Foroyaa Newspaper Burning issues

Issue No. 29/2004, 8-11 April, 2004
Editorial
“OPERATION CLEAN THE NATION”

THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF THE PRESIDENT’S SPEECH



The UN declares days, years and decades for the promotion of issues of
concern to the people of the world. The Millennium Development Goals need to
be transformed into advocacy programmes to promote their realization.

President Jammeh is in order to focus minds on health and the environment.
However his militarization of social policy is not in line with the
principles of participatory democracy. This principle is against the
top-down approach of involving the people in matters that concern them.

The President indicated that development is linked to the health status of
inhabitants; that there is need to mobilize the public to embark on a
nationwide Communal Cleansing exercise. He called on all Gambians to join
the crusade to clean the nation. At this point what the president should
have done was to indicate what his central government in collaboration with
the councils intended to do in terms of providing fitting waste disposal
facilities within a given time frame. In the KMC area one would have
expected comments on the Bakoteh dump site. It has to be reorganized before
further trash is dumped there. On would have expected the unclogging of the
drains by KMC and the collecting of trash from all dump sites. Furthermore,
there is need to involve the NEA in indicating the type of protective gears
necessary to remove certain types of waste. The council must be committed to
providing such gears to minimize infection of well meaning citizens. In
short.

As is characteristic of the president social policy is to be implemented by
dictation and might.

He set aside 1st and 3rd Saturdays of every month for the operation.

April 10th which is set aside by children to pay respect to the dead and
injured of April 10 and 11 is set aside to kick start the operation. He
added that during the exercise no traffic except essential services like the
security forces and medical services would be allowed throughout the
country. This means that the president is calling for a state of emergency
under which alone freedom of movement can be curtailed.

Furthermore, it is maintained that, “Community leaders should write the
names of people that refuse to participate and forward them to his office.”

“All members of the National Assembly are instructed to be at their
respective constituencies to co-ordinate the exercise on these stipulated
days.”

He warned that, “Alkalolus, Seyfos, Mayors, Commissioners and National
Assembly members would be held responsible for the cleanliness or otherwise
of their areas of control.”

Can you imagine what a National Assembly member can do to coordinate
cleansing exercise in all villages in a constituency where you have village
or ward development committees?

Foroyaa holds that the NEA and the Department of State for Health should
coordinate efforts to get the councils to map out their strengths and
weaknesses in terms of environmental sanitation. They should then educate
the community groups on how to intervene without exposing themselves to
health risks.

Secondly, the NEA and the Department of State for Health should go on Radio
and TV to educate people on preventive strategy to promote environmental
sanitation.

Lastly, let us remind our security forces that the president’s speeches are
not law. They are of persuasive influence. They should not interfere with
the freedom of movement of law-abiding citizens in the name of the
operation.

Currently, there is a truth and reconciliation exercise going on in Ghana
and members of security forces are appearing before panels to acknowledge
violation of the right of people, which they claim, were done on the basis
of dictation. We need education and voluntarism not dictation and
militarism.



YANKUBA TOURAY ORDERED TO PAY D2.9 MILLION TO GTA

DID HE PAY?

In responding to a question raised at the National Assembly during the
question and answer session, the SoS for Tourism Momodou Sallah indicated
that as at December 31st 2002, a total sum of D39, 869,310 was collected and
paid to the Tourism development Fund including the equivalent of D17,
001,891 received in foreign currency.  He went on to indicated that the
projects and programmes financed by the Gambia Tourism Authority (GTA) using
the Development Fund as at December 31st 2003 are the following:-

1.         Nine separate physical projects

2.         Seven-tourism fairs and one promotional tour

3.            Numerous promotional materials and publications

4.            Maintaining offices in United Kingdom, Germany and Sweden

5.            Industrial training

6.            Establishment and support given to the Roots Foundation

7.         Digital Project

SoS Sallah acknowledged that a letter was written to former SoS for Tourism
Yankuba Touray ordering him to pay a total amount of D2.9 Million to the
Gambia Tourism Authority.  He asserted that he could not confirm at the time
whether the amount had been paid since the money would not come to him
directly but to the Gambia Tourism Authority.  He however promised the
Assembly that he would find out from GTA and inform them accordingly.  SoS
Sallah indicated that there are criteria for allocating land in the Tourism
Development Area and the criteria are as follows:

1.         The applicant must register a business in the Gambia and provide
a business registration certificate and in the case of corporate enterprise,
a copy of the memorandum and articles of association is required.

2.         A detached feasibility report document that is subjected to
technical, financial and environmental evaluation.

3.            Evidence of availability of funds to implement the project.

4.         A non-refundable processing fee of D20,000 must accompany all
applications.

5.         A refundable deposit of five percent of the total project cost
may be required where necessary.  He pointed out that all applications are
reviewed and evaluated by the land allocation sub committee of the GTA board
before final review and approval by the Gambia Tourism Authority.

Foroyaa got in touch with the Acting Director of the Gambia Tourism
Authority, Mr. Kaliba Senghore to find out whether Yankuba Touray has paid
the amount of D2.9 Million.  The Director said he was not aware of the order
because such a letter was not copied to GTA nor has it been conveyed to him
orally.



ABDOULIE SONKO’S TREASON CASE & BATCH FAYE’S TRIAL

Judicial sources have it that the treason trial of Abdoulie Sonko will not
be heard this term. Sources have it that the trial judge, Justice M. A. Paul
has traveled outside the country. The treason trial was supposed to be heard
this week. The High Court is going on vacation this week and Justice M. A.
Paul is not the Vacation Judge.

