By: Ousainou Mbenga

To us who love justice, peace, freedom and determined to attain them in our life time; take no offence at the title. If it offends the offenders of justice, peace and freedom, so be it. A travesty of "justice" and the blatant abrogation of our "democratic Rights" deserve satirical mockery at best.
I read the registrar's report of the trial of the "T-shirt 4": Amadou Scattred Janneh, Modou keita, Ebrima Jallow and Michael Uche Thomas with dismay and disgust for these "mercenary judges" that have plagued "justice" in our beloved Gambia. Buried in a convoluted verbiage, typical of bourgeois law; the trial couldn't have ended any other way but to Jammeh's favor.

Happy Independence Anniversary to All Gambians!

By Demba Baldeh for GON Team

The Tiny West African State of the Gambia commonly regarded as the "Smiling Coast of Africa" and known for its hospitality turns 47th today.  This dynamic Nation one of the most peaceful in Africa gained full nationhood on February 18^th, 1965 from its erstwhile colonial power the United Kingdom. At the time of attaining Republican status the British were reportedly reluctant to accept the reality that this tiny strip of land on barely 11,000 Square kilometers and surrounded by Senegal can survive as a nation. They couldn’t have been more wrong…

What the British failed to comprehend at the time was that despite the negligent treatment of this tiny province with barely any viable institutions; network infrastructure, public transportation not to talk about education, health facilities, or food production etc, the would be founding fathers of this resilient nation were determined to defy all odds  to build a Nation State.  

As compared to its closest West African neighbor Senegal in every aspect of building nationhood, the Gambia can rightfully claim that it was robbed naked and neglected by its colonial power who cared less about the future of the Gambian people. Thus, their failure to lay down a foundation that would give this nation a decent start in building a strong competitive nation led to their unfounded speculations that the Gambia could not survive as a Nation State. Read more

By Mathew K. Jallow

Kaiaf village, Kiang Central, summer 1982. Action Aid was on a mission to transform access to education in The  Gambia. At the village bantaba, villagers had begun to congregate under the shade of the giant tree. It was one of the  hundreds of village and community meetings I had held around the length and breadth of the country. And by the time  the alkalo and I emerged from his large hut in the middle of the village, most of the men had taken their places, covering  every part of the bantaba’s sitting space. Always the last to arrive following antiquated traditions, the women-folk,  prohibited to sit at the bantaba by our primitive cultures, were standing around surrounding their men-folk on all three  sides, as the children, as usual, played hide and seeking; appearing and disappearing from among the animated crowd.  This was one of the numerous meetings I had convened in Kaiaf over the years. Read more

By Abdoulaye Diallo

17-02-2012

Based on Abdoulaye Wade’s attitude since the beginning of the controversy around his third term candidacy, it is safe to say today that the Senegalese outgoing president is ready to confront adversity in any way, shape or form against his will to stay in power; this notwithstanding the popular outcry and the unethical and socially destabilizing ramifications of his candidacy.

Many countries (USA, France, etc.) have, in one way or another, expressed their position against Wade’s wish on grounds of his old age (Wade is at least 85 years old, some say over 90), of his health issues and most importantly, because of growing allegations that Wade is laying the ground for a 'monarchical devolution' of the presidency to his own son Karim Wade whom he has allocated one-fourth of the Senegal’s national budget through his portfolio as a ‘Super Minister’ of International Cooperation, Air Transport, Infrastructure and also Energy.  As people sarcastically say in Senegal, ‘Karim is the Minister of the sky, the air and the earth’. To justify his choice, Wade never misses an opportunity, in Senegal or abroad, to argue with unyielding confidence that he has never seen someone so smart, competent, and so efficient as his son.

11 FEBRUARY 2012

The supporters of PDOIS have heard the announcement made by the IEC that nomination of Candidates for the  National Assembly Elections will take place on the 8 , 9 and 10 March, Campaign period will last for 14 days  and Elections will take place on 29 March 2012.They have asked prospective candidates to pick up nomination forms. This announcement has compelled many party members and supporters to approach the Central Committee to give their impressions and proposals on the way forward after digesting the content of our Press Release of 7 February 2012. They would want to know the position of the Central Committee on the National Assembly Elections.

By D. A. Jawo Dakar, Senegal

It is about two weeks now since the campaign for Senegal’s presidential elections commenced, and there is so much acrimony over the candidature of outgoing President Abdoulaye Wade, that anyone not quite familiar with the chemistry of Senegalese politics may think that Armageddon is about to descend on this country.  However, as we Gambians often say, the Senegalese are so versed in compromise that they can easily disarm even the most determined kidnapper into letting go his victim through their skillful negotiation acumen. It is therefore not for nothing that we refer to Senegal as ‘le pays de dialogue.

