STATEMENT OF GPU PRESIDENT, NDEY TAPHA SOSSEH ON THE SIXTH (6^TH) ANNIVERSARY OF THE KILLING OF DEYDA HYDARA

THURSDAY DECEMBER 16, 2010

Colleagues and friends of the media, we are once again gathered here at the TANGO Hall to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the murder of our colleague, mentor, friend and brother journalist Deyda Hydara.

Today the Gambia Press Union, with support from the Media Rights Agenda has convened to not only honour the memory of Deyda Hydara but to also celebrate his life.

Some would be wondering why I say celebrate.  But Deyda’s is a life worth celebrating.  We should rejoice in the fact that Deyda Hydara will always be remembered as a courageous, steadfast and committed journalist. One who ascribed to the singular pursuit of truth, justice, transparency and accountability. He died a hero and a martyr to the cause of a free press for The Gambia.   

I remember having a conversation with Marie Pierre, Deyda’s daughter, sometime this year, when her father was being honoured by The African Editor’s Forum in Bamako, an in finding words to comfort her, I said “Marie Pierre, think of it this way, there are millions of people who have lived lives longer than your father, and after their passing, are remembered by those only close to them.  You father, Deyda Hydara, comes from a country of less than 2 million people, published a national newspaper, small in comparison to others outside The Gambia but is known in every country, by all media people all over the world.  He has been honoured and remembered by practically every aspect of international media fraternities and is used as an example of bravery and courage in our work.”

Obviously, when we think we think about the heinous way in which he was murdered, we are sad and our spirits dampened but I find solace in the fact that the intentions of those who brutally murdered Deyda Hydara, have failed miserably in their evil design to silence the voice of truth.  Their criminal act has in fact turned his voice into a universal voice of truth and a universal voice of condemnation of evil and injustice.

This however does not in any way stop us the media fraternity from denouncing the fact that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are yet to be brought to book.  And, to regrettably draw the attention of the State Authorities to the fact that unless and until the investigations are re-commenced with the intentions of tracing the perpetrators and of getting justice done, we will continue to register our stance against the overt or covert condoning of any form of impunity by our government.  We will also use this and other uninvestigated attacks on media practitioners as a benchmark for the state of freedom of expression in The Gambia.

Today, in honouring the memory of Deyda Hydara, the Union has chosen to look at technological developments and its impact on newspaper journalism.  I do believe that Deyda, had he been around would have been pondering this and coming up with wonderful proposals to protect, reform and re-vitalize the newspaper industry, I do sincerely hope that those of us around today, will do him justice by not only reflecting and coming up with possible solutions but by also using today’s forum to exchange ideas on new ways and approaches that the Union and its partners can use to ensure that we engage the State Authorities to uphold their responsibilities in stepping up efforts into investigations of the murder of Deyda Hydara in particular and on all pending cases relating to the assaults on journalists and media houses.

I also call on the GPU membership, civil society groups and all Gambians of conscience who have joined us at the TANGO Hall, Kanifing to join the family of the late Deyda Hydara in prayer.

To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