Thursday, January 24, 2011

GAMBIAN CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS AND PARTNERS CAUTION AGAINST A PRESIDENT YAHYA JAMMEH AFRICAN UNION CHAIRMANSHIP

Your Excellencies,

On the eve of the African Union Summit to be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on the 29th and 30th January, we the undersigned Gambian Civil Society Groupsi, regional and international partners in the struggle for human rights, democracy and free expression in The Gambia, humbly petition your august body, the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government, representing the member countries of the African Union not to elect President Yayha Jammeh of The Gambia, as chairman of the African Union.

 It has been brought to our attention that according to the rules of procedure of the Assembly, the Heads of State during the January Summit should elect one of their peers to assume the rotating Chairmanship of the Union. We are also aware that in 2012, West Africa has the chairperson responsibility and that President Yahya Jammeh, of The Gambia has declared his candidature. Read details 

 Click on link for details http://www.gainako.com:2095/3rdparty/squirrelmail/src/webmail.php

By Archam Molengel, Sare Balebeh, The Gambia

Reflections from a Gambian citizen on the recent imprisonment of a former government information minister-Dr. Amadou Scattered Janneh will spend the rest of his life in prison, this, after a Gambian court found him and others guilty of attempting to overthrow the democratically eleceted government of President Yahya Jammeh.

Exploring the Scattered Janneh case 

I observed from the onset, how the trial started, reading very seriously the editorials, and the general trends in the news media. I wasn't supposed to be very occupied to miss the court reports about the case when I could not make it at the courts. Somehow, I had started to make up my mind after I allowed myself to be part of a spiritual flight that traverse across the cosmos urging the heart to doing things that are so passionate to itself. That moment, the moment, we, call love, yes or no. If someone can get kicked for speaking one's mind, rest assured, if Amadou Scattered Janneh, (scattered as they call him his native Gunjur) is there, his face will be kicked right on. And here is why? Read more

By Fakebba j Samateh.

I learned with sadness and dismay that the chief Gambian cheat had given himself another five year term in the office, thus making a fourth five year term. Watching Yahya Jammeh's inauguration on televission would show any sensible thinking Gambian, what the true intentions of this Kanilai Monster are.

1. Jammeh came to power accusing the Jawara administration of staying too long in power thus encouraging rampant corruption and mismanagement of public funds.
2. Jammeh said he hates politics because all politicians are hypocrites for they always lie to people promising what they cannot do.
3.Maybe Gambians either did not know or they keep pretending they don't know. How many of you have ever visited Kanilai? Yesterday Kanilai and today Kanilai are like earth and heaven for Kanilai is turning into a Dubai with Banks and hotels also the president has built a semi stadium now called the cultural square.

President Obama's State of the Union Address 2012

"So it is with America. Each time I look at that flag, I’m reminded that our destiny is stitched together like those fifty stars and those thirteen stripes. No one built this country on their own. This Nation is great because we built it together. This Nation is great because we worked as a team. This Nation is great because we get each other’s backs. And if we hold fast to that truth, in this moment of trial, there is no challenge too great; no mission too hard. As long as we’re joined in common purpose, as long as we maintain our common resolve, our journey moves forward, our future is hopeful, and the state of our Union will always be strong".  Read full text

Press Release:

In accordance with the organizational by-laws, the general membership of Save the Gambia Democracy Project (STGDP) elected a Management Committee to run the affairs of the organization for the next two years on Saturday January 21, 2012.  The Management Committee comprises of six officials as: Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary General, Public Relations Officer, Treasurer, and Political Strategist At-large. Listed below are the newly elected Management Committee members: Banka Manneh of Atlanta Metro Area (Georgia, USA) was elected to extend his term as Chairman of STGDP. Banka's relentless demeanor and hard work, commitment and top notch leadership has proven to be a tremendous asset for the organization.

By Omar Jallow Raleigh, NC

How soon we Gambians forget about the people who put everything they got on the line to make sure that peace, tranquility, equality and justice prevail for every one that lives within the borders of our beloved country The Gambia for almost 30 years.  Who other than Uncle Halifa Sallah has all the chances, qualifications, pedigree and charisma to live the life that most of us are dreaming of?  Halifa looks the other way, because of his belief in equality for all regardless of our political affiliations and that proof can be seen at the Peoples Center where everyone is welcome.

Uncle Halifa's fortitude to fight for the average man and his vision to inspire people, because of his sincerity and truthfulness has indeed help most of us today by participating in our political discourse without any fear or favor. How could we forget so soon? Isn’t Uncle Halifa the one who always stand in the way of danger or injustice if the need arises to make sure that justice prevail? How soon can we all forget what this man stands for?