As a result of the acrimony and prevailing high tension over his candidature, anyone would have thought that any encounter between President Wade’s campaign entourage and one of his rival’s in the streets of Dakar would end in an all-out war, but that is not the case. During the first week of the campaign, for instance, while President Wade was making a caravan tour of Dakar with a large campaign entourage, he met with one of his bitter rivals, Macky Sall, who was also on a campaign tour of the city. The two campaign entourages met in one of the two-lane streets of the suburb of Grand Dakar, going on the opposite directions. However, thanks to the maturity of Senegalese politics, rather than exchange blows, the two rival candidates merely waved at each other and their supporters also traded some good-natured exchanges and they continued their separate ways without any violent incident. Read more

Africell launching in Banjul 2001

By Gainako's Special Reporter

Startling revelations at the Tax Commission set up by President Jammeh to examine payment of taxes by Gambian businesses and individuals have revealed the highest tax evasion the small West African Country has ever witnessed.

Testifying at the commission sitting on Tuesday February 14, 2012, Ms. Musukebba Corr, the Commissioner of Domestic Tax at the Gambia Revenue Authority, GRA revealed that several big businesses and individuals owe the Gambian State millions of Dalasis in unpaid taxes dating back to several years.  One of the most startling revelation is the Gambian Telecom Giant Africell arguably one of the most profitable and lavish businesses in the country owing over eighty Million Gambian Dalasis (D80,000,000.00) in back taxes to the state.  

Interestingly enough, Africell which yesterday distributed over Twenty-five brand new lap tops to newly appointed cabinet ministers can owe such a large amount of taxes to the state and still go about dishing lavish money left and right. Historically Gambian corporations have contributed lavishly to so many unworthy courses such as the July 22^nd celebration and other wasteful ceremonies. The act of kindness can best be described as nothing less than a bribery of government officials to keep them silence. Read more

A seminar took place on above theme on 22 January 2012 in the city of Stockholm in Sweden on January 22 2012,and attended by Gambian residents in Sweden under the umbrella of HUMRA(A Gambian Human Rights Organisation based in Sweden).
The Event was chaired by Koro Sallah.

Sallah opened the Seminar by welcoming all to a much needed event following the outcome of the recent General Elections in Gambia.He encouraged participants to critically evaluate the situation in Gambia and suggest a way forward for the future of our country. oro welcomed and thanked Abdulai Jobe of Sene-Gambia Human Rights Defence League, for coming from London to address the occasion.

Jobe proceeded to give a broad-based definition of Human Rights as enshrined in the articles of the United Nations and other global organisations. He informs delegates that” Human Rights “is not simply about the business of Rights of assembly, expression of dissent and struggle and protestations to free prisoners and the fight to stop torture. Human  rights, he says, also includes the right to Education, Health services and equality of opportunity for individuals and communities to realise their full potential.

By: Ousainou Mbenga

In the eyes of the oppressed beholders
No beauty surpasses the beauty in rebellion
Rebellion, the pregnant act of distaste for oppressive repression
Gave birth to a new beginning in Senegal
Un-charting the blundering, ruinous path of a senile tyrant
Relent not to empty concessions mighty lions, for you must chart a revolutionary path
The path that breeds RESISTANCE against future tyrants

The sight of your black and beautiful bodies,
Meandering the streets of Dakar
Swelling at times like high - tide river Senegal
Sparked a joyful confidence and certainty of victory
Never moments think you are alone on this thorn - littered road
For we in the Gambian front of the African revolution salute your effrontery
Fresh in our memory is the solidarity accorded to Gambia Student Union in 2001
A rebellion, forever etched in our memory

A seminar took place on above theme on 22 January 2012 in the city of Stockholm in Sweden on January 22 2012, and attended by Gambians resident in Sweden under the umbrella of HUMRA (A Gambian Human Rights Organisation based in Sweden).
The Event was chaired by Koro Sallah.

Sallah opened the Seminar by welcoming all to a much needed event following the outcome of the recent General Elections in Gambia.He encouraged participants to critically evaluate the situation in Gambia and suggest a way forward for the future of our country. Koro welcomed and thanked Abdulai Jobe of Sene-Gambia Human Rights Defence League, for coming from London to address the occasion.