Thank you Suntou for sharing your anxieties. I took into account that in a nation, much less a persecuted nation, there will be folk aiding and abetting the dictator, there will be folk who are naturally indifferent to the suffering of other, and there will be folk who have uncorruptible conscience; the essence of life.

You and I will have to make a choice where we belong. So will Pap Saine.

What I speak of here is the fact that, as you have ascertained, without The Point, Pap Saine is not worth much of our time. When he decided to go into Journalism, I believe he decided he would belong to the folk of uncorruptible conscience. At any time during that career, regardless of threats to his life, if he should mortgage that conscience for expedition or financial gain sakes, he must then defend, with the gains so-received, his opinions and representations in The Point newspaper. The Point then ceases to be part of that 4th rail of governance, protection of which other non-partisan media enjoy.

Let me explain:

When we say The Press is the 4th rail of governance, we mean The Independent Press. The Non-partisan Press. Non-independent Press and partisan Press are protected by general human rights and rights to free expression which are open to challenge for errors and omission. What sets the two apart is that the press of the 4th rail of government is given more deference in the case of errors and omission. Suntou, this is a legal explanation and I will stop here so I do not inadvertently confuse somebody.

The reason Pap therefore was invited to the Gambia's state house to be among the esteem company of our 4th rail partners, is because Yahya does not know any better and it is precisely by lumping all press together that he averses legitimate and bonafide Press. For example, when you review Yahya's idiotic tirade, you will recognize that he is accusing bonafide press for the errors and omissions of private partisan press, and he is not according the 4th rail press the due deference it deserves because this non-4th-rail press is corroding the value of the 4th rail press. I know you will have questions as to how you identify 4th rail press from non-4th-rail press. It is in the incorporation papers and in their editorial positions and record of other publications.

There are plenty of ways to make money or to make a living. Journalism is not for the faint-hearted and 4th-rail journalism carries with it enormous responsibility for independence. All other journalists must be prepared to defend their publications and emissions on their own just like the hawker of slippers must defend him/herself against purveying defective slippers with inordinately thin soles. 

Let me know if you have further questions. From your summary, Pap should not have been invited to the recently-held Pow-wow at Marina Parade. All the more reason he should have boycotted it when invited by an ignorant president.

Haruna. Suntou, you strike me as malignantly apologetic for criminals. I don't wanna hear Pap is tired, Pap is this, and Pap is that. Deyda does not have the luxury of being tired or growing old gracefully. He had a choice prior. But he understood that being part of The Point he does not have the conscience for fraudulent agency. If Pap wants to continue operating as The Point newspaper, he must understand what that entails. I hope foreign 4th-rail media is not relying on Pap any longer as "correspondent" or carrying his publications as unbiased and independent journalism. He will then be forced to conform to his desired for-profit ambition without fear of reprisals and challenge.

Haruna.

-----Original Message-----
From: suntou touray <[log in to unmask]>
To: GAMBIA-L <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wed, Mar 23, 2011 6:06 am
Subject: Re: Yahya meets with Press officials - A great distraction.

Haruna
You are seeing things Pap is not seeing. Pap's main source of livelihood is the existence of the Point and the Point's existence depends on Yahya AJJ Jammeh, Baabili Mansa. So Pap like many Gambians are reluctantly doing the dwell, albeit duking most of the time. Pap has taken The Point away from the fire fight a while ago. Just read their editorials or interviews with opposition leaders. It is so diluted, in fact the interviewees can't recognise their own statements.
Pap don't want any headache, no NIA visitation, no burden. And also remember, the fight with Yahya is so complex and delicate, Pap and his fellow media practitioners can be made to suffer, apart from a handful of Gambians, the majority will go about their business as if nothing is wrong. The aspect of motivation in confronting a dictator is not an easy thing Haruna. I understand your high expectations of Pap, but lower them, Pap is tired, scared and sees how Gambians respond to Yahya's victims...Silence.
 
Thanks
Bolonba

On Tue, Mar 22, 2011 at 10:13 AM, Haruna Darbo <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
I was thoroughly disappointed in Pap Saine. If anyone should have boycotted this shindig, it should be Pap Saine and The Point newspaper. Pap must understand that he is generally regarded in media circles because of The Point newspaper. It is because of this same newspaper that Deyda was assassinated, Pap was illegally arrested and incarcerated, and his Gambian citizenship challenged. Why would Pap appear at a meeting with the criminal responsible for the death of Deyda Hydara??? If Deyda were associated with another paper that is not The Point Newspaper, I would have expected Pap to boycot this meeting. If he does not boycot it, I would have expected him to bring up the issue of Deyda's UN-investigated murder, the kidnap and disappearance of CHief Ebrima Manneh, Pap's own persecution, and general criminality and impunity thereof, against press personnel.
 
To appear at the meeting and assert that "I will not rekindle old wounds"!!!!!!!! is the height of decrepit and worthless life. For life is about experiences of wounds, joy, healing, and celebration. May Allah bear me witness that he who ignores with callous disregard, the fetid wounds of ignominy, are themselves the jesters of such ignominy. If you do not open untreated wounds, the puss is likely to contaminate other vital organs. Reconciliation and reconnaisance is based on admission of wrongdoing and remorse for such.

Very sad. I now regard Pap Saine Persona non-grata.
 
Haruna.
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