Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 56/2007, 16 – 17 May 2007
Editorial
Senior Secondary Schools Still Out Of Reach
Education is the foundation for the construction of a modern society. This
is why a government, which is genuinely interested in development, must give
emphasis to the democratisation of education so that it can become accessible
and affordable. Foroyaa is frequently approached by financially disadvantaged
students whose parents can no longer afford to pay over 3000 dalasis to meet
educational expenses. We have been trying to find benevolent persons who
would be willing to give support to such disadvantaged students, but they are
becoming more and more difficult to find. The government needs to convene a
special conference to look into ways and means of addressing this fundamental
issue.
To those Gambians whose children are not affected and who constantly make
generalizations that the APRC government has been building enough schools, it
is vital for them to note that 88 per cent of Senior Secondary Schools are
private schools. Only 12 per cent of such schools have been established by
government. 46 percent of the schools do not receive any government subsidy and
impose prohibitive charges on the students.
Many children of the poor are dropping out of school because of poverty.
They need to be rescued from the poverty trap before 2015.
INVESTIGATIVE PANEL’S REPORT ON MINTEH’S DEATH EXPECTED SOON
Sheriff Minteh’s untimely death, which occurred last week during a Police
raid in London Corner, is being investigated by a panel comprising members of
the security forces. According to the Police Spokesperson, Superintendent
Jobarteh, the panel has been established to investigate matters relating to Minteh
’s untimely death. He said the committee consists of members from the
Police, NIA, Army and medical doctors.
Mr. Jobarteh further revealed that the final report, from their team of
investigators, is expected by this weekend and that it will be made public. He
indicated that the report will touch on the cause of Minteh’s death.
PRO Jobarteh made this disclosure in an interview with Foroyaa on Monday in
his office in Banjul.
MARIAM DENTON VS
FATOUMATA JAHUMPA CEESAY
The Civil suit involving Mariam Denton (a lawyer cum politicician) and Hon
Fatoumata Jahumpa Ceesay (the current speaker of parliament) was mentioned at
the Banjul High Court on Monday.
The case was mentioned before Justice Haddy Roche. Mariam Denton is claiming
ten million dalasis from Jahumpa Ceesay for damages. The suit is
precipitated by a publication in a local newspaper in which the Member of Parliament is
alleged to have made critical statements against some members of the United
Democratic Party (the plaintiff’s party).
AT FATOU JAW MANNEH’S TRIAL
Cross Examination Continues
By Fabakary B. Ceesay
The sedition trial of journalist Fatou Jaw Manneh continues at the Kanifing
Magistrate Court on Friday 11th May, presided over by Magistrate Buba Jawo.
The NIA officer continued his cross examination by defense counsel Lamin
Jobarteh, from the last sitting.
Counsel Jobarteh reminded the witness that at the previous sitting, he said
that he does not know the meaning of “frosty”. He asked the witness whether
he knows the definition of “egoistic”. The witness said it means, a self
centred person. Jobarteh read the charge sheet, “Gambians are desperately in
need of change to this egoistic frosty Imam of APRC, Jammeh.” He then asked the
witness whom the sentence is referring to. The witness said that it is
referring to his Excellency the President. Jobarteh asked whether the president is
the Imam of APRC, Jammeh? The witness said that Jammeh is not an Imam but a
president. He said that the sentence is self explanatory. Jobarteh asked the
witness to read page four (4) of Exhibit B and which he read as thus, “
Gambians are desperately in need of an alternative to this egoistic frosty Imam of
the APRC, Jammeh. But there has to be a group that understands that it has a
common task at hand, as difficult as compromising might be. Jammeh has a great
chance to win too. I think there is quite a percentage of Gambians that think
he is the right guy for us, scary as that might sound. He is full of energy
but very negative energy and he totally lacks direction. All he needs to do
is to come clear to The Gambian people that he has failed us all miserably,
that he will be doing everything to revitalise his promise to The Gambian
people, excuse his ten (10) years in office, rather than forcing us to like him or
forcing us to recognise development that do not exist. We should all
understand The Gambian psyche now. Seventy percent of voters equally support both
Jammeh and the opposition alike. Twenty percent are going to be sitting on the
fence, and creating hell for everybody, and only ten percent know exactly
where they want to put their votes and will have the courage to do so. What the
Jammeh era has surprising shown to most Gambians is unreliability,
indecisiveness, timidity, hypocrisy and possibility of acquiring multiple personalities
on issues at the same time. This will be a challenge to all the parties
involved.” Counsel Jobarteh asked the witness whether there is any seditious word
in the statement he read and asked him to read out that portion. He read
thus “Gambians are desperately in need of an alternative to this egoistic frosty
Imam of APRC, Jammeh.” The witness said that he knew the word frosty means
frost but could not tell whether it is a noun, verb or adverb. He said that
the statement could not have meant any other Jammeh but president Jammeh. When
asked what was fearful about that statement, he said that it has the
potential to create civil strive. He said that since the publication of the article
it has not caused any civil strive up to date but that it could be possible.
