Despite local and international outcry, Gambian dictator
president Yahya Jammeh has assented to the controversial the
newspaper Act bill, latest reports hinted.
The signing of the anti media legislation came in the
wake of mounting pressure from press freedom bodies, such
as the New York based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
and Reporters Without Borders, urging the Gambian
tyrant not to sign the bill into law. Appeals launched
by these media institutions had fallen into deaf ears,
as Jammeh decided to sign the anti media bill into
law.
A retired army lieutenant, Yahya Jammeh had earned himself
with the reputation of being anti press freedom. Since
the advent of his administration he had passed numerous
draconian laws in a bid to curtail free press in
the tiny West African country. Under his rule,
arrest and torture of political opponents had went
unabated. Foreign journalists critical of his despotic
regime are exposed to random deportation.
The late journalist Deyda Hyadara was on the forefront
in campaigning against the newspaper Act. Prior to his
gruesome murder, Deyda was said to have written series
of commentaries on his popular "teeth Bite" and "Good
Morning Mr.President" columns criticising the new legislation.
One thing is evident, Jammeh is ready to steal the
2006 polls. Without free press, there will hardly be
any free, fair and transparent elections. Without free
press, there cannot be meaningful development. Jammeh and
his cohorts will empty the treasury in Banjul without fear
of being checked by the media. Gambians should stand
up to be counted. I subscribed to Father Cleary's call.
This regime is taking Gambians to ransom. It's high
time we break the chain of slavery. We can do this,
by voting monster Yahya out come the 2006 polls.
Indications are that if Jammeh should win for a "third
time" he is likely to amend the Constitution to provide a
provision for one party state. Under Jammeh's rule,
one can rule out such reports. The disgraced jailed
majority leader Baba K Jobe had been advocating for it
prior to his unceremonious incarceration. 2006 will
determine the future of our country. If the opposition
play their cards well, they will uproot Jammeh, who is a
menace to our beloved country. We want to see this
monster go. He is a stumbling block to development
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