Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 78/2006, 15-17 September, 2006
Editorial
A POSITIVE MOVE, BUT…
The state took a step in the right direction when they released Dodou Sanneh
after committing the error of arresting. Him and detaining him for more
than 72 hours before releasing him , contrary to the requirement of Section 19
of the Constitution.
However, Dodou Sanneh was dismissed before his detention though the letter
gave no reason for his dismissal. This is contrary to law. Section 113(1)of
the Labour Act which applies to employees of Parastatals states “
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Part of this Act, an employer shall, before
reaching a decision to dismiss an employee, explain to the employee in a
language the employer may reasonably expect the employee to understand, and in
the presence of such one other person, if any, whether or not a representative
of a trade union, whom the employee may choose to accompany him, the reason
for which the employer is considering dismissing that employee and before
proceeding to comply with this subsection, where the employee does not choose to
be so accompanied, the employer shall explain to the employee the advantage
to him of being so accompanied.”
“No public servant shall be – (a) victimized or discriminated against
either directly or indirectly for having discharged his or other duties faithfully
and according to law; or (b) be removed from office or reduced in rank or
otherwise punished without just cause.
In short, ,the point is that the arrest and dismissal of Dodou Sanneh can be
interpreted by other employees of the GRTS as a threat to their personal and
job security.
They are likely to censor what they broadcast to avoid arrest and dismissal.
Even if one is going to be released shortly after no one wants to be arrested
and detained.
The Board of Directors of GRTS should look into the arrest dismissal of
Dodou Sanneh and ensure that justice is done. It must not allow itself to be used
as a tool of the regime.
FULLADU FARMERS VOW TO UNSEAT JAMMEH
By Fabakary B. Ceesay
The farmers of Fulladu West express their frustration over the lack of sale
of their farm produce particularly groundnuts, for the past two years. These
sentiments were expressed at a mass NADD rally in Brikamaba.
Addressing the crowd a youth farmer from Kasalan pointed out that many
farmers in their village are yet to receive their monies. He said that most of
them are only given receipts but were not told when they will receive their
monies. He expressed his frustration for the future of farming in this country as
far as the APRC is concerned. This youth farmer came with sixty two, names
whom he claimed, defected from the APRC to NADD. Another farmer from Sare
Malan said, he is yet to receive his money, amounting to D3,800. Farmers from the
Satelite villages of, Brikamanding Medina, Sunchu Njanko and Jahally
expressed similar sentiments. Two women farmers told this reporter that they are yet
to get their monies amounting to D1,750 and D1,970 respectively. Brikamaba
farmers said that their remaining balance of money owed to groundnut
operators, amounts to D59, 850 which is yet to be paid. A farmer who addressed the
rally and a NADD Chairman, Alhagie Lamin Nanko, both pointed out that since the
APRC government came into power, their rice fields at Jahally and Pacharr
have been completely destroyed and they are no more enjoying the privileges that
they used to have as rice farmers.
According to him, the rice project at Jahally and Pacharr has been a
complete failure under the APRC government.
Farmers from Boyram, who welcome the NADD entourage with horses and
motorbikes and with a display of their voters cards in their hands, vowed to vote
NADD into office. According to them, they know the contribution Halifa is doing
for them at the National Assembly. According to them, the whole village used
to be APRC and that there was no single opposition in the village. They said
that, they wanted a government that will care for them. Addressing the
desperate farmers, Lamin Waa Juwara, a NADD Executive Member told them that, The
Gambia is a country where farmers contribute immensely to the development of
the country. He said that, for the past years, farmers have lost their dignity
and self respect under the APRC government. He told them that now the ball is
in their court to kick the APRC out of office and bring the party that shall
restore back the power that belongs to them. He pointed out that, farmers
are the backbone of the country and that they should not allow anybody to fool
them.
The NADD flagbearer, Halifa Sallah, told the farmers that a NADD government
will invest in Agriculture inorder to alleviate the plight of the farmers. He
said that, the reasons why the APRC government cannot invest in agriculture,
is because they are spending public monies to celebrate the July 22nd and
other un-necessary events. He told the farmers that, the D345, 000, 000.00
which the government took to buy the Ocean Bay Hotel, could have purchased their
nuts and reinvest the profit into the Agricultural Sectors to produce farming
tools an fertilizer at a cheaper rate for them. He noted that under a NADD
government, farmers will be given rights to control the Agricultural Sectors
and that their products will be marketed according to the world market price.
At this juncture, farmers started to sing praises to Halifa and hailed him as
their eyes, mouths and hands and vowed that they will vote him into office,
come September 22nd pools.
DODOU SANNEH RELEASED & SACKED
By Sarjo Camara-Singhateh
Mr. Dodou Sanneh, the detained government journalist of the Gambia Radio and
Television Services, GRTS, and the Secretary-General of The Gambia Branch of
the Solidarity for The Development of the Media in Africa, SODEMA, was
released from the custody of the National Intelligence Agency and sacked by his
employer’s with a termination letter dated 7th September, 2006.
The termination letter however did not indicate what Mr. Sanneh has done.
Mr. Sanneh was released on Wednesday morning, 13th September 2006.
According to sources, Dodou Sanneh’s coverage materials, were confiscated
from him by state securities, for further scrutiny. However, no charge sheet
was produced for Dodou Sanneh.
Readers could re-call that, Dodou Sanneh was assigned by his media house to
cover the United Democratic Party’s rallies, on the forthcoming Presidential
elections in the Kombos and later preceded to North Bank Division with the
said party, where he was re-called and replaced by Pierre Sylva. Upon arrival,
Dodou Sanneh met his termination letter.
WE NEED ONLY 5% OF THE VOTES SAYS HAMAT BAH
By Amie Sanneh
Mr. Hamat Bah, an executive member of the UDP/NRP/GPDP alliance has said
that what they need from the electorate is just 5% of their votes to be added to
what they had from the last Presidential Elections. Mr. Bah made these
remarks in one of their rallies in the U.R.D.
Mr. Bah said that in the last Presidential elections, the U.D.P had 36% of
the Votes while the N.R.P had 9%; that these two added together, provides for
45% of the Votes; that with 5% added to what they have already secured, they
will get 50% of the votes. Mr. Bah further said that their party is
increasing in strength but not dead as earlier indicated by the A.P.R.C. Mr. Bah also
said that their alliance has penetrated the Wulis and Niaminas which are
strongholds for the Opposition. Mr. Bah said that Darboe is God sent to liberate
Gambians.
On his part, Darboe, the flagbearer of the U.D.P/N.R.P/G.PD.P alliance has
said that he has not been bribed by anyone to contest the elections. He said
that the car that he has, is a birthday gift from his daughter. He adviced the
electorate not to sell their votes or vote for the wrong person.
Speaking earlier, Alhagie Janko Kajalie described the alliance as the only
party that can lead Gambians. He urged the electorate of the area to vote for
the alliance for the benefit of their families.
RED CROSS URGES FOOD AID TO REFUGEES
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
Food assistance is an urgent need to the refugees fleeing the renewed
Cassamance conflict said The Gambia Red Cross on Tuesday.
The secretary general of the organisation, Lamin William Jammeh, in an
interview with Foroyaa, said that refugees in Foni and Kombo East seriously need
food, emphasising that they have been depending on their hosts for their
feeding.
“There is an urgent need for food for the refugees. Some of them need
healthcare, clothing and shelter,” Mr. Jammeh said.
He added that the Taiwanese Embassy has donated some assistance to the
displaced people, which he said is just a drop in the ocean.
“Quite a few assessment missions have been carried out by various
institutions such as Red Cross, World Food Programme, United Nations High Commission
for Refugees, United Nations Children’s Fund and the Christian Children’s
Fund. They all indicated that there is an urgent need for food,” he added.
On the safety of Red Cross staff on the ground, he said that exposure to
land mines is minimal. “I do not expect the belligerents to lay mines in The
Gambian territory.
And since we are only in The Gambian side, we have assessed the exposure to
land mines as very minimal,” he expressed.
AMIE SILLAH IGNITES BASSE WOMEN
Fabakary B. Ceesay
The women of Basse have unanimously called on the NADD Executive to allow
Amie Sillah, to mount the podium at a mass rally at Basse Manneh kunda.
These Basse women, claim that they have been hearing Amie Sillah, speak on
radio and advocating for women’s rights and equality; that because of this,
they want to know and see her. Addressing them, Amie Sillah told the Basse
women, that President Jammeh and his APRC party has no programme for Gambian
women. She told them that the APRC Government is using women against their
husbands and in turn using the women as a political tool. She pointed out that,
Jammeh has organized a wrestling contest between women and men at kanilai and
told the women to divorced their husbands and that he Jammeh will provide them
with husbands. She also said that, Jammeh gathered the women to work for him
at his farm for his personal interest only.
She noted that, Gambian women have no market to sell their vegetables, while
Jammeh’s farm produce as sold at hotels with huge interest. “If Jammeh
loves Gambian women, he will not have married a foreigner. We have beautiful and
hard working women in this country,” she said. At this juncture, there was a
big applause and some women started to chant and dance praises to her.
She told the Basse women that NADD has high regard for the women who can
also assume the presidency under a NADD flag. She reminded them that, Duta
Kamaso; a woman parliamentarian was put in custody for more than two months now
without being charged. She finally told the women that she sympathized them for
the lost of their sons, who tried to reached Europe just to support their
mothers. She told them to vote Jammeh out and vote in NADD, which she said
shall reconcile Gambian women and their husbands for the good future of the
country.
KAFUTA VDC REFUTES ALLEGATION
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
Nfamara Colley, Chairman of the Kafuta Village Development Committee (VDC)
has refuted allegations that he misused the organisation’s resources and abused
his office. In an exclusive interview with this reporter on Friday, Mr.
Colley said: “Those elements are detractors and are only hungry for power”.
Colley also denied that he has continuously headed the VDC for over twenty
years, claiming: “ I came to this village in 1987. From 1987 to date is not
even twenty years. I have not been chairman of the VDC since then.” He added
that he was appointed as chairman in 1991, stressing that he has in the past
tendered his resignation letter but it was never accepted.
“What would I do? I am not paid, I just do it voluntarily. I can leave if
the majority of people asked for it,” he said.
Reacting to the issue of village projects undertaken by the VDC during his
tenure, he said that people are just speculating, but all the projects are
going smoothly. “They only want positions. They do not participate in any
village work or development. But they always want to lead the VDC,” he pointed out.
He also indicated that the VDC has no bank account and there is no dubious
activity within the committee.
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