Gainako Newspaper

" Those who do not learn from the mistakes of history are doomed to repeat it. " -- George Santayana

Let me start with a disclaimer: Commander Sarr, I cannot but marvel at your prose. I admire the
crispness of your insights and the concise language with which you articulate your thoughts. I tip my
hat to you for your immense literary prowess. My fondness for your work, notwithstanding, I'm
compelled to point to what I consider errors of judgment on your part during an otherwise illustrious
military career that has witnessed your ascent to the very zenith of the echelon as Commander,
Gambia National Army (GNA).

I should, perhaps, say that in reaching my conclusion as to those two lapses of judgment, I relied
entirely on what has surfaced in your own writings. My observations therefore, should not be
misconstrued as an attack on your integrity or military service but rather, as an attempt at inquiry.

In other words, my queries are meant to highlight leadership lessons learned, if you will, with a view
to averting future mistakes. So feel free, as I'm sure you will, to set the records straight and augment
my (and hopefully every reader's) understanding of what transpired while you were at the helm. Our
dear country (and continent) has notoriously suffered more than it's fair share not only of atrocious
leadership, but also a lack of accountability for leadership shortcomings. Hence, I savor the
opportunity to seek answers of those such as yourself, who have held preeminent positions at the
helm of our nation's affairs.

One of the matters for which I petition you directly involved that infamous nemesis of yours, Sana
Sabally -- another of our former leaders, albeit de facto, of whom important answers are being
earnestly sought. Here are the two incidents in question, as they surfaced in your writings: First, in
your rejoinder to Yero Jallow's call for a South African--style "truth and reconciliation" deal for
ex-VP Sabally, you recounted how Sabally was within a hairsbreadth of being drummed out of the
military, even court-martial, at the urging of his British trainer. As your recounted in your piece, you
interceded crucially to salvage Sabally's career at the time because of the junior officer's outward
piety and decorum.

The fact that you felt deceived by Sabally's masked behavior indicated to me that you regret having
pleaded on his behalf. We all have done things that we wish we hadn't. However, questions about
your judgment arise in my mind in that you'd disregarded or discount the recommendations of a
training officer; one who had been out in the trenches with the trainees; someone who, by dint of the
time spent in drills at "boot camp" with the recruits, certainly knows their characters and
personalities better.

As a seasoned officer, i'm sure you are cognizant of the fact that the toughness of training drills
coupled with the blood and tears of the bushes and battlefield allow for no faking. Training camp
represents make-or-brake moments for any soldier. It sounds to me like Sabally didn't make the
cut, according to the British trainer. By default, real character, or lack thereof, emerges when times
are trying, such as at basic training. While Sabally may have successfully faked it in his capacity as
an administrative assistant at the Yundum barracks, his true color surfaced and was evident to the
British trainer in Kudang, leading the officer to reach the conclusions he did. Why were the officer's
recommendations dismissed so lightly as personal grudge?

One could argue that by keeping Sabally in the army based purely on personal sentiments you felt
toward him, and against the advised, professional opinion of the expert British military trainer, you --
more than anyone else -- helped create the monster that later "terrorized", as you put it, and hold to
ransom the people of our nation. Granted, it might have been inadvertent on your part, and
unforeseeable at the time. However, the consequences of his ascent to power, which was largely
owed to you, would later spell tragedy to so many Gambians -- sad to say, yourself included.

The lesson in this story, as I see it, boils down to this: failure to apply the rules without passion or
prejudice can have deadly consequences -- greater consequences than can even be imagined.
Today the victims of Sabally's well-documented brutality can look back to that juncture in his career
and wonder what could have, should have, or might have, been done to forestall their
Sabally-wrought predicament.

That would serve as little solace to them. It is the mark of courageous and strong leader to let tough
but right decisions stand without favor or fear -- painful and unpalatable as they may be. In allowing
Sana to remain in the force despite his obvious sub-par performance, such leadership was wanting
-- regrettably so and with deadly outcomes. Right decisions, even if they be unpopular, are more
enduring and generally serve the best interest of the greater good; whereas popular, ill-advised
decisions not only are transient, but usually boomerang to haunt and hurt us.

The second of my issues with Commander Sarr surfaced in yet another response article that was
recently published at the Echo. You described your relationship as officers in the GNA under your
PPP-appointed Nigerian superiors as thus: "they appointed us for the duties we performed even
if we were apprehensive about their decisions ; they paid us our salaries and allowances; they
promoted and demoted us; they decided where we should be trained locally and
internationally; they prepared the national security doctrine, the annual training program
and supervise all our activities in the way it suited their objectives; in a nut shell, the lifelines
of our careers were directly wired to their seats" (emphasis mine).

