The reluctant democrat

by PK Jarju

President Jammeh

When Yahya Jammeh came to power in July 1994, his Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) that overthrew the PPP regime of Sir Dawda Jawara promised to be soldiers with a difference.

With the motto accountability, transparency and probity, they promised to act and do everything different from typical military governments we have seen in our continent. They said they were servants of the people, whose main objective was to free the enslaved Gambians ruled by a corrupt, despotic and retrogressive government that lived on flamboyant life styles while the average Gambian lived in abject poverty.

Today however, all the sweet talk of making a difference, accountability, transparency and probity is dead and buried 360 feet deep. The regime is not accountable to the electorates, nor is it transparent and trusted by the very people it claims to be serving. The regime has become a curse to Gambian people with President Yahya Jammeh transforming himself into a super god expecting to be worshipped by every Gambian.

Despite the return of the country to 'civilian rule', The Gambia is far from being democratic. It has become more tyrannical with President Jameh continuing to tighten his grip on power everyday. While President Jammeh claims that he is a democrat, he rules with an iron hand, showing no mercy towards his political opponents. To him democracy, which is defined by Abraham Lincoln as government of the people, for the people and by the people is inapplicable in The Gambia. His own definition of democracy is government by Yahya Jammeh, of Yahya Jammeh and for Yahya Jammeh.

As president, Yahya Jammeh is in total control of all the chambers of government. He uses hisNational Assembly Members who forms a large majority in the National Assembly to manipulate the country's constitution left, right and centre. These  National Assembly put the president's interest before national interest. Bills drafted by the executive are hastily passed into laws without second thought. The Gambian National Assembly is now transformed into an APRC bureau were President Jammeh is regarded as a puritan, perfectionist and prophet who will never eat until every Gambian has eaten.

Being party leader of the APRC, President Jammeh has over the years expelled National Assembly Members of his own party who fell out with him despite the fact they were voted into office by thousands of people in their constituencies. He reserves the power to dissolve the National Assembly and to declare state of emergency.

The executive is also under firm grips of President Jammeh. Ministers are hired and fired without any explanation. Civil servants suspected of being opposition sympathisers are sent packing out of the Quadrangle. Police officers, armed forces, NIA and other security officers openly manifest their loyalty to the president and they never hesitate to harass opposition supporters and critics of the regime. Many security officers have been sacked for merely being impartial in the execution of their duties.

The Gambian judiciary has lost its independence to administer justice in a free and fair manner. It has failed its motto of fiat justicia. President Jammeh is responsible for the appointment and removal of judges. Many judges who pass judgements against the state have been unceremoniously removed.

While the Gambian constitution guarantees rights and freedoms of the citizens, the government continues to violate them without giving a monkey. Freedom of expression is not tolerated as journalists and other media practitioners are persecuted left, right and centre. And in a bid to prevent Gambians from establishing private newspapers, the government has still refused to repeal military Decree 70/71 from the country's laws. Government has also introduced the criminal amendment code under which journalists risk receiving long jail terms for publishing false news and caricature.

Private media houses are shut down by the state without any court order and journalists are killed, arrested, tortured and detained well over the legal 72 hour period. President Jammeh himself has described African journalists as illegitimate sons of Africa who are brainwashed by the West to cause trouble and instability in their countries. Lashing out to journalists in one of his interviews he said: "Journalists are sh..t. You don't need to go to toilet to know that it stinks."

Today, becoming a journalist in The Gambia is more risky than joining the army. A journalist is ten times more likely to go to jail than a minister who swindles thousands of Dalasis from the state. As a result many Gambian journalists are fleeing the country living behind their children, parents and wives.

NIA officers at the Banjul International Airport now have a classified listed of innocent journalists and writers abroad not because they looted the Gambian economy or attempted to assassinate the president, but for telling the regime the unpleasant truth. Like vultures looking for a dead carcass, these officers cannot wait to lay their hands on any member of the wanted club.

Freedom of association and assembly is also strictly restricted. Opposition parties intending to hold gatherings are required to seek a permit from the Inspector General of Police, who is appointed by the president.

