IMF Completes the Fifth Review Under Gambia’s PRGF Arrangement and Approves a US$8 Million Disbursement

Press Release

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed today the fifth review of The Gambia’s economic performance under the three-year Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) arrangement.

The completion of the review enables The Gambia to draw immediately an amount of SDR 5.11 million from the IMF (about US$8 million) bringing total disbursements to SDR 18.22 million (about US$28.6 million).

The Executive Board also granted a waiver for the nonobservance of an end-March 2009 structural performance criterion to make the credit reference bureau operational.

The PRGF arrangement became effective February 21, 2007, for a total amount of SDR 14million (about US$22 million).

The fourth review was completed on February 18, 2009. The Executive Board’s decision on the fifth review was taken on a lapse of time basis.

The Executive Board takes decisions under its lapse of time procedure when it is agreed by the Board that a proposal can be considered without convening formal discussions.

Islamic Talk: Salat and its virtues

Abdullah-bin- Umar (Radhi Allaho anho) narrates that he heard the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) saying: "Islam is founded on five pillars :bearing witness that their is no god but Allah, and Muhammad (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) is His servant and apostle; establishment of salat; paying zakat; perfoming of Hajj; and fasting in the month of Ramadan."

The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) has compared Islam to a canopy resting on five supports. The Kalimah is the central support and the other four pillars of Islam are, so to say, the remaining four supports one of each corner of the canopy. Without the central support, the canopy cannot possibly stand, and if anyone of the corner supports is missing, a collapse will result in the defective corner. Now let us judge for ourselves how far we have kept up the canopy of Islam. Is there really any pillar that is being held in its proper place?

The five pillars of Islam mentioned in this hadith signify the most essential duties of a Muslim. Although a Muslim cannot do without any of them, yet salat in Islam occupies a position next only to Imaan. Abdullah bin Masood ((Radhi Allaho anho) says: Once, I inquired of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam), which act (of man) was the dearest to Allah. The Prophet replied, "salat".

Mullah Ali Qari (Rahmatullah alaihe) quoted this hadith in suport of the belief that salat is the most important religious duty after Imaan. This is further corroborated by a hadith, in which te Holy Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) is reported to have said: "Salat is the best of all that has been ordained by Allah."

Abuzar (Radhi Allaho anho) narrates that once the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) came out of his house. It was autumn and the leaves were falling off the trees. He caught hold of a branch of a tree and its leaves began to drop in large number. At this he remarked, 'O Abzar Radhi Allaho anho) when a Muslim offers his slat to please Allah, his sins are shed away from him just as these leaves are falling of this tree."

Abu Hurairah (Radhi Allaho anho) narrates that once the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) asked his companions, "Do you believe that dirt can remain on a person bathing five times a day in a brook runnng in front of his door?' 'No' replied the companions, 'No dirt can remain on his body.' The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) remarked : 'So, exactly is similar is the effect of salat offered five times a day. With the Grace of Allah, it washes away all the sins."

Jabir (Radhi Allaho anho) narrates that he heard the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) saying: "The likedness of five times daily salat is as the likeness of a deep brook running in front of the door of a person who bathes there in five times a day."

Running water is generally free from dirt, and the deeper it runs the cleaner and purer it is. A bath in such water surely removes dirt from the body and makes it clean. Salat offer with due regard for its essentials likewise cleanses the soul of all sins. There are several hadiths of the same meaning, though with slight variations in expressions, narrated by different companions of the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam).

Abu Saeed Khudri (Radhi Allaho anho) narrates that he heard the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) saying:"Each of the five salats expiates the sins committed since the salat preceding it. To explain, let us take this case of a person working in a factory. His job is such that his body is covered with dust. But there are five streams of running water in between the factory and his house and, on his return from the job, he takes a bath in each stream. The effect of five times daily salat s quite similar. Any sins of omission and commisson between two salats are forgiven on account of 'Istighfar and Taubah in each salat."

The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) through such parables, aims at impressing that salat has the wonderful power of removing the sins. If we fail to avail of Allah's mercy, surely we ourselves are the losers.

To err is human. We are likely to commit innumerable acts of displeasing Allah and deserve thereby His wrath and punishment, but look how relenting our dear Allah is! He has most graciously shown us the way to earn His mercy and forgiveness. It is a great pity if we do not avail of this great favour. Our Allah is always eager to show us His mercy on very small grounds. It is said in a hadith that if a person goes to bed with the intention of getting up for Tahajjud, and perchance does not wake up, he recieves the full reward for Tahajjud, although he has been enjoying his sleep at of Tahajjud. How boundless is the grace of Allah and what a tremendous loss and deprivation if we do not receive blessing from such a Giver.

Huzaifa (Radhi Allaho anho) says that, whenever the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) happened to face any difficulty, he would at once resort to salat.

Salat is a great blessing of Allah. To resort to salat the time of worry is ti hasten towards His mercy, and when Allah's mercy comes to rescue, there can remain no trace of any worry. There are many traditions concerning this practice of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam). Similar was the practice of his companions, who followed him in the minutest detail.

Abu Darda (Radhi Allaho anho) says: "Whenever a strong wind blew, the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) would immediately enter the mosque and would not leave until the wind had subsided. Similarly, at the time of sular or lunar eclipse, the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) would at once start offering salat. Sohaib (Radhi Allaho anho) was informed by the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) that all the previous apostles of Allah (peace be upon them) also use to resort to salat in all adversities.

Ibne Abbas (Radhiallaho anho) was once on a journey. Oh his way, he got the news of the death of his son. He got down from his camel and offered two rakaat of salat praying in Tashahud for a long time. He then recited Inna-Lillahi-wa-inna-ilaii-rajeun' and, said " I have done what Allah has ordered us to do in his Holy Book ie.: "Seek Allah's help with patience and salat." (II: 45). Another similar story is narrated about him. He was on a journey when he received the news about the death of his brother Qusum. He descended from his camel by the road side, and performed two rakaats of salat and kept praying in Tashahhud for a long time. After finishing his slat, he rode his camel reciting the following verse of the Holy Qur'an: Seek Allah's help with patience and salat and truly it is indeed hard except to the humble minded.

When Abada (Radhiallaho anh) was about to breathe his last, he said to the people around him, " I prohibit one and all from crying over me. When my soul departs, I ask everyone to perform abulution observing all its essentials, and go to the mosque and pray for my forgiveness, because our Gracious Allah has enjoined on us to 'seek help with patient and salat' After that, lay me down in the pit of my grave.

Nadhr (Radhiallaho anho) narrates: "Once it became very dark during the day in Madina. I hurriedly went to Anas (Radiallaho anho) to know if he had ever experienced similar conditions during the life time of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam). He said to me, "Maazallah! During those blessed days, whenever the wind blew strong, we would hurry to the mosque lest it should be the approach of the Last Day.

Abdullah-bin- Salam (Radhiallaho anho) narrates that whenever the members of the Prophet's family were hard-pressed in any way, the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) would enjoin upon them to say salat, and would recite the following verse of the Qur'an: "And enjoin salat upon thy people and be thyself constant therein. We ask not of thee to provide sustenance. We provide it for thee. And the Hereafter is for the righteousness." XX: 132)

It is said in a hadith that when somebody is confronted with a need, whether pertaining to this life or the Hereafter, or whether it concerns Allah or a mortal, he should perform a perfect abulution, offer salat of two rakaats, glorify Allah, then ask blessings for the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) and then pray: There is no go save Allah- the Clement - the Bountiful. Glorified be Allah, the Lord of the tremendous throne. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I ask Thee all that leadeth to Thy Mercy and deserveth Thy forgiveness. I ask Thee abundance in all that is good and refugee from all is evil. Leave me no sin but Thou pardonest it, and no distress but Thou removes it, and no need but Thou fulfillest it. O most Merciful of those who show mercy!"

Salat is a tremendoud asset. Besides pleasing Allah, it often gets us deliverence from the calamities of this life and provides us with tranquility and peace of mind. Ibn-Sirin writes: " If I be allowed to choose between paradise and salat of two rakaats, I would prefer salat. The reason is quite clear. Paradise is for my own pleasure while salat is for the pleasure of my dear Lord." The Holy Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) has said: "Enviable is the lot of that Muslim who is with least encumberance, whose main fortune is salat, who remain content with humble provision throughout his life, who worships his Lord in a dutiful manner, who lives a nameless life and who dies an early death, with very little to bequeath and very few to mourn him." In another hadith, the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) is reported to have said: "Offer your salat at your homes quite frequently so that these may be blessed with Allah's Grace and Mercy.
To be continued next week.

Culled from Faza'il-E-A'maal.

Pls take a moment and sign this petition

Dear All,

The GPU-USA has launched another petition calling for the immediate release of the six innocent Gambian journalists unjustly convicted and sentenceed by the criminal regime of Yahya Jammeh. Please take a moment to read and sign the petition by clicking on the link below. And please distribute this petition as widely as possible. Thank you.

http://www.petitiononline.com/gpuus809/petition.html


Released on behalf of GPU-USA

Baba Galleh Jallow
Secretary General

GPU CONDEMNS CONVICTION, IMPRISONMENT OF SIX JOURNALISTS

The Gambia Press Union vehemently condemns the conviction, jailing and heavy fines, today of six Gambian journalists, three of whom are members of the Union Executive, Emil Touray; secretary general; Sarata Jabbi Dibba, vice president and Pa Modou Faal, treasurer; Pap Saine and Ebou Sawaneh, The Point’s publisher and editor respectively; And Sam Sarr, editor, Foroyaa newspaper.