This revelation vis-a-vis your role under the Nigerian overseers, left me wondering: Why, if you've
had so little input/influence, did your conscionably remain in the army? Would it have been more
honorable to resign on principle in an organization where you were treated in such a manner? Did
you just unquestioningly follow orders from the Nigerians? Even when you were "apprehensive"
about those decisions/orders? Was it fear of jeopardizing "careers [which] were directly wired to
their seats"? If so, didn't you feel you owe a higher allegiance to the Gambia, and not those imported
mercenaries? What did you do to change the status quo? In other words, since you decided to
remain in the army, what did you do to effect change from within? You say you were just "captains"
under those "seasoned heavyweights" from Nigeria. How come more junior officers (i.e.
lieutenants) rose above you to change the status quo -- for better or for worse?

I raise these questions, Commander Sarr -- my dear namesake -- not to slight your service or
question your integrity. Far from it! These are honest questions that arose in my mind as i read you
articles. I hope the answers you provide will provide a lesson in leadership to many of the up and
coming generation of young Gambians. I await you response with edge-of-the seat anticipation.

Sheriff
North Carolina, USA

................Mathew K Jallow;
..TALE OF A DISHONEST INTELLECTUAL.
................................By Yero Jallow Associate Editor................ ...May 13th, 2007

While commending Mathew K Jallow for his commentary at the Echo, time and
again, I want to advice him in good faith to stay focused and avoid reducing himself
to be Sana's unethical praise-singer. It is evident from his rejoinders to the ongoing
debate; Mathew tried to use his writing skills to cover Mr. Sabally, and as a result
reduced himself to the bottom of 'junk' journalism.

This is truly intellectual dishonesty. It is not only the language you can script, honesty and maturity
also matters. In the piece that Mathew authored, he referenced Gainako's usage of the word
"Pariah", which to the best of our knowledge fits Jammeh's regime and its accomplices. Mathew's
own attitude to avoid rejoining to the debate at our forum, which was cautioned by writer Cherno
Baba Jallow for trying to silent Momodou Lamin Drammeh at the time, speaks volumes. We at
Gainako make no difference to any of the Gambian forums and online newspapers. We recognize all
of them, and in the past and present, accorded them the respect they deserve. The likes of Mathew,
though, succeeded in sidelining themselves to certain papers, which basically speaks hypocrisy. But
those that don't know Mathew will blame him much. Wasn't he the famous commentator at
Freedom and All Gambian, and as soon as he found convenience at the Echo, then he dumped the
others. We know our brother Sankareh is not responsible for this act. This is typical of Mathew.
Who else could be more selfish and wanting than Mathew?

What I agree with is that Sanna is a Gambian like any of us, and Sanna's freedom of speech must
never be seized. That will violate the very rules for democracy. While there is no fault in Sanna
mourning his former comrade, but I indicated clearly that their alleged misdeeds is worth our salt.
Our editor, Samba Baldeh, one time school mate to Mr. Sabally called on him to tell Gambians the
truth, in which Sabally took to silence.

What kind of democracy is Mathew preaching now? Not even two week ago, he tried to silent one
of his critics, Momodou Lamin Drammeh (NC), and even mocked him with such unethical
arrogance. That's who Mathew is. When writer Cherno Baba cautioned him, he decided to end the
debate, after being found delusional. Even though, Mathew was invited to Gainako clarify his part
through an interview, which he agreed to at first, but later on dodged it. It is Mathew's prerogative,
and he should handle the label tribalist' as was concluded by many observers.

Mathew can scream all he wants, and nothing is further from the truth than his open support of
Sabally's deeds. DA Jawo was right months back when he advised Mathew to keep it ethical. But
once a rebel needing attention, always that rebel.

If people cannot be honest at forum or newspaper level, I doubt they will be honest in their personal
lives. We should be careful of such people, like my good mentor, Professor Quinton Cummings
once said "They speak to you like angels and they behave like stupid human beings." The
crusade is not only for the likes of Sabally, alleged to have executed Gambians, but such dishonest
intellectuals and half-baked intellectual actors must be completed weeded out without fear or favor.
Until then, the Gambia stand a risked of repeated history of bad governance.

With due respect to Mathew, let him give us a break on his cooked tales of intellectual dishonesty
and abetting alleged criminals. I like most of your commentaries though, except for the fact that you
labeled the Foni Jolas as killers in a poem, which you should also apologize for.

