Gainako Newspaper

The piece below authored by Gainako’s co-editor, Yero Jallow was published by All
Gambian and Gambia.dk (Bantaba Cyberspace) in October of 2005. In the piece, the
then staff writer to All Gambian and now co-editor to Gainako argued on the need for
America to respect the plight of Immigrants. With the new bill about to pass in congress,
editor Jallow reflects on his previous piece and calls it an answered prayer by God. The
piece still looking fresh becomes a past time battling piece to serve history over time, in
a call for America to institute the work-visa program for immigrants in the land.

Below we reproduce the edited piece again.
The “Tears of an immigrant in America” is a true narration as a result of the existing relationship
between immigrants and their American host. In writing this article, I write to challenge the American
Gov't to put in more flexible rules to enable immigrants who wish to live in their countries have the
easy ways to adjust status without pushing them into fraudulent activities. One will honestly agree
that the struggle of an immigrant in America starts with obtaining a social security card. Next, is the
effort to obtain an ID or drivers license. It is true with the new wake of terror, the American Gov't is
right to ensure close monitor on all immigrants. What is funny, America won't be able to track these
people once they don't have them in records and the only way to have them in records is to allow
them have social security numbers and ID cards.

The importance of immigrants in a country, be it the illegal or legal immigrants, cannot be put on
paper, therefore it is important to base this debate on the positive things that immigrants can
contribute to a nation diverse like America, and how America can treat old and new immigrants
fairly. Immigrants, most of whom are real law-abiding people constitute a good proportion of the
workforce and their taxes also goes to Gov't coffers. Not only are immigrants hungry for jobs and
want to adjust to the new environment, but they take all kinds of jobs, jobs that the citizens of that
country may not like to do. In America, the Latinos and Africans are one people to greatly note and
even though they may find themselves in illegal work status but their contribution is immense and
immeasurable. When the immigration rules are too hard, then that's real cause for concern and a real
threat to immigrants in that particular nation. America must move a step forward to differentiate
between their "terrorists" and their "immigrants" and the two doesn't even rhyme nor have any thing
in common. The calling of immigrants as terrorists or would-be-terrorists is totally unfair and must be
re-examined to give each of those words their right definitions. One such a time, where America
failed it immigrants is when governor of California, Arnold in a TV comment said "close the borders"
referring to the Latinos when Arnold himself is an immigrant young enough to remember his violation
of an American visa. Knowing that California is full of Latinos, and in fact the very people that voted
him in office in his race against American born national Grey Davis. The excessive part where
immigrants from third world countries find it hard to adjust their status is the real sickness. Everyone
knows visa is base on a relative petition, green card lottery, educational visas, visitors and etc.. One
such hard to maintain is the educational visa, where the cost for tuition is extremely high. If not for
the many that can lobby for political asylum and are granted, others get into marriages and some
keep hoping on winning a green card. This is why my support for a bill that was in the pipeline by the
Bush Administration must be sought for, so that American immigrants are given work visas without
having them keep hiding from authorities and involving themselves in fraudulent activities.

Now, lets commend America for the good job with their Somali, Togolese, Ethiopian and other
immigrants that they brought to their land, settled them down and continue to assist them move from
one step of development to another. As far as I understand, those people didn't betray their
trust-they work 24/7, pay taxes and stay out of trouble. Something also to remind America on, this
is the land of Immigrants. With Afro-Americans, the Indians, the Italians etc..one must honestly
agree that the land is all full of immigrants and descendants of immigrants. If the rules were made so
tough at a time when their grandparents were intending to live in America, then America wouldn't
have had a lot of brains like they do today. One such descendant of immigrant is Barak of Chicago ,
IL whose father is an African and happen to be someone Africans and Americans are really proud
of. Another one in the American soccer team, Sulayman Sanneh is someone to put on this paper, be
that his father is a Gambian and he was seen moving around the whole field in the last world cup.
The Ghanaian born Koffi Anan, Secretary general of United Nations is one such who was an
immigrant and now a world icon for any to count on including his friend America, though now their
relationship is at war, together with the many unknown millions of immigrants and their descendants
contributing immensely to the socio-economic of America.

While sympathizing with immigrants, one cannot exclude the reasons why people move from one
nation or place to another. People move because of economic hardship, political instability,
education, and others because of just choice. Here, lets say people move for greener pastures.
Immigrants continue to suffer any where in the world and we must begin to face reality. The thing
funny and interesting about an immigrant is, any can be one-even an American president visiting
Mexico is an immigrant at that particular time in visit. So it is not like a will to be one, it is rather a
call to be one. Some respected U.S Gov’t Senators are also married to immigrants. Since after the
hateful 9/11, Immigrants in America are living under threat. Since the new amended laws are very
repressive towards the immigrants, many have been subjected to deportation and arrestation by
immigration officials. While I support the move to root out terror especially those people not only
immigrants that continue to dwell on crime, America should fully differentiate between terror and
immigrants. As has been seen, many immigrants continue to face this challenge daily and to them this
is a total nightmare and an incurable cankerworm. For example among the Gambians that live in the
U.S, three dozens were arrested in Kentucky, 12 people in Minnesota, a dozen in Atlanta, a dozen
in Wisconsin just to put on paper for the records, all of whom were arrested for student visa
violations. This is only from a small West-African country with a population of one million people.
Now, think of the other millions of immigrants living uncomfortable in the land? Don't they deserve a
reward for the good job and handwork they are doing. I would even reward someone for loving me
so America must continue to love people who love to be in their nation. Now, since in the many
different states- immigration status is synchronized with ID / drivers license records or police
records, the hiding of peaceful immigrants have become more difficult. This is not a crime we are
charging America but a call we putting to their foreheads. The call is simple, they should encourage
the work visa program-and that itself will help them greatly keep records of their immigrants if they
so desire to screen their activities at any time. In fact, it is a great cost on Gov't to take someone
to immigration jail or deport them so why not allow them to work, while you get your taxes since this
is an interdependent relationship. The fear by many is that when the immigrants’ population is too
much, the American country might end up in the hands of immigrants OR THEIR DECENDANTS.
While people like Minister Farrakhan continue to rally Black Americans and Latinos for rallies
against the American Gov't for what they call continuous suffering and illegal wars, one cannot rule
out the possibility of that fear being a factor for making immigration rules hard. Should the many be
judged from a few, and that is a question I challenge any that is rightful in their way of thinking. Of
course terrorists and their associates have not made this way easy for both America and the
immigrants. As have been observed, all those involved in the 9/11 were immigrants and in fact visa
violators, and that's why the many among them argued that if those people were deported then the
disastrous 9/11 wouldn't have taken place. That argument really holds but how come a million
is judged from a few? And yet what we know, terrors of all kinds are threat to humanity. No one is
safe with Bin laden terror or terrors of Govts. While we search for the evil ones among humanity, we
should reward immigrants for good attitude, adherence to law and order and keeping the peace.

LONG LIVE IMMIGRANTS AND AMERICA MUST NEVER CLOSE THEIR DOOR FOR THEM.

Note: The piece first hit the news stance in 2005.

....AT FATOU JAW MANNEH’S TRIAL
...........Cross Examination Continues
......................................By Fabakary B. Ceesay............Posted May 17th, 2007

The sedition trial of journalist Fatou Jaw Manneh continues at the Kanifing
Magistrate Court on Friday 11th May, presided over by Magistrate Buba Jawo.
The NIA officer continued his cross examination by defense counsel Lamin
Jobarteh, from the last sitting.

Counsel Jobarteh reminded the witness that at the previous sitting, he said that he does not know the
meaning of “frosty”. He asked the witness whether he knows the definition of “egoistic”. The witness
said it means, a self centred person. Jobarteh read the charge sheet, “Gambians are desperately in
need of change to this egoistic frosty Imam of APRC, Jammeh.” He then asked the witness whom
the sentence is referring to. The witness said that it is referring to his Excellency the President.
Jobarteh asked whether the president is the Imam of APRC, Jammeh? The witness said that
Jammeh is not an Imam but a president. He said that the sentence is self explanatory. Jobarteh
asked the witness to read page four (4) of Exhibit B and which he read as thus, “Gambians are
desperately in need of an alternative to this egoistic frosty Imam of the APRC, Jammeh. But there
has to be a group that understands that it has a common task at hand, as difficult as compromising
might be. Jammeh has a great chance to win too. I think there is quite a percentage of Gambians that
think he is the right guy for us, scary as that might sound. He is full of energy but very negative
energy and he totally lacks direction. All he needs to do is to come clear to The Gambian people
that he has failed us all miserably, that he will be doing everything to revitalise his promise to The
Gambian people, excuse his ten (10) years in office, rather than forcing us to like him or forcing us to
recognise development that do not exist. We should all understand The Gambian psyche now.
Seventy percent of voters equally support both Jammeh and the opposition alike. Twenty percent
are going to be sitting on the fence, and creating hell for everybody, and only ten percent know
exactly where they want to put their votes and will have the courage to do so. What the Jammeh era
has surprising shown to most Gambians is unreliability, indecisiveness, timidity, hypocrisy and
possibility of acquiring multiple personalities on issues at the same time. This will be a challenge to all
the parties involved.” Counsel Jobarteh asked the witness whether there is any seditious word in the
statement he read and asked him to read out that portion. He read thus “Gambians are desperately
in need of an alternative to this egoistic frosty Imam of APRC, Jammeh.” The witness said that he
knew the word frosty means frost but could not tell whether it is a noun, verb or adverb. He said
that the statement could not have meant any other Jammeh but president Jammeh. When asked what
was fearful about that statement, he said that it has the potential to create civil strive. He said that
since the publication of the article it has not caused any civil strive up to date but that it could be
possible. He said that nobody came to him personally to complain about the article but that a
complaint was lodged at their office about the article. He said that he may not know the name of the
complainant and that for security reasons he cannot name the complainants. Counsel Jobarteh at this
point insisted that the witness is not answering the questions. He said that those are very vital in their
defense and that the charge is seditious which he said is very serious. He said that an order had been
made earlier on to hide the identity of the witness and that the same order covers any other
information he might have therein. The state counsel, E.O Fagbenle, said that the witness indicated
that he may not know the names of the complainants, that they cannot name the people who gave
them information and that is the reason why he may not know the names. Magistrate Jawo ruled that
the answer that the witness has given is creating room for high speculations. He said that the witness
should not give ambiguous answers. He urged the witness to come up with a clear answer. Going
further, the witness said that two complainants came to their office but due to his portfolio he cannot
reveal their names. He said that the two complainants were not investigated. He admitted that
investigation has two dimensions, that is the complainants and the accused person. He said that the
complaint about the article was investigated in the very month of its publication in October 2005.

