Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issues
Issue No. 22/2008, 22 – 24 February, 2008
Editorial
The Carnegie Affair
Did The Government Make A Bad Deal?
Many Gambians were surprised when they learnt that the government had
revoked the licence of a mining company. Many learnt for the first time that a
mining company had been operating in the country.
Many have wondered why the whole transaction and operation had been shrouded
in so much secrecy that even those living in the urban area were not aware
that a company that has mined more than 20,000 tonnes of materials has been
operating right under of our nose.
The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs alluded to a regrettable deal and
showed dissatisfaction with the $50 per tonne paid by the company. President
Jammeh, in a televised broadcast, expressed his dissatisfaction more
directly. He indicated that the $50 paid per tonne was too small and did not accept
the claim of the company that price of a tonne is $150. He pointed out that
the price of a tonne of titanium in the world market is over $2000.
The question that arises is, did the government make a bad deal and
regretted signing an agreement that puts it at a disadvantage? Did it seek
professional advice before signing the deal or did the government representatives sign
as mediocres? Why was the secrecy? Was there something to hide? There is need
for clarification.
Foroyaa has continued to attempt to talk to either the Secretary of State
for Information or the Secretary of State for Works and Construction. So far
they have not yet been accessible. As soon as we succeed, we will furnish our
readers with their views.
Gambia Yet To Respond
By Fabakary B. Ceesay
The Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression in Africa, under the Africa
Commission on Human and People’s Right (ACHPR), Commissioner Faith Pansy
Tlakula, has told journalists that the Gambia government is yet to reply to her
four letters of appeal sent to the government concerning freedom of expression
in The Gambia. Madam Tlakula made these remarks at the West African Human
Rights training workshop on Thursday, 14 February, at Paradise Suites Hotel in
Kololi.
Commissioner Tlakula indicated that she could not tell whether the letters
have reached President Jammeh, himself, noting that the letters could get into
the hands of some officials who may decide to file them without reaching the
president. Commissioner Tlakula said that she has never had the opportunity
to meet President Jammeh to discuss the issue of press freedom and freedom of
expression. She pointed out that she had a meeting with the Attorney General
and the Secretary of State for Information and had tabled the matter with
them.
Madam Tlakula said that The Gambia government is very aware of the Special
Rapporteur’s efforts on freedom of expression in The Gambia. She also
registered her disappointment with some African countries that have ratified the
Charter on Freedom of Expression but have failed to implement it in their
respective countries, which includes The Gambia. She said that African governments
voluntarily ratified the charter but are very reluctant to implement it.
In June 2006, the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression in Africa
wrote an appeal letter to The Gambia government, in which she brought to the
attention of the authorities the matter relating to the detention of three
Gambian journalists. According to Commissioner Tlakula, three more additional
letters were also sent to the government but that she is yet to receive any
response.
Foroyaa made attempts to talk to the Secretary of State for Communication,
Information and Technology, Mrs. Neneh Macdouall Gaye, to obtain her views on
the remarks made by the Special Rapporteur. This reporter was informed that
the SOS is very engaged in the inauguration of projects as part of the
independence celebration. We will publish her views as soon as we get them.
African Commission Finalises Rules For Human Rights Court
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
The rules of procedure of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights are
being discussed at the 4th Extra-Ordinary Session of the African Commission
on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) currently taking place at the Corinthia
Atlantic Hotel in Banjul.
The week- long close door session, which kicked off on Sunday, February 17,
is expected to give final consideration to the court’s rules of procedure and
hopefully adopt them.
The African Court, which came into existence in 2006, was established by the
African Union following its adoption of the Protocol to the African Charter
on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
According to the Chairperson of the African Commission, Justice Sanji
Mmasenono Monageng, “The African Court is already quite advanced in the elaboration
of its rules of procedure”.
Regarding the African Commission, Justice Monageng said the original
intention had been for the Commission to consider and adopt its rules of procedure
during the 42nd ordinary session in Brazzaville, Congo, in November 2007, but
its workload made it impossible.
She said, “Hence the main reason for holding this extra-ordinary session is
to finalize consideration of our rules of procedure and adopt them, so that
they are ready in time for our rendezvous with the African Court later this
year, to harmonize the rules of procedure of the two organs”.
The Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Department of State for Justice,
Alagie Sainey Susso, who read a statement on behalf of the Attorney General, said
the session “is another milestone in the development of the African human
rights system”.
Mr. Susso said that from establishing a commission twenty years ago, they
have now seen the need for a human rights court which will consolidate the
gains registered by the commission.
He said: “The promotion and protection of human rights in Africa is the
primary responsibility of all and sundry because it is only when our human rights
are guaranteed, promoted, protected and fulfilled that peace and development
will be realised in the continent”.