I rest my case until I hear from you.

Yero Jallow
Minneapolis, Minnesota

.......PRESS FREEDOM
..A Catalogue of Attacks on the Media in The Gambia
...........................Courtesy of Foroyaa Newspaper ...May 13th, 2007

A. Murder Deyda Hydara

Former Managing Editor and proprietor of The Point Newspaper and Treasurer
of WAJA. The Point was then a privately owned newspaper published thrice
weekly. It is now published daily

He was shot dead at close range in the vicinity of the Police Garage and the Police
Intervention Unit (paramilitary force) at Kanifing, 12 kilometres from the capital,
Banjul while he was driving two members of his staff home.

The National Intelligence Agency (the intelligence service) took over the investigation from the police
and soon after issued an interim report, then coming up with a credible lead as to who killed Deyda
the report tended to cast suspicion on Deyda as being responsible for his death. After this interim
report no progress has ever been reported on the investigation of the crime by the security forces.
The call by the Gambia Press Union for the President to set up a commission of inquiry or to invite
foreign independent investigators since they have not made any progress on the investigation has
gone unheeded.

B. Arson Attacks

1. On 8 August 2001, Radio 1 FM was subjected to arson attack in the course of which the
proprietor, Mr. George Christenson, sustained injuries and was admitted at a clinic. The attack took
place between 2 am and 3 am. According to the proprietor, a group of people upon arrival cleared
all the people in the vicinity of the arson. They then proceeded to spray both the proprietor and the
watchman with a chemical. The proprietor sustained injuries and burns on several parts of his body.
After spraying them with a chemical, they proceeded to empty a twenty litre container of gas oil on
the main doors and set them ablaze.

2. On 10 August 2001, there was a second attack on the house of Alieu Bah, a journalist at Radio 1
FM, a privately owned radio station, which organized programmes that facilitated debates between
politicians and other prominent personalities of divergent views and dissenting opinions. At about 3
am the front door of his house was bolted from the outside. They poured gas oil on it and set it
ablaze while he was sleeping with his family.

3. The Independent�s offices were set on fire on the evening of 17 October 2003 at about 3am.
Acting editor, Sidi Bojang, told reporters that three men came, sprayed the caretaker with a
chemical and hit him with an iron bar; that while he was being taken to hospital, four men climbed
over the newspaper�s institutions wall and set it on fire through the windows. They fled on the arrival
of several employees of Uncle Sam Security Agency contracted to protect some premises in the
vicinity.

4. 13 April 2004, now the printing facilities of The Independent at Kanifing South were attacked.
The staff present at the time said that six men putting on camouflage uniform and mask assaulted the
staff around 2am. According to the employees, they got into the printing room, poured petrol on the
machine and set it ablaze. The machine was completely burnt and became dysfunctional.

5. Sunday, 15 August 2004, there was yet another mysterious attack on the home of Gambian born
BBC reporter, Mr. Ebrima Sillah at about 3am. According to Sillah, the assailant removed the wire
gauge on one of the windows of the sitting room, removed the louver glasses, pour fuel into the
sitting room and set it ablaze at a time when he was asleep in his bed room. The heat and smoke
woke him up and he escaped through the window of his bedroom. Prior to this attack Sillah had
received an email purported to be from the �green boys� threatening him.

C. Arrests And Detention

1) Mr. Abdoulie Sey, Editor-in-Chief of The Independent, a privately owned bi-weekly.
According to the staff of The Independent, he was arrested by three men from the NIA (the
intelligence unit) at about 6pm on 19 September 2003 who took him away with a black Ford Pajero
with no registration number displayed on the number plate. He was released four days later.

2) Mr. Musa Saidykhan, Editor-in-Chief of The Independent was arrested and detained for a brief
period soon after his return from the Editors� Forum in South Africa. Interrogation centred around
suspicion that he gave adverse information to very senior South African officials about the state of
the press and human rights in The Gambia.

3) Monday 27 March 2006, the Editor-in-Chief of The Independent, Musa Saidykhan was arrested
by the NIA from his home a few days after two articles critical of the President were published a
few days after an alleged attempted coup of 21 March 2007.

4) Tuesday March 2006, the General Manager of The Independent, Mr. Madi. K. Ceesay was
arrested by the NIA when he reported for work on that day. Both Madi K. Ceesay and Musa
Saidykhan were released on after three weeks without being charged.