He said that the NIA kept records of complaints and that procedure is called “diary system.”
Counsel Jobarteh asked him whether he can produce the records of the diary, he said, “I may have
to check the library since it was 2005.” “I’m putting it to you that no such complaint had ever been
made or recorded at your office,” said Jobarteh. The witness said, “I’m sure that the complaint has
been made.” At this point, the defence asked the witness whether he has brought his school
certificate as required of him at the previous sitting. Two certificates were produced but were
rejected by the prosecution for tendering it in court. The state counsel, E.O Fagbenle, objected that
the relevance of the foundation of the certificate has not been made. He said that under section (3)1
of the Evidence Act, it will only serve to distract the main subject matter. Defense Counsel Jobarteh
asserted that he has never seen, in practice, where a document produced by a counsel is objected
for tendering by the same counsel. Jobarteh indicated that the witness is not the one on trial, but that
his credibility and stance in the matter are required by section 202 of the Evidence Act. He said that
the foundation about the document has been laid. He added that the witness has told the court the
schools he attended, the exams he sat to and the grades he acquired. “Therefore, the objection has
no merit and should be overruled,” said counsel Jobarteh. The state counsel later withdrew his
objection. The certificates were tendered and marked as exhibits A1 and B. Cross examination
continues, see next issue for all the details.

,,,,
,,,,,,Letter From Halifa Sallah
,,,,,,,,To President Jammeh
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Courtesy of Forooya Newspaper............Posted May 17th, 2007

..“ Blood oozing profusely from Sheriff Minteh's Pelvis ”
Mr. President, as my eyes gazed at the ruins of a community in France known as
Oradour-Sur-Glane, which was burnt by the blind forces of Nazi repression, my
heart could not but speak the language of torment and outrage while I wondered
how human beings with flesh and blood could pursue women and children to a
church and set it ablaze and reduce their bodies to ashes.

On the wall of the centre established for the remembrance of the atrocities one could read the
indictment of the Nazi forces. Indeed a system which could plague the minds of military personnel
with the logic of perpetrating senseless violence, bordering insanity, against unarmed and defenseless
women and children, can be said to have very little concern or respect for human life. Such a system
neither sought to inculcate in those government agents contempt for brutality or impunity nor armed
them with the capacity to reason and act in accordance with the spirit of brotherhood towards their
fellow human being.

Mr. President, as we pass the ghost houses of the Allioti and Binet families, the horrors committed
by a bygone generation, extracted from the diary of a legendary child named Anne Frank, which
were captured in black and white on the walls of the memorial centre, became starkly real. This
confirms that history never goes to sleep and is forever ready to bear witness to events which
humanity cannot erase from the minds of the living.

History did speak to us through the burnt walls of the church, on which the names of villagers who
died during the 1914 to 1918 war remained engraved. This must have been done in remembrance of
them. Little did these innocent villagers know that on 10 June 1944, 2000 Nazi forces would
descend on the village to plunder everything they had, set their village on fire and massacre it's 642
inhabitants including 193 children. "Even the children were not spared," lamented the writings on the
wall

Finally, the most outrageous part of our rapprochement with a sad page in French history was
reached when we came face to face with the statue of a wailing mother burning to death with her
baby in her arms. As we stared at this mother in anguish wailing forever in the wilderness of time
calling for redress of historical injustices and prevent future ones, my mind also strayed to that
bloody Wednesday of 10th May, when Sheriff Minteh lay in anguish expectedly asking what he had
done to be visited by raw death at the age of 20.

