FYI.
President Jammeh's meeting with the press can be watched on Raaki. It
is very long and has been divided into 4 segments. They are:
1. Jammeh's opening statement : http://www.raaki.com/grts/jammeh_press_meeting1.html
2. Statements from members of the press : http://www.raaki.com/grts/jammeh_press_meeting2.html
3. Statements from government officials : http://www.raaki.com/grts/jammeh_press_meeting3.html
4. Jammeh's closing statement : http://www.raaki.com/grts/jammeh_press_meeting4.html
Have a good evening.
Buharry.
----Original Message----
From: [log in to unmask]
Date: 2011-03-17 19:10
To: <[log in to unmask]>, "GAMBIA-L LISTSERV.ORG"<gambia-
[log in to unmask]>
Subj: RE: [>-<] RE: President Jammeh meets with the Independent
Press - A great move
Thank you Baba.
The dude president should understand that this struggle is not about
his ugly face, but rather the bad and untenable political dispensation
he has been enforcing on us for over fifteen years, contrary to his
promises of a ten year term limit for the office of president. After he
has failed with regard all his promises to Gambians, the best thing he
can do for himself and our motherland, is to show remorse and opt not
to contest the next presidential race. But I dont think he has the
requisite level of political sagacity to effect such a feat for
personal political redemption, considering the intensity of magalomania
he manifests.
Just watchout, if there happens to be a meeting at all, it will revolve
around efforts already designed to subjugate The People's media
(private), after it has been brutalized by the forces of backwardness
he presides over. We now know Yaya Jammeh very well, but we cannot
anticipate anything progressive from him.
Regards,
Omar Joof.
From: [log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]
Subject: [>-<] RE: President Jammeh meets with the Independent Press -
A great move
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2011 16:33:02 +0000
Bro Fankung,
Problem is, President Jammeh has long overstayed his mandate, his
legitimacy, and his welcome. He had promised to step down after two
years; he didn't. Then he promised to put a term limit so that we
would have a change of leadership after ten years; he didn't. The
problem is not all the BS he is telling us about the interest of the
country, peace, stability etc. He does not love the country better than
anyone in the private press. The problem is that he should not be in
office for sixteen years because he DOES NOT own The Gambia or love The
Gambia better than anyone. If he is answerable only to the All Mighty
Allah, he should do what the All Mighty Allah wants: he should fulfil
his promises to the Gambian people because according to the Word of the
All Mighty Allah, the distinctive mark of al munafiqun - a hypocrite -
is that he fails to keep the promise he makes. He should observe the
tenets of truth, justice, and fairplay, as the All Mighty Allah
decrees. So let him spare us the threatening, self-righteous crap.
Thanks for sharing.
Baba
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2011 09:45:55 -0400
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: President Jammeh meets with the Independent Press - A great
move
To: [log in to unmask]
President Jammeh meets with the Independent Press
africa » gambia
Thursday, March 17, 2011
In an unprecedented move and for the first time in the history of the
Gambian media, President Yahya Jammeh yesterday held a meeting with
members of the press, in particular those from the independent press,
as part of efforts to build good and better relations between
Government and the independent press.
The meeting, held at State House in Banjul, brought together media
chiefs and their editors with cabinet members with the sole objective
of trashing out any misunderstanding between the state and the
independent press.
It, among others, availed Gambian media chiefs, as well as the
Executive, the opportunity to raise and address pressing issues, and
bring about wider understanding between the two sides.
Speaking at the meeting, President Yahya Jammeh emphasized the
importance of the press, stressing that the press has a positive role
to play in national development, the peace and stability of any
country.
However, he stated that he will not compromise or sacrifice the peace,
security, stability, dignity and the well-being of Gambians for the
sake of freedom of expression.
?I want that to be very clear. You can say whatever you want to say.
Yes, there is freedom of expression, but there is also freedom to
defend the interest of this country. Each of us has a role to play and,
as long as you play your role correctly and does not endanger the
livelihood of Gambians, we will be friends".
?But I will not allow anybody who wants to endanger the peace and
stability of this country because, in doing so, you are asking for
trouble,? he added.
According to him, stories have been going round that the Gambia
Government does not normally talk to the independent press; that
information is not available and that, sometimes, the impression given
is that public servants are not obliged to talk to the press.
?And when comments like that are made, the fingers are pointed higher
up. Let me make my position very clear. I am here for the interest of
the country; the interest of every Gambian. I am here for the peace and
stability of this country, so that all of us will enjoy life; all of us
will realize our dreams, and all of us will have the chance to pray to
the Almighty Allah".
?My government?s role is to make this country better, making the people
of this country live better, peaceful and rewarding lives. My heart is
a very small heart, and it does not have enough space to accommodate
hatred. My heart is full with love for humanity, and the love for this
country.
?Yes, I am the President; I am answerable to the Gambian people for my
actions, but more importantly than that, I am answerable to the
Almighty Allah, who is the supreme authority. I am not answerable to
the West. I am not answerable to the East; I?m not accountable to the
West. I am accountable to the Gambian people, and to the Almighty
Allah,? he added.
President Jammeh emphasized that he will never sacrifice the peace,
security and stability of this country on the altar of freedom of
expression.
?I am making this very clear. You can write what you want, and I do
what I want for the interest of the Gambian people. I?m not hostile to
anyone of you. When you cross the line, and offend me, I resort to the
law by taking you to court.
?I have no hatred for anyone of you, but I will not compromise national
security. The peace and stability of this country, I will never
compromise. So, what will I gain by harassing the press? I always make
it very clear, from 1994 to date, that whatever I do, write it, but if
you write what I didn?t do, I will deal with you, and I will deal with
you whether the West or the East likes it or not, even if the sky is
going to explode.