The group have been convicted of all six counts and sentenced to two years imprisonment without the option of a fine for four of the counts and fined each 250,000 Dalasis (about US$10,000) on the other two counts, failure to pay, they will serve two years for each count.

Today, August 6 marks one of the darkest days in the history of the Gambian judiciary, where a judge of the High Court, Justice Emmanuel Fagbenle, despite Constitutional guarantees to Freedom of Expression, an independent judiciary and despite a weak and senseless prosecution effort, has allowed himself, to be used openly and publicly by the Executive to further enforce its reign of terror.

The pain and trauma inflicted on these gallant journalists and their families, the Union and its membership by the state authorities and a legal system geared towards bolstering tyranny and oppression is unimaginable. Yet, we are hopeful that in a regional and world community that respects and promotes the ideals of freedom of expression, good governance and democratic principles, the freedom and rights of our colleagues will be guaranteed.

The Union will immediately launch an appeal in The Gambia Court of Appeal, for one reason and one reason alone. It is the only institution that can overturn the decision of the High Court.

In a similar manner and for the fact that we have no faith in a flawed Gambian judicial system that demonstrates open bias, we shall simultaneously seek redress through the African Commission for Human and People’s Rights and the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice. At this point it is also worthy to mention that at least on two occasions whilst the trial was ongoing, the head of state, President Yahya Jammeh issued direct threats to journalists and others “hiding behind freedom of expression”.

Our Constitutional and international guarantees to freedom of expression aside, we find this and other procedural flaws enough grounds for appeal.

The fact that the case, from the onset should have been heard at the Criminal Division of the High Court, which never happened, is still a cause for concern
Today’s Court decision only confirms our claims that the Gambian judiciary is being used to bolster State-supported tyranny and oppression. We call on the Judicial Service Commission and the Gambia Bar Association to defend the Constitutional mandates of the Courts and the Judiciary in its entirety.

Gambian journalists and the Union have been at the forefront of challenging unconstitutional measures geared towards stifling freedom of expression, media and other constitutionally and universally guaranteed freedoms and rights.

We are also among the very few Gambian voices on the ground speaking out against impunity, constitutional and human rights violations and other State engineered governance inconsistencies with the hope of getting the Gambian people and the attention of the international community to ensure accountability, transparency, good governance and respect for human rights.

For this, we continue to pay a high price. We face unnecessary harassment, intimidation, protracted and mostly irrelevant Court cases, unfair convictions, exorbitant fines, closure of media houses, exile, the risk of disappearance and in the case of Deyda Hydara, victims of targeted killings.

The GPU reiterates its call for a Gambia where every citizen is free to openly express themselves and participate in debates geared towards national development without fear of State retaliation.

This is call for every Gambian to enjoy their rights as Guaranteed and stipulated by the 1997 Constitution, Article 9 of The African Charter on Human and People’s Rights and Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We are deemed to be a Sovereign nation, where each and every Gambian is equal before the laws of the land, thus we deem it a travesty of Justice when the custodians of the law, bend the laws to suit the interests of a few.

The Union also wishes to thank the hundreds of individuals and institutions at home and all over the world who have reached out to us in writing, in protest, through the phone and financially at the darkest hour of the Union’s history simply for our exercising our rights as Gambian journalists to express our concerns and to hold the executive accountable to the very Gambians it has sworn to uphold.

Your support is greatly appreciated and has given us the strength and willpower to continue in our quest in search of the truth regarding the death of Deyda Hydara, to continue to demand for the expansion of the space for effective independent media participation and we hope serves as a strong reminder to journalists in The Gambia and elsewhere that speaking the truth and in defence of it at any cost, is as honourable today as it was in the beginning.

As stated earlier and aptly in Court by our two doyens Pap Saine and Sam Sarr, the Gambia Press Union and its members will today more than ever seek to defend the principles of freedom of expression, speak and stand up in defense of the truth and practice our profession in good faith.

The Union also reiterates its call on the Gambia Government to:

·Conduct proper and professional investigations into the death of Deyda Hydra and bring to an end the speculation and counter speculation regarding circumstances surrounding his death;

·Comply with the ECOWAS Court order on the disappearance of Chief Ebrima Manneh;
·Emulate progressive West African and other states by scrapping all the media-related laws regarding sedition and defamation.

·Work towards the drafting and debate of Freedom of Information and Access to Information laws as provided for in Article 66 of the Revised ECOWAS Treaty.
·Evaluate its relationship with the Gambian media and, based on mutual respect, engage in consultations geared towards mapping the way forward for enhancing and strengthening Independent media participation.