He said that nobody came to him personally to complain about the article but
that a complaint was lodged at their office about the article. He said that he
may not know the name of the complainant and that for security reasons he
cannot name the complainants. Counsel Jobarteh at this point insisted that the
witness is not answering the questions. He said that those are very vital in
their defense and that the charge is seditious which he said is very serious.
He said that an order had been made earlier on to hide the identity of the
witness and that the same order covers any other information he might have
therein. The state counsel, E.O Fagbenle, said that the witness indicated that
he may not know the names of the complainants, that they cannot name the
people who gave them information and that is the reason why he may not know the
names. Magistrate Jawo ruled that the answer that the witness has given is
creating room for high speculations. He said that the witness should not give
ambiguous answers. He urged the witness to come up with a clear answer. Going
further, the witness said that two complainants came to their office but due to
his portfolio he cannot reveal their names. He said that the two
complainants were not investigated. He admitted that investigation has two dimensions,
that is the complainants and the accused person. He said that the complaint
about the article was investigated in the very month of its publication in
October 2005.
He said that the NIA kept records of complaints and that procedure is called
“diary system.” Counsel Jobarteh asked him whether he can produce the
records of the diary, he said, “I may have to check the library since it was 2005.”
“I’m putting it to you that no such complaint had ever been made or
recorded at your office,” said Jobarteh. The witness said, “I’m sure that the
complaint has been made.” At this point, the defence asked the witness whether he
has brought his school certificate as required of him at the previous
sitting. Two certificates were produced but were rejected by the prosecution for
tendering it in court. The state counsel, E.O Fagbenle, objected that the
relevance of the foundation of the certificate has not been made. He said that
under section (3)1 of the Evidence Act, it will only serve to distract the main
subject matter. Defense Counsel Jobarteh asserted that he has never seen, in
practice, where a document produced by a counsel is objected for tendering by
the same counsel. Jobarteh indicated that the witness is not the one on
trial, but that his credibility and stance in the matter are required by section
202 of the Evidence Act. He said that the foundation about the document has
been laid. He added that the witness has told the court the schools he
attended, the exams he sat to and the grades he acquired. “Therefore, the objection
has no merit and should be overruled,” said counsel Jobarteh. The state
counsel later withdrew his objection. The certificates were tendered and marked as
exhibits A1 and B. Cross examination continues, see next issue for all the
details.
BETRAND SAMBOU RELEASED CONDITIONALLY
By Yaya Dampha
Mr. Betrand Sambou of Sibanor village, Foni, who was arrested by the
security forces in Bulock Foni and detained at the Mile Two Central Prison for
several months, has now been released conditionally. Mr. Sambou’s arrest came in
the wake of intense fighting in Casamance
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent
Jobarteh, confirmed the release of Betrand Sambou but said that he cannot dilate on
the conditions on which he was released.
However, Foroyaa has learnt that Mr. Sambou’s condition of release,
includes, among others that he shall make himself available to the police whenever he
is needed Mr. Sambou is currently said to be at his home in Sibanor.
Letter from Halifa Sallah to President Jammeh
Blood oozing profusely from Sheriff Minteh’s Pelvis
Mr. President, as my eyes gazed at the ruins of a community in France known
as Oradour-Sur-Glane, which was burnt by the blind forces of Nazi repression,
my heart could not but speak the language of torment and outrage while I
wondered how human beings with flesh and blood could pursue women and children
to a church and set it ablaze and reduce their bodies to ashes.
On the wall of the centre established for the remembrance of the atrocities
one could read the indictment of the Nazi forces. Indeed a system which could
plague the minds of military personnel with the logic of perpetrating
senseless violence, bordering insanity, against unarmed and defenseless women and
children, can be said to have very little concern or respect for human life.
