Am just wondering if they're tick off because these guys(Ebrima
Ceesay & Cherno Baba Jallow) write so well or it is because they lack
the reliable sources that both Ebrima & Cherno have. I would like to
hear more from Ebrima and/or Cherno on this issue and read their side
of the story. Because if you ask me, I think these guys are simply
whining. Ebrima Ceesay and Cherno Baba, please keep the good work. We
tune in to you guys, not these radio kang-kang/'Jammeh Pleasers'.
They know you guys are irreplaceable. Besides who wants to work for
these morons under the present conditions. I think a missing person
hotline might be a lucrative business in the Gambia with the number of
people(reporters too of course abducted by the hour, who knows!.
THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER WHINED AS FOLLOWS:>
Our editorial of July 10 –13, 'Time for a rethink' triggered two very
sour rejoinders on Gambia-L from our former colleagues Ebrima Ceesay
in Birmingham, UK and Cherno Baba Jallow in Detroit, USA. We have no
objection to being criticised or to people expressing their opinions
on our paper, as this would keep us on our toes and help us improve on
our work. However, we demand that such criticisms be made in good faith.
As far as Ebrima Ceesay and Cherno Baba are concerned, we feel that
their rejoinders were written and posted in very bad faith. They
smack of extreme irrationality and a desire to destroy our credibility.
If Ebrima and Cherno Baba feel so strongly about the deeds or
misdeeds of the Jammeh regime, why do they not come back home and
fight their battle on the ground? Or why do they not delegate
someone to establish papers for them in The Gambia to which they
could be sending their truthful, hard-hitting and uncompromising
editorials, rather than sit out there on their ivory towers casting
aspersions on others suffering hell on the ground here?
Certainly it is utterly cynical of Cherno and Ebrima to accuse us of
cowardice, of entertaining 'fear-induced whims,' of 'playing footsie
with the APRC government' or of 'being parsimonious with the truth
and wimpish towards Jammeh.' The two of them are certainly more
deserving of being accused of cowardice and dishonesty.
Any rational and honest reader should be able to appreciate the
nature of our editorial policy. We are not here to promote extremism
in the Gambian body politic, as Ebrima Ceesay would have us do.
We are not interested in 'basking in the limelight' as Cherno Baba
suggests we are. We are only interested in transmitting the reality
on the ground as we understand it. We refuse to be controlled by
either the government or opponents of the government. We condemn as
utterly untrue and malicious any suggestion that we are cowards.
When we comment on issues, we try to comment as objectively as
possible. Coming to the editorial in question and for the benefit of
our readers, we had stated, among other things: 'In recent years, no
one hears about Transparency, Accountability and Probity, President
Jammeh's favourite sing-song in the early days of the coup.
Developments, over the past two years in particular, have shown that
the government has little regard for transparency and accountability.
The dizzying spate of unexplained sackings, arrests and detentions
show that the government has little regard for the rule of law or
constitutional provisions. The relentless harassment and intimidation
of the private press shows that the government cares little about
respect for freedom of expression or of the press.
While the several cases of alleged harassment of the opposition
indicate a worrying level of political intolerance on the part of the
government. 'Rather than cudgel the heads of all who dared say
something, the government should cudgel the head of its own ego and
bow to the dictates of reason and commonsense.'
Which honest reader would call these words 'a minimalist commentary on
Gambian realities?' or accuse us of being 'parsimonious with the
truth?' What would Cherno and Ebrima have us do? Well, we would have
them realise that their motives, though carefully couched in the
language of healthy debate, are absolutely clear to us.
May we indicate, finally, that we shall not enter into any further
debate or communication on this matter with the two gentlemen. Let
them or anyone else write what they want. We have urgent and serious
matters of national concern to attend to.
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