5) 10 April 2006, Mr. Lamin M. Fatty, a reporter of The Independent was arrested from his home
by the NIA and taken to the NIA Headquarters in Banjul where he was held up to the 63rd day of
his detention. Upon release he faced a trial on false publication. The trial before a magistrate has
been on since 12 June 2006 The penalties for the offence is between a fine of D50, 000 ($1800)
and D250, 000 ($9000) or imprisonment for a minimum period of one year.

6) 25 April 2006, Mr. Juldeh Sowe, a receptionist at The Independent was arrested when he
reported for work on that day. He was released on the same day.

7) 7 July 2006, According to employees at Daily Observer, Chief Ebrima Manneh, a news editor of
the paper was arrested on that day when he reported for work by plain clothes security officers
believed to be NIA officials. Foroyaa newspaper reported that he was seen at Fatoto Police Station
in the far eastern end of the country in December 2006. But the police and the NIA have denied that
he is in their custody. At the moment, his whereabouts is not known.

8) On 24 May 2006, the following journalists were arrested after the Freedom Newspaper saga:

(a) Mr. Musa Sheriff a reporter at News and Report, a privately owned weekly magazine.

(b) Mr. Pa Modou Faal of Gambia Radio and Television Services, the state owned broadcasting
house.

(c) Mr. Lamin Cham, a Gambian born BBC reporter

(d) Mr. Sam Obi, who reports for Radio France International

(e) Mr. Malick Mboob, the then Communications Officer at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital
(RVTH)

After the hacking of the address book of Freedom Newspaper, a list of alleged subscribers and
informants were published in Daily Observer.

This was followed by a wave of arrests which included these five journalists. But no official reason
was given for their arrest. Malick Mboob was released on 9 October 2006. The others were
released on different dates.

9) September 2006, Dodou Sanneh, a GRTS reporter who was covering the campaign of the UDP
led opposition coalition was recalled from his assignment and arrested when he reported for work.
He was released on Monday 27 September 2006 and sacked on the same day without reasons
being given. He was reinstated but later sacked again.

10) 28 March 2007 Fatou, Jaw Manneh, a former reporter of Daily Observer who now resides in
the USA was arrested by the NIA upon arrival at Banjul International Airport. She had come from
the USA to visit her family. She is charged with sedition.

The following is said to be the seditious matter:

�Betrayal, Jammeh is tearing our beloved country into shreds, he debunked our hopes and became a
thorn into every issue that is related to progress in The Gambia, be it social, political and economic.
Worst of all, he is a bundle of terror. There is need to speak out. If you look around The Gambia,
particularly at the condition people live in, you will see what I mean, that Gambians are desperately in
need of an alternative to this egoistic frosted Imam of APRC. Jammeh is full of energy but very negative
energy and he totally lacks direction. What he needs is to come clear to The Gambian people and say
that he has failed us all miserably, that he will be doing everything to revitalize his promises to The
Gambian people, excuse his ten years in office, rather than forcing us to recognize the developments
that do not exist.�

D. Assaults

1) 16 December 2005, Ramatoulie Charreh who was then with the Daily Observer was ruffled by
police when participants at the international conference attempted to visit the site where Late Deyda
Hydara was gunned down.

2) In 2006, Njameh Bah, a reporter of The Point was attacked and severely beaten by her
attackers.

3) On 12 December 2006, Baron Eloagu of the Daily Express a privately owned newspaper was
attacked and beaten. This followed the severe beating up of Abdougafar Olademinji, also of the
Daily Express.

.........POLICE BRUTALITY ?
......Gambian Youth Dies During Police Raid
....................................Courtesy of Foroyaa Newspaper ...May 12th, 2007

How Did Sheriff Minteh Die? Further Investigation Needed!

How did Sheriff Minteh die? Was it by accident while trying to escape from
the police or was he stabbed? According to the certificate of death issued to
the family Sheriff died of �cardiac respiratory arrest due to severe haemorrhage
in the pelvis, rectum of pelvis viscera due to deep stab wound.�

However, according to a press release issued by the police, �In pursuance of
Sheriff Minteh, the deceased fell on an iron sustaining injuries on his groin.�

Does this suggest that Sheriff sustained injuries accidentally while running away from the Police?
Don�t the Police need to do further investigation to ensure that medical evidence corroborates their
position? The police are expected to proceed with their investigation without favour or ill will.

