Gambia Affairs

The Birth Of A Web Site

2018-05-27T17:09:00.006Z

26 May 2008 marked the birth of Gambia affairs website namely, gambiaaafirs.bogspot.com.

In a country voices resides in the people. An independent people are the architects of their own destiny. Their voices must not be silent.Their minds must not yield to slumber. They must stand vigil and exercise permanent scrutiny on how the affairs of their country are managed.

The voices of the people must have authority to determine the policies and programmes of government which manage their affairs. The government must be transparent and accountable to its people. The Gambia Affairs blog will aim to be the vehicle on which the Gambian people can travel towards greater transparency.
This blog is written by journalists from different Gambian newspapers.

Gambia Affairs:State Media Accuse Tsvangirai of Bribing Private Media

2012-01-30T17:26:00.001Z

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai
FABRICATIONS by ZANU PF and the state media it controls that Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC-T party were bribing the private
media to give them favourable publicity ahead of forthcoming national
elections were the highlight of the media's coverage of party political activities
in the month.
These unsubstantiated allegations first appeared on the national television
station, ZTV, on January 4th on its 8pm main news bulletin. The station
claimed, without providing a shred of evidence, that the Prime Minister "has
once again come under the spotlight" after it emerged that he had "bribed
three editors" from the local private Press "to stop the negative reportage
of his party and his promiscuous behaviour". ZTV reported Tsvangirai as
having offered the three editors "thousands of dollars", in what it described
as Tsvangirai's "latest desperate attempt to redeem his soiled image,
which has seen him being condemned for supporting gay rights and his
glaring failure to handle his bedroom politics". It also claimed that the PM
"ordered" the editors to "redirect their negative reports to ZANU PF and
attack officials who dare question (his) blundering recklessness…" such
as Presidential spokesman George Charamba and ZANU PF Politburo
member Jonathan Moyo.
Instead of seeking comment from Tsvangirai and his party or the 'three
editors', ZTV attempted to give some credibility to its claims two days later
(6/1, 8pm) by roping in pro-ZANU PF commentators such as Gabriel Chaibva
and Goodson Nguni 'confirming' the allegations. These sources, which ZTV
paraded as "political analysts…privy to the issue", identified the bribed
editors as Stanely Gama (Daily News) and Brian Mangwende, Faith Zaba and
Nevanji Madanhire (Alpha Media Holdings, publishers of the Independent,
The Standard and NewsDay).
These allegations were contained in seven of the 20 stories the government
media carried on the activities of the MDC-T. Seventeen (85%) of these 20
stories were negative, while the remaining three were neutral.
The official state media allocated 102 reports to ZANU PF, 90 (88%) of which
were positive. The remaining 12 were neutral. The smaller MDC formation,
led by Industry Minister Welshman Ncube received coverage in one report,
which was neutral. The report was a follow-up on the defection of five MPs
from the MDC-N (Chronicle, 24/1).
Forty-three (42%) of the 102 reports on ZANU PF were on its provincial
elections for the Mashonaland West, which John Mafa won, and preparations
for the president's birthday by the 21st February Movement. Another 25 were
news stories reporting ZANU PF allies, such as Anglican Archbishop Norbert
Kunonga expressing support for President Mugabe and his ZANU PF party.
The remaining 34 reports were mostly opinion pieces, news features and
editorial comments depicting ZANU PF as the champion of the interests of the
black majority, citing its controversial black economic empowerment
programme; anti-gay stance, and the provision of farming inputs to
underprivileged farmers.
On the other hand, the private media gave Tsvangirai and his party and the
editors from the private Press the opportunity to respond to the bribery
allegations. All of them dismissed the claims as false and a ploy by ZANU PF
to discredit its critics ahead of national elections (Daily News and The
Standard, 6, 7 & 8/1).
In addition, the private media assessed the strengths and weaknesses of the
policies of the three coalition parties, as well as their readiness for elections.
For instance, these media quoted a wide cross-section of Zimbabweans
questioning the implementation of the indigenization policy and complaining
that most of the party's campaign tactics were bordering on coercion and
vote-buying, as the party reportedly intensifies its efforts to reclaim lost
constituencies, especially in rural areas. They cited as proof the provision of
farming inputs; partisan food distribution; alleged coercion of villagers to
attend meetings; and reports that the party was doling out positions to
villagers during its ongoing restructuring exercise (Zimbabwe Independent,
NewsDay and Daily News, 13, 16 & 25/1).
The private media (and the official media too) criticized the MDC-T for its lack
of public relations skills, recently exposed by Public Service Minister Lucia
Matibenga's angry reaction to The Herald (19/1), which had asked her to give
an update on what her ministry was doing to avert the civil servants strike
(The Standard, Radio VoP and Daily News, 22, 24 & 25/1). In response,
Matibenga was quoted as telling the government daily to leave her alone,
provoking outrage from civil servants' unions, analysts and opposition political
parties, who viewed her actions as "in bad taste" and a reflection of
"arrogance" and lack of commitment to the welfare of civil servants (The
Herald, 19/1 and ZTV, 24/1, 8pm).
This was reflected in the 74 reports the private media carried on the activities
of the country's main political parties. Fifty-three (72%) of them were on ZANU
PF, while 12 were on the MDC-T. The remaining nine were on the MDC-N.

