OPINION  INFORMATION FLOW AND RESPECTING INDIVIDUALS  By Yero Jallow

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December 27, 2005
 That is why everyone is in forums. That's why we watch TVs. Sure! That's why we pick up newspapers and journals to read. When our fax machines show green signals, we are ready to get information. When we pick up our phones, we are ready to give and take information. Whenever we click on the internet, we are looking for some information, and honestly makes our world a small world. Information is knowledge, and power. And information has to flow.

Our daily activities in school, work etc... all deals with information, so information is such a vital part of our lives that rules governing it should be constantly revisited. It is wrong to have information and sit on it -be it negative or positive, especially when it deals with state of affairs of a country.

As others choose to be information givers, other choose to benefit from the information being given. That is an interdependent relationship. One who gives information of course knows he/she have a readership. Readership doesn't have to like all of it, but they can read all of it. The choice is entirely on any to choose your way, and good luck with the route you want to take. Information giving and taking is a learning criteria, and the very tool to awake a sleeping society.

Now, with regards to being part of associations, and having access to information, has a lot to conflict professionalism of what one does. I think then, one need to leave one for the other, and that would be a principle based on protecting morality, and avoid a state of biasness.

Living on principle is very important. Certainly, we know that plans fail, but we don't have control over happenings. It is never wrong , rather a patriotic move, to constantly inform people of daily and timely activities. Where one finds him or herself in a situation of giving information of organisations, and cannot sleep over information flowing within the particular organisations, then it is only fair to distance him/herself as an independent person from those organisations, and to avoid any future blame, that might be rather character attacking, and not really based on protecting unity, especially when every information given out is done on good faith, and enhancing unity.

If you are within the organisation, of course you get information. The information you get is not for keeping. This is something you should share with the whole world. This is one thing to consider, and call it a day, and still be an associate in the struggle, but one with a different route. One does this to leave respect for those daily partners, and remain a respected person too, and not to make it look like a confrontation. Telling any how you feel helps the individual rectify his or her wrongs against you, but it doesn't threaten the person's survival as an independent person doing independent things nor does it change his or her dreams. After all, the selfless sacrifice of time and energy exerted from individuals is so great, for any to make him or herself unhappy and dissatisfied with certain information flow. It is only to foster unity within the community that certain information finds itself as big headlines, and to fully bring to attention that everyone is following trends
 with happenings.

We cannot give sleeping tablets to our society, and that in itself is a state of sickness. Society at local and higher level must be well informed about developments -negative or positive. Parties should be responsible enough not take offense of people asking them to give information out. In the absence that you don't want to give information, that's entirely on you, but think of the society you are feeding with sleeping tablets and putting them in complete nightmare.

It's also important to be careful in handling information, but as far as principles dictate, the society is a vital part that should be informed about happenings. In it, real care is taken not to offend any one personally, but it is also on any to maturely interpret things, and not to personalise things done in good faith. It is the duty of journalists to expose dictatorship Gov'ts, affairs within the state of affairs of Gov'ts, and other bodies endevouring to lead a nation. A nation belongs to its people, and the people therefore are the nation. Sub-organisations that find themselves attached to such areas, whether voluntary or not, will be treated in a public manner, hence the very reason why anyone is dropping down tears of oppression. It is only fair to give respect to that particular aspect of the struggle, and it don't matter if the truth cannot ring in the ears.

As humans, we learn daily from our encounters, and that's the state of wisdom. No one should force or dictate respect, less the individual becomes a dictator. Humans must try to earn respect, and preserve it. One should also accept his/her state of being human, and take full responsibility of the information you give out. And honestly nothing meant personally against anyone.

In a last message to Gambian writers, i want to signal the old hands writers not to relax or get tired. These are times when society needs you badly, and it is rather an act of patriotism to stand up for them at a time your services are needed most. In your quest to maintain the principles you started, that road will not be easy, but it is on you to mount pressure in prevailing, as a societal catalyst. The weak, the suffering, the oppressed and the voiceless needs you today, and one must endeavour never to fail, these fellows totally dependent on you, in rescuing them. How nice to say the words, but so hard to practice and maintain? Greatness is measured not only by starting it, but helping to maintain it forever.

And good job to Pa Nderry M'bye for his bravery. He is a committed journalist, who won't sit on any information, regardless of how much it will cost him. And Nderry is constant in what he does.

LONG LIVE MEDIA ORGANISATIONS! AND LONG LIVE INFORMATION FLOW!




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