Such a system neither sought to inculcate in those government agents contempt
for brutality or impunity nor armed them with the capacity to reason and act
in accordance with the spirit of brotherhood towards their fellow human
being.
Mr. President, as we pass the ghost houses of the Allioti and Binet
families, the horrors committed by a bygone generation, extracted from the diary of a
legendary child named Anne Frank, which were captured in black and white on
the walls of the memorial centre, became starkly real. This confirms that
history never goes to sleep and is forever ready to bear witness to events which
humanity cannot erase from the minds of the living.
History did speak to us through the burnt walls of the church, on which the
names of villagers who died during the 1914 to 1918 war remained engraved.
This must have been done in remembrance of them. Little did these innocent
villagers know that on 10 June 1944, 2000 Nazi forces would descend on the
village to plunder everything they had, set their village on fire and massacre it‘
s 642 inhabitants including 193 children. “Even the children were not spared,”
lamented the writings on the wall
Finally, the most outrageous part of our rapprochement with a sad page in
French history was reached when we came face to face with the statue of a
wailing mother burning to death with her baby in her arms. As we stared at this
mother in anguish wailing forever in the wilderness of time calling for redress
of historical injustices and prevent future ones, my mind also strayed to
that bloody Wednesday of 10th May, when Sheriff Minteh lay in anguish
expectedly asking what he had done to be visited by raw death at the age of 20.
My wounded conscience was only consoled when I heard the unequivocal whisper
from the voices from the wall counselling: “Mais l’espoir nous fait vivre”
(Hope will make us live) Indeed! Indeed! When tragedy strikes, hope must be
kept alive! Hope must be kept alive! I hope the Minteh Family will keep hope
alive.
Mr President, the death of Sheriff Minteh and the subsequent turbulence
which gripped Serrekunda Central, on 10th May 2007, confirmed that events of
disturbing ramifications are beginning to unfold. This requires your immediate
attention. This event came about a day after I attended a symposium organized by
the Council of Students of the University of Limoges in commemoration of the
national day set to focus on the atrocities of slavery. Little did I know
that while I was expounding on the subject of Africa’s predicament in the 21st
Century, I would receive news of death and civil strife in The Gambia, on the
9 and 10 of May respectively, just after the symposium where I made a
passionate defence of the need for African governments to create the environment
for the total civil, political, economic, social and cultural emancipation of
our peoples which had been fettered by slavery and colonialism.
I made it abundantly clear that the objectives of studying African history
is not merely to provide evidence that people of African descent have made
contributions to the intellectual treasury of human kind and have built
civilizations comparable to or more advanced than those that existed elsewhere, nor
is it designed to simply expose the oppression and exploitation which
impoverished the continent and her people during the slave trade and colonial
period, On the contrary, the understanding of the past should be linked to the
appreciation of the task to reconstruct an Africa that can guarantee liberty and
prosperity to the people. I emphasized that African Governments which subject
their people to the same conditions of oppression and exploitation as had
existed under slavery and colonialism can never have the moral authority to
call for redress of historical injustices.
Mr. President the task of your Government is to ensure that the people in
the Gambia enjoy optimum liberty, dignity and prosperity. Hence, it is
absolutely necessary for your government to institute a Coroner’s Inquest to
establish the cause of death of Sheriff Minteh.
I have gathered from Foroyaa that the death certificate indicates that,
Sheriff died of cardiac respiratory arrest due to massive severe hemorrhage in
the pelvis.. rectum of pelvic viscera due to deep stab wound. Sheriff is
reported to have claimed that he was stabbed twice;
On the other hand, the office of the Inspector General of Police informed
the public that the incident which happened at London Corner, Serrekunda
between the hours of 19.00 hours to 20.00 hours on Wednesday May 9 2007 was due to
the fact that the Divisional Security Task Force was responding to a tip off
that some groups of youths at a particular Street in London Corner Serekunda
were smoking Canabis Sativa or Jamba.
The youths were also accused by the Office of the Inspector General of
Police of robbery and provoking passers by. According to the police, upon arrival
at the scene, 12 people were arrested with bundles of suspected cannabis;
that other group members started running, that it is during their pursuit that
one of the suspects Sheriff Minteh, the deceased, fell on an iron sustaining
injuries on his groin, that Sheriff Minteh was rushed to Serrekunda Health
Centre and later to Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital were he was pronounced
dead.
Mr. President, Sheriff has not only lost his life but is also accused of
criminal activity when he can no longer defend himself. This is precisely why it
is necessary to hold a coroner’s inquest to establish the circumstances of
his death.
It is also important to release all those arrested in connection with the
protest against his death. What is needed under such circumstances is for
justice to be seen to be done and avoid inflaming the situation by relying on
repressive measures. You should come to terms with the fact that in the absence
of a strong parliamentary opposition to criticize excesses and put up measures
to restrain your government, you are duty bound to exercise self restraint
You should remember that the authority that you and your national assembly
members now exercise is derived from the people. It is therefore necessary to
utilize progressive and community oriented measures to promote positive
values among the youth instead of stigmatizing and alienating them as common
criminals.
Even though I am no longer a National Assembly Member for the constituency,
if your government does not know how to implement it‘s community policing
policies, my Centre for Social Science, Research Civic Awareness and Community
Initiatives would be willing to start community programmes in London Corner to
restore the sense of dignity and worth of the youth, under it’s community
initiatives programmes. Community programmes instead of militarism is the
avenue to combat youth problems which are mainly by products of failed or non
existing socioeconomic policies.
Mr. President, history is now confronting you with the task you sought from
the electorate: The people have a right to liberty, dignity and prosperity.
If you provide guarantees for the people to enjoy such rights you can be said
to have fulfilled your mandate. If you fail to guarantee such rights you can
be said to have betrayed your mandate. The choice is yours. History is
waiting to pass it’s judgment. Posterity shall bear witness to the verdict.
Yours
Halifa Sallah
FIVE CADIS SWORN IN
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
Five Cadis for the Cadi Appeal Panel, were on Monday, May 14, sworn into
office by the Chief Justice, Abdou Karim Savage at his office in Banjul.
The newly constituted panel consists of Omar Amat Secka, as Chairman,
Alhagie Ousman Muhammed Jah, Alhagie Essa Foday Darboe, Alhagie Masohna Kah and
Serigne Muhammad Yunusa Kah, as members.
Chief Justice Savage advised the new Cadis to stick to the principles of
justice, and maintain the integrity that earned them the appointments to serve
as Cadis.
“The problem is that this institution has been beleaguered, it has been
dragged into the mud for one reason or the other. We all know as judges that
litigants are never satisfied because one will win and the other lose,” Justice
Savage said.
He also said that one can hand down the best judgment and yet critism may
follow, noting, “But in this regard, there is nothing to fear, it we follow the
rules laid down by Allah.” The Secretary of State for Justice and Attorney
General, Kebba Sanyang said that there had been a system in place where by
appeals come from the lower Cadi courts to the High Court where the judges are
not conversant with sharia. It was in order to make a stop to this type of
situation that the appellant section was created, explained the Attorney General.
The Chairman of the Cadi Appeal Panel, Omar Amat Secka said that he is
already working on a number of rules for the Cadi Courts.
He promised to join hands with the lower Cadi courts for effecting a proper
administration of justice in the Cadi section.
Alhagie Abdoulie Antouman Faal, Chairman of the Banjul Muslim Elders
Committee, said the provision of a Cadi Appeal Panel is a milestone in the judiciary
as it has just celebrated the Cadi court centenary last year.
NGOS PREPARE FOR ORDINARY SESSION
The African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHR5) in
collaboration with the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA-Ghana) and the
African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR-t3ambia) is organising the
Forum on the participation of NGOs in the forthcoming Ordinary Session of the
African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and 15th African Human Rights
Book Fair, from 12th to 14th May 2007, at the Coconut Grove Hotel in Accra,
Ghana. Participants numbering about one hundred are expected from all the
regions of the Africa and beyond.
The Forum on the Participation of NGOs in the Ordinary Sessions of African
Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights is one of the main advocacy tons that
the African Centre uses to advance networking among Human Rights NGOs for the
promotion and protection of human rights in Africa.
The objective of the forum is to foster closer collaboration among NGOs and
with the African Commission with the sole aim of promoting and protecting
human rights in Africa. Resource Persons and Facilitators for the Forum will be
eminent activists and experts dealing with human rights and democracy issues
in Africa. The forum will be conducted in English and French, with
simultaneous interpretation.