Omar Bah, Gambian Journalist and former news editor of the now pro goverment newspaper in the Gambia the Daily Observer was this week featured on the Providence Journal of Rhode Island. Mr. Bah and his family's story was headlined "Journalist finds refuge in Rhode Island" The article written by Edward Fitzpatrick highlighted some of the heroic Journalistic work Bah has done in the Gambian. Rising through the ranks, Bah ran a column of questions and answers at the Daily Observer before becoming the managing news editor of the country's largest newspaper. 

The article went further to narrate some of the ordeal Mr. Bah went through while doing his journalistic work in the Gambia. Like many other Gambian Journalists, Bah's story tells of a horrific experience and beating he endured while trying to report a story on secret trials at a military Barracks. Bah was not only arrested story went on..., but also detained at the military barracks and beaten severely. He suffered multiple injuries and would not get treatment from any doctors due to his encounter with the military... The story on the Providence Journal elaborated extensively on what it means to practice journalism in the Gambia. It concluded on a beautiful and happy ending for Mr. Bah and his family who finally settled in the United States and are scheduled to become proud US citizens in the next few months. Read full story on the Providence Journal.  

By Landing Nyassi

Tears ran down my cheeks as I navigate through the cruel verdict handed on Dr Janneh and Co for a crime that any rational person would find it difficult to digest.  How can someone be sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labor for distributing T shirts bearing the following “Coalition for Change the Gambia End to Dictatorship now”.  This verdict did not come as a surprise for this is the way despots operate to silence the disgruntled population. Leaders who want to perpetuate their reign resort to strategies of intimidation so that no one dare to challenge their authority but no force or evil stratagems can withstand the engagement that would ensue when people are pushed beyond limit.

It is high time to call it “enough is enough”. We have no rallying point to end the impunity that is taking place in our country than the jailing of the erudite scholar. Today it is him and tomorrow who knows who it might be.  We have to understand that no one is immune to the ill gotten machinery of the current regime. Jammeh’s speech at the swearing in ceremony said it all that he is going to be more dangerous in the next five years than when he was in the military.

Following a presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Awards to Gambia's Legend, historian and Islamic Scholar Professor Dr. Sulayman Nyang by Howard University Department of African Studies Coordinated by Chairman of the Department Dr. Mbye Cham. Dr. Nyang was our guest at Gainako/Senegambia Radio.

Dr Nyang was presented with this high achievement awards in honor of his distinguished scholarly work for over 30 years at Howard University; Islam, The Gambia nation and diverse lifes that Profession Nyang has impacted in one way or another.  He spoke to us to us about his work and the great work many Gambians scholars and intellectual have done and continue to do.  He stressed the need to reach out to these distinguished Gambian scholars to document their history and service to humanity.. We were privileged and humbled for Dr. Nyang to take time out of his busy schedule to speak to us. Please click on the photo or link to listen to the interview http://chirb.it/6gq44r

About Dr. Nyang

A native of The Gambia, West Africa, Dr. Nyang spent much of his career working to foster a greater understanding of Islam in the U.S. He has written and spoken extensively on Islam, Africa and Middle Eastern issues, publishing 11 books, including the 1999 highly acclaimed Islam in America. He is a former deputy ambassador of The Gambia in Saudi Arabia, where he was responsible for seven Middle Eastern and North African countries. He was the lead developer of the Smithsonian Institution’s 1999 African Voices Project and an advisor on the award-winning PBS documentaries Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet (2002) and Prince Among Slaves (2007). He has also served as an advisor to the White House and international organizations, such as the World Bank and the United Nations.

 By Archam Mole ngel, Sinchu Balebeh, The Gambia

 As I write this essay, it is only God who knows where the convict Dr. Amadou Scattered Janneh is, the former information minister in the Yahya Jammeh administration in 2003, who was recently handed a life sentence after he and other Gambians were found guilty of treason, which is one of the most serious offences in the Gambia, calls for reflection and introspection.   That Dr. Amadou Janneh is in prison, does not surprise many people, what is even amazing to many might be the way the Jammeh administration reacted to Amadou's case. We might further asked more penetrating questions, whether or not Amadou Janneh was capable of doing what was found guilty of? To those who know Amadou since his student days, wasn’t he a noisemaker, a vocal critic and a talkative person?

 I was asked to state my opinion on a matter that had attracted a lot of attention initially, but as the case progressed, it was apparently getting complicated, messier and uglier. I was suddenly caught up in the middle, wondering how could Dr. Amadou Janneh with all his experience, education and exposure entangle himself into a web that eventually tie him to the history of treason trials in the Gambia. I was also musing on the day by day trials ranging from manslaughter, murder, drug trafficking and rape, concluding that the changes that are taking place or have taken place in our kabiloo were destined to happen, but why? Read more