Message from Fidel Castro
Dear compatriots:
Last Friday, February 15, I promised you that in my next reflection I would
deal with an issue of interest to many compatriots. Thus, this now is rather
a message.
Fidel Castro RuzThe moment has come to nominate and elect the State Council,
its President, its Vice-Presidents and Secretary.
upied the honorable position of President. On February 15, 1976 the
Socialist Constitution was approved with the free, direct and secret vote of over 95%
of the people with the right to cast a vote. The first National Assembly was
established on December 2nd that same year; this elected the State Council
and its presidency. Before that, I had been a Prime Minister for almost 18
years. I always had the necessary prerogatives to carry forward the
revolutionary work with the support of the overwhelming majority of the people.
There were those overseas who, aware of my critical health condition,
thought that my provisional resignation, on July 31, 2006, to the position of
President of the State Council, which I left to First Vice-President Raul Castro
Ruz, was final. But Raul, who is also minister of the Armed Forces on account
of his own personal merits, and the other comrades of the Party and State
leadership were unwilling to consider me out of public life despite my unstable
health condition.
It was an uncomfortable situation for me vis-à-vis an adversary which had
done everything possible to get rid of me, and I felt reluctant to comply.
Later, in my necessary retreat, I was able to recover the full command of my
mind as well as the possibility for much reading and meditation. I had
enough physical strength to write for many hours, which I shared with the
corresponding rehabilitation and recovery programs. Basic common sense indicated that
such activity was within my reach. On the other hand, when referring to my
health I was extremely careful to avoid raising expectations since I felt that
an adverse ending would bring traumatic news to our people in the midst of
the battle. Thus, my first duty was to prepare our people both politically and
psychologically for my absence after so many years of struggle. I kept
saying that my recovery “was not without risks.”
My wishes have always been to discharge my duties to my last breath. That’s
all I can offer.
To my dearest compatriots, who have recently honored me so much by electing
me a member of the Parliament where so many agreements should be adopted of
utmost importance to the destiny of our Revolution, I am saying that I will
neither aspire to nor accept, I repeat, I will neither aspire to nor accept the
positions of President of the State Council and Commander in Chief.
In short letters addressed to Randy Alonso, Director of the Round Table
National TV Program, —letters which at my request were made public— I discreetly
introduced elements of this message I am writing today, when not even the
addressee of such letters was aware of my intention. I trusted Randy, whom I
knew very well from his days as a student of Journalism. In those days I met
almost on a weekly basis with the main representatives of the University
students from the provinces at the library of the large house in Kohly where they
lived. Today, the entire country is an immense University.
Following are some paragraphs chosen from the letter addressed to Randy on
December 17, 2007:
“I strongly believe that the answers to the current problems facing Cuban
society, which has, as an average, a twelfth grade of education, almost a
million university graduates, and a real possibility for all its citizens to
become educated without their being in any way discriminated against, require more
variables for each concrete problem than those contained in a chess game. We
cannot ignore one single detail; this is not an easy path to take, if the
intelligence of a human being in a revolutionary society is to prevail over
instinct.
“My elemental duty is not to cling to positions, much less to stand in the
way of younger persons, but rather to contribute my own experience and ideas
whose modest value comes from the exceptional era that I had the privilege of
living in.
“Like Niemeyer, I believe that one has to be consistent right up to the end.
”
Letter from January 8, 2008:
“…I am a firm supporter of the united vote (a principle that preserves the
unknown merits), which allowed us to avoid the tendency to copy what came to
us from countries of the former socialist bloc, including the portrait of the
one candidate, as singular as his solidarity towards Cuba. I deeply respect
that first attempt at building socialism, thanks to which we were able to
continue along the path we had chosen.”
And I reiterated in that letter that “…I never forget that ‘all of the world
’s glory fits in a kernel of corn.”
Therefore, it would be a betrayal to my conscience to accept a
responsibility requiring more mobility and dedication than I am physically able to offer.
This I say devoid of all drama.
Fortunately, our Revolution can still count on cadres from the old guard and
others who were very young in the early stages of the process. Some were
very young, almost children, when they joined the fight on the mountains and
later they have given glory to the country with their heroic performance and
their internationalist missions. They have the authority and the experience to
guarantee the replacement. There is also the intermediate generation which
learned together with us the basics of the complex and almost unattainable art
of organizing and leading a revolution. The path will always be difficult and
require from everyone’s intelligent effort. I distrust the seemingly easy
path of apologetics or its antithesis the self-flagellation. We should always be
prepared for the worst variable. The principle of being as prudent in
success as steady in adversity cannot be forgotten. The adversary to be defeated is
extremely strong; however, we have been able to keep it at bay for half a
century.
This is not my farewell to you. My only wish is to fight as a soldier in the
battle of ideas. I shall continue to write under the heading of ‘Reflections
by comrade Fidel.’ It will be just another weapon you can count on. Perhaps
my voice will be heard. I shall be careful.
Thanks.
Fidel Castro Ruz
February 18, 2008
5:30 p.m.
Tamsir Jasseh Ordered To Pay $24,000
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
Tamsir Jasseh, who is serving a twenty year jail term, was, on Thursday,
ordered by Banjul Magistrate court to pay $24,000 to Timber and Furniture
Company, being rent arrears owed by the defendant..
Magistrate Olajubutu Kayode in his judgment said that the defendant shall
forthwith give up the plaintiff’s premises situated at 72 Gloucester Street in
Banjul.
Apart from the $24,000 Mr. Jasseh is ordered to pay, or its equivalent in
dalasi (D316,000), the court has asked him to pay 800 dalasi to the company for
cost. The Banjul Magistrates Court made this decision after Mr. Jasseh
failed to appear in court except on January 14th.
The Magistrate said in the face of unexplained appearance of the defendant,
the plaintiff’s evidence remains uncontradicted and unchallenged despite
available evidence that the defendant was put on notice of the suit.
The defendant was taken to court by Timber and Furniture for not paying rent
arrears for two years.
NOVA SCOTIA-GAMBIA ASSOCIATION EMBARKS ON HIV/AIDS BASELINE SURVEY
PRESS RELEASE
Nova Scotia-Gambia Association (NSGA), in it efforts to promote health in
The Gambia, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program
(UNDP), has embarked on a countrywide HIV/AIDS baseline survey.
The 6-month baseline study will reveal the current level of HIV/AIDS
awareness and knowledge among identified vulnerable groups, including truck drivers,
vendors and commercial sex workers in all the major motor parks in The
Gambia.
This survey is the first of its kind which specifically targets individuals
considered “high-risk”, due to their frequent trade routes throughout The
Gambia and within the region, including Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Mali,
Mauritanian and Sierra Leone.
It’s also the first time NSGA has been involved in such a project.
For twenty years, NSGA has worked extensively in schools and communities
across the country with their Peer Health Education Program, drama troupes,
community film shows and group discussions. All these efforts have focused on
promoting health awareness issues, including HIV/AIDS, STIs, reproductive
health, malaria and gender equity.
Now they can add data collection to their roster of abilities.
NSGA hired consultant, Cherno Jallow, conducted a successful six-day
training for thirteen staff members for the baseline survey. He said that “They were
quick to grasp the questionnaire, to translate it into local languages and
to role play the interview situation. I am very confident they can all go out
there, be consistent with the questions and do a good job.”
NSGA staff will do one-on-one confidential interviews using a 16-page
questionnaire to get factual, in-depth information from the interviewees.
The data collected from over 2300 interviews will allow for improved
targeting of specific HIV/AIDS education in this region and provide a foundation to
measure the success of further interventions.
Jallow said that, NSGA is well-suited for the task.
“They have worked with the Drivers’ Union in the past, so a rapport already
exists.”
Jallow said that the training also gives NSGA staff the necessary expertise
to conduct surveys of this magnitude in the future.
The staff will split into four groups to cover the entire country,
conducting several interviews a day.
Joseph Demba and Binta Jadama are the baseline survey project managers for
NSGA. Demba said that the funding provided by UNDP for this survey has
provided a great opportunity of growth for the Nova Scotia-Gambia Association.
“It has built our capacity in developing the new skills of baseline survey
data collection,” says Demba. “I feel very comfortable that we now have the
confidence to get into the field and ask very difficult, personal questions.”
For further information please contact:
Lamin Fatty, Nova Scotia-Gambia Association media liaison representative, at
449-6927 or 993-1513
Sensitisation Workshop on Avian And Human Influenza
By Fabakay B. Ceesay
The office of the Vice President in consultation with the UNDP, the National
Taskforce on Avian Influenza, partners and representatives of the donor
community, had undertaken a three-day sensitisation workshop on the above subject
matter, at the Baobab Holiday Resort, from Wednesday 20 to Friday 22
February, under the disaster management project, funded by UNDP.
According to the National Disaster Management Coordinator, Mr. Essa Khan,
the initiative is to undertake sensitisation activities on the document that
had been prepared by the stakeholders together with the international
consultant that was recruited by the UNDP, in consultation with the office of the Vice
President. Mr. Khan noted that the document was called “The Gambia
comprehensive emergency preparedness response plans on Avian and Human Influenza”. He
said that Avian Influenza is now becoming a global issue; that it has
threatened lives and livelihoods. Mr. Khan noted that the plan had been properly
planned and documented and well researched. He urged the participants to
actively engage themselves to look at the plan and how best they can sensitize the
general populace and to know the way forward.
Mr. Khan noted that the role of the media in the initiative is to
disseminate information about the disease.