Judicial sources said the state has already written to the Registrar of the
High Court demanding the file of the following people: Mballo Kanteh,
Sulayman Sarr, John Dampha and Essa Baldeh, who were convicted on treason
charges. It is not clear whether the state wants to use it as evidence.
Sonko together with the aforesaid convicts were alleged to have attacked
Farafenni Military Barracks in 1996, causing a lot of havoc.

The Batch Faye murder trial which is also before Justice M. A. Paul will
also be transferred to next term. Batch Samba Faye is standing trial for the
death of one Malick Njok John.



HALIFA ON THE PAN AFRICAN PARLIAMENT

Part 4

Foroyaa: Did they listen to you?

Halifa: The sitting was suspended for a while as the legal experts grappled
with the problem.  Later on President Chissano announced that that was the
correct view and election was held on the basis of a “yes” and “no” votes to
determine the simple majority.

Foroyaa: What are the lessons?

Halifa: Clarity is essential in representation and adherence to rules and
procedures is the only way to promote order in a parliament.  Secondly, I
was happy that the Gambian parliamentarians had seen how election can take
place even if only one person is nominated.  I raised this issue when our
own parliamentarians decided to amend the Constitution to get rid of Second
Round of Voting and the Yes or No Vote, should only one candidate remain
nominated.  It is a pleasant coincidence that Mr. Fabakary Tombong Jatta who
questioned the practicability to hold election for only one candidate during
the debate in the Gambian Parliament was a witness to the exercise.
President Chissano emphasized that voting even if there is only one
candidate is an AU principle.  Were the Parliamentarians from the Gambia
free from party allegiances?

Halifa: When we arrived we held consultative meetings during which I
elaborated on the protocol, the draft rules and pointed out some concerns.
We shared opinions.  Infact, we initially agreed that I would be a Vice
Presidential Candidate for the West Africa Region.  Since candidates came
from Nigeria, Togo, Niger, Benin, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Burkina Faso, I
proposed a meeting of all the candidates.  We had the mandate to put up one
man and woman from the West African sub region for consideration.  When we
met we came to a consensus that those countries whose candidates have been
left out in the following of AU posts should be considered.  Eventually we
selected a male candidate fro.......

Foroyaa: How do you interpret this?

Halifa: I took it in good faith.  I was really not interested in posts.  The
committees are just temporary ones.  They are designed to last up to our
next sitting.  The committees are designed to prepare a foundation for the
parliament.  I simply felt that I could contribute my quota in the area of
institution building and procedural development of the parliament.  I had
already made my mark.  I believe Fabakary Tombong Jatta also believe that he
can make contributions to the budget committee.

Foroyaa: How do you avert such contradictory decisions?

Halifa: Of course, the protocol has already given us answers. Each
parliamentarian is representing the African people. Hence when there is any
responsibility to be given to a person those who feel competent to handle
them should stand to be counted irrespective of national origin. What should
be done next time is to leave each member from The Gambia to stand for any
post and allow the rest of the parliamentarians to vote for the person on
the basis of merit.

Foroyaa: You do not believe that the national delegation concept would work?

Halifa: We cannot promote regionalism and narrow nationalism in a Pan
African Parliament. Each parliamentarian must be taken for his or her merit.
Otherwise the Pan African Parliament would be the parliament divided into
ruling parties and opposition parties in Africa. Furthermore, the national
delegation concept leads to elitism. In short, we would begin to establish
which parliamentarian is the senior in the national parliament in our case;
in terms of protocol we have the speaker, the deputy speaker, the majority
leader and the minority leader. This is the order in the CPA Gambia branch.
I am sure it would amount to belief in fairy tale for a delegation with four
APRC members to be led by the minority leader. From all angles it is best
for each Pan African Parliamentarian to participate in his / her individual
and independent capacity. I will be promoting this provision of the protocol
so that all will forget our regional and national origins o.

Foroyaa: Do you have more lessons to give?

Halifa: Let me first give you my speech for publication before taking any
question.

See next issue for the speech.



Issue No.30/2004, 12-14 April, 2004

Editorial

The Ethics of Journalism
On the Bahoum Controversy
Journalists are members of the community. They write to inform the public.
This information enlightens, consoles, guides, entertains and simply gives
food for thought.

This requires respect for the principles of journalism that what is
published is the truth; that it is published in good faith; that it is not
published to promote the interest of the journalist or that of some other
person but the public.

Journalists are not only after facts but are also obliged to promote
professional integrity and decency.  One must not publish what is said in
secret unless one has done thorough investigation.  A journalist who
publishes privileged information is likely to suffer social exclusion as
people close their mouths when he/she appears.  Journalists are not
informers or secret agents.  The profession does not demand witch hunting.
What it demands is impartiality in investigation and collection of facts and
fair play in reporting them.  To publish information to terrorize persons
constitutes media tyranny.  To have a wrong headline and refuse to apologise
to ....

The lesson learned by Foroyaa is that it is not enough to provide regular
in-service training to reporters as Foroyaa does. In addition, it is
necessary to have  Professional Assistant Editors who would screen articles
to determine whether they accord with the principle of truth, good faith and
being above personal interest.  This will lessen the burden of editors and
avoid embarrassing slippages in content and quality.  It is noble to accept
imperfection and apologize when one is wrong and strive for more perfection.

CENTRAL BANK CASES

D417 MILLION

When will they Proceed?

Central Bank criminal cases now before the high court and related to foreign
exchange bureaus involves  sums of foreign exchange amounting to a total of
417 million Dalasi. Five criminal cases are known to be filed before
Justices M. A. Paul and Savage. All the cases are related to offences
committed in contravention of the Economic Crimes  (Specified Offences)
Decree No. 16 of 1994.

