Yero Thanks for disagreeing with me. In the past we have searched for things to disagree on, here we are now. Please do not see my take as a critic of Gainako, the paper has been fantastic and I regularly take issues with Demba where and when necessary and he I'll state loudly is the most skeptical editor around. Believe me, Demba seeks confirmations and second opinion on many things UDP, which I am personally very thankful of. Now coming to the issue at hand. Yero, you know more than any that, I standby all those aggrieved by Yahya and his thugs. And democracy is not about agreeing and smiling on every issue for the sake of it. That is deception and lying to oneself. You can make direct calls yourself to see if Mai biological father is alive or not. You may correct me, but please phone Sedia Jatta for numbers to important people in Wulli. And again, GMC is breath of fresh air, but with all due respect, the UDP is there to work with all other parties, we are not threaten by GMC or others, this is why, you will hardly ever read a UDP Secretariat press statement attacking other opposition parties. Secondly, read the Point interview with the arrested party, he never mentioned Mai's father, it said, his Uncle. An Uncle even with us can never replace the word father. We do take our Uncles more important than our fathers sometimes, but we do not change the words. Again, Wandifa's earlier reactions to LJD was haste, because the cross-carpet incidents he alluded to the UDP were independently reported by Gambian media houses, not by a UDP press release. Again, I will advise you to apply caution since your role involve that of a journalist unlike me. So to back the things Wandifa is saying without hearing my side of the story is alarming. I think we as agitators for democracy must disagree, exchange things openly without fear or favour. If the bottomless behind Jammeh supporters see that as division, we know live is more complex than passing the honey pot. Thanks Suntou On Thu, Mar 10, 2011 at 7:17 PM, Y Jallow <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Bro Wandifa, > > I too bet to differ with Uncle Suntou's views, eventhough I agree with the > reader's quest for two sides always. To that, the parable is like the one > whose pocket is empty. If you want the person to dip his hands inside and > produce for you anything, obviously nothing will come from that pocket. I > agree, "trust but always verify." Besides, it is still not late to hear from > the other sides. I only wish they can cooperate with people. Be that we were > to talk to the same people Suntou spoke with, there, we would have been > again guilty of misinforming Gambians that Mai's dad passed away. It is > without doubt that it is a paper's wish to always report the two sides. The > source must be credible. > > The debate is healthy, normal and very progressive, and let your opinions > ring...and all points are well noted. > > I rest my case on this... > > > Yero > > *There is no god but Allah (SWT) and Muhammad (SAW) is His messenger. Fear > and Worship only Allah alone!* > > > > > ------------------------------ > From: [log in to unmask] > To: [log in to unmask] > > Subject: RE: [>-<] Your moral support for this regime??? > Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2011 18:37:37 +0000 > > > Suntu; > > I understand your perspective and I beg to differ. I have yet to read about > your own condemnation. Is this a case of political rivalry (you and LJD both > UDP leading personalities)? GMC was on the vanguard whenever UDP militants > are threatened, and you can bear witness to this if you would be fair to Mr. > Fatty and GMC. The issue is that those arrested were *parents* of Mai > Fatty, and that is not disputed. I state here again that Alieu Saja Fatty is > Mai Fatty愀 father. You are now trying to discredit Mr. Fatty and GMC > instead of UDP UK issuing a solidarity message as GMC did when Femi Peters > and others were being persecuted. GMC and Mr. Fatty were in direct > coordination with Ousainou Darboe himself on joint actions and he will > confirm this. Remember those persecuted were the persons who gave birth to > Mai Fatty, and for no other reason other than flying a flag and pasting > their sons picture. I am disgusted by the hypocrisy and the petty jealousy. > Your uncle, former Wuli West MP, A.K Touray (PPP) was personally hosted and > fed by the very people (Mai愀 parents) at Wuli whose credibility you now > wrongly seek to impugn. I am sure he would not endorse your position. Can it > be denied that Mai Fatty愀 *PARENTS* were arrested and detained for no > lawful purpose? What is your beef Suntou? Against GMC and Mai Fatty or what? > > ------------------------------ > From: [log in to unmask] > To: [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask] > Subject: RE: [>-<] Your moral support for this regime??? > Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2011 11:35:20 -0600 > > > Well said Mawdo Demba. I have witnessed countless situations where you > instructed stories to be dropped because of their one side nature. > > While our learned friend LJD made a solid observation regards to the one > side nature of the situation here especially with its surface on the online > media, it is clearly to be noted under a Jammeh regime, there is no free > flow of information, though it is common to hear readers always asking a > presentation of the two sides. That holds only under an ideal situation. > Currently, we are dealing with a hypocritical Gov't, hell-bent on > misinformation, distortion, misrepresentation, and terror on its citezenry. > Matter of fact nothing coming from the Jammeh cronies should be trusted. > Infact, those close to power are unwilling to share details most of the > time. Why and how would they expose their dirty skeletal cupboard nibs? > Hardly will be seen! In this case, be that this is a press release from a > registered party, we take theirs to be the true story. The onus will be on > the Jammeh regime to defend themselves otherwise. I know LJD agrees that > much. Further, no need to bring to the attention of LJD the limited > resources and huddles that the online media encounters in getting > information from home. Those that even called the Police Station in Basse > can attest to that fact. The interesting part to this situation, the online > media picked it up before the home-based. > > On a note, reports on both the Point and Foroyaa confirmed the veracity of > this matter. > > Thanks always for your great sense of humor in your postings. > > Yero. > > *There is no god but Allah (SWT) and Muhammad (SAW) is His messenger. Fear > and Worship only Allah alone!