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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