Gambia Affairs:Gambian Journalist Harassed For Reporting Farmers' Complaints

2012-01-11T12:47:00.001Z

Momodou S. Jallow

New York, January 10, 2012-Police in Gambia are harassing a journalist for reporting farmers' complaints against a local official accused of mismanaging public resources, according to local journalists and news reports.

A plainclothes police officer picked up reporter Momodou S. Jallow of the private Daily News on Friday while he was covering a public meeting of a local rice growers' cooperative in Brikamaba village in central Gambia, Jallow told CPJ. The journalist said he was detained for five hours in Basang police station and accused of "inciting violence" with a January 4 story based on interviews with local farmers who accuse a local official, Chief Mamadou Lamin Baldeh, of mismanaging public assets.

Jallow reported back to the police station on Monday and was told to report back again next Monday, according to local journalists. He has not been charged. The Daily News on Monday quoted Gambian National Police Spokesman Yerro Mballow as saying Jallow would be taken to court and charged with one count of libel, a criminal offense.

"Gambian police must immediately stop harassing Momodou Jallow for giving voice to farmers' grievances," said CPJ Africa Advocacy Coordinator Mohamed Keita. "Repeatedly summoning a journalist to court and threatening him with charges is intimidation designed to silence criticism."

In Jallow's story in the Daily News, a rice farmer accused Chief Baldeh of misallocating a ticket sponsored by President Yahya Jammeh to travel to the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, known as the hajj. The article also cited farmers raising questions about Baldeh's management of the finances of a local cooperative.

###
CPJ is a New York-based, independent, nonprofit organization
that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide.

Gambia Affairs:Pursuing Justice for Gambia’s Deyda Hydara

2011-12-19T15:19:00.001Z

By Darian Pavli,open society

The following entry first appeared on the CPJ Blog of our friends at the Committee to Protect Journalists, an independent, nonprofit organization which promotes press freedom worldwide by defending the rights of journalists to report the news without fear of reprisal:
December 16 marks the seventh anniversary of the killing of Deyda Hydara, the dean of Gambian journalism. It is also the 20th anniversary of the first issue of The Point, the courageously independent-minded daily that Hydara founded and directed for many years. He was murdered in a drive-by shooting as he drove himself and two staff members home from an evening of somber celebration at The Point's premises. He had received multiple death threats in the preceding weeks and months. In his last column, he vowed to keep fighting to the end for Gambians' right to speak their minds.