Gambians also need a permit from the police to hold any demonstration. Gatherings and meetings without a permit are termed unlawful and the police and armed soldiers are often sent to disperse such gatherings. These security officers are immune and cannot be held liable for prosecution for any force they used to disperse such gatherings.

The government also seriously violates privacy of Gambians. As a result of its intolerance to criticisms, the lethal National Intelligence Agency (NIA) similar to the German Gestapo, tap the phones of innocent Gambians without any court order. Gambians cannot talk about Yahya Jammeh in the streets without looking at their backs to see who is listening. Air mails living or entering the country is inspected by NIA officers permanently posted at all postal offices. Political discussions in schools are now well out of the way with many students recruited as NIA officers to spy on their colleagues. Anyone found criticising the regime is whisked away to the NIA headquarters where they are merciless tortured.

Pressure groups in the country have all become voiceless and toothless. Their rights have been taken away and their leadership doesn’t even have the balls to criticise any law or government policy that is not in the interest of their members.

Gambians are today living in constant fear wondering who is next on the NIA list. Power belongs to the president and his ever loyal NIA officers are so thick that they regard any critic of the regime as an enemy. They are protected by law and can get away with anything including murder, kidnapping and torture.

The Jammeh regime continues to violate rights and personal liberty of Gambians. It also fails to protect political opponents from inhumane treatment to the extent of even depriving them from their properties. People who fall out with the president are often detained indefinitely at the Mile Two Prisons without any court order.

While the constitution guarantees the right of Gambians to join any political party of their choice, opposition sympathisers are stigmatised and treated like outcasts. Opposition figures and their children cannot get any job in the civil service. They are always presumed guilty anytime they clash with APRC supporters. Law enforcement officers are always on  fishing expeditions to arrest and charge opposition sympathisers who refuse to defect to the APRC for the slightest wrong doing.

Today in The Gambia, we are like in the reign of Lord Voldermort in the Harry Potter series. Security officers are like the death eaters always on the hunt for opponents of the regime.

May Allah shower His love and protection on us all. Amen.

Government's dossier on Deyda's murder

Late Interior minister Samba Bah

This is a detailed report by the Department of State for the Interior into the shooting of Deyda Hydara, managing editor of The Point Newspaper.

The report is aimed at acquainting government and other interested parties with the outcome of the investigation so far.

The report covers the outcome of the investigation so far into Deyda’s shooting which occurred while he was driving a Mercedes Benz 190 on board which were two female members of his staff: Ida Jagne Joof and Nyansarang Jobe.

Pursuant to the directives of the Director General NIA, the investigating team embarked on the task by examining the information transmitted by the police before proceeding further to explore additional avenues.

Since the attacker or attackers of the trio were not caught red handed or with a smoking gun in the hand, the investigators have adopted the preliminary investigation procedures which enabled them obtain information from witnesses and looked at traces and marks left on the scene of crime and elsewhere (i.e.documents, like telephone print outs, bank accounts, contract documents and testaments).



Deyda Hydara



Visits to the scene of crime, inspection of the vehicle in which the shooting occurred, reconstruction of the itinerary from the Point Newspaper office through Kairaba Avenue and them along Banjul Highway and finally Sankung Sillah Road to the incident spot, interview and questioning of persons including police personnel, journalists, family members of the victims, employees of Point Newspaper, friends of the victims and examination of newspapers and other documents yielded the following findings:-

Deyda Hadara was born in Barra, North Bank Division, son of Yahalima Faal and was brought up and educated at the Foyer Francais at Hill Street, Banjul before pursuing secondary and tertiary education in Senegal.

He worked for Radio Syd from 1970-1988 when he resigned and left to set up his own business. During the period working with Syd, he and Pap Saine set up a paper called The Senegambia Sun, which was sponsored by a Senegalese national in 1982 together with Baboucarr Gaye as the Editor. He married Miss Maria in the early 70s and they have five children.

Mrs Maria Hadara was in England with two of their children at the time of Deyda’s death and has since returned to The Gambia to mourn him.

At the time of his death, Deyda was living with some members of his family, his daughter Nelly and her younger brother at a house rented at Kanifing South.