The UNDP resident representative, Mr. Vitalae Muntean, said that Avian
Influenza (AI) is an acute, contagious disease that has been recorded in many
countries throughout the world including most of Europe, Russia, the Middle East
and Far East, North and South America and Africa. Mr. Muntean noted that the
pandemic has grown over the past years with a potential for socio-economic,
human and biodiversity implications, in particular. The UNDP Rep said that
Avian Influenza causes high mortality, aiming at the poultry population and thus
reducing income for the rural poor and has disastrous effects on
international trade and domestic consumption of poultry products. “A good number of the
local human population depends on poultry as sources of measures and protein,”
said Mr. Muntean. He further noted that the human implication represents a
real potential for a pandemic of the human influenza, including death of
people as has been witnessed in China and Indonesia; that the biodiversity
implications are that water birds (migrating species), are potential carriers of
the highly pathogenic strain of the Avian Influenza Virus, which are often the
target of control and eradication measures. He said the eradication measures
often lead to drastic decline in species diversity as well as impoverished
status of protected areas as biodiversity “Hotspots” and tourists destinations
with devastating consequences for ecotourism as a source of foreign exchange.
Mrs. Fatou Jassey Kuyateh, Permanent Secretary at the Vice President’s
Office, said even though the virus has not yet entered the Gambia, the spread of
the virus from East Asia to the rest of the world has been remarkably fast
with outbreaks in all parts of Asia, Europe, North and West Africa now on a
regular basis. She stated that The Gambia must be fully prepared both for the
current virus in circulation and for the emergence of a pandemic strain. Mrs.
Jassey Kuyateh noted that three key requests were made for the assistance of an
international expert for the development of a comprehensive and action
oriented National Action Plan for Avian Influenza prevention and control in the
Gambia. She said the request focused on the three key areas as, to undertake a
qualitative and quantitative risk assessment and analysis for Avian
Influenza; to enhance surveillance of Avian Influenza in the poultry sector and to
develop an emergency preparedness plan for Avian Influenza and to conduct an
emergency simulation on the plan. “These three key areas are critical to the
prevention and control of both avian and human influenza,” she said.
The programme was chaired by Mr. Abdoulie Camara.
FOCUS ON POLITICS
CRISIS GRIPPED BAKAU VEGETABLE GARDEN, AS TWO MILLION DALASI DISAPPEARED;
CREATING COMMUNITY STRIFE;
With Suwaibou Touray
What Did The Government Do?
The Bakau Women Vegetable Garden Project emerged as a self- help project,
which won the goodwill of many donors. It offered the women of Bakau the
opportunity to work together to improve their quality of life. The Norwegian
philanthropists were said to have donated D 2 million Dalasi or so to the garden
which, as Foroyaa wrote, was not properly utilized. The women would have been
relying on boreholes, tractors and sprinklers to do their gardening if the
funds were not mismanaged.
Foroyaa investigated the matter and discovered that most women did not even
know that their self-help project or Tesiti-kafoo was donated such a huge
amount of money that could remove all the hard labour they were engulfed with.
It has also discovered that it was these women who were being misled by those
who benefited from the money to elbow out those who wanted to pursue the
donated money.
Crisis gripped the garden while government administrators did more to
complicate matters than to resolve the problems, the paper observed. The paper
claimed that they made several efforts to get the various ministers of
agriculture such as Hon. Saihou Sabally and Hon. Omar A. Jallow to take decisive steps
to facilitate the resolution of the problems of the garden, but to no avail. ‘
Even though various officials had intervened to compound the problems at the
garden, when it came to solution they simply asserted that they had no right
to interfere’ wrote Foroyaa.
Foroyaa also found out that in the beginning, the women at the garden were
given the false believe that whatever they did had the backing of the
government. However, as time went on they began to realize that power did not lie
with government officials; on the contrary, it lay in their very hands. Lack of
wise administrative guidance, the paper wrote, led many of the women astray.
Consequently, the problems could not be solved. Hence, a project which could
have promoted unity among the women of Bakau developed to be a major source
of community strife. Foroyaa hoped that the women of Bakau would realize that
they belong to the same community; that they are the ones who would
experience tension and hostilities if they remain divided.
On the other hand, if they unite they were the ones who would experience the
fruits of good neighbourliness and progress. Hence the paper advised that
they should not allow anyone to breed hostility among them; that they should
turn their backs at the differences of the past and forge new links that would
enable them to find out what has happened to their 2 million dalasi so that
their garden could progress.
As for those people who were in positions of authority, Foroyaa had this to
say: that Power belongs to no one; that it never did and it never will; that
it was therefore the duty of people in positions of authority to exercise
power as if they would lose it the next minute. In this way, Foroyaa said, a
person in position of trust would safeguard himself or herself from abusing
authority and one would win the confidence, love and trust of the people. On the
other hand again, the paper warned, those who took position of authority as
their personal property; those who assume that they can do whatever they want
with impunity do not hesitate to subject their neighbours under gross
injustices. In this way, they earn the distrust of the people.