During his last years, Deyda Hydara was best known for two probing weekly columns. "The Bite" covered a broad range of matters of general interest. "Good Morning, Mr. President" discussed issues of governance and mismanagement, in a polite but incisive tone aimed directly at President Yahya Jammeh, the former junior army officer who has ruled the country since taking over in a coup 17 years ago. Treating Jammeh and his deputies as fallible, fellow human beings reportedly did not go down well at the presidential palace. While The Point continued to carry both columns for some time after Hydara's death, the intelligence service told the paper's management in 2006 that the outlet would be shut down if "Good Morning, Mr. President" was not discontinued.
The shutdown of media outlets and unpunished violence against media professionals are not exceptional events in the Gambia. In fact, being an independent-minded reporter in Jammeh's republic is a greater health hazard than perhaps anywhere else in the African continent. A few months before the Hydara shooting, in the summer of 2004, BBC reporter Ebrima Sillah was almost killed in an arson attack. The premises of The Independent newspaper were also set on fire, allegedly by members of the presidential guard, before the paper was finally shut down by the police, the entire management was rounded up, and its chief editor, Musa Saidykhan, brutally tortured--apparently for having complained to South African then-President Thabo Mbeki, at the time head of the African Union, about the media freedom situation in the Gambia.
Not surprisingly, not a single person has been brought to justice in all these years for attacks on journalists and other Jammeh critics, including Hydara. The president assigned the investigation of the Hydara shooting to the intelligence service, an agency better known for torturing, disappearing, and intimidating the victims of such crimes than catching the perpetrators. The report on their Hydara "investigation" devoted several pages to discussing the victim's private life, but gave almost no details on crime scene findings, ballistics, or potential political motives.
The regime seems to reserve a special scorn for Deyda Hydara's audacities, even post mortem. Jammeh tends to dismiss questions about the unsolved crime by pointing out, for example, that lots of people get killed in the Gambia every year. He attacked The Point, publicly and viscerally, for maintaining a "Who Killed Deyda Hydara?" banner on the front page. On the second anniversary of Deyda's death, the Gambia Press Union put up commemorative posters all over Banjul, calling for justice; they were all taken down overnight. And in January 2007, more than two years after his death, the Hydara family told me that the police refused to provide them with a death certificate so they could claim Deyda's life insurance (as an international correspondent). Not even death pays for one's political sins in the Gambia.
This month, my organization, the Open Society Justice Initiative, filed a lawsuit against the Gambian government, on behalf of the Hydara family, with a West African regional court. The court filing argues that not only has the Gambian government failed to conduct a proper investigation into the shooting, but that it contributed to the attack on his life (among others) by tolerating a general climate of impunity for violence against critics of the regime.
President Jammeh recently claimed re-election to another term in office, amid a chorus of electoral fraud allegations. ECOWAS, the West African states' organization, refused to send an observer mission, in protest against the lack of even minimal conditions for free and fair elections. Responding to charges of violent suppression of dissent, the president likes to say that his conscience is clean and that he fears "only Allah." In the meantime, the Hydara family and many others in the region are looking for some overdue, earthly justice from the ECOWAS Court.
This is the third case before the ECOWAS Court involving attacks against Gambian journalists, with the tribunal having already found the government responsible for the disappearance of Ebrima Manneh and the torturing of Saidykhan. The Gambian government has failed to comply with either ruling. It is time for the ECOWAS Community to decide whether the Jammeh government meets the minimal conditions for membership in a democratic club.

Gambia Affairs:Deyda Hydara: Seven Years of Impunity

2011-12-16T14:53:00.001Z

By D. A. Jawo a veteran Gambian Journalist
This is yet another anniversary of the assassination of prominent Gambian journalist, Deyda Hydara, the seventh year since he was brutally murdered by unknown assailants, and yet, there is no indication that the Gambian authorities have any intentions to investigate the case with a view to apprehending those responsible for this heinous crime.
It is unfortunate however that every time President Jammeh comments on the case, he makes remarks which tend to confuse rather than clarify his government's stand point on the issue. A case in point was his last interview with the BBC in which he compared Deyda's brutal murder to the deaths of other Gambians in road accidents.