The cases are all alleged to have been committed by foreign exchange bureau
operators, either on their own or jointly with former Central Bank
officials.

Cases No. 4, 5 and 6 have already been mentioned in court and have been
adjourned for further hearing. On the other hand cases No. 8 and 9 are yet
to be mentioned in court.

The following are the cases mentioned above:

1.            Criminal case No. 4 is against Lang Conteh, Betty Saine, Begay
Ceesay, Bintou Conteh, Clarke Bajo, former Central Bank Governor and Wechit
/ Faling Bureau de Change for D68 Million. It is before Justice M. A. Paul.

2.            Criminal case No. 5 is against the former APRC Majority
Leader, Baba Jobe now serving imprisonment for economic crimes and other
offences, Lang Conteh, former foreign exchange department manager and the
Global Finance and Assets Management Ltd., for D156 Million. It is before
Justice M. A. Paul.

3.            Criminal Case No. 6 before Justice Savage is against Mr.
Winston Able Thomas and GAM Investment Brokers Ltd for D68 Million.

4.            Criminal case No. 8 before Justice M. A. Paul is against Mr.
Emmanuel Ina George and IG Financial Services Ltd for D85 Million

5.            Criminal case No. 9 before also Justice M. A. Paul is against
Mr. Charbell Elhajj and Boule Financial Services Ltd for D40 Million.

It is clearly stipulated in all the summons that the people and companies
mentioned above have contracted the respective amounts stated above from the
Central Bank of The Gambia for the purpose of supplying foreign currencies
to the Central Bank and have failed to execute their contracts, thereby
causing economic losses to the bank.

THE PAN AFRICAN PARLIAMENT

HISTORY, CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD

Speech Delivered At The Inaugural Session Of The Pan African Parliament,
18-20TH MARCH 2004

Honourable President of the African Parliament, Mrs. Gertrude Ibengwe
Mongella, from the land of Mwallimu Julius Nyerere. Humility and serenity
rule every aspect of my being as I speak before this august gathering. Great
challenges lie ahead of us. Africans must become the architects of our own
destiny or perish as victims of blind destiny.

As a young student, going to school in the USA, I followed the liberation
struggle in Guinea Bissau, Angola, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe. I
bought a picture of Josina Machel of the Mozambican struggle and pasted it
on the wall close to my bed. Every morning I woke up to see a woman with a
rifle in hand and a baby on her back. She symbolized to me the sacrifices
that had to be made in order for us to be here today. Some had to undergo
torture, imprisonment and death in order for their children and children’s
children to live in liberty, dignity and prosperity. We must focus on this
vision and mission in order to meet the challenges of destiny. Sacrifice,
perseverance and determination is what led us to be where we are today.

This is why history will not forgive us if we fail to recall the
contributions that have been made to build the African Nation.

The objective of seeking lessons from history is not to live in the past but
to build a strong foundation to shape the future. Honourable President, I am
compelled to go into the history of Pan Africanism because of my
disagreement with the focus put on Menelick II and Haile Sellassie of
Ethiopia as prime movers of the struggle to unify our continent by the
Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Alpha Oumar Konare. There was
not a single mention in his speech of the first Pan African Congress held in
Paris in 1919, which is the mother of this Pan African Parliament. The
bodies of Sylvester Williams, Dubois, Garvey, Padmore and Nkrumah would turn
in their graves if I fail to correct the notions conveyed by Chairperson
Konare.

Honourable President, when the colonization of Africa became complete on the
eve of the twentieth century the battle to dehumanize the African and
deprive us of dignity, confidence and identity raged. They refused to
recognize the worth of any African and treated us as baboons fit only for
the rain forest.

After realizing that education did not lead to their extrication from the
chambers of the wretched of the earth, people like Sylvester Williams were
compelled to promote solidarity between peoples of African descent to carve
a common identity and rely on the power of organization to combat racial
discrimination. This is why he convened the first Pan African Conference in
London in 1900 to promote African solidarity to combat oppression,
discrimination and dehumanization. Honourable members of the Pan African
Parliament, Padmore, that erudite historian of Pan Africanism reminds us
that it is this conference of 1900 that put the word Pan Africanism on the
historical agenda. This is an important omission in Mr. Konare’s speech.
Padmore bequeathed to us the historical lesson that the idea of Pan
Africanism arose as a manifestation of fraternal solidarity among Africans
and peoples of African descent. I am still wondering why on this historic
inauguration of .

The movement to nurture an African identity and African nationalism grew
both at home and in the diaspora after 1900. The collaboration between
African leaders at home and in the diaspora gave birth to the first Pan
African Congress in Paris in 1919. Honourable Pan African Parliamentarians,
this Pan African Congress is the mother of our Pan African Parliament. I
must assert that the authorization given by the French Prime Minister,
Clemenceau to Blaise Diagne from Senegal in collaboration with Dr. Dubois,
to hold the first Pan African Congress in France was not due to mere
generosity. On the contrary, this was done in recognition of Diagne’s
mobilization of 80, 000 African troops to participate in the battle of Marne
in July 1918, which permitted the French to be saved from German domination.
The French government promoted the policy of assimilation as well as
tolerated the holding of a Pan African Congress on French soil.

It should be noted that while the first Pan Africanist Conference aimed to
promote solidarity among Africans and peoples of African descent on the
basis of common suffering, identity and heritage, the first Pan African
Congress embraced the agenda for self-determination and self-government. The
delegates committed themselves to defend the right of the African peoples to
self-determination, the right to own their land, and be free from
exploitation of investment capital.