After being shot, he seemingly died on the spot and was transported to the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital where an autopsy was conducted on him and two bullets were removed from his head and stomach respectively.

The two ladies who were admitted at the same hospital were later evacuated by the journalist fraternity to the hospital in Dakar, Senegal for further treatment.

A bullet has been reportedly removed from Nyansarang Jobe’s foot. Ida who is said to have suffered from bruises was discharged and both of them are living with relatives in Dakar.

The two ladies who could have been treated in The Gambia were removed out of the country under the pretext of seeking treatment abroad (i.e Dakar).

They have since their evacuation sought refuge in Dakar. Consequent to the removal of the bullet from Nyansarang’s foot, the two decided to stay with relatives in Senegal under pretext of threats to their lives in The Gambia.

Their ploy to inspire sympathy for consideration for offer of asylum in Europe or America is the talk of the town. While they were at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital (RVTH) the two ladies could not be interviewed by the Police as the hospital authorities only allowed members of the media fraternity access to the former.

In fact, when the agents of the CID attempted to question the two injured ladies, following their recovery from the initial trauma of the incident, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) asked them to present a formal request from their Inspector General as a condition for access to the ladies. When the Police returned the next day with the formal request, the ladies had already been moved out to the airport bound for Senegal under the escort of Demba Jawo, the GPU President.

While Ida and Nyansarang were interned at a hospital in Dakar, The Gambia Police Investigation Unit made arrangements with the media fraternity and the Senegalese authorities through the latter’s High Commission in The Gambia to visit and interview them.

The Police had no easy time doing their work which was conducted under not very ideal conditions, (i.e. in the presence of Senegalese Security Personnel, Journalists and interpreters.)

At present, arrangements are under-way for the NIA investigators to travel to Dakar to meet and further question the two ladies, who are the most reliable eye witnesses to the incident. Meanwhile, a formal request to facilitate the above has been addressed to the Senegalese authorities via their High Commission in The Gambia and copied to Journalist Federation Headquarters in Dakar by fax and also copied to The Gambia Press Union (GPU).

Deyda had on December 16th, 1992 started The Point Newspaper with Pap Saine as partner on a fifty, fifty share-basis.

Over the years, The Point became prominent by its virulent unguarded attacks on all and sundry in the present government, prominent Gambians, public institutions, private enterprises, individual businessmen and groups, international organisations, security agents, and international figures etc.

Deyda has on several occasions since the days of the PPP government been invited to security institutions to be cautioned and advised to set records straight, particularly whenever he had erred and was way off the path upholding the canons and ethics of the journalism profession.

Since the advent of the Media Commission Bill, he had relentlessly and persistently criticised government and also attempted to challenge the bill in court though to no avail.

In his column Good Morning Mr President, he has since July 22 Revolution, been launching direct unprecedented attacks on the person of President Jammeh.

In his Bite Column, he hauled unpleasant remarks on the Government of The Gambia for the institution of laws and other steps taken by government to control the press from abuse of its freedom of expression; which he described draconian measures put in place to muzzle free press.

During the last trade season, his attacks were concentrated on GAMCO on their way of handling the trade season and matter relating to its funding and the purchasing price of groundnuts. Personnel of the GAMCO had been visiting Deyda to warn him against persistent campaign of malinformation.

The last such visit was on Thursday 16th December 2004, to advice him, to desist from making unconfirmed and irresponsible remarks that may unduly jeopardise the trade season arrangements.

During the course of the year 2004, he had bitter


Wally Hakim

 exchanges on publications of The Point with Wally Muhammed Hakim, a businessman of Lebanese origin, but of dual nationality (Gambian and American) residing in The Gambia.

Incidentally, or on purpose, at about 1700 hours, on Thursday 16th December 2004, while Deyda and his co-proprietor and staff were celebrating the 13 Anniversary of the establishment of the Point Newspaper, the American Ambassador and one Nana Grey-Johnson, employee of that Embassy, who were attendance that same day.

Mr Hakim sent his son, under a pretext to arrange for the preparation of an invoice for an advertisement for his Christmas programmes and had some telephone conversation with Deyda purportedly on that subject.