We can all recall the so-called 'Confidential Report' that was released in 2005 in which the authorities chose to subject Deyda's personal character to all sorts of disparaging comments, even to the extent of blaming his death on his wayward behaviour. The least anyone expected from the authorities was to show commitment in thoroughly investigating the case with a view to bringing the culprits to justice. Therefore, their failure to do so tantamount to shirking their responsibilities to a bona fide Gambian citizen.

From the very beginning, the Gambia Press Union and other civil society groups had called on the authorities to invite more competent investigating bodies from abroad to help our security forces to unravel the case, but they always turned down the call, saying that the security forces have the competence to carry out the investigation, and yet so far, they have failed to carry out any serious investigation. There is no doubt that if the government had agreed to such a proposal, then by now the truth would have been known as to who killed him and why.

Therefore, in view of the lack of any sign of commitment on the part of the Gambian authorities to investigate this heinous crime or invite other competent bodies for help, we are left with no other option but to call on regional bodies like ECOWAS and the African Union, or even the United Nations and the international community to assume their responsibilities and ensure that justice is done.

Gambia Affairs:Gambia Press Union Statement On The 7th Anniversary Of The Murder Of Deyda Hydara

2011-12-16T14:41:00.001Z

: Emil Touray President of The Gambia Press Union

Compatriots, Fellow Journalists and Friends of the Media,December 16th marks seven years after Deyda Hydara, co-proprietor and managing editor of the Point Newspaper was assassinated in a drive-by shooting. Yet the gunmen behind this nefarious act are yet to be arrested and brought to book.

It is imperative herein that the Government of the Gambia expends all its efforts and tools to investigate this matter in order to bring the culprits to book. Failure to bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to book will only entrench a culture of impunity in our society. The Gambia Government and indeed all Gambians need to realize that a culture of impunity in any society threatens the very security and safety of the life of each and every one in that society, sooner or later. What happened to Deyda can happen to any other Gambian at any time. It is the responsibility of the Government to protect the right to life of all Gambians as enshrined in Section 18 of our constitution. Thus the Government of the Gambia should move heaven and earth to bringing these criminals to book as this barbaric act has no place in a civilized democratic society.

The murder of Deyda is a fundamental human rights violation that goes against the very essence of our constitution and all regional and international instruments that the Gambia has ratified. These include the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, hence the responsibility to ensure justice prevails and the protection of human rights in our society lies squarely in the hands of the Government. Given the fact that the Gambia Government has several progressive allies in the world, we recommend that the Government should solicit support from the international community to enable her to unearth the truth.

It should be noted that journalists like all other sectors and professionals are legitimate and have a right to contribute their quota to national development. We serve a crucial role not only in bringing the state closer to the citizenry but also promote the creation of an open society where democracy and good governance flourish. The accomplishment of our crucial role would be hard to come by when rogue elements in the midst of society who negate the work of journalists enjoy the fruits of impunity

The killers of Deyda Hydara must be brought to justice.

Sign:

Gibairu Janneh

Secretary General

Gambia Affairs.EU Vows To Help Online Dissidents Speak Out

2011-12-14T14:04:00.001Z

The European Union has unveiled a strategy called 'No-Disconnect' to help online activists living under oppressive regimes get their message out without fear of state surveillance.

Online activists in parts of the world face huge hurdles

Called the "No-Disconnect" strategy, the new European Union plan announced Monday aims to enable Internet activists operating under oppressive regimes to communicate safely and anonymously outside the reach of governments. However, European officials are yet to precisely explain how these tools will be created, distributed, or evaluated.

Neelie Kroes, the EU's digital affairs commissioner outlined the four-part "No-Disconnect" plan in a speech on Monday in Brussels.