Needless to say, Section 18 (1) of the constitution states: �No person shall be deprived of his or her
life intentionally except in the execution of a sentence of death imposed by a court of competent
jurisdiction in respect of a criminal offence for which the penalty is death under the Laws of The
Gambia��of which he or she has been lawfully convicted.�

BOY, 20, DIES; PANDEMONIUM ENSUES

Reliable sources told Foroyaa that Sheriff Minteh aged 20 met his untimely death after a brawl
involving him and the security agents. The said incident occurred at Serrekunda, London Corner, on
Wednesday 9 May at about 22:00 hrs.

According to the brother of the deceased, (name withheld) he came out to buy cigarettes and found
some boys being searched by PIU and plain clothed officers. He said that he later heard people
shouting �they have stabbed Sheriff.� He said that he rushed to the scene and found Sheriff lying on
the ground and a mob beating the suspect (a security agent). He added that he then rushed to the
Serrekunda Police Station to report the matter. He said that upon his arrival at the scene with the
police in two pickup vehicles they found the mob surrounding a compound where the suspect was
said to have entered into and sought sanctuary. He said that the police used force to rescue the
suspect. The suspect was taken to an undisclosed location.

The neighbours said they can identify the two police vehicles. They claimed the registration numbers
of the vehicles are BJL 2394E and GPF 10. Neighbours added that on Tuesday night they
witnessed the same incident when the PIU and plain clothes officers came to their area, and
searched the boys who sat at the junction and that some of them were seriously beaten and arrested.
A sister to the deceased stressed that she came to the scene and found his brother lying on the
ground saying, �he is the man who stabbed me, don�t let him escape.� She also added that the day
before, PIU and plain clothes officers were at the place beating and arresting boys and later whisked
them into a waiting �gele-gele.� A close friend of the deceased told Foroyaa that he was with Sheriff
when they saw the police pickup vehicle approaching them. He said that Sheriff ran towards his
house and was pursued by the plain clothes officer. He said that he also ran after them and found
Sheriff on the ground and the officer sitting on him. He added that Sheriff was telling him that, �he
stabbed me twice, please don�t let him go.� He lamented that at the moment, the suspect was
asking, �where is the money and the mobile?�

According to family members, Sheriff was stabbed on the buttocks and on the groin. They said that
he was rushed to Serrekunda Health Centre where he died upon arrival before being taken to
RVTH. The death certificate indicates that, Sheriff died of cardiac respiratory arrest due to severe
hemorrhage in the pelvis, rectum of pelvic viscera due to deep stab wound. The community of
London Corner and Bundung expressed concern about the heavy security presence in their
community all these days. Residents of the area are emotional following the untimely death of the
young boy, who was described by many as a talented footballer.

YOUTHS CLASH WITH SECURITY OFFICERS �12 ARRESTED SO FAR�

On Thursday 10 May 2006 the people of Serrekunda were woken by burning tyres with road
blocks by youths who claimed that the previous day, the members of the drug squad stabbed and
killed one Sheriff Minteh.

The youths came out with banners carrying slogans, saying �The police are killing the youth!� �Drug
squad stop killing!� They were also followed by a group of women who tied red cloth on their heads
saying �They are killing our young ones!!�

When the group reached around the Bambo Car Park they were intercepted by armed Police and
Army Officers who clashed them, firing tear gas for them to disperse. One young man who was later
identified as Omar Ngum was butt struck by one army officer on his jaw and started bleeding from
his nose. He was rushed to Serrekunda Health Centre. Another young girl Yamundow Nying was
also badly beaten by the PIU officers, before being butted with the gun upon which she fell on the
ground and was handcuffed and taken away.

The pandemonium paralyzed business in Serrekunda as all the shops were closed including the
Serrekunda market.

POLICE PRESS RELEASE

1. The office of the Inspector General of Police wish to inform the public on the incident that
happened at London corner, Serrekunda between the hours of 19 hours to 20.00 hours on
Wednesday May 9th 2007.

2. The divisional Security Task Force was responding to a tip off that some groups of youths at a
particular Street in London Corner Serekunda are smoking Canabis (Sativa) Jamba.

3. This youths are also accused of Robbery and provoking passers by. Upon arrival at the scene. 12
people were arrested with bundles of suspected canabis and other group members started running.
In pursuance one of the suspects Sheriff Minteh the deceased fell on an iron sustaining injuries on his
groin.

4. This Sheriff Minteh was rushed to Serrekunda Health Centre and later to Royal Victoria Teaching
Hospital were he was pronounced dead.

5. The Police jointly with the Security Agents are investigating the matter. Therefore, we are
appealing to the public to be calm and to restraint from any activity that would jeopardize the
investigation. Let there be no panic as the situation is under control.

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