Strangely, between 0745 and 0815 Hrs on Friday 17th December 2004, while the death of Deyda was known by only a few, Mr Hakim’s wife, daughter and driver were already in front of the Point Office, under the pretext of being there to pay for the afore-mentioned invoice. Ostensibly, having learnt of the shooting incident, the Hakim family hastened to use the invoice money to pay for condolence message at the Observer Newspaper giving the impression of being sorry for the incident.

Elicitation, during questioning at the NIA led to the information that Mr Hakim had at his residence in Kerr Serign Njagga, Kombo North, Western Division, a cache of weapons including hunting rifles, a 357 Magnum Revolver and large quantity of cartridges and various sorts of ammunition.

Due to his (Mr Hakim) inability to quantify the lot of ammunition he brought into the country and lack of proof of the lawful entry of weapons and ammunition into The Gambia, the investigators conducted a second search at his residence.

The search yielded more hunting cartridges, two (22) bullets, pellettes and 357 Magnum Revolver bullets for which he was re-arrested, detained and further questioned.

Enquiries carried out with the help of the Police Gun Licensing Department and the Customs and Excise did not lead to any documentary evidence of the arms being cleared through the Customs.

Mr Hakim’s passports, weapons and ammunition have been impounded pending the conclusion of the investigation. He has meanwhile sent his entire family, including his grown up sons and grand children out of The Gambia and is putting up his compound, restaurant and five vehicles and impounded arsenal for sale.

In an issue of The Point 27th February 2004, Deyda attacked Captain Bunja Darboe; Former Army PRO following the latter’s expression of his idea about a subject on debate at a conference held at an earlier date. The Captain could not be heard as he had since April 2004 been on peace-keeping assignment in Sudan. In that the shooting happened in his absence.

He had however reacted by writing back to Deyda’s criticism. Deyda had pointed fingers at the Green Boys as being at the origin of arson attack on Radio One FM some years ago. The Green Boys, whom some individuals use to refer to as members of the defunct July 22 supporters or followers of Baba Jobe, and who have been in total disarray since the July 22 Movement was disbanded in 2000.

An employee of The Point, one Mrs Ida Jagne Joof, is married to one Mr Joof presently residing in Sweden. Ida Jagne Joof had been employed at the Point Newspaper since around 1993, initially as a typist and had over the years risen to the position of layout assistant. There is a lot of speculation among the employees of the Point that there is a love affair between her and Deyda.

Ida’s Sister-in-Law has persistently complained about the special way in which Ida dresses when going to work and about the frequent of her rides in Deyda’s vehicle. Mr Joof has frequently verbally attacked and accused Ida about her affairs with Deyda, and he has of later stopped calling Ida and insulted her whenever she did.

Many of the employees had during their interviews with the investigators confirmed that they often observer and have been talking about an unusually very close relationship between Deyda and Ida.

A few months before the shooting incident, Ida’s husband had been calling her and complaining and protesting about the way Ida dressed when went to work and the amount of time she spent with Deyda. He complained especially against riding in Deyda’s mercedes Benz till late in the night.

Apparently, Ida’s sisters in law, was a valuable source of information on the activities on Deyda and Ida. Mr Joof on some occasions hauled threats and insults at Ida who did not do away with the habit which her jealous husband has been complaining about.

Ida become fed up and had wanted to ask for a divorce but was encouraged by her mother-i- law to try to put up with the husbands harassment promising that she would prevail on her son to stop all the problems and to send Ida a ticket to join him in Sweden. For several months the harassment continued in there suspicious relationship and threats flared up.

While the Point Newspaper flourished under Deyda’s pen, Pap Saine the Co-Proprietor manages the funds and marketing aspect. The duo, have co-founded the paper-agreeing on fifty fifty share basis.

The firm was duly registered and a bond entered into between Pap and the state on the following conditions:-

By this bond, I Deyda Hadara of Kanifing South, Kombo St Mary’s Division, The Gambia of Gambian nationality, in the Republic of The Gambia, do execute this bond with my surety, Pap Saine of 13 Stanley Street, Banjul, aforesaid, in the Republic of The Gambia in the sum of a hundred thousand dalasis (D100,000.00) to be paid to His Excellency, the Chairman of the AFPRC of The Gambia, his heirs, and successors as required by Section of the Newspaper Act of Cap 33.04 as amended by the Newspaper Amendment Decree Number 71 of the Republic of The Gambia.
As guarantee for the bond, Pap Saine has submitted his title deed to the state.