Hence, it should be clear to every public servant that one’s actions are
being recorded by history. Care must therefore guard one’s action in such a way
that when the records are read before the judgment seat of history there
would not be any necessity for one to bow one’s head in shame. In this way one
would be absolved by history. On the other hand, if one fails to guard against
one’s actions, one is likely to persist in error. History shall then indict
such a person. Such a person is likely to bow his or her head in shame when
his or her record is read.
According to the paper as captured here” truth is what is worthy of being
followed. It is like a diamond. No matter how deep it lies buried under the
ground; no matter how long it lies buried it is neither destroyed nor stained.
One who relies on truth as a guiding light will never go astray. The pursuit
of truth is the beginning and the end of wisdom. He or she who pursues truth
can never be misguided. Such a person can never live to regret.”
Jalamang Jatta was a technical adviser who was with the Department of
Agricultural Services. He has been attached to the Bakau Women Vegetable Garden
Project as a technical adviser.
The Project was initiated after many women of Bakau sought assistance from
Mr.Daddy Sowe to protect their garden from cattle infiltration. Eventually,
Mr. Sowe collaborated with the women to establish a self help project opposite
Radio Gambia, which was called by some as the Bakau Women Garden Tesito
Project. In 1988, FOROYAA heard over Radio Gambia that Mr. Sowe had been expelled
from the garden and strong attacks were being directed at him. Many believed
at the time that Mr. Sowe was being targeted because he was the one guiding
the ignorant women to make a follow up of their two million or so dalasi.
Foroyaa also said they felt that someone was using Radio Gambia to attack
another Gambian citizen in an irresponsible manner. The paper quoted Section l7 of
the Constitution that bars any Gambian citizen from being subjected to
degrading treatment. It felt that if Mr. Sowe had done something wrong the courts
were there for him to be tried. It said it abhorred the trial by media and
therefore considered it to be an abuse of authority.
Since FOROYAA considered itself a fighter to defend the rights of the
persons and administrative decency they said they decided to conduct an
investigation into the matter to distinguish the truth from the untruth and according to
them, they did discover the truth.
Foroyaa wrote and mentioned the Ministry of Agriculture and the Department
of Agricultural services for having acknowledged that they had no right to
interfere with the administration of the garden or dismiss anyone from it.
However, the hidden hands which had manipulated the whole organizational
structure, membership and leadership of the garden created wrong impressions among the
women which made it difficult for them to resolve the problem .They also
wrote that while their mission was purely humanitarian the hidden hands tried to
make it a battle between FOROYAA and the Government. Some of the members of
present leadership of the garden, whom they had interviewed at the heat of
the crisis, however knew that they know everything right from their own mouths.
They however said they did not want to add fuel on fire, that they simply
wanted them to realize the need to solve the problems.
To make matters short, the crises which gripped the garden in 1988 led to
the expulsion of Daddy Sowe, by the state, from the garden, stating that he
(Sowe) was a Union man not a woman gardener. Some women also could not go back
to the garden. Since the Minister of Agriculture at the time knew what
happened, Foroyaa said they also tried their level best to involve him and the
Director of the Department, at the time to exercise some moral influence to
settle the matter but to no avail. They said they decided to advice the women to
approach the matter cautiously since what the future holds was unpredictable.
The question that came to mind was who was to be held liable for the
destruction of the vegetables at the garden?
Technical Adviser Sued
Since the women felt that it was the technical adviser who ordered them not
to set foot in the garden again until their vegetables dried up, they then
decided to sue Mr. Jalamang Jatta for the damages.
On the 23rd, March, 1990 Mr. Jalamang Jatta appeared before Senior
Magistrate J. D. Amartey at the Kanifing Magistrates Court, as a defendant. Those who
lodged a suit against him, the plaintiffs, alleged that Mr. Jatta was
responsible for the destruction of their vegetables at their garden opposite the
Radio Gambia. The plaintiffs were Mrs. Oumie Mboge, Mrs. Nyimansatta Janneh,
Mrs. Amie Kebbeh Bojang and Mrs. Sanjally Cham. The counsel for the plaintiffs
was Mr. Sam George. The defendant, Mr. Jalamang Jatta had Mr. Abdoulie Mboge
as his counsel.
The case lasted for six months. Judgment was delivered on Wednesday, 5th
September, 1990.The plaintiffs called 5 witnesses to convince the court of the
legitimacy of their claims. The defendant called five witnesses to defend why
he should not be held liable.
See next edition of focus as we arrive at the conclusion of the court on
this case.
