Mba, I did react to this news yesterday but I think it was wrongly sent to a private address.However if there was any GPU member in the panel of judges who made this decision then he must have been sleeping when this decision was made,because the GPU have several times condemned the Jammeh regime for the unnecessary harassment of journalists,detaining them and even deporting Refugees who were journalist back to their home countries for critical reporting.Not only the GPU but other international journalist organizations have reacted to the treatment of journalist by the Jammeh regime.If Jammeh could be half as committed to national development,respect for human rights as Thomas Sankara then our nation would have been in a better position to tackle our home problems and not to talk of allocating a president with more than 3 million dallasis for travel allowance when the nations hospitals,health centers, ,schools are lacking basic materials. I wanted to believe that this was either meant to soften President Jammeh so that he can treat journalist better or it is ironically meant.If this is not the case then these young journalist are either opportunism or did not do their their homework.They should have talk to Jammehs political opponents who were tortured and unlawfully detained,they should have talk to the Demba Jawos,the Baboucarr Gayes,fellow journalists and or talk to the parents of Ousman Koro Ceesay who are still demanding to know what happened with their son. For Freedom Saiks I am very much astonished that no one reacted to this news. I think this is is the most insulting and disgusting thing to have happened on the African continent. Who in their sane minds will come up with this. I very much challenge the credibility of this movement (young journalists from Ecowas countries). This most be the most incompetent group of young journalist. I hope we don't have our journalists in this dubious organisation. How many times have journalists been detained and harassed in the Gambia? To come to see such an honor given to the mastermind of all these is really a disgrace not only to the Gambia, but the whole Dark continent. Remember, this is the president of the century; recall how many great presidents have come and gone. Such great one as the Nelson Mandelas, Kwameh Nkrumahs, Sankaras etc. As we await the reactions from the media in the Gambia, any takes on this Ebrima Ceesay and others? What about Dr. Saine? May be he is busy grading finals, but this is too important a topic not to be addressed. Numukunda >From: Momodou Njai <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: [log in to unmask] >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: ECOWAS PRESIDENT OF THE CENTURY, WOW!! >Date: Wed, 15 Dec 1999 13:56:11 EST > >JAMMEH NAMED ECOWAS PRESIDENT OF THE CENTURY > >According to the Daily Observer report this morning, >President Yahya Jammeh, has been named as the Ecowas >President of the Century by the Africa Star Organisation, >made up of young journalists from Ecowas countries. > >According to the coordinator of the organisation, Kouadio >Konan Frederic, President Jammeh has been selected >because of his respect for freedom of expression and >association, and his respect of the rights of refugees and >democracy as well as his domestic achievements and his >rapport with other Ecowas states. The award is expected to >be presented to him on Friday, December 17, 1999 in Banjul. > >______________________________________________________ >Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L >Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ____________________________________________________________________ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------