By 1920 movements have developed on the continent, which started to struggle
for self-determination and self-government. These Parliamentarians from
Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Ghana and Gambia who know our history cannot be
oblivious to the Nation Congress of British West Africa held in Gold Coast
in 1920. Dubois teaches us that the participants of the congress criticized
the exercise of power by the governors to select members of the legislative
councils instead of representation being determined by the will of the
people through an elective system. The conference held in March 1920 in
Accra resolved itself into a permanent official body for the purpose of
representing constitutionally British West African needs. This body was
referred to as the National Congress of British West Africa. They called for
legislative and administrative reforms including the granting of the
franchise amidst opposition by the colonial authorities. These congresses
are the mother.

Honourable Parliamentarians, the Garvey Movement is also worthy of mention.
The International Conventions of the United Negro Improvement Association
expanded the mass movement for An African Nation. Garvey constantly referred
to a 400 million strong African peoples who have to surmount difficulties to
lift ourselves to the standards of freedom common to all human beings. The
Garvey movement gave the slogan “Africa to the Africans” universal appeal
among the members of the growing mass movement for an African Nation.

The Garvey Movement suffered reversals because of the lack of the financial
base to promote the liberation of the continent from abroad.

Honourable Parliamentarians, Commission Chairperson Konare has said that
Ethiopia, South Africa and Liberia defended Africa’s interest in the League
of Nations. He alluded to the fact that since Ethiopia had never been
conquered, its patriarch Haile Sellassie had the authority to urge the
African leaders who assembled in Addis to put aside their differences and
establish the OAU.

The bodies of Dubois, Padmore and Kwame would be restless in their graves if
I fail to interrogate the assumptions advanced by Mr. Konare. History has
documented the lack of vitality of the League of Nations. Moreover, South
Africa’s Tan Smuts advocated for a Pan African Movement where white majority
regimes in Kenya, Rhodesia and the Union of South Africa based on race would
rule the African Continent in collaboration with the colonial multinational
corporation and other economic interest groups of the colonial powers.

Liberia was a neocolony and could not defend Africa’s interest.

The weaknesses of the institutions established by the League of Nations
became manifest when fascist Italy invaded Abyssinia or Ethiopia leading to
the Italo- Ethiopian War of 1935-1936. Ethiopia was not saved by its emperor
but by its peasants who sacrificed their lives to defend her sovereignty and
territorial integrity. The Pan African Movement at home and abroad gave
remarkable solidarity to the people of Abyssinia.

To be continued.

BABA JOBE IN COURT
Former APRC strongman, Baba Kajali Jobe appeared before the Banjul High
Court on Wednesday morning.

Mr. Jobe was served with judicial order on Monday for him to appear before
Justice Abdou Karim Savage on Wednesday in connection to a suit filed by
Guaranty Trust Bank pertaining to a loan the defendant benefited from the
plaintiff, but failed to honour the payment terms. The suit was filed by the
plaintiff’s lawyer, Sheriff Marie Tambedou, against Baba Jobe and the Youth
Development Enterprise. The defendant, Baba Jobe was in court on Wednesday,
but the case did not proceed. The case will be heard next term. We will
endeavour to establish the amount owed by Jobe.

Guaranty Trust has instituted another legal action against Baba Jobe, Salifu
K. Jaiteh, Momodou Fofana and the Youth Development Enterprise were said to
have served as guarantors to Momodou Fofana who benefited from a loan given
to him by the plaintiff. As at the time of filing the suit, Momodou Fofana
owed Trust Bank over seven million Dalasi. The bank is urging the court to
make an order on the property, which is situated in Kololi. The case is to
be heard next term.

AT THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY:

NO QUORUM, NO SITTING
On Wednesday, April 10, 2004 the members of the National Assembly resolved
to meet in the morning of the following day, Thursday at 11.00 am in order
to finish their agenda for the first sitting of the legislative session
2004. The sitting was however called off because up to 12.30 p.m. there was
no quorum. The Speaker and some National Assembly members had gone to the
Airport to see off the President. When this reporter contacted a National
Assembly member he indicated that he was going home because some members
have no regard for the National Assembly. They give more importance to
seeing off the President than attending National Assembly proceedings.



Issue No.31,15-18 April, 2004

Editorial
WAR AGAINST PRINTING MACHINES
The Gambian Press has been satisfying all shades of opinions in the country.
  Different newspapers give different emphasis to the same new item or focus
on different information gathered for public knowledge.  This has been very
healthy for the society.

Journalists have been taken to task by the public regarding the quality and
content of their papers. The people are beginning to demand for more
professionalism and newspapers are engaged in self-criticism to overcome
their weaknesses and provide better information services to the people.

It is becoming clearer to enlightened people that one has the right to reply
to any allegation made by a newspaper.  In short, the best way to promote a
sense of responsibility in press coverage is to speak out against
unprofessional conduct.

In short, words in the press are fought by words.  Those who fight with
petrol and matches are the worst enemies of freedom.  Such people seek to
stifle freedom of expression through intimidation.  They fail to realize
that every time they set a printing house on fire the more the press earns
publicity and sympathy and the more they transform the perpetrators into
outlaws on the run.  Why should any Gambian accept to be the running dog of
a fellow Gambian?  Which family would want to have such a degenerated person
as a relative, father or household member?  Words are not the monopoly of
any citizen. No one should be intimidated by the press.  Each shou.