Kroes said online freedom is closely linked to democracy

The new strategy includes developing technology to enhance privacy, teaching activists how to use it, developing on-the-ground intelligence to monitor the level of surveillance and censorship and promoting cooperation between governments, the private sector and activists.
"I want the EU to help develop and distribute those tools, in a framework that ensures the legitimacy of our action," Kroes said.
Kroes said the tools need to be simple and ready to use so they can be deployed quickly by activists with minimal technical knowledge and training.
The tools should also be readily accessible, she said, not just from computers, but from mobile phones, social networks, and micro-blogging services, like Twitter.
Many Internet experts believe social networking websites played a role in fomenting the revolutions of the Arab Spring this year, helping topple authoritarian regimes in Egypt and Tunisia.
"The Arab Spring was a wake-up call for all of us," Kroes said at the Freedom Online conference held last week, in The Hague, the Netherlands.
"[This is] a reminder that democracy is not just a rich world luxury – but something which people hope and struggle for everywhere," she added. "And a reminder that, across the world, information and communications technology can support freedom of speech and enable the peaceful transition to democracy."

Egyptian blogger Wael Ghonim played a prominent role in the uprisingMesh network on the way
The EU's push to support online freedom follows similar initiatives by the United States earlier this year to fund and develop alternate digital communications networks to help dissidents bypass state-controlled censorship.
Separately, the Dutch government has pledged one million euros ($1.3 million) to develop "mesh network" technology that can use devices like cellphones or personal computers to create a backup system to disseminate information in the event governments shut down Internet and mobile phone service.
Iran, Syria and Zimbabwe are reported to be target countries.
Walking a fine line
Though details of the EU digital freedom strategy remain sketchy, Internet rights advocates have welcomed it as a step in the right direction.
"I'm glad the European Union is taking a stance on Internet freedom. It helps highlight just how important the issue is," said Markus Beckedahl, editor of a popular German-language blog that focuses on digital issues, in an interview with Deutsche Welle.
But at the same time, he added, the EU is trying to walk a fine line: on the one hand it's helping activists in repressive nations help bypass state-controlled censorship.
On the other EU member nations impose curbs on online speech within its own borders when it comes to downloading music, blocking websites to fight child pornography or gathering information on its citizens to combat terrorism.

Internet activists say western governments also block web content"It's very hard to lecture a country like China about censoring Internet content when governments in Europe too are blocking access to certain things," echoed Joe McNamee, head of European Digital Rights, a Brussels-based Internet advocacy organization. "This is the trickiest challenge for the EU – it simply has to be consistent to be credible."
Activists have also criticized the United States for its "Stop Online Piracy Act" proposed by Congress, which would require American telecommunications companies to block access to foreign-based websites that infringe American copyright.
Western tech firms complicit in Internet monitoring
Others point out that any EU efforts to champion Internet freedom are undermined by the fact that western companies export surveillance technology to authoritarian governments. WikiLeaks recently began publishing extensive internal documents from companies around the globe that engage in these types of surveillance.
Stephan Urbach of Telecomix, a decentralized network of Internet freedom activists, said his group had discovered earlier this year that the Syrian government was using web filters developed by US technology company Blue Coat Systems. In another instance, a Munich company reportedly sold Internet monitoring technology to the Egyptian government.

Stephan Urbach and his colleagues at Telecomix have tried to help activists stay online"This is a real problem," Urbach told Deutsche Welle. "The Western world sells this kind of monitoring hardware all across the Middle East."
Both the European Union and the US have in recent days urged technology companies to be transparent about equipment they sell to government who might use it to repress their citizens.
"I think it is high time for the industry to decide where they stand, and what they are going to do. If not as a moral issue, then as an issue of corporate reputation," Kroes said. "Being known for selling despots the tools of their repression is, to say the least, bad PR."
Helping existing activists
Though the EU hasn't said how much it intends to invest in its "No Disconnect" strategy, experts say any funds must be targeted carefully.
Beckedahl suggested that the 27-nation bloc should help finance groups such as Telecomix, which famously offered slow, but functional, dial-up Internet access to circumvent state blockages of broadband networks during the uprising in Egypt.
"If the EU is serious about supporting Internet freedom it should fund civil rights groups, open source software and groups that already do good work on the ground and are well-connected with activists in other countries so that they can improve their initiatives," he said.
Author: Sonia Phalnikar
Editor: Cyrus Farivar