Immediately after the death of Deyda, Pap Saine took sole responsibility for the conduct of funeral rites and entered into a new partnership with Mr.Maria Hydara for the management of The Point.

The Late Co-proprietor’s brother and his siblings have bitterly complained about the state of affairs especially the total ostracisation of the lager family, but do not know what recourse to take.

When questioned about the accounts and the bank statements of The Point and his late co-proprietor’s will, Pap Saine sounded very jittery and went on to protest in The Point publication dated March 2005.

Information relating to an unknown Nigeria supplier who would have been at daggers drawn with the late Deyda over the non settlement of debts could not be confirmed nor substantiated.

Conclusion

In the absence of any eye witness or identification traces and marks leading to the identity of the assailant or assailants of deyda and the two ladies on board his vehicle on the night of 16th december 2004, the investigators have elected to draw conclusions based on hypotheses premised on the character of the victim, the nature of his profession and his relationships in business, family life, and his social and economic interactions and the inevitable unsavoury encounters, frictions and conflicts inherent thereto.

What could be the motive for anyone to kill Deyda?

Hypotheses- A) Passion/ jealousy; B) Settling scores; C) Vengeance; D) Riding oneself of a thorn in ones flesh; E) Silencing someone in possession of compromising information lest he divulged such; F) Circumventing a process which could lead to irreparable socio-economic disaster if not nipped in its infancy.

In view of the foregoing findings, and taking cognisance of the fact the late Deyda, was least circumspect by nature, he was however an individual who had led a professional life of a journalist, a private led life of a family man and a life of a man striving to eke out a living in a world of economic uncertainties; it can further be logically concluded that:

Late deyda Hydara had offended many to the extend he could have been eliminated for any or several of the the above enumerated motives as he:

A) Was a journalist who used his pen to indiscriminately attack or pass judgment on individuals, groups, government, private and public interprises, international organisations and very prominent international personalities.

B) Recklessly provoked above-mentioned persons and bodies, persistently inspite of all warnings and threats of legal actions from aggreived parties. He also made himself an object of anger and a thorn in the flesh of many who have been exposed to his journalistic attacks.

C) As a serial womaniser, he had offended more than a husband and his own wife as his activities with Mrs Jagne Joof and Janet Cole among other women including wife women. He did not only arouse jealousy of husbands offended, but also that of his own wife particularly as his planned marriage to Janet would make her fearful of being abandoned for the sake of another woman.

D) He was a partner in a business with an unidentified Nigerian supplier and ended up unsettled contracted debts and unhealthy financial transactions which would have made him prey to the greed of the latter.

E) Pap Saine’s reluctance to render the accounts and swift seizures of the opportunity on the heat of the tragic event of Deyda’s demise leads to suspicion of financial misappropriation and the desire to conceal such.

Recommendation
Having come to the above conclusions, the investigators hereby recommended the following follow-up action:-

A)Arrangements to further interview the two ladies, Mrs Ida Jagne-Joof and Mrs Nyangsarang Jobe should be pursued to help investigators as they are the only eyewitnesses to the shooting in the death of Hydara.

B) The investigations be allowed to continue rather than be completely closed.

C) Mr Wally Muhammed Hakim should be pursued in a court of justice because the evidence already available so far indicate that the weapons found on him did not come into the country lawfully.

D) The totality of Mr Hakim’s arsenal except for single hunting weapon and a reasonable quantity of of cartridges should be confiscated to the state.

E) His passport should be held by the NIA pending conclusion of judiciary pursuits.

F) The Mercedes Benz 190 in which deyda and others were riding should be released to the Mr Maria Hydara whose claimed of ownership has been confirmed by the office of the Inspector General of Police.”