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
Life Is Not A Game
Part 8
With Amie Sillah
At The Dining
Ousman came into the Dining as Nadia was leaving. She hissed at him and left
in an outrageous rude manner. Mama became worried and concern. Papa is
surprised, “Why? Why is she behaving strange?” Mama started to shed emotional
tears. “I’ll find out. I have lost my appetite. I cannot sit here to enjoy my
meal when my youngest daughter (chat) is hurting.” Ousman gave the Accounts
Book to Alhajj. “Give me a minute to go through it. I’ll call you back.” Ous
left. Zahra was mad with Nadia. “What’s wrong with her? Why is she treating
everyone with scorn?” Zahra protested.
Ousman And Zahra
Ousman is playing ludo with Zahra. Nadia came and found them. She protested.
“What! Why are you interacting with this Black Mamba? He is no good. “He’ll
hurt you.” Then she turned to Ousman. “Stay away from my sister! I’ll kill
you if you don’t. You are evil! Stay away from us!” Zahra protested. “
Nonsense! Bullshit! Stop your silly behaviour. Are you interested in him? Are you
jealous that I am close to him? Please! Let him be! Don’t frustrate him. He is
a good man.” “What! You are mad! He is a serpent under a green grass. He is
evil. He is no good. He is a Black Mamba.” Then she left in a rage. Zahra
shook her head. “What is eating her up? Why this venom against Ousman? There is
no smoke without fire. I intend to find out.” Zahra emphasized.
Nadia Brooding Alone
Nadia went into her bedroom brooding alone. Zahra joined her she questioned
her hatred towards Ousman. Nadia seated her down and narrated the incident. “
What! Impossible! Mom cannot do that! It is an abomination. I cannot believe
you.” Zahra stressed. “Believe me sister! It is true. I caught them pants
down on our parents’ matrimonial bed.”
Both Girls Confront Mom
Nadia and Zahra confronted mom in her bedroom. “Oh Nadia! You told your
sister? You promise to keep it a secret between the two of us. Why did you tell
Zahra?” “Isn’t she a family? I would have also told Salma if she was around.
We are a family. The burden is too heavy for me. It was eating me up. I
cannot wash our dirty linen outside. I decided to wash it inside. Zahra is not
only a sister but also my best friend. We share our girlish secrets together. I
cannot keep such important information from her.” Mom sobbed bitterly and
asked. “Have you told your dad?” “No! I can’t. That will kill him. He loves
you dearly mom. He also has a great confidence in Ousman. This is a breach of
confidence and a betrayal of the century. I’ll never tell dad until he finds
it for himself. But I don’t think you’ll want that.” Nadia expressed. Mama
embraced her two daughters and confessed to them. “Papa starves me of an
intimacy. He is married to his job. I complained but to no avail. I am a woman for
God’s sake.” “But mom! Don’t find excuses for this immoral act. It is
wrong, it is wrong! It cannot be justified. Desist from it. Promise you’ll stop
the affair. You are disgracing and hurting your family.” Mom sobbed bitterly
and through her tears she promised to stop flirting with Ousman. “Deal?” The
daughters asked. “Yes! It’s a deal.” Mom answered through her sobs. She
confessed that she sincerely regretted her action considering her 30 years of
marriage to their dad. “It will never happen again. I ask for your forgiveness
and understanding. I am ashamed.” “It’s okay so long as you stop the action.
We can understand.” They embraced their mom and expressed emotional tears.
The Girls And Dad
The girls summoned dad and asked him to grant their wish. They first tried
to commit him. “What is it before you commit me?” “Grant our wish first.”
The girls remained adamant. “Okay! I grant.” “Send Ousman away. Relieve him of
his job.” “Why?” Dad asked. “His wife is missing him. Help him with
capital to start a village business and stay with his wife.” Dad raised eyebrows. “
Who tell me that, that’s what Ousman wants? Are you freedom fighters for
Ousman? The package is a good deal. He is promoted in cash and social status.
Can he get that in the village? I don’t think so. And moreover, Ousman have not
complained. So freedom fighters don’t put words into people’s mouth. That
is arrogant and materialistic. Ousman is a man. He can fight for his rights.”
Papa was called to answer to an international call. The girls protested. “
Ousman is no good. He is a detractor. Do something before it is too late.” Papa
left in a hurry to answer to an international call.
Gra Saul With His Girls
Gra Saul usually went to his rendezvous with his girls. He again spotted Aja
with Ousman.
Alhajj And Nadia
Alhajj was relaxing at the flower garden with Nadia brewing ‘attaya’ for
him. He likes ‘attaya’ especially when he married Aja whose parents came from
Mauritania.
Gra Saul Arrives
Gra Saul came in a hurry. He requested Alhajj to go with him to confirm a
story. Alhajj asked permission from his daughter. “Naddy! I’ll be here in a
jiffy. You can close the attaya ritual. I know my going not my coming back.” He
kissed his daughter and left in a jiffy. He boarded Gra’s jeep. The duo
left. They rushed to the place. Alhajj was to confirm with his own eyes. “Gees
Wedi Bokut” (seeing is believing).