GAMBIAAFFAIRS:GAMBIA:ECOWAS STATEMENT ON THE 24 NOVEMBER 2011 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN THE GAMBIA

2011-11-23T11:55:00.001Z

PRESS RELEASE

COMMUNIQUE DE PRESSE

The ECOWAS Commission has informed the President of the Gambia about its  decision not to dispatch an ECOWAS Observer Mission to the Presidential  Election scheduled to take place in the country on 24 November 2011, because  the preparations and political environment for the said election are adjudged  by the Commission not to be conducive for the conduct of free, fair and  transparent polls. In keeping with the pertinent provisions of the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol  on Democracy and Good Governance, the President of the Commission dispatched a  fact-finding mission to the Gambia, during which the mission interacted with a  wide range of stakeholders to assess the state of preparedness of the country  for the election. The Commission has also been conducting a regular monitoring  of the political situation and preparations in the lead-up to the election  through the ECOWAS Early Warning System. Unfortunately, the reports of the fact-finding mission and the Early Warning  System paint a picture of intimidation, an unacceptable level of control of  the electronic media by the party in power, the lack of neutrality of state  and para-statal institutions, and an opposition and electorate cowed by  repression and intimidation. In the circumstance, the ECOWAS Commission is of  the view that the conditions prevailing in the country do not meet the minimum  standards set under the Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance for the  conduct of elections and has, therefore, decided to exercise the discretionary  powers conferred on the Commission's President under the Protocol to stand  down the ECOWAS Observer Mission. While regretting the decision forced upon it by the circumstances, the ECOWAS  Commission will remain seized with the situation in the Gambia, and expresses  its readiness to engage the Government and other stakeholders in the Gambian  polity, with a view to accompanying them in their endeavour to create a level  playing field for future elections.  His Excellency James Victor Gbeho President of the Commission

Gambia Affairs:Gambia:Media Group Condemns Police in NY Protest

2011-11-17T10:28:00.001Z

By Mariano Andrade

NEW YORK, November 16, 2011 (AFP) - A US media group condemned New York police Wednesday for their treatment of journalists covering the eviction of Occupy Wall Street protesters in the city.
About half a dozen journalists were arrested during and soon after Tuesday's massive police operation against the protest tent camp in Zuccotti Park, in the Financial District.
The arrests were among more than 200 overall as police rounded up demonstrators refusing to leave the park and another location that was briefly taken over by the crowd.
The Society of Professional Journalists issued a statement calling for dropping charges against journalists arrested in New York and in similar protests in other US states.
"SPJ calls for all charges against these journalists to be dropped and for greater care by police to avoid arresting or otherwise obstructing journalists who are simply and clearly doing their jobs," the statement said.
"We know that as protests escalate it may be difficult for police to distinguish bystanders from participants, but it is clear now that many journalists have been erroneously arrested without cause," SPJ President John Ensslin said.
Another CPJ official, Carlos Lauria, said he was "alarmed" and criticized restrictions on media access to the immediate site of the New York eviction. "It is particularly disturbing that government officials sought to block any coverage of the event at all," he said.
Reporters and camera crews were allowed to observe the eviction of the camp from across the street and could talk to departing protesters. But they were not allowed into the interior of the square where police were removing tents and expelling the demonstrators.
One freelance camerawoman, who asked not to be identified, said she was arrested for "obstructing pedestrian traffic" near Zuccotti Park. Although she was soon released, she must go before a judge in January.
"During my detention I was not allowed to make a call, so my boss didn't know anything about me for three hours," she said.
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said five journalists were arrested. He denied that any rights were violated, saying the reporters had been trespassing, along with demonstrators, on private property in an incident after the Zuccotti Park eviction, and had then refused to leave.
"They were arrested with the demonstrators. I think there was confusion on their part as to just what they're allowed to do. They're private citizens -- they were technically trespassing. That was worked out and their arrests were voided," Kelly said in an interview with NY1 television.
Regarding restrictions on movement of reporters at the eviction itself, Kelly said that was normal.
"We never allow reporters to go into the scene of an operation. It's like having them go into a crime scene," he said.

