War on the Press

The recent arrest and prosecution of Pap Saine, Ebrima Sawaneh, Sarata Jabbie, Abba Gibba, Pa Modou Faal, Emil Touray, Halifa Sallah and Sam Sarr by the dictatorial regime of Yahya Jammeh is indeed very worrying.

by PK Jarju

The prosecution of these journalists can best be described as a war against the press and freedom of thought in the country. It exposes the harsh and atrocious climate in which Gamban journalists are operating and we must all therefore join hands with the Gambia Press Union (GPU) in putting pressure on Dictator Jammeh to drop all bogus charges against these journalists.

Since coming to power, the Jammeh regime has been launching a sustained assault on the journalism community. Even though Freedom of Expression is guaranteed by Section 25 of the 1997 Constitution and further protected by Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Right (ACHPR) and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the regime of Yahya Jammeh does not recognise Freedom of Expression as a fundamental human right.

It sees journalists as opponents and enemies of Gambia's progress. And as a result, Gambian journalists are being persecuted left right and centre which include arrest and long detention, torture and murder. Journalism is today the riskiest profession in the country.

In its determination to to keep the Gambian people in a perpetual state of darkness and passive subjugation, the Jammeh regime have repeatedly used its rubber stamp National Assembly to enact repressive legislation. The amendments to the Criminal Code, which broadened the definition of libel and imposed mandatory prison sentences of six months to three years for offenders without the option of a fine is an example.

These legislation are seriously inhibiting work of the private media and journalists. Today in the Gambia, it is almost impossible for a newspaper to publish an article that is critical Yahya Jammeh and his administration. All private media houses and journalists in the country are practicing self-censorship due to fear of persecution.

The Gambian media has suffered for far too long and we have to say enough is enough. We have to let Yahya Jammeh know that he does not love the Gambia more than anyone of us. We all love our country and we all have a right to speak our minds on the state of our country.

Jammeh needs to realise that Gambian journalists are not his enemy. We don't hate him in person and we don't criticise him because of his tribe. We criticise him because of the disgraceful way and manner in which he is governing the country. Also, our criticisms of his regime are not in anyway geared towards causing instability, but to save the Gambia from sliding into a conflict situation.

The Gambian media is one big family and we see the prosecution of Pap Saine, Ebrima Sawaneh, Sarata Jabbie, Abba Gibba, Pa Mdou Faal, Emil Touray, Halifa Sallah and Sam Sarr as an attack on all of us.

We are aware of our responsibilities as the eyes and mouth pieces of the Gambian people and the persecution we are going through will not in anyway make us abdicate those noble duties to the people. The Jammeh regime may be able to inflict its conditions on us, but it cannot prevent us from exposing its ills to the public.

As I have always stated, our desire, our instinct to oppose brutality and repress freedom of thought in the Gambian will never be quenched. Of course it can be forced to keep quiet at times, when the repression gets worse. But instinct remains, and will always remain and when the circumstances becomes a little bit favourable, it will raise its head again. The desire to be free is one of the fundamental human desires.

Long live the Gambian media, long live the Gambia Press Union.
For comments, write to papak196@yahoo.co.uk or info@allgambian.net.