Deyda Hydara, Chief Manneh Honoured

The African Editors Forum (TAEF) on October 14th honoured the Late Deyda Hydara and disappeared journalist Chief Ebrima Manneh with the “‘Hero of African Journalism Award’ at a Gala Dinner held in Hotel Amitie, Bamako, Mali under the patronage of His Excellency Ahmadou Toumani Toure, President of Mali.

Though bittersweet, the Gambia Press Union (GPU) joined the two families to express its delight, and considers the two heroes privileged to be among five journalists (the late Norbert Zongo, Burkina Faso; Jean Leonard Rugambage, Rwanda; And, Pius Njawe, Camerron) honoured in all of the region.

This recognition also further strengthens our principled belief that the death of Deyda Hydara and the disappearance of Chief Ebrima Manneh will never dampen our spirits, serve as deterrent for professional journalism or cower us in our determination to seek the truth and to report objectively, without fair or favour.

The fact that colleagues all over the continent deem it necessary to remember them for posterity is heartwarming and encouraging. It should send a strong message to the killers of Deyda Hydara and those behind the disappearance of Chief Ebrima Manneh that they can run, they can hide, in the short term, but the truth will one day prevail as we, our partners and those with a conscience all over the world will continue to sing their songs and demand that the truth be unearthed.

Deyda and Chief were honoured alongside distinguished and honourable African leaders, considered ‘friends of the media’, Presidents Nelson Mandela, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Thabo Mbeki, John Kuffour and Alpha Oumar Konare for their efforts in building transparent societies, promoting and implementing media friendly policies in their countries, institutions and across Africa.

Speaking earlier at the opening ceremony of the three day TAEF Bi-Annual Conference and Congress on the theme “Media and the Challenge of Peace in Africa”, Ahmadou Toumani Toure, President of Mali and Chief Patron of the event expressed delight that of recent, media institutions have targeted Mali as the host of their organizations and activities because of its friendliness to the media and efforts being made by his government to implement and build on existing positive media laws. “I have personally been involved in the planning of this meeting, which brings together 200 editors and journalists from all over Africa, given orders to the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Communications to ensure the smooth and successful hosting of this meeting. I am pleased to welcome you here in Mali, your home,” he said.

Deyda Hydara’s award was received by his daughter Marie Piere Hydara and Musa Manneh, brother of Chief Ebrima Manneh represented the Manneh family.

No end to Baba Jobe's troubles

As if being jailed for economic crimes and having his assets frozen is not enough, Baba Kajally Jobe, former director of President Yahya Jammeh's New Millennium Airline, is still on the United Nations Security Council travel ban list.

In its latest travel ban list update in pursuant of resolution 1343 (2001) on Liberia, adopted on 7 March 2001, the UN Security Council still described Mr Jobe as an "arms trafficker, who supported former President Charles Taylor’s regime in effort to destabilise Sierra Leone and gain illicit access to diamonds."

It urged all states to take the necessary measures to prevent the entry into or transit through their territories of Mr Jobe and 58 others, "who constitute a threat to the peace process in Liberia, or who are engaged in activities aimed at undermining peace and stability in Liberia and the sub-region, including those senior members of former President Charles Taylor’s Government and their spouses and members of Liberia’s former armed forces who retain links to former President Charles Taylor, and any other individuals, or individuals associated with entities, providing financial or military support to armed rebel groups in Liberia or in countries in the region."

Mr Jobe, 49, who was majority leader and National Assembly Member for Jarra West, is accused to have conspired with others to run an arms smuggling ring in contravention of UN Security Council resolution 1343. And in between January and June 2001, Mr Jobe and the New Millennium Airline were said to have been used as transiting companies for illegal weapons handled by gun running mafias, Samih Osailly and Aziz Nassour who were jailed in Antwerp, Belgium for illegal diamond smuggling and weapons purchases.

Mr Osailly and Nassour, who are cousins from Lebanon, were also reported to have sold blood diamonds and indirectly or directly supported the Taylor regime.

Baba Jobe is also said to have, according to a commercial aviation database, use the New Millennium Airline, a Russian-made passenger jet acquired from Centrafrican Airlines, to cover the operations of Victor Anatoljevitch Bout, one of the world's biggest arms dealers.

A former Russian lieutenant who has acquired the nicknames Merchant of Death and Lord of War, Mr Bout used to fly his ancient Soviet planes into battlefields from Liberia to Afghanistan and some of his clients are said to have included the Taliban and African warlords.

He is said to have transported weapons and minerals in contravention of UN Security Council resolution 1343, and have supported former President Taylor’s regime in effort to destabilise Sierra Leone and gain illicit access to diamonds.
>By PK Jarju