Gambia Affairs:Gambia:US Senator Durbin Presses Gambian Government on Chief Ebrima Manneh

2011-11-09T13:23:00.001Z

For Immediate Release

Contact: Max Gleischman

202.228.5244

November 2, 2011

DURBIN PRESSES GAMBIAN GOVERNMENT ON CHIEF MANNEH CASE

Applauds British Role in Investigating the Disappearance of Gambian Journalist

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) sent a letter today to the Gambian Attorney General, Edward Gomez, requesting information about Chief Ebrima Manneh, a Gambian journalist who has been missing for more than five years. According to recent comments by Attorney General Gomez, Manneh, who many worried had died while in Gambian custody, is alive.

"I am writing to request immediate information regarding Chief Ebrima Manneh, a Gambian journalist with the Daily Observer who has been missing since a troubling detention by Gambian security personnel more than five years ago. In light of your recent comments claiming that Manneh is alive -- a stark contrast from previous Gambian government silence and denials regarding his whereabouts -- I ask that you immediately provide any information regarding Manneh's location and condition," Durbin wrote to AG Gomez."If Chief Manneh is, in fact, alive, and you do have knowledge of his whereabouts, helping to resolve his disappearance could add credibility to your recent comments at the 50^th session of the African Commission on Human and People's Rights, during which you spoke of the need to "speak out against human rights abuses." Sadly, without an immediate accounting for Mr. Manneh, those words will ring hollow in Gambia and around the world."

Durbin also wrote to British Foreign Secretary William Hague, expressing his strong support for the United Kingdom's role in investigating Chief Manneh's case.

Durbin wrote; "I respectfully ask you to investigate Chief Manneh's disappearance and urge you to continue to press the Gambian government to respect its international commitments as a member of both the UN and the Commonwealth in this case."

Chief Manneh was reportedly detained in July 2006 for political reasons by plainclothes police officers thought to have been from the Gambian National Intelligence Agency. Some reports suggest that he has being held at the Fatoto Police Station in eastern Gambia, at Mile Two Prison, or a National Intelligence Agency compound in Serekunda. In July 2007, he was also reportedly escorted by members of the Gambian Police Intervention Unit to the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital in Banjul for high blood pressure treatment. He has not been seen since.

Both the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Community Court of Justice and the UN Human Rights Council's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention have called for the immediate release of Mr. Manneh.

Durbin, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights, has been pressing for Chief Manneh's release for several years.

Copies of today's letters are attached.

Gambia Affairs:Gambia:Senator Durbin Presses Gambian Government on Chief Ebrima Manneh Case

2011-11-09T13:20:00.001Z

For Immediate Release

Contact: Max Gleischman

202.228.5244

November 2, 2011

DURBIN PRESSES GAMBIAN GOVERNMENT ON CHIEF MANNEH CASE

Applauds British Role in Investigating the Disappearance of Gambian Journalist

Senator Dick Durbin

Durbin also wrote to British Foreign Secretary William Hague, expressing his strong support for the United Kingdom's role in investigating Chief Manneh's case.

Durbin, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights, has been pressing for Chief Manneh's release for several years.

Copies of today's letters are attached.

