""During the screening process, they asked me about my nationality and that of my parents and wife. My political and religious affiliations were also asked," Saidykhan said. The Independent Editor was questioned about his paper's coverage of the killings of Ghanaians in The Gambia." Hmmmmmmm! Does this sound familiar? Baba Galleh, I'm sure you and many Gambians that suffer this abuse can relate. Folks, this is not child play and these folks mean business, and we better be realistic with the danger we are confronted with. Now Saidykhan is not a citizen, his parents are not, and his spouse is not. Yet folks want us to think that we will win this struggle to liberate Gambia by going "kinder and gentler". In our comfort zones and in our minds, but not when a murderer is threatened to be exposed. Not when you want to take away the life line of an entire political machinery. Can you imagine how many souls depend on and thrive on Yaya staying one more day, year, decades? Thus, what makes us think that when we handle them softly this way and that they will just step aside and see reason. Reason! It is going to get uglier the closer we are to October 2006 and the more we expose their dirty laundry. Everything they got will be thrown at us and we better be ready. Saidykhan, the first step to liberating yourself is to not be afraid of the machinery or their thugs, and you have just done that. Editor Recounts Arrest "I Remain Upbeat" The Independent (Banjul) October 31, 2005 Posted to the web November 1, 2005 Lamin Njie Banjul The Editor-In-Chief of The Independent Newspaper, Musa Saidykhan, has explained the reasons for his last Thursday arrest and questioning by agents of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) who drove him to their headquarters in Banjul. Mr. Saidykhan said the arrest and subsequent questioning had not intimidated or threatened him to censor him or bower down. "I had remained upbeat throughout the period. I was not the least intimidated or threatened, although the arresting officer had attempted to do while on the way to Banjul." He said, "I wonder what you journalists think of yourselves. So you feel too big to be invited by our director. In fact, you are looking for cheap popularity and we don't mind this thing to be on Network Africa," he said. Mr. Saidykhan said he had maintained that he should have been informed why he was needed at the NIA. "I wonder why this man called Bamba Janneh meant by "cheap popularity," because I think it's my right to know the reasons why I was invited at NIA." "As a journalist, I am prepared for arrests, detentions or questioning at any time," Editor Saidykhan said. "I am a clean citizen who does not want to violate the laws of the land. The arrest and questioning which were the first in my eight-year journalism career is part of the job. But they kept me in darkness - that is without telling me why I was invited for questioning until I had exhausted screening and photography procedures at NIA headquarters." The NIA officers later escorted Mr. Saidykhan to another office where he was shown copies of The Independent and The Point Newspapers. "Welcome Mr. Saidykhan. So this is the way you elected to come. Instead of coming for a simple discussion, you decided to wait until you were arrested," Captain Saine said. "We don't torture or intimidate people. This is just a normal thing which is not meant to scare you," he said. Mr. Saidykhan said his discussions with NIA officials centred on President Thabo Mbeki's readiness to engage The Gambia government on the killing of journalist Deyda Hydara. "The NIA officials saw this as an insult to the integrity of The Gambia because the matter is still under investigation, although they are yet to establish any possible clue for his killing. They also saw the story as damaging to the international credentials of The Gambia," he said, adding, "NIA officials said investigations into Hydara's killing is of utmost concern to them but they are yet to reach to the bottom of the issue." Relevant Links West Africa Press and Media Gambia Legal and Judicial Affairs The NIA interrogators further asked Editor Saidykhan to write the exact statement of President Mbeki and why he did not raise his concerns with President Jammeh instead. "During the screening process, they asked me about my nationality and that of my parents and wife. My political and religious affiliations were also asked," Saidykhan said. The Independent Editor was questioned about his paper's coverage of the killings of Ghanaians in The Gambia. Mr. Saidykhan, who was finally released last Friday after he had reported at the NIA, said, " I am grateful to my colleagues, family and friends both home and abroad for their concern and solidarity." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- いいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいい To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] いいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいい