Saul, I join you in your calls for a thorough investigation of this latest
brutal allegation against the dictatorship back home. I agree with you that
the press are not doing much. On a perusal of Gambian papers on line, the
only report I came across that touched on the matter was from the Observer
and I must say that the journalist did a dismal job when given an
opportunity to grill the IG of police. Find below the response of the IG to
questions about Kanteh's accusations:
"It is news to me to hear that Foday Makalo has been kidnapped somewhere and
killed. He is still wanted by the police."
The report went further to say that as far as the government was concerned,
the man has been given political asylum in Spain. This illustrates the
classic Wollof saying of "Doma Leka La Beh Pareh Jaleh La."
The only attempt made to get the story on the other side, was reports (a
month earlier) from Dembo (MP from Bakau) stating that the man cannot be in
Spain. Well, am no journalist, but I would have thought that by now
journalists should be questioning that Yaya informant in Nuimi and digging
all over his backyards. That is what real investigative journalists do.
Gambia is such that nowadays if you want to hear the truth about such
disappearances, the police and the NIA is the last place you go. Look at how
they are shamelessly treating poor Mrs. Saho and Lalo's wife. I wish I had
the style of Hamjatta or yourself to really disparage these undesirable
elements. But what I want to say is that you cannot go to the murderer and
ask him to help you locate the body of the victim and consequently convict
him (the murderer). It is about time the journalists and Makalo's family and
friends ask the right questions to the right people. I can tolerate to a
certain extent a journalist that fears for his/her life and stay away from a
particular issue. What I cannot tolerate is a journalist that puts his/her
nose in certain subjects just to further the government's agenda against
poor victims of this illegal government's brutality. What kind of journalist
would describe Kanteh a fugitive without listening to the man's point of
view? What kind of journalist would report on the issue of Makalo without
mentioning the Yaya informant? This is plain dishonesty.
KB
>From: saul khan <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: On "the murder?" of Foday Makalo
>Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2000 21:43:59 GMT
>
>I wonder if Gambian reporters are aggressively pursuing this Foday Makalo
>case. I honestly don't know what they've done to this guy, but I have no
>doubt that Makalo -wherever he is, isn't a free man. There simply isn't a
>cockier, or more vocal character than Makalo. If he were anywhere outside
>the country, he would have made a lot of noise by now. Makalo's voice never
>fails him! The guy -whatever his failings, has guts.
>
>When I attended Pakalinding School in the mid 70s, Makalo was a senior
>teacher at the school. Dembo Jatta, who later became Education Minister
>under the PPP, was Head Teacher. The manner in which Makalo openly defied
>the all-powerful local Seyfo -Buwa Kinteh, and Dembo Jatta (who at the time
>had open political ambitions,) was what propelled him into folk hero
>status,
>and later opposition MP from Badibu. He actually taught Yorro Jallow
>(Independent editor) in Primary Five, if my memory serves me right. Yorro
>probably remembers some of Makalo's confrontation with Dembo Jatta and the
>ruling PPP clique in that part of the country (which was almost un-heard of
>as far as school teachers go in those days.)
>
>I've heard rumors of this story for a while now, and keep hoping (against
>hope?) that it isn't true. But knowing this criminal govt, It's becoming
>increasingly certain that Foday Makalo is the latest high profile official
>to be butchered by these savages. What type of govt prefers killing it's
>functionaries rather than leaving their fate to the justice system? When
>will the madness end? But someday, we'll get to the bottom of all this.
>
>Saul.
>
>
>
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