* > > > > > ------------------------------ > Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2011 08:58:33 -0800 > From: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: [>-<] Your moral support for this regime??? > To: [log in to unmask] > > LJD, > > The feeling is mutual and I believe do you understand that the press > statement was issued by GMC and not Gainako. > > I am a strong advocate of investigative journalism where possible and my > colleagues would attest to that. I am always cautious of stories coming out > of the Jammeh regime. > > However, under a normal democratic open society it is expected that > journalist and reporters take two sides of any story. But I think you can > concur with me that if we were to rely on information coming from the > government, then you and I might as well pack our bags and go look for > information from else where. Off course this does not negate the need to > investigate stories, but there is a difference between reporting what is > allegedly happening and what has actually happened. > > If you read the story again you will not fail to see the use of the word > alleged if the use of words is that important here. > > The fact is LJD and I know you know this more than anyone else is that we > are dealing with a regime that does not need a reason to arrest a citizen or > a group of citizens. It wouldn't matter if these people were arrested in a > townhall meeting, their home or in any premise. What matters is that they > were arrested and ultimately not charge for any crimes according tot he > reports. This is the basis for the story and we don't have the luxury to > mount an investigative report into a regime that has blatantly violated its > citizens rights over and over again. This is a pattern that has proven > beyond any doubt that peoples rights have constantly been violated. We will > have the legal minds deal with the context of the words. > > Your insightful comments are always must welcome... > > Kind regards always > > Demba > > > > > On Thu, Mar 10, 2011 at 4:46 AM, suntou touray <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > Wandifa > I belief the angle that Mr LJ took is important from the media point of > view. GMC has every right to alert Gambians on injustices perpetuated > against its members, family or no family. > LJ's request of Demba to independently verify the extant of the story is > what we who are in the political landscape should be doing. The media must > be sceptical of any press statement and do its homework on the larger aspect > of all publications. > I did made calls to Wulli West, Sutukonding for that mater, on the very day > i saw the press statement. However, the person I spoke to made it clear > that, Barrister Mai Fatty's father passed away some years ago, hence naming > his father in the press statement may have been an oversight. In that > regard, we may take the larger extended family network as relevant, but the > statement also mention Mai's step father, so their is no confusion on that > part. > The question is not whether Barister Fatty's family members have been > arrested or detain, but that some independent verification needed to be done > by the Diaspora media (as per LJ's statement). The point newspaper story > also mention two individual not the five put out by the press statement. I > am sure, the press statements at the beginning may have taken into account > all those who attended the meeting. Hence,we need the media to help us > digest difficult matters like this. Even the mere arrest of one member of > GMC is uncalled for, the Governor Omar Khan has no business to try to > curtail the democratic rights of GMC members. Neither should the > commissioner also get involve in this. > Suntou > > On Thu, Mar 10, 2011 at 12:02 PM, Wandifa Sanneh < > [log in to unmask]> wrote: > > LJ; > > *The Press release was signed by me and am in a better position to respond > to the issues you had raised, and addressed to Demba*. > > 1. It is obvious that you had seen and read the Release much earlier or > else you would not have referred to it in the piece below. It is very > curious that you failed to condemn it then, and the after-thought > condemnation is questionable. Speaking for myself, you can shelve your > insincere condemnation. > > 2. I had placed the telephone number of Basse Police publicly on the Forum > and people like Abdoukarin Sanneh had called and spoke to Basse Police. They > would have provided conflicting information if our own version was not > accurate, but you did not bother to verify on your own. You can still go > ahead and speak to Basse Police to contradict us, instead of vilifying Demba > and the online press. Accordig Ebrima Cham, Police Commissioner quoted by > Gambian Press, the reasons for the arrests were politically motivated. How > can you now contract the authorities themselves with maligmant innuendo > against the Fatty Family and GMC, to suit your own invented distorted > version and subtle misrepresentation? > > 2. The Police showed up after the Town Hall meeting was concluded three > days earlier, and since the meeting took place outside the Family compound > where the GMC Flag was erected and hoisted, the Family Parents were those > confronted. A Town Hall Meeting is a euphemism for community meeting > conducted in the style of a conventional "Town Hall" meeting. As a Lawyer > who makes a living out of the use of words, you would appreciate the context > in which it is used, and that explains why there are different canons of > interpretation. Wors are useless if not interpreted in context, not always > literally, and you this better than me. > > 3. Political Parties had recently repoted the wholesale defection of APRC > stalwarts (upto over eight hundred at one instance), and I read that too > here on the Post. Why did you not demand the names of the eight hundred > defectors. APRC had also reported the defection of a hundred UDP militants, > did you require them to "name" or disclose those defectors. Fangkung placed > the info on Mighty Post. > > 4. There were independent press investigations conducted into the veracity > of our story by both Foroyaa and The Point who sent Reporters to Basse and > both reported the accuracy of the true reasons in complete conformity with > our Press Release. This are not online press, but paper press published > inside The Gambia. Daily News did as well, and all of hese cannot be denied > by any honest person. > > 5. Your insinuation that Mai Fatty愀 parents may have been arrested for > other reasons bordering on violation of the law is offensive, dishonest and > unacceptable. > > 6. GMC and Wandifa Sanneh support Fangkung愀 rights to air his views and > will defend and protect that inalienable right of his, even if we disagree > with those views. This applies to you Lamin Darboe. > > Wandifa Sanneh > > ------------------------------ > Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2011 11:00:27 +0000 > From: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: [>-<] Your moral support for this regime??? > To: [log in to unmask] > CC: [log in to unmask] > > > Demba > > I salute your unwavering commitment to the struggle for a Gambia anchored > in democratic institutionalism under the rule of law, a Gambia where > conscience and choice are the supreme arbiters of the direction of political > affiliation. > > In that Gambia, citizens of the Fankung inclination must exist for a fuller > society. > > On the extant issue of the GMC Leader's family, there appears to be no > question that an arrest(s) occurred. If that arrest is rooted in political > affiliation, it is, *on its face*, condemnable, and I condemn it. > > However, it is disappointing that the Diaspora-based on-line media relied > exclusively on the GMC's Wandifa for information it then treated as > verified, without any apparent independent digging on a story that is of > clear public significance. This devalues the currency of credible and > legitimate opposition to a clearly odious and detested political system. > > What, you may retort, was there to investigate about 'undisputed' > lawlessness by Basse police in arresting "member(s)" of Barrister Mai > Fatty's family on account of political affiliation, a protected right under > the 1997 Constitution of the Republic of The Gambia! > > For starters, the GMC Press Release mentioned a "Town Hall meeting" in > "Wulli West". As understood by you, what is a "Town Hall" in the context of > that part of rural Gambia? .As "Wulli West" is not a village/town, where > exactly in "Wulli West" did this "Town Hall meeting" occurred? > > Who were the "APRC (ruling Party) big wigs" who "attended", this meeting > and "declared their allegiance to GMC"? Considering this appears to be > part of the driving motivation for the arrest of the GMC Leader's family, > this particular aspect of the matter is by no means trivial. > > And why only the GMC Leader's family? Why not the GMC officials who were > part of this "symbolic representation of the take over of the Region by > GMC"? Were all five members of the GMC Leader's family actually arrested, > and what was meant by the phrase "the GMC Leader's father"?. In what context > was the word "father" used? > > I am sure you can appreciate we are not dealing with a private issue, and > since the GMC placed the matter in the public domain, there is no question > it is a legitimate transaction for proper ventilation, and especially in > light of your story that "no conditions" were attached to the release of the > GMC Leader's family . > > > > > > LJDarbo > > > > > > --- On *Thu, 10/3/11, Demba Baldeh <[log in to unmask]>* wrote: > > > From: Demba Baldeh <[log in to unmask]> > Subject: [>-<] Your moral support for this regime??? > To: "Gambia Post3" <[log in to unmask]> > Date: Thursday, 10 March, 2011, 0:08 > > > > > Now Fankung has gone hiding again after Mai Fatty's parents were arrested. > Anytime this regime act shamefully these supporters run into hiding in > disbelief. Do you ever question your moral support for a regime willing to > detain innocent parents exercising their god given rights... > > How much did they gain arresting these people? Negative publicity??? > Didn't you know being arrested and detain is now a pride in the Gambia for > only those who don't do anything wrong gets arrested and detained. Those > who openly commit heinous crimes are loitering the streets of Banjul. > > Read more for your dose of reality... > > http://www.gainako.com/news/news/2011/03/09/detained-gmc-leaders-parents-release-without-conditions.html > . > > Demba > > > > 中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中 To > unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web > interface at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html 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]中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中 > > > 中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中 To > unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web > interface at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html 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]中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中 > 中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中 To > unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web > interface at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html > > 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]中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中 > 中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中 To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html 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] 中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中