Suffice it to say, the opinions expressed in a newspaper cannot always be
attributed to the Editors and proprietors of newspapers.  Reporters and
columnists have some degree of independence in what they cover and how they
do so.  Anybody with any knowledge of how the press operates would not take
printing machines as command and control structures to be destroyed in order
to silence the press.

We are told that a gun with four bullets has been found.  We are equally
told that one of the culprits suffered burns.  These are clues.

GUNMEN ATTACK THE INDEPENDENT

On Tuesday the 13th April 2004 at 2 a.m. employees at The Independent press
house in Kanifing South witnessed yet another cowardly attack by six gunmen
wearing black-masks, which eventually led to the burning of the printing
machine.

According to eyewitnesses, the gunmen arrived at the premises while they
were printing the newspaper. The reports say that the gunmen stormed the
building and forced the people who were to compile the paper to lie down at
gunpoint. The reports also say that two of them, one with a pistol and the
other with a container of fuel then rushed into the inner room, which
contains the printing machine. The reports indicate that the man carrying
the container quickly poured the petrol on the printing machine while the
other set it ablaze. The gunmen, the report went on then quickly disappeared
but one of them sustained burns.

In the process, gunshots were fired but no injury from gunshot wounds have
been reported. A pistol, some bullets and burnt apparels were found at the
scene of the incident.

Amadou Bah, a printer claimed that after the departure of the culprits, he
rushed to the main road to get a taxi to the Serrekunda Fire Service. He
claimed that upon arrival at the Serrekunda Fire Service there was no tank
on the spot. He said that he then went to Bakau but before his arrival Bakau
Fire Service had arrived and put out the fire.

Eyewitnesses also claimed that Namory, the senior printer sustained
injuries. Present at the scene in the late morning of Monday were Editors of
other media houses, the President of the Gambia Press Union (GPU) and a
cross section of journalists and concerned individuals. The matter is said
to be reported to the police, who are said to have visited the scene. The
Police have taken the pistol and other things.

“OPERATION CLEAN THE NATION”

During & After the Exercise

On Saturday 10th April 2004 the Gambian people underwent a form of forced
labour in the name of operation clean the nation. In the early hours of the
morning when this reporter went out, there were very few people seen
cleaning the surroundings of their compounds. Then by 9am more and more
people could be seen everywhere cleaning around their compounds. But the
people who participated well are the women and children below the ages of 15
years. This was the trend in the Serrekunda area, Brikama, Bakau and Sukuta.
As I moved around these areas a similar situation could be observed in other
settlements.

The most interesting thing about the whole exercise is that it nearly went
through without the notice of political connection. Among the communities
where participation had political connection was seen in Tallinding, New
Jeshwang and Serrekunda Central around the NAWEC water tank. Even there,
these were very few women in their fifties followed by children dancing and
singing.

As the day went by mountains of trash could be found everywhere. Since most
people had used the occasion as an opportunity to take out all the unwanted
materials and trash from their compounds into the streets. This was the
trend almost everywhere.

In other areas, the order of the day was burning. As I moved from Brikama to
the Kanifing Municipality dark clouds of smoke could be seen above the
buildings. This was most serious as we approached Kanifing Municipality. A
friend of mine argued that there was a serious fire accident ahead of us in
the KMC. NEA may have to advise government on the effects of burning rubbish
like this.

All the markets in these areas were closed. The same went for shops and
workshops of all kinds. Vendors in market and shop owners could be found
around their businesses and workshop staring desperately.

“COLLECTION AND DUMPING OF TRASH, BIGGEST OBSTACLE TO OPERATION CLEAN THE
NATION,” LAMENTS KMC CLEANSING SERVICE ACTING MANAGER

The Acting Manager, Cleansing Services, KMC, Mr. Edrissa Njie has lamented
to our reporter that the biggest obstacle to Operation Clean The Nation is
the collection and dumping of trash. Mr. Njie was speaking to our reporter
after seeing the huge turnout given to the president’s call for people to
come out, during the launching of Operation Clean The Nation.

Mr. Njie indicated that this exercise used to take place in some communities
but that since the declaration by the president the turnout had been
unprecedented. He said that the exercise is expected to be continuous, as
the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of every month have been declared by the president
to be the days set aside for the cleaning exercise. He however expressed
concern regarding the huge tons of waste exposed off as the cleansing
services is seriously handicapped in terms of vehicles to transport these.
He also condemned the burning of waste as a means of disposal and said that
this will have a very serious negative impact on the atmosphere. He equated
this to the emission of greenhouse gases by powerful industrial countries,
and said that this will immensely contribute to the serious climate change,
which will have adverse effe....

On his part, Mr. Saihou Njie, Senior Programme Officer at the NEA said that
the burning of waste has been an age-old tradition in this country. He
however said that this tradition is a very bad tradition especially within
our present day, because of the material that is included in the trash we
burn these days. He called for more sensitization on the issue of waste
disposal.

Speaking to our reporter during the exercise, many people expressed dismay
that the waste generated had not been collected; that if it remains like
that, the objective of the exercise will never be achieved.

Up to the time of going to press, this reporter has seen a lot of waste,
left by the gate of compounds, and at different sections of the road.

RUBBISH CONTINUE TO PILE UP AFTER THE OPERATION

The rubbish gathered was piled up by these residents at various locations
near their homes. It is now four to five days since this was done but the
rubbish was not collected.

Residents in the area are complaining of the pollution and bad odour.

Editor: As it stands residents have cooperated by cleaning their compounds
and their surroundings but have no means of disposing them. The KMC and
other local authorities need to come up with effective collection plans and
identify dumpsites to facilitate the collection of rubbish. Otherwise,
Operation Clean The Nation will become futile. The KMC also needs to
coordinate its operation with the health authorities and the NEA.

REGISRATION OF VOTERS KICKS OFF ON MONDAY

Supplementary registration of voters who for one reason or another have not
been registered before is to conducted by the Independent Electoral
Commission (IEC) throughout the country from Monday 19th April 2004.

As from this issue, we shall resume a column to inform readers about their
rights as voters, who is entitled to be registered, the process of
registration and the appeals and objections. Read on to be enlightened.

Gambians must realize that their citizenry is meaningless if they do not
take part in carving the destiny of this nation. This is why the Preamble of
the constitution makes it explicit that the “constitution guarantees
participatory democracy that reflects the undiluted choice of the people.”

In fact, it goes on to say in section 1 subsection 2 that “the sovereignty
of The Gambia resides in the people of The Gambia from whom all organs of
government derive their authority and in whose name and for whose welfare
and prosperity the powers of government are to be exercised in accordance
with this constitution.”

This is why the constitution makes it a fundamental right under section 26
of the constitution for every citizen of The Gambia of full age and capacity
to take part in the conduct of public affairs, directly or through freely
chosen representatives.

How can we select these freely representatives? Section 26 of the
constitution again gives every citizen of The Gambia the right to vote and
stand for elections at genuine periodic elections for public office.

How can one exercise the right to vote and stand for election? To exercise
this right a citizen of full age and capacity must be registered and possess
a voting card for identification purposes. Hence section 39 of the
constitution stipulates that:

“1.  Every citizen of The Gambia being eighteen years or older and of sound
mind shall have the right to vote for the purpose of elections of a
President and members of the National Assembly, and shall be entitled to be
registered as a voter in a National Assembly constituency for that purpose.

“2.  Every citizen of The Gambia who is a registered voter shall be entitled
to vote in a referendum held in accordance with this constitution or any
other law.

“3.  Every citizen of The Gambia being of the age of eighteen years or older
and of sound mind shall be entitled, in accordance with the provisions of
this Chapter and any Act of the National Assembly providing for such
elections, to vote in elections or local government authorities and
traditional rulers in the area in which he / she is ordinarily resident.”

In short, once registered on is entitled to vote at elections of a
president, members of the National Assembly, mayors and chairpersons of
local government authorities, etc. Furthermore, a Gambian citizen who is 18
or more can vote in any of these elections.

The question now arises: Who is a citizen of The Gambia? Where can one be
registered? What must one do in order to be registered as a voter?

A two-day training programme for Senior Registration Officers (SROs) was
organized by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on the 6th and 7th
April 2004 at GTMI in Kanifing. The representatives of political parties
were also invited to participate as well as the members of the press and the
security.

This training is said to be a preliminary to prepare for the forthcoming
supplementary registration of voters exercise by the IEC from the 19th April
2004 to 17th May 2004 and covering the whole country. According to IEC the
supplementary registration is meant to register all those eligible voters
who had reached the age of 18 years before the 17th May 2004 and those who
were away and are now back in order to enable them to vote in any
by-election or general elections. Replacements and transfers of voter’s
cards are also ongoing until 6 months before general elections.

A Revised Registration Manual for 2004 was also prepared by the IEC and the
parts of which that are deemed relevant to the voter and the members of the
public will be published or serialized by Foroyaa. The training had dealt
with many important aspects and issues regarding the whole registration
process and these include among others; the registration team / composition,
eligibility and electoral law, forms and documentation, registration
procedures, the interview process, card issue, list of voter register, site
requirements, setting up of registration station, security, resolving
problems, role of party agents, etc.



THE PAN AFRICAN PARLIAMENT

HISTORY, CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD

Speech Delivered At The Inaugural Session Of The Pan African Parliament,
18-20TH MARCH 2004

Honourable Parliamentarians, Commission Chairman Konare has said that
Ethiopia, South Africa and Liberia defended Africa’s interest in the League
of Nations. He alluded to the fact that since Ethiopia had never been
conquered its patriarch Haile Sellassie had the authority to urge the
African leaders who assembled in Addis to put aside their differences and
establish the OAU.

The bodies of Dubois, Padmore and Kwame would be restless in their graves if
I failed to interrogate the assumptions advanced by Mr. Konare. History has
documented the lack of vitality of the League of Nations. Moreover, South
Africa’s Ian Smuts advocated for a Pan African Movement where white minority
regimes in Kenya, Rhodesia and the Union of South Africa based on race would
rule the African continent in collaboration with colonial multinational
corporations and other economic interest groups of the colonial powers.
Liberia was a neocolony and could not defend Africa’s interest.

The weaknesses of the institutions established by the League of Nations
became manifest when the fascist Italy invaded Abyssinia or Ethiopia leading
to the Italo-Ethiopian War of 1935-1936. Ethiopia was not saved by its
emperor but by its peasants who sacrificed their lives to defend her
sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Pan African Movement at home and
abroad gave remarkable solidarity to the people of Abyssinia.

One must recall that in October 1935 when Italian troops stationed in
Eritrea and Somaliland invaded Ethiopia the government of Haile Sellassie
did appeal to the League of Nations which it had been a member of since
1923, its members paid lip service but could not defend the territorial
integrity of Ethiopia.

It fell on the shoulders of the 400 thousand Ethiopians who were killed, the
35, 000 who perished in concentration camps during occupation and the
guerilla fighters to save Ethiopia from foreign domination. During that
period Haile Sellassie was in Britain until 1941 when he returned. This gave
focus to the unity of all the fighting detachments to push the Italian
forces once and for all from Ethiopian soil. Historians have largely
acknowledged that the fundamental weakness of the League of Nations is that
no government was prepared to surrender even an iota of degree of its
sovereign right to pursue its own interest in its own way.

It is the first Pan African Congress in general which established some
degree of cooperation between the people’s of African descent throughout the
world to promote African nationalism and the unification of the continent.
The fifth Pan African Congress gave the clarion call for the African
nationalist movements to take firm root in all colonized parts of the
continent. The African nationalists started to mobilize all civil society
organizations such as trade unions against colonial domination and for
self-determination and self-government.

The intensification of the struggle in Ghana in 1950 led to strikes,
boycotts and mass resistance against colonial domination.

History teaches us that Nkrumah and many of the leaders were imprisoned to
suppress the resistance. However, the growth of the mass movement against
colonial domination gave birth to elections to test the will of the Ghanaian
people.

Some people claim that democracy began to take root in Africa after the
collapse of the Soviet Union. This is a poor interpretation of African
history. How can people establish governments based on consent without the
assertion of their right to self-determination, independence and sovereign
existence? The anti colonial movement for self-determination and
independence is the first stage of the democratization process. The African
people had to have land that they can call their own before they could
become the architects of their own destiny. Suffice it to say, the
colonialists would have never yielded if the Pan African movement did not
earn the support of the vast majority of the people of Africa. This is
precisely why they introduced democratic elections to test the will of the
people. The people of Ghana stood the test of sovereign existence by giving
decisive support to the party for national liberation under the leadership
of Nkrumah in the 1951 le..

Within a period of six years Ghana attained rapid constitutional changes,
which provided a blue print for the constitutional evolution of many British
colonies. In 1957 Ghana attained the right to self-determination and
self-government. Nkrumah declared that the independence of Ghana was
meaningless unless it was linked to the total liberation of the African
continent. In this respect, Nkrumah gave the Pan African agenda sharper
focus. The independence of individual countries were to serve as
stepping-stones for the total liberation of the continent. Continental
unification was given a boost as Nkrumah called for meetings of independent
African states and All Peoples Congresses, which involved liberation
fighters and other civil society organizations. These conferences of
independent African states, which took place in Ghana in 1958, is the seed
for the establishment of the OAU. The All Peoples Congresses, which
superceded the Pan African Congresses, con.

Ghana under Nkrumah sought to be the bridgehead for the struggle to liberate
Africa. Ghana paid a heavy price for the unification of Africa. Instead of
being obsessed by narrow nationalist pursuit Ghana started to invest in the
African revolution with the plan that the African revolution will in the
middle term come to the aid of Ghana and that in the long term African
nationalism will provide a blue print for the economic liberation of the
continent.

Nkrumah shared the same vision with Dubois who in response to an invitation
to attend the March 6 1957 declaration of Ghana’s independence called for
Ghana to lead a movement of Africans for Pan Africanism. He called for the
continuation of the holding of Pan African Congresses on African soil which
will continue to search for the type of political system and the economic,
cultural and other cooperation necessary to build an Africa that would be
able to guarantee the general welfare of her people and ensure peaceful
coexistence with other nations irrespective of political system.

Ghana sought to carry out such leadership by promoting African solidarity
and integration. In 1958 when the French government abandoned Guinea Ghana
gave eleven million pounds to Guinea as solidarity. Ghana provided refuge
and education to Pan Africanists struggling in other areas for liberation.
In the economic sphere, Nkrumah acknowledged that economic development had
three spheres that is, raw materials production, processing and machine
building to produce the instruments of production. None of these is possible
without educated and skilled Africans. He gave education and training a
priority. Furthermore, he built energy sectors both hydro electric and
nuclear. No industrialization was possible without a reliable energy source.
Ghana built up its ore industry to produce Aluminum. Without the building of
a metal industry industrialization was inconceivable. Ghana developed a dam
to promote an agro-industrial base. These were capital-intensive projects...

My fellow African Parliamentarians, the IDA section of the World Bank came
into being in 1960, three years after the attainment of self-determination
by Ghana. If the World Bank, which in a period of 51 years had membership
contribution of just 11 billion dollars, could boast of giving 280 billion
dollars worth of loans as of 1997 one could imagine how much wealth an
African Investment Bank could have accumulated since 1960 if all the money
stored in Swiss Banks by African political leaders had been kept in our own
bank. We would have provided all the finances necessary to support the three
phases of economic development on the African continent by our own resources
instead of being slaves to the multilateral institutions like the World Bank
and the IMF who impose conditionalities to exercise debt repayments. Nkrumah
invested in the African liberation. He called on all nations to seek the
political kingdom and attain the right to self-determination and s..

Nkrumah invested in the African revolution but it never materialized to
reward Ghana’s investment. Consequently, people continue to accuse Nkrumah
of neglecting Ghana’s development in pursuit of prestigious projects to be
the king of Africa, some even making the rhetorical statement that seeking
the political kingdom has not brought everything when they know very well
that the right to self determination was just the first step and the second
step in bringing African unity never materialized.

Fellow Parliamentarians, by the time the leaders met in Addis to discuss a
way forward for the continent the original Pan African idea was embraced
only by few of them.

This is why the leaders who met in 1963 simply worked out a historic
compromise. It is our duty to consult history to know the price and
consequences of such compromise.

To be continued.



APRIL 10 AND 11 COMMEMORATION

GAMSU FORGIVES

April 10th and 11th which is always commemorated every year in remembrance
of the students who were shot to death by the security forces during a
peaceful demonstration for the death of fellow student, Ebrima Barry in the
hands of fire service personnel and the rape of a female student.

On Sunday 11th April 2004 Gambia Students’ Union (GAMSU) executive and
members organized a symposium at Gambia Technical Training Institute (GTTI)
to commemorate the occasion.

Prior to the symposium at GTTI, GAMSU, which is the main student body with
representatives from various educational institutions, held a procession
from Westfield Clinic to GTTI by some students and the executive of the
union.

At the symposium the hall was full to capacity with students and invitees.
This year’s commemoration is the first of its kind because the turnout was
impressive as compared to previous commemorations, and the response from the
invitees especially the government was positive.

At GTTI where the procession ended, the students and invitees proceeded to
GTTI Silence Hall to start the symposium.

In welcoming the student body, the President of GAMSU, Alhagie Nyabally
introduced the panelists at the high table. Each of them was given a topic
to dilate on. The panelists were: Hon. Halifa Sallah, National Assembly
member for Serrekunda Central and Minority Leader, Mr. Sano, Public
Relations Officer (PRO), National Intelligence Agency (NIA) deputizing for
his Director General, Landing 13 Badjie, Inspector General of Police, Dembo
Krubally, a Gambian resident in Germany, Mrs. Fatoumatta Jahumpa Ceesay, a
nominated member of the National Assembly, Dr. Pap Sey, Deputy Permanent
Secretary, Department of State for Education, Sheikh Lewis, Chairman,
Amnesty International(Gambia) and Ebrima Ceesay, Secretary General, GAMSU.

The first speaker to deliver was Halifa Sallah who dealt on Patriotism and
Nationalism.

Mr. Sallah started by saying that human beings are beings who can learn from
the past in order to build the future; that no other being on earth has that
capacity. It is important for each of us to realize that we are very
important; that we should not be tools for other human beings to use us.
When we talk about patriotism and nationalism we are talking about people.
When Africa was under domination and we were mere raw materials to be
utilized for other’s development, African intellectuals began to think of
the dilemma of the African continent. The concept of patriotism emerged at
the First Pan African Conference in 1919 held in France and the lesson drawn
from that conference was that the only reason why the French government
allowed the Pan Africanists to hold their conference in Paris was because
Blaise Diagne of Senegal who was then a Deputy in the French Assembly
mobilized 100, 000 Africans in the first world war, on behalf of their
colonial maste.....

“The Africans then started to ask themselves if they could die for other
people to have their countries what about their own. That was when they
called for their right to self-determination.”

That is what nationalism is all about.

When a group of people develops a common identity a nation is born. People
must develop an identity and they must have land. People must have a common
ability. They must have a common identity that they belong somewhere and
that love of that land and the people because you cannot talk about the land
without the people. What is the use of the land without the people, Mr.
Sallah asked.

“You cannot talk about patriotism without land and when you talk about
patriotism or love of the land that is the right to self-determination. It
is what the Pan Africanists fought for Africa to be liberated. That is why
we are talking about independent nations.”

Mr. Sallah further said that countries emerged which sought to liberate
themselves from their colonial masters so that we can become the architects
of our own destiny; and that is how nationalism emerged.

“The emphasis here is the awakening of people. You cannot talk about
nationalism and patriotism without national consciousness and awareness. And
it is that awareness that the leaders like Nkrumah injected in people and
they fought to own their land.”

“The freedom and independence we talk about now is not a gift.”

Mr. Sallah informed his audience that 800, 000 French troops were stationed
in Algeria to help prevent the Algerians from being liberated. You all know
about the Mau Mau struggle. You know what happened in Guinea Bissau, Angola
and Mozambique.

How many people have to die for others to live, he asked. People have to
die, to go to prisons for others. Nkrumah spent one year three months with
eleven other prisoners in the same cell with a bucket on one side to
defecate and urinate, before the people elected him to become ultimately the
Prime Minister of Ghana. People sacrifice for liberty to be achieved.

Mr. Sallah said that young people today are confronted with still the task
of nation building. The object of liberation was not only to declare
independence but also to be able to build nations, which can really be able
to assert its right to self-determination. And the right to
self-determination goes with the right to control your territory, the
territorial integrity and it goes with the right to sovereignty, that no one
dictate to you how you run your own affairs.

It goes with the right to political independence. You dictate how you govern
yourself. It goes with the unity for without people there can be no nation.

And that is the task confronted by our leaders, to educate us to know that
we are a people.

Self-determination Mr. Sallah asserted is collective identity. The assertion
of right to be the architects of our own destiny, which means that each of
us together become one, to attach our ownership to our country. What
confronted our elders yesterday is still confronting us today. How do we
ensure national unity? How can we ensure that we love our nation, people and
land? How can we be devoted to that land and people that we work for our
collective liberty and prosperity? That is the fundamental question.

Mr. Sallah said that the movement for independence led to the creation of a
republic, which gave rise to a new meaning to patriotism and nationalism.

Nationalism in some countries where monarch still remain, for people just
fought for other’s domination, but still internally they were dominated. If
you study the history of nations in Europe most of those national movements
were led by monarchs but with the birth of republics an end to monarchy came
into being. And what the republic symbolizes is the equality of human
beings. When you have a republic each member of that republic is an equal
partner. When you are equal to someone Mr. Sallah concluded, then you will
not allow that person to dominate you, to use you as a tool. You will own
yourself, you will own your mind, but you cannot own your mind without
awareness. Sovereignty requires to be mature mentally, to acquire a level of
understanding and consciousness, where you become immune to domination and
subjugation. It means each person is a sovereign to himself or herself.

_________________________________________________________________
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