My wounded conscience was only consoled when I heard the unequivocal whisper from the voices
from the wall counselling: "Mais l'espoir nous fait vivre" (Hope will make us live) Indeed! Indeed!
When tragedy strikes, hope must be kept alive! Hope must be kept alive! I hope the Minteh Family
will keep hope alive.

Mr. President, the death of Sheriff Minteh and the subsequent turbulence which gripped Serrekunda
Central, on 10th May 2007, confirmed that events of disturbing ramifications are beginning to
unfold. This requires your immediate attention. This event came about a day after I attended a
symposium organized by the Council of Students of the University of Limoges in commemoration of
the national day set to focus on the atrocities of slavery. Little did I know that while I was
expounding on the subject of Africa's predicament in the 21st Century, I would receive news of
death and civil strife in The Gambia, on the 9 and 10 of May respectively, just after the symposium
where I made a passionate defence of the need for African governments to create the environment
for the total civil, political, economic, social and cultural emancipation of our peoples which had
been fettered by slavery and colonialism.

I made it abundantly clear that the objectives of studying African history is not merely to provide
evidence that people of African descent have made contributions to the intellectual treasury of
human kind and have built civilizations comparable to or more advanced than those that existed
elsewhere, nor is it designed to simply expose the oppression and exploitation which impoverished
the continent and her people during the slave trade and colonial period, On the contrary, the
understanding of the past should be linked to the appreciation of the task to reconstruct an Africa
that can guarantee liberty and prosperity to the people. I emphasized that African Governments
which subject their people to the same conditions of oppression and exploitation as had existed
under slavery and colonialism can never have the moral authority to call for redress of historical
injustices.

Mr. President the task of your Government is to ensure that the people in the Gambia enjoy
optimum liberty, dignity and prosperity. Hence, it is absolutely necessary for your government to
institute a Coroner's Inquest to establish the cause of death of Sheriff Minteh.

I have gathered from Foroyaa that the death certificate indicates that, Sheriff died of cardiac
respiratory arrest due to massive severe hemorrhage in the pelvis.. rectum of pelvic viscera due to
deep stab wound. Sheriff is reported to have claimed that he was stabbed twice;

On the other hand, the office of the Inspector General of Police informed the public that the incident
which happened at London Corner, Serrekunda between the hours of 19.00 hours to 20.00 hours
on Wednesday May 9 2007 was due to the fact that the Divisional Security Task Force was
responding to a tip off that some groups of youths at a particular Street in London Corner
Serekunda were smoking Canabis Sativa or Jamba.

The youths were also accused by the Office of the Inspector General of Police of robbery and
provoking passers by. According to the police, upon arrival at the scene, 12 people were arrested
with bundles of suspected cannabis; that other group members started running, that it is during their
pursuit that one of the suspects Sheriff Minteh, the deceased, fell on an iron sustaining injuries on his
groin, that Sheriff Minteh was rushed to Serrekunda Health Centre and later to Royal Victoria
Teaching Hospital were he was pronounced dead.

Mr. President, Sheriff has not only lost his life but is also accused of criminal activity when he can no
longer defend himself. This is precisely why it is necessary to hold a coroner's inquest to establish the
circumstances of his death.

It is also important to release all those arrested in connection with the protest against his death.
What is needed under such circumstances is for justice to be seen to be done and avoid inflaming
the situation by relying on repressive measures. You should come to terms with the fact that in the
absence of a strong parliamentary opposition to criticize excesses and put up measures to restrain
your government, you are duty bound to exercise self restraint

You should remember that the authority that you and your national assembly members now exercise
is derived from the people. It is therefore necessary to utilize progressive and community oriented
measures to promote positive values among the youth instead of stigmatizing and alienating them as
common criminals.

Even though I am no longer a National Assembly Member for the constituency, if your government
does not know how to implement it's community policing policies, my Centre for Social Science,
Research Civic Awareness and Community Initiatives would be willing to start community
programmes in London Corner to restore the sense of dignity and worth of the youth, under it's
community initiatives programmes. Community programmes instead of militarism is the avenue to
combat youth problems which are mainly by products of failed or non existing socioeconomic
policies.

Mr. President, history is now confronting you with the task you sought from the electorate: The
people have a right to liberty, dignity and prosperity. If you provide guarantees for the people to
enjoy such rights you can be said to have fulfilled your mandate. If you fail to guarantee such rights
you can be said to have betrayed your mandate. The choice is yours. History is waiting to pass it's
judgment. Posterity shall bear witness to the verdict.

Yours
Halifa Sallah

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