A Knock At the Hotel Room
As the lovers were in bed enjoying themselves, there was a knock at the
Hotel Room door.” Who?” They were surprised. “We did not call for a room service.
” The knock became louder. “I have some bedding for your room. Can you open
please?” Gra changed his voice to that of a lady. The door was opened and
Gra rushed in followed by Alhajj.
The Shock
“Oh! What? Ousman!” He turned to his wife. “Aja! So it is true? What have I
done to deserve this from the two of you?” “Ousman! You have killed me!”
Alhajj slumped and passed out in a shock. Emergency was alerted and Alhajj
rushed to hospital. Aja sobbed with shamed. Ousman became flabbergasted.
TO BE CONTINUED
GENDER AFFAIRS
Death Is A Thief
A Tribute To Satang Jobarteh
By Amie Sillah
What is that light shining so bright in the dark? It is the image of Satang
shining like a star in the night. Her spirit moving but her body lay still.
Sheroes do not die they live in our hearts. Death is the thief that no one can
catch and be alive. Everything that be must also have an end. But to die
serving your people is a worthy death. Sheroes do not die they live in our
hearts. SIMMA is here to showcase your work on earth. I can vividly remember that
fateful day of 24 February, 2003. I travelled to Sri-Lanka to attend to the
Commonwealth Editors’ Forum. I visited my friend before I travelled. I
presented her with flowers, which she dearly loved. She looked at me and shook her
head. I gave her courage. Hardly did I know my friend was bading me good bye.
I went to Sri-Lanka with a heavy heart. I prayed for my friend throughout the
long journey.
I was in Kandy where we held the Editors’ Forum. My Gambian colleague
Momodou Musa Touray heard it first. He was afraid to tell me. He beat about the
bush and I became suspicious. “Did something terrible happen?” I impatiently
asked. He fidgeted. Then I shook him. “Tell me the truth. The suspense is
killing me!” I said. “Lets go to your room.” He said. I was shaking. I knew
something terrible had happened. Was it a close member of my family or what? My
mind started wondering. I prepared myself for the worst. “The Gambia has lost a
brilliant daughter. This is not only a loss to our country but to Africa and
the world.” My mind went straight to Satang. I lost words. I stammered. “Is
it Satang? No! Tell me its not true!” “It is true. Your twin partner is
gone.” I went into trance. I would have fainted but thanks to Momodou Musa
Touray. He gave me a broad shoulder to lean on. I retired early to bed. I
hallucinated. Sleep left me. I never slept again. I only close my eyes and relax
until I return to the Gambia. Our host gave us plenty of everything but I never
enjoy it again.
Satang took part of my soul. I can never forget her until we meet again. Our
last picture we took together during her last public seminar is hung at my
bedside. I set my eyes on it everyday and speak to my friend.
I said to her everyday. “You are gone but never to be forgotten. 5 years
have past. Adieu good sister! God be with you till we meet again!”
Amie Sillah
Sub-Regional Network of Human Rights Journalists in the Offing
By Madi S. Njie
West African Journalists, who participated in a three day human rights
journalists training of trainers workshop, organised by the African Commission on
Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), on the last day of the event, selected a
working group tasked to work out the ground work for the establishment of a
Network of West African Human Rights Journalists.
This development followed series of calls by participants, who were drawn
from 14 different countries, and who called for the establishment of a regional
body of human rights journalists to participate fully in the promotion and
protection of human and peoples’ rights in the continent.
The event, funded by the Dakar-based Open Society International for West
Africa (OSIWA), was attended by media representatives from Sierra Leone, Ghana,
Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Senegal, Benin, Liberia, Niger,
Togo, Republic of Guinea, The Gambia and Cameroon. It was geared towards
inculcating better understanding of the African Human Rights System to human
rights journalists with a view to making them more effective in the promotion and
protection of human and peoples’ rights.
A four-man working committee from the Gambia, Senegal, Sierra Leone and
Cameroon was selected and tasked with the responsibility, among other things, to
formulate a documented structure of the regional network of human rights
journalists, which in the long run would work towards the establishment of
Network of African Human Rights Journalists (NAHRJ).
The working group’s coordinator, Mr. Musa M. Sheriff, is also the
coordinator of the Network of Human Rights Journalists (NHRJ), The Gambia.
Meanwhile, the committee had their first meeting at the end of the regional
Human Rights Journalists training program on Thursday, February 12, 2008 at
the Paradise Suites Hotel.
Justice Wadda Grants Supt. Sanyang, Lt. Camara Bail
Superintendent Manlafi Sanyang and Lieutenant Bakary Camara of State House,
were on Thursday, 14 February, 2008 granted bail by Hon. Mrs. Na Ceesay Salla
Wadda of the High Court in Banjul.