The African Centre will also organise the 15th African Human Rights Book
Fair, which will run simultaneously with the Forum and the Public Sessions of
the African Commission. The Book Fair enables NGOs to network and initiate or
review, the exchange of materials and information, as well as to publicise
their activities Participants to the forum will display publications and or
documentaries of their Organisations.
The Consultation on the Evaluation of the NGOs Forum will also take place on
15th May, 2007 at the same venue. The objective of this activity is to
initiate consultation with beneficiaries, partners and stakeholders to assess the
previous experience in the organisation of this event as well as pave the way
forward. Participants are expected to include commissioners of the African
Commission, resource persons, facilitators, founders, partners, etc.
THE GAMBIA IS YET TO RATIFY CONVENTION ON TOBACCO CONTROL, SAYS GASSAMA
By Sarjo Camara Singhateh
“At The World Health Assembly in May 2003, the member states of the World
Health Organisation (WHO) agreed on a ground breaking public health treaty to
control tobacco supply and consumption.” Says WHO Communications Officer, Mr.
Gassama.
He noted that the text of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
(FCTC) covers tobacco taxation, illicit trade, advertising, sponsorship and
promotion, and product regulation.
Mr. Gassama stated that the Republic of Tanzania is the latest African
country to ratify the WHO frame-work Convention on Tobacco Control on the 30th of
April 2007.
According to Mr. Gassama, the Gambia signed the WHO FCTC on the 16th of June
2003, but has not yet ratified it.
Mr. Gassama said one hundred million deaths were attributed to tobacco
during the 20th century, mostly in developed countries. “Half of these deaths will
be among those in middle-age (35-69 years old), with harmful effects on
national economies”.
Mr. Gassama stated that tobacco is responsible for more deaths, world wide,
than any other risk factor except high blood pressure. “While total
consumption of cigarettes remained stable in the developed world between 1970 and
2000, it trebled in the developing world,” he said.
Over the next 25 years, total cigarette consumption will rise by 60% in
countries with medium levels of Human development and by 100% in countries with
low levels of human development. This latter group of nations will by then
consume more tobacco than either medium or high human development countries. Mr.
Gassama was quoting from the latest study on WHO tobacco consumption.
“The WHO commission on Macroeconomics and Health (CMH), in 2001, highlighted
the link between poor health and lack of economic progress” He said.
Gambia Guinea Match All Euro Stars to be Invited
By Modou Nyang
All Gambian foreign based players who were invited for the first leg
qualifier match against Guinea in Banjul, will again be invited for the second leg
encounter in Conakry.
According to FA sources the all the players who jetted to town for the first
leg will be called in order to give new coach Jose Martenez a fair look to
all of them. The source indicated that this is to avert any feeling of being
left out in the selection process. “We don’t want any body to say that we are
not fair by not inviting them. “We will invite all those that we invited for
the first leg match to allow the coach to do the final selection for himself”
, it concluded.
The Gambia Football Association initially invited a number of 18 overseas
based players for the first leg match against the Cyli Nationale of Guinea in
March which the Scorpions lost 2-0 at home. Some of the invited players
however reported to camp with injuries whilst others were not match fit, and ended
being spectators at the independence Stadium during the epic encounter.
And more interesting however, most of the players will be on holidays as
majority of the leagues in Europe are at their end. But whether the players will
jet to town as part of their holiday to help in offsetting the high cost of
travel and allowances to the cash strapped GFA, is yet to be seen.
Football: Opening of Coaching Course
By Madiba Singhateh
The Fifa/Olympic Solidarity funded football coaching course was officially
opened on Monday at the GFA Centre for Excellence in Yundum.
In his speech the course director Mr. Detlev Bruggeman said that Fifa
started this programme to improve the level of coaching in Africa. He added that
football is the most common and popular game in the world.
The first Vice President of the Gambia Football Association Brigadier
General Lang Tombong Tamba noted in his speech that since the success of Gambian
football since 2005 and the recent performances in Congo by winning Bronze has
contributed a lot in Gambian football.
The executive Secretary of the Gambia National Olympic Committee GNOC,
George Gomez said the GNOC has a four year plan in developing football adding that
without training it will not be possible to so. He noted that a lot is
expected from coaches in their handling of training.
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