Ridiculous harassment (Editorial)
The Independent <http://www.qanet.gm/Independent/independent.html> (Banjul)
June 23, 2000
Banjul - Once again, we are under attack from all quarters of the APRC
government. We are being accused of all manner of misdeeds and subjected to all
manner of ridiculous harassment and intimidation.
Over the past few days, two secretaries of state have vented their spleen on The
Independent. They have spoken of us in very angry and uncomplimentary terms,
accused us of always opposing the government and implied that we are
irresponsible people bent on a deliberate policy of provocation and
irresponsible journalism.
Even more ridiculous was a surprise visit to our offices by Immigration officers
on Tuesday morning to see whether the Editor-in- Chief and Managing Editor are
citizens of The Gambia. A bizarre development indeed that would jolt any right
thinking persons out of their senses.
Certainly, this is the latest in a pattern of deliberate harassment of The
Independent newspaper. Ever since we started publishing in July 1999, the APRC
government has been harassing and intimidating us. Less than a month after we
started publishing, we were illegally stopped from publishing for three weeks.
In December 1999, our editors and reporter were picked up, detained and charged
with libel. Not surprisingly, the charges were later dropped. And now comes this
most ridiculous harassment: covert plans to deport our editors, coming at a time
when certain secretaries of states are fuming with rage at us.
We wish to remind the Gambia Government that they can harass and intimidate us,
but they can never succeed in frightening us. For while we are well aware of how
powerful they are and all the things they could do to us, we know that their
power is nothing beside the power of the Almighty God. If they therefore feel
that they can harass us for no good reasons, so be it. We seek refuge under the
feet of God.
Moreover, we wish to indicate to those secretaries of state who rage and fume at
us, that we reserve the right to our opinions, our views and our political
orientations. We are not going to sing anybody's praises, nor shrink from
publishing any stories for fear of offending anybody. We are going to stick to
what we believe is the truth and nothing but the truth. If we commit a crime,
let the due process of law take its course. Other than that, we defy anybody to
try controlling our opinions and our views. If they feel they can bully us at
will, we are willing victims. We are powerless journalists, but they should rest
assured that we are not going to take anything lying down. We trust in the
Supreme power of the Lord, our God. So help us God.
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