Gambia Affairs:Gambia:Justic Minister Says Chief Manneh is Alive in An Exclusive Interview With The Daily News

2011-10-16T15:00:00.001Z

Hon.Gomez tell us where Chief Manneh is kept?

What is your impression about the country's legal system?

From what perspective, the justice ministry or judiciary

Both, if you would not mind?

That is a very wide topic. I am sure by asking for this interview, you must have something in mind… you must have an idea about an aspect of the justice delivery system you want an explanation.

For instance, your take on how cases are faring in the courts amid the backlog?

Quite frankly, the best sector to answer that is the judiciary. We have prosecutors who go to courts, but the backlog of cases that are being complained about in the criminal aspect of proceedings are very few.
The backlog really pertains mostly to civil matters. But there is no system that is so perfect that cases are expeditiously treated. We try our best, but really sometimes there are factors beyond our control - a judge can be ill or a lawyer from one of the parties could be ill or travel.
So, all of these things tend to militate against the expeditious discharge of the courts in their functioning. But ordinarily, cases are proceeding with reasonable speed.

What are some of the challenges you face when you took over the mantle at the justice ministry?

In every ministry, there are challenges. Some of them might have been there before you take over. Some might surface while you are there as minister and you may even foresee some future challenges.
When I took over as justice minister, there were some major challenges arising mainly from the position of the structure of the Ministry, the buildings needed repairs.
The main buildings housing the Registrar of Companies and Curators' offices were in a terrible state; it was leaking profusely and some of the documents had to be rescued.
And when I took over, I also have the good fortune of having a Solicitor General in the person of Pa Harry Jammeh, who is very hard working, innovative and responsive to the challenges that faced us and he really went out to ensure that all the buildings are renovated, carpeted by new furniture so that those working in those offices would feel the zeal and the desire to work in a very conducive environment with air conditioning, and even refrigerator.

Well, could you also highlight some foreseen future challenges?

Well, the future challenges are that we really need to have more Gambian lawyers. When I say Gambian lawyers, I
mean those dedicated and prepared out of patriotic favor, to work for the benefit of The Gambia.
Most private lawyers would like to work on their own as opposed to come in and join hands with few Gambian lawyers for the improvement of the country.
They [private lawyers] tend to look at the financial gains but there are some who really are anxious to lend a helping hand. They would come and work for the country. One should not only work to line his or her pockets and not care for ones country.
If we Gambians don't stand-up to work to take this country forward, who else do we expect to come and do it for us.
We have a technical assistant from Nigeria. Nigerian lawyers are helping us, but it cannot go on forever. There must come a time when we too must felt self reliant; and that we have young Gambian lawyers who are coming and are working for us.
And in trying to address that situation, we are making the positions here more attractive as well as build some incentives so that they will be encouraged to come in, stay and work as career lawyers in the ministry of justice.

In essence, you are aspiring for an indigenised Gambian legal sector?

Indigenization of Gambian legal sector is necessary because you cannot rely on people from other nations to do your work. They may at the beginning help you to build up, but there must come a day when you have to count on your own.

Why did you file an application at the ECOWAS Court in Abuja for a review of the judgement against Gambia government in concluded cases of journalists Ebrima Chief Manneh of Daily Observer and Musa Saidykhan of Independent newspaper?

Yes, while that application for a review of the judgement is on, I wouldn't comment because that may affect the case.

Is it that you were dissatisfied with the verdict of the ECOWAS court in both cases?

Yes, we were dissatisfied. Anybody has a right to ask for a review or an appeal. In ECOWAS decision, you don't appeal. There is no appellant system, but you ask for a review.

Why in the case of Manneh, the government was never represented throughout the trial at the ECOWAS court?

Government was represented. Maybe those who should have officially appeared failed to appear and there was a default judgement. Normally, if two parties are in court, one is attending all the time and the other did not attend, then there could be a default judgement. So the plaintiff could be given judgement because the defendant did not come to defend the case, but that is not the same as not been represented.

You call it