Interim report on Deyda's murder

Tuesday, May 25, 2005

Deyda Hydara, age 58, managing editor and co-proprietor of The Point Newspaper, was shot dead by an unknown assailant or assailants between the hours of 22:00 hours and 00.00 hours on Thursday night 16th December, 2004 while driving a Mercedes Benz vehicle along the Sankung Sillah Road. On board the vehicle at the time of the incident were Ida Jagne Joof and Nyangsarang Jobe, both of whom sustained injuries suspected to have resulted from gun shots.

In the course of the investigation by the Gambia Police Force a couple of suspects were arrested, detained, questioned and later released without being charged and statements were obtained from dozen other individuals. Since the investigation by the Gambia Police Force provided no substantive leads, the Office of the President gave directives for the investigation to be transferred to the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).

On the receipt of the directives on February 8, 2005, the Director General, NIA, immediately constituted a team of investigators to vigorously pursue the investigation, exhorting them to do their utmost and not leave any stone unturned in their endeavour to search for, identify and apprehend the attacker(s) of late Deyda Hydara and the two members of his staff.

The NIA investigation included interviews and questioning of a number of people including police personnel, journalists, family members and friends of the victims, employees of The Point newspaper, and examination of newspapers and other documents, such as telephone print-outs, bank accounts and contract documents,

While the only two eye-witnesses, Miss Jobe and Mrs Jagne-Joof were admitted at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital the police were denied access to only to members of family and media. The two ladies were shortly afterwards whisked off to Dakar, Senegal, for treatment.

Eventually, The Gambia police investigation team succeeded in making arrangements with the media fraternity and the Senegalese authorities, through the Senegalese High Commission in The Gambia, to interview them in hospital in Dakar. The subsequent interview could not be properly conducted due to the presence of Senegalese security personnel, journalists and interpreters.

Given the importance of interviewing the two eye-witnesses under conditions that would allow them to provide information freely, a formally request to facilitate such an interview has been addressed to the relevant senegalese authorities, through the High commission in The Gambia, and faxed to the journalist federation headquarters in Dakar and copied to The Gambia Press Union (GPU).

The NIA investigation team believes it is imperative for the two eye-witnesses to be interviewed. This would assist the investigators in following up certain leads relating to late Deyda Hydara’s personal relationships and interactions. The investigation team believes also that it is incumbent on any member of the public with relevant information to come forward and assist the investigators to bring those responsible for the death of Deyda Hydara to justice.

The investigation continues and the numbers 9966550 and 7779595 remains open to the public.

How the Internet is Changing Traditional Journalism

By PK Jarju
Worcestershire, UK

With the coming of the internet, journalism has changed in that the world has become a global village and events happening in remote parts of the world can now be easily reported and accessed by millions of people around the world by the click of a button.

And with a quarter of the world’s population now digitally connected, the media industry has become a multi-platform and the way news is gathered and reported has changed.

The internet has given birth to millions of bloggers and posters whose online postings can be read by anyone, anywhere and at anytime with a lap top, computer or mobile phone.

In the Gambia for example which has restrictive media laws, the net has given birth to many online newspapers like Freedom Newspaper, the Gambia L, Jollof News, the Gambia Echo Maafanta and the Gambia Journal, which publishes critical articles against the government which local media organisations dare not publish due to fear of persecution.

Writing on the topic Net gains and pains for journalism, Bill Thompson an independent journalist and regular commentator on the BBC World Service programme Digital Planet said: “We've seen blogging turn from a curious habit of the self-obsessed into a defining use of the internet for all forms of communication, watched citizen journalism rise and become partly absorbed into the mainstream, and seen news feeds, aggregators and personal recommendations on social network sites replace the front pages of major news providers as the way people find out about breaking news.”

In the world today, almost every major newspaper and television station has a web presence. Even small newspaper businesses in poor countries like the Gambia now post their stories online.

Major media organisations like the Guardian, the Sun, the Daily Telegraph and BBC news online now upload sound, images and video as well as provide links on stories with background and related reports.

The above media organisations now interact with their readers by allowing them to post comments on articles either online or via SMS texts. Readers can also subscribe to websites and get breaking news stories send directly to their mobile phones.

The radio is not also left behind in this digital revolution. Radio stations like Kiss FM, BBC World Service, Paradise FM and Unique FM now streamed live online and can be listened to by people in offices and anywhere in the world.