?Because am the President doesn?t mean that I can trample on anybody?s
rights or go about beating up people. No, but also because you are a
journalist does not mean that you can write whatever you want to write,
knowing that it is not true,? he stated.
The Gambian leader further stated that the only power that he knew, and
is afraid of, is the Almighty Allah. That the only person he is afraid
of is the person he offended, because Allah does not want people who
offend.
?Most people believe that the press, when you talk to them, then they
say public officials are not allowed to talk to them. Let me make it
very clear that my government has no law that says that public
officials cannot talk to the press. There is no law in place that
prevents public officials from talking to the press. I want that to be
very clear. When they tell you that they have not been allowed to talk
to them, tell them to put it in writing, and ask them who tells them
that they should not talk to you.
?If I think that the whole government is APRC, I?m making a great
mistake. And if I also expect all of you to like me, then I?m sick. Any
individual, and even dead bodies, have enemies because some will say
good things about dead bodies, and some will say bad things about them.
Who am I, Yahya Jammeh, to expect that everybody should love me and who
ever doesn?t love me I should lock him up or kill him?
?From 1994 to date, we have people that have been sentenced to death
for killing soldiers in Farafenni and Kartong and are still in death
row. There is no power or authority in this world that I am afraid of
that prevented me from implementing the sentence against them. But the
image portrayed that Yahya Jammeh is a monster, is a dictator, is a
killer, and that The Gambia is not a place for journalists; how many
people have been killed in this country? If I was a monster, I would
have been killing a lot of people when we just came in, but that?s not
what I believe in,? he remarked.
He went on to note that there is law in this country. ?If I want to say
that, I am the President, and I will take the law into my own hands,
then I am subverting the rule of law, I?m bringing about the law of the
jungle, which I will not do. I want to make it very clear that anybody
who is killed in this country or is sentenced to death, if I have to
sign the death warrant, I will.
?Am I afraid of any Western power? No, am not, because no Western power
is feeding me. I see no reason why I should be afraid of executing
people that have killed soldiers or have been sentenced to death by a
court of law, and then go and kill a journalist.
?Interestingly enough, those people that are tutors of freedom of
expression are the same people in whose countries you can insult the
Prophet (PBUH), and get away with it because that is freedom of
expression; and you go to jail for denying the holocaust,? he asserted.
Swaebou Conateh, publisher of the Gambia News and Report Magazine,
stated that relations between the Government and press could not have
been worst than now. However, he noted, it is not too late to adjust or
readjust the position, so that the Gambia can, among its many
achievements under the Jammeh administration, boast of having the most
free press in Africa, if not in the whole world.
He, among others, highlighted the detentions, prosecutions that have
taken place and the mysterious killings and disappearance of
journalists in the country.
He expressed the need for government to look into the issue of
decriminalizing speech and consider repealing draconian medial laws,
which, according to him, are out of step with the information age.
Conateh further expressed gratitude for the enabling environment
created by government that led to the proliferation of radio stations
in the country. He also called on government to create the platform for
regular press briefings.
Pap Saine, Managing Director and co-publisher of The Point newspaper
underscored the importance of having a good and cordial relationship
between the government and the press.
According to him, it is paramount that the independent press has access
to government news, ?so that we can effectively contribute our quota to
the dissemination of information about what the government is doing and
saying, etc. for the benefit of the general public, and our readers, at
home and abroad.
?We want to make our position very clear that we are not an enemy to
the state, as many people perceive us in certain quarters. The
journalist does not see himself or herself in that role. We are neither
backers of, nor the opposition. Our job requires us to report on both
the pleasant and the sordid aspects of society,? he further stated.
In his view, ?we live in a society that has people with divergent views
and dissenting opinions and, quite naturally, the media is expected to
be pluralistic.
?We do not want to be seen as enemies, but as partners in development.
We are simply contributing our quota to nation-building,? Saine pointed
out.
Sam Sarr, Editor of Foroyaa newspaper, welcomed the move and expressed
hope that this marks the beginning of fruitful discussions between the
media and the Executive.
According to him, the Executive has a role and function, but the media
also has its role and its functions, and the role of the media is
clearly defined in the constitution.
?I am interested in knowing the position of the Executive on this
issue. The President has spoken his mind, but I am interested in
knowing the position of the government regarding this constitutional
provision, which states that the press and other information media
shall at all times be free to uphold the principal provisions and
objectives of this constitution, and the responsibility and
accountability of the Gambia government to the people of The Gambia,?
he said, adding that as far as Foroyaa is concerned, this serves as
their guiding principle.
He noted that governments have to be kept on their toes in order to
assist them to become more effective, and also to avoid certain wrong
doings and errors that may be created in the process of governance.
Also speaking at the meeting was the Vice President and minister for
Women?s Affairs, Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy, who underscored the need for
capacity building and institutional strengthening, as well as
responsible reporting by journalists.
She called on journalists to verify their facts before reporting,
noting journalists should also talk about developments that have taken
place in this country since 1994 to date, and say the positive
developments about good governance, democracy and human rights.
?A lot of progress has been registered in this country, and that should
be commended,? she added.
According to her, journalists should admit the fact that the country
has seen the proliferation of so many radio stations in this country,
adding that when this is done, government will be convinced that there
is a balance in reporting.
?Say what we have done bad, but also say what we have done good,? she
declared.
Read our tomorrow?s issue for more details about the meeting of the
President with the press.
Author: Baboucarr Senghore
--
*****************************************************************************GOD
BLESS SHEIKH PROFESSOR ALHAGIE YAHYA AJJ JAMMEH
(PRESIDENT FOR LIFE.)
GOD BLESS THE GAMBIA
GOD BLESS APRC
DOWN WITH THE FAILED OPPOSITION
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