>From: [log in to unmask] >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: The' Observer" Reporting >Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2001 08:30:27 EDT > >The Observer Newspaper has long ago stopped reporting the news. The have >settled into a mode in which they are outright fabricating stories in a very >amateurish bid to serve the ugly interests of Yahya Jammeh. They conjure up >long winded lies about socalled sources and make up dialogue with none >existent people. With Yahya facing imminent electoral defeat, The Observer >has shamelessly and eagerly transformed itself into the print version of GRTS >writing self serving essays and attempting to pass it as legitimate >journalism. Everything they write from coverage of rallies to campaign >violence is all overtly laced in unprofessional zeal on their part. They make >absolutely no attempt to present their stories fairly by talking to all sides >involved in any issue. Take their reporting of Campaign violence in which >every story categorically paints the Coalition as the instigator. It is >silly and fanciful for any sane person to assume that opponents of this >regime who over the years have had their members murdered, tortured and >abducted by this government and it's affiliated agents would suddenly >transform into a mean and aggressive bunch attacking innocent people. It is >not true. Take the much trumped up case involving Baba Jobe which illicited >much outraged from the D.I.G of Police. The Coalition was holding a rally at >Latrikunda German when all of a sudden Baba Jobe in a convoy of vehicles with >his usual contingent of thugs approached and attempted to drive into the >already assembled crowd in a blatant and provocative bid to disrupt a legal >gathering. When it became clear that the people were not going to let him and >his goons disrupt the meeting, he resorted to his usual violent tactics. He >was quickly overwhelmed by the very large and determined crowd. In the >ensuing fracas, some damage was done to some of the vehicles he was >attempting to drive through the crowd and he had to run away. Similarly, the >incident in Farafenni was organized and precipitated by the Chief Samboujang >Jagne. He gathered APRC thugs in his home with the sole purpose of physically >preventing the Coalition meeting and campaigning in Farafenni. They lay in >ambush by his home with stones and other arms and erected an illegal road >block. When the Coalition approached with a token Police escort, they were >stopped by these goons at the behest of Chief Jagne. The escorting Police >suggested the Coalition reroute their entire convoy to mollify the illegal >behavior of these trouble makers. This was unacceptable to the coalition >because the roadblock was a blatant infringement on their rights as Gambians >moving in their own country. So they moved on and the thugs began raining >stones on them. Again the the attackers were overwhelmed and in the ensuing >violence the vehicles of the attackers were damaged and some of the >attackers sustained injuries. The escorting police fled and it was the army >that finally restored peace and the coalition proceeded as planned. With the >police and other members of the security services openly taking the >government's side and branding the APRC as victims when they are and continue >to be the attackers, Coalition members can and would only rely on themselves >for self defense. They have justifiably lost confidence in law enforcement >and would not lie down and play dead while violent thugs trample over them. >In the remaining days of the campaign, the coalition would continue to engage >the Gambian people on the very critical issues facing the nation. They will >continue to scrupulously adhere to the letter and spirit of the law. They >will also vigorously defend themselves anytime they are attacked. This is not >going to be 1996. Anyone who unleashes violence on innocent people will meet >a stiff and sustained resistance. No amount of lies from the government and >it's agents would deter people from the very grave situations they face from >these criminals and murderers. > In the meantime list members and the rest of our people can still read >legitimate Newspapers like the Independent and The Point for real coverage. >Karamba > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L >Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask] >if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address. >----------------------------------------------------------------------------