sources, the said story was not well received by the paper's
>proprietors who wanted to treat whole affair under the carpet. Sources
>hinted that the sacked observer staffers were blamed by the paper's board
>of Directors, who accused them of trying to undermine Jammeh's government
>by publishing such a topical issue. One report also say previous attempts
>made by the State House Press officer Mam Sait Ceesay for the Observer
>reporter Ebrima Jaw Manneh to drop the story failed, as Editor-in-Chief
>Cham insisted in carrying the said economic piece, which angered the
>Gambian leader.
>
>Another theory linked to the sacking of Messrs Sanyang and Cham was their
>recent move to allow members of the opposition NADD to be heard through
>their paper. Sources say the paper's by election coverage was not welcome
>by Jammeh and his followers. The sacked observer officials said our
>sources, were cautioned by their employer(s) for some of the stories they
>carried about the opposition prior to their unceremonious dismissals.
>
>Meanwhile Dr. Saja Taal, a die-heart supporter of president Jammeh and one
>time permanent secretary and administrative secretary of the APRC was on
>Thursday named as the new managing director of the company. Dr. Taal who
>is also a political science lecturer at the University of The Gambia will
>assume office on Friday.
>
>Lamin Cham is one of the longest serving staff member of the Daily
>Observer. His sacking was greeted with big shock by observer local
>staffers. An insider at the paper told the AllGAMBIAN that both men
>received their sacking letters yesterday afternoon.
>
>"Momodou Sanyang, a program manager at the government controlled state
>television sent his messenger yesterday to our paper who asked management
>to give him a copy of the observer letter head. Few hours later, news
>emerged that MD Momodou Sanyang and Editor Lamin Cham have been fired.
>Everybody in the office is shocked." said the Daily Observer insider.
>
>GRTS'S Momodou Sanyang who is also the Daily Observer deputy board
>chairman was said to have been asked by the President Yahya Jammeh to help
>Taal in overseeing the paper, which was one time owned by veteran Liberian
>journalist Kenneth Y Best. Sanyang said our sources, will be closely
>monitoring the paper's editorial staff, even though he will not be
>physically present at the Observer premises.
>
>Up to the time of going to press, both Cham and sacked MD Sanyang were not
>available for comments. Our reporter made several attempts to reach the
>two dismissed observer senior management members for comments without
>success.
>
>It would be recalled that the Observer, which was one time critical of the
>deposed PPP administration and the then military junta headed by Chairman
>Jammeh was purchased by prominent Gambian businessman Amadou Samba some
>couple of years ago. Many observer believed that Amadou was being used as
>a "front" by President Jammeh to purchase the country's only daily
>Newspaper. Jammeh who had never hidden his hatrate for the private press
>is a close friend and associate of Amadou Samba. Government sources even
>went on to say that " Amdou had since stopped managing the affairs of the
>Observer as ruling party officials had taken charge of the daily paper."
>Our sources added "Amadou don't know what is going on at the Observer. The
>observer is answerable to the State House in Banjul. This is the reality.
>He helped Jammeh in purchasing the paper and had since finished with the
>observer." said an insider at the State House.
>
>Lamin Cham had now joined the list of Gambian journalists fired from the
>Observer, since the change of ownership. Former Observer fire brand News
>Editor Demba Ali Jawo, senior reporters, such as Alieu Badara Sowe and our
>own Chief Editor Pa Nderry M'Bai were all fired by then the new Observer
>management. Former Observer Editor-in-Chief Baba Galleh Jallow also
>resigned in protest and set up the Independent Newspaper together with his
>co-proprietor Alagi Yorro Jallow.
>
>Meanwhile, reporters working with the Observer have expressed their
>opposition to the sacking of their colleague Lamin Cham.
>
>
>
>Go To Top
>
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>
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