Sanyang, who is in charge of government vehicles at State House, and Camara,
a presidential body guard, were remanded in custody by Magistrate Kayode H.
Olajubutu of the Banjul Magistrates Court, following their appearance before
him, charged with three counts of criminal offences. However, Lawyer Lamin S.
Camara had filed a bail application on their behalf, which the court upheld.
In her ruling, Justice Wadda recalled that the bail application was
supported by a 17 paragraph affidavit deposed to by one Modibo Jarjusey. She said
defence counsel Camara submitted that the charges, conspiracy, stealing, and
economic crime-pressed against the duo, are bailable offences and the court has
power to grant bail, which Camara added, was purely a matter of discretion.
This includes economic crimes cases.
She also noted that the counsel for the state/respondent, state counsel Ms.
Mam Amie Jobe, informed the court that the respondent was not opposing bail
and that no affidavit in opposition to bail was filed by the state.
The judge noted that the charge sheet merely indicates the Economic Crimes
Decree, Decree No. 16 of 1994, without stating any particular section. She
said the court deems that the charges against Sanyang and Lt. Camara were indeed
made under section 5 of the Economic Crimes Decree. She cited section 19(1)
of the constitution which states that “If any person arrested or detained as
mentioned in subsection (3)(b) is not tried within a reasonable time, then
without prejudice to any further proceedings which may be brought against him or
her, he or she shall be released either unconditionally or upon reasonable
conditions, including, in particular, such conditions as is reasonably
necessary to ensure that he or she appears at a later date for trial of proceedings
preliminary to trial.”
The judge referred to section 99(2) of the Constitution, which states that,
the amount of bail shall be fixed with due regard to the circumstances of the
case and shall not be excessive. She finally held that it was apparent that
all the laws relied on this application for bail confer to the court a
discretion to grant bail, subject to various conditions being in place.
She therefore granted the applicants bail on the following conditions: “Bail
is set for each of the applicants, Bakary Camara and Manlafi Sanyang at one
million dalasis (D1,000,000) with one Gambian surety.”
Justice Salla Wadda added that the surety shall enter into a bond with the
principal registrar of the High Court for the amount stated, for which “if any
of the applicants herein are to abscond, legal proceedings will be commenced
against the surety for the recovery of the sum of one million dalasis.” Both
applicants were not brought to court during the ruling.
The two, together with Boto Sonko of the Boto Construction, are alleged to
have stolen a vehicle registration No. BJL 4063B, property of the Gambia
government. The trio had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and stealing, but did
not take a plea on economic crime, as Magistrate Kayode said he had no
jurisdiction to try that, hence their remand in custody.
Sheriff Minteh’s Murder Trial Continues
Saikou Ceesay
The fifth prosecution witness, in the Criminal trial of Dodou Janneh, alias
Dodou Boy, had testified to the Bundung Magistrates Court presided over by
Magistrate Kumba Sillah Camara. The witness, Yassin Minteh, told the court that
Sheriff Minteh (the deceased and her brother) had told her that it is the
accused who stabbed him.
A sister to the late Sheriff Minteh, the winess made this statement when she
was subjected to cross examination by Lamin Camara, the Lawyer for the
accused person, Dodou Janneh, who is on trial for allegedly murdering Sheriff
Minteh. According to her, the police obtained her statement at home. Testifying
further, she said when she arrived at the scene; she found the accused and
someone else there. She said the paramilitary personnel had a torch light with
them as it was dark. She said her statement was written by the police.
At this juncture, a statement was tendered and the witness was asked whether
it was the statement obtained from her. The witness replied that she could
not identify the report because she is not literate. The statement was
admitted in evidence and marked exhibit E1.
The case is adjourned till Tuesday, 26th February 2008 for continuation of
the cross examination.
Three Gambians Get UN Special Court Contract
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
Three members of staff of the Gambia Judiciary have recently left for the
Hague, in the Netherlands, where they are expected to serve as interpreters at
the United Nations Special Tribunal for Sierra Leone.
According to the acting Judicial Secretary, Haruna Jaiteh, the trio are
Malang Badjie, a registrar with the judiciary, Baba Saidykhan and Almamy Sabally,
both senior interpreters with the judiciary.
“The three were selected after two rounds of training delivered by the
special court’s personnel,” Mr. Jaiteh told reporters on Tuesday.
He said that the men will facilitate the interpretation of Gambian languages
which might be spoken by witnesses to the court. Mr. Jaiteh also said that
the duration of the contract would depend on the length of the case before the
court.
Meanwhile, Foroyaa has learnt that the men will be interpreting for the
Tribunal on the case of the former Liberian President, Charles Taylor, who is
being tried for atrocities he allegedly committed during the Sierra Leonean
bloody civil war.
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