The increasing use of internet sites like Twitter and Facebook by people to share information and stories is rapidly growing and threatening 24-hours news channels like the BBC and Sky.

For example, in June 2009, US base TMZ.com was the first to break the news of pop star Michael Jackson’s death. The site was also the first to provided up-to-the minute coverage of actor Natasha Richardson's skiing accident, brain swelling and subsequent death in March 2009.



In fact some media commentators like Robert Courtemanche have argued that: “The internet has slowly, but surely taken over the role of “see it here first” journalism. Even 24-hour news stations like CNN, MSNBC and FOX News do not have the ability to show news as it happens anywhere in the world. The internet does. There have been an increasing number of events chronicled on the internet first. The Virginia Tech shootings, the 2004 Indonesia Tsunami and the recent bombings in Mumbai, India were all shown online before television. Printed newspapers don’t even have a chance.”

In March this year, Sky News’ Kat Higgins reported that a poll conducted for the US based Pew Research Centre, has found that online news has moved up to third place in the popularity stakes - ahead of newspapers and radio.

The survey also found 92 per cent of Americans use a range of platforms to get their daily news with 61 per cent using the internet to get some kind of news. Around 37 per cent of internet users said they have contributed to the creation of news, commentary about it, or dissemination of news via social media.

The high number of internet users is attracting a lot of advertisers away from newspapers. Many newspapers such as the London Lite have had to close down while others like the Daily Mail and General Trust had to shed 1,000 jobs at its regional arm Northcliffe Media, which publishes more than 100 newspapers in England and Wales.

Commenting on the decline in advertisement in print newspapers, South African based online PushPrint Newspaper argues that: “Internet advertising is cheaper and the channel itself has spawned a consumer profile that is young, hip, technically savvy, easily bored and remarkably vocal. Instead of just consuming news, they generate it – tweeting, face booking and blogging to challenge the traditional domain of newsrooms.

“This generation views hard copies of newspapers and magazines as “yesterday’s news” and online technology and applications as the new information frontier. Traditional print media has been badly affected on various fronts and the pressure is on to maintain revenue streams while expanding into digital formats.

Although the internet may have succeeded in revolutionising the way news is gathered and presented, many people are critical of online journalist, bloggers and twitters.

As online journalism is not regulated, the accuracy and credibility of its stories is often questioned by some readers and journalists in the print media. And this is one of the reasons why famous journalists like Andrew Marr, presenter of the BBC’s Sunday Morning Show, sees internet bloggers as “inadequate, pimpled and single, and internet journalism as the spewings and rantings of very drunk people late at night. It is fantastic at times but it is not going to replace journalism.”

Gambia Day of Action - Interview with Demba Dem

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

Gambian Market Updates

Yield on 91-day bill unchanged

For the second week running, the yield on the 91-day bill remained unchanged at 9.55%although the bill was over subscribed by 32.42%. Its counterpart the 91-day (s/s) was up by 2bps to 10.01%.

The 182- day bill was quoted at 10.39%, up 6bps. The 1-year note was quoted at 13.04%up 14bps. The recent increase in the Rediscount rate to 15% by the Monetary Policy Committee of The Central Bank of The Gambia was a signal for tighter monetary control and we expect interest rates on all tenures to start creeping northwards.

The total amount on offer at next week’s auction has been more than doubled from this weeks figure of D130million to D300million

Currency Market Updates
The Dalasi remained unchanged against all the major currencies in the Parallel market. The Dalasi was exchanged at D28.75 for the Dollar, D46.00 for the pound sterling and D39.25 for the Euro.

The local currency however experiences mixed movements in the Inter-bank market.It gained 50bututs against the Dollar (D29.50), lost 50bututs and 30bututs against the pound sterling (D46.50) and the Euro (D39.25) respectively. It remained unchanged against the CFA (290.00).


Dalasi Interbank Mid Exchange Rates

Dollar 29.50
Pound 46.50
Euro 39.25
CFA 290.00


Dalsi Parallel Mid Exchange Rates

Dollar 28.75
Pound 46.00
Euro 38.85
CFA 290.00