Ndey Tapha Sosseh
President

CPJ, RSF condemns the jailing of GPU Six

The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the highly politicized court verdict against six independent journalists today in the capital of the Gambia, Banjul.

Judge Emmanuel Fagbenle sentenced the journalists to two years in jail and heavy fines on six counts of sedition and criminal defamation, local journalists told CPJ. Failure to pay the fines will lead to an additional two years in jail, according to the Gambian Press Union.

The six journalists, working for two private newspapers—The Point and Foroyaa—had republished a June 11 press union statement criticizing President Yahya Jammeh’s comments regarding the unsolved 2004 murder of Point editor Deyda Hydara. According to the union, the six will be held at Mile Two Prison in Banjul while the defense files an appeal in the Gambian Court of Appeal.

The Gambian Press Union reacted in June to a state-run televised statement made by Jammeh, saying his comments about Hydara were insensitive and calling for a renewed investigation into Hydara’s murder. In another state television appearance last month, Jammeh threatened local independent journalists and referred to them as “rat pieces.” “So they think they can hide behind so-called press freedom and violate the law and get away with it,” Jammeh said. “They got it wrong this time. We are going to prosecute them to the letter.”

“President Jammeh has managed to nail the coffin shut for press freedom in the Gambia by arresting some of the last remaining independent journalists in the country,” said CPJ’s Africa program coordinator, Tom Rhodes. “CPJ condemns this politicized judgment against these six Gambian journalists. Their sentencing reflects a partisan judicial system controlled by the president.”

One of the six convicted, The Point’s managing director, Pap Saine, suffers from a heart condition and is in desperate need of a pacemaker, he told CPJ. Authorities have also revived unrelated charges accusing Saine of publishing false information in a January article about a cabinet reshuffle in the Gambian Embassy in the United States. Another of the journalists, Sarata Jabbi-Dibba, a senior Point reporter and vice president of the press union, has a seven-month-old baby, local journalists told CPJ.

The other convicted journalists are Foroyaa’s managing director, Sam Saar, and assistant editor, Emil Touray; and The Point’s deputy editor, Ebou Sawaneh, and senior reporter, Pa Modou Faal.

Reporters Without Borders condemnation

Reporters Without Borders is appalled by the two-year jail sentences that the Banjul high court passed today on six journalists for alleged sedition and defamation of the government. The six journalists, all leading members of the Gambia Press Union, were immediately taken away to Banjul’s Mile Two prison.

“We will soon run out of words to express our outrage at President Yahya Jammeh’s government and its behaviour towards journalists,” Reporters Without Borders said. “Is it a crime to express an opinion and ask government officials to explain their actions? Appealing for what is regarded as transparency in other countries is a crime punishable by imprisonment in Gambia.”

The press freedom organisation added: “These disgraceful sentences seem like a provocation at time when the US secretary of state is touring Africa to promote good governance. We urge Hillary Clinton to modify her itinerary and make a stopover in Banjul.”

Banjul high court judge Emmanuel Fangbele found the six journalists guilty on six counts including defamation and “seditious publication”. He passed two-year jail sentences on four of the charges and fines of 250,000 dalasis (10,000 US dollars) on the other two counts.

The six journalists were charged in mid-June after issuing a joint statement appealing to President Jammeh to recognise his government’s responsibility in the 2004 murder of leading Gambian journalist Deyda Hydara. They were placed in pre-trial detention in Mile Two prison twice but each time they were then freed on bail.

GPU-USA Condemns Jailing of Six Gambian Journalists

The GPU-USA joins GPU-Gambia, all decent Gambians and the international community in vehemently condemning the unjust convictions inflicted upon six innocent Gambian journalists for merely criticizing the president.

We echo the sentiment that this criminal conviction of the journalists is yet another blatant manifestation of the criminal nature of Gambian president Yahya Jammeh and his criminal coterie of mercenary judges. That such heavy sentences are unjustly imposed on six innocent Gambian citizens is a measure of how low Jammeh will stoop to terrorize the Gambian people and ensure that his politics of insult and impunity go unquestioned and unchallenged.


We call on the governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, the European Union, the Commonwealth, the United Nations, and all international human rights and media rights organizations to compel the criminal regime of Yahya Jammeh to immediately release these innocent persons. We also call upon Gambian civil society organizations, especially the Bar Association and opposition parties to do everything in their power to ensure that this criminal act is immediately rescinded. To the Gambia Armed forces, we say that your duty to protect the security and integrity of the Gambian nation demands that immediate action be taken to stop the further criminalization of the Gambian state by Yahya Jammeh and his criminal thugs parading as judges from Nigeria.


Down with Yahya Jammeh!


Down with injustice and oppression!


Long live the forces of truth and justice!


Long live The Gambia!


Signed on behalf of GPU-USA



Baba Galleh Jallow

Secretary General