The Observer Newspaper has long ago stopped reporting the news. The have
settled into a mode in which they are outright fabricating stories in a very
amateurish bid to serve the ugly interests of Yahya Jammeh. They conjure up
long winded lies about socalled sources and make up dialogue with none
existent people. With Yahya facing imminent electoral defeat, The Observer
has shamelessly and eagerly transformed itself into the print version of GRTS
writing self serving essays and attempting to pass it as legitimate
journalism. Everything they write from coverage of rallies to campaign
violence is all overtly laced in unprofessional zeal on their part. They make
absolutely no attempt to present their stories fairly by talking to all sides
involved in any issue. Take their reporting of Campaign violence in which
every story   categorically paints the Coalition as the instigator. It is
silly and fanciful for any sane person to assume that opponents of this
regime who over the years have had their members murdered, tortured and
abducted by this government and it's affiliated agents would suddenly
transform into a mean and aggressive bunch attacking innocent people. It is
not true. Take the much trumped up case involving Baba Jobe which illicited
much outraged from the D.I.G of Police. The Coalition was holding a rally at
Latrikunda German when all of a sudden Baba Jobe in a convoy of vehicles with
his usual contingent of thugs approached and attempted to drive into the
already assembled crowd in a blatant and provocative bid to disrupt a legal
gathering. When it became clear that the people were not going to let him and
his goons disrupt the meeting, he resorted to his usual violent tactics. He
was quickly overwhelmed by the very large and determined crowd. In the
ensuing fracas, some damage was done to some of the vehicles he was
attempting to drive through the crowd and he had to run away. Similarly, the
incident in Farafenni was organized and precipitated by the Chief Samboujang
Jagne. He gathered APRC thugs in his home with the sole purpose of physically
preventing the Coalition meeting and campaigning in Farafenni. They lay in
ambush by his home with stones and other arms and erected an illegal road
block. When the Coalition approached with a token Police escort, they were
stopped by these goons at the behest of Chief Jagne. The escorting Police
suggested the Coalition reroute their entire convoy to mollify the illegal
behavior of these trouble makers. This was unacceptable to the coalition
because the roadblock was a blatant infringement on their rights as Gambians
moving in their own country. So they moved on and the thugs began raining
stones on them. Again the the attackers were overwhelmed and in the ensuing
violence the vehicles of the attackers  were damaged and some of the
attackers sustained injuries. The escorting police fled and it was the army
that finally restored peace and the coalition proceeded as planned. With the
police and other members of the security services openly taking the
government's side and branding the APRC as victims when they are and continue
to be the attackers, Coalition members can and would only rely on themselves
for self defense. They have justifiably lost confidence in law enforcement
and would not lie down and play dead while violent thugs trample over them.
In the remaining days of the campaign, the coalition would continue to engage
the Gambian people on the very  critical issues facing the nation. They will
continue to scrupulously adhere to the letter and spirit of the law. They
will also vigorously defend themselves anytime they are attacked. This is not
going to be 1996. Anyone who unleashes violence on innocent people will meet
a stiff and sustained resistance. No amount of lies from the government and
it's agents would deter people from the very grave situations they face from
these criminals and murderers.
       In the meantime list members and the rest of our people can still read
legitimate Newspapers like the Independent and The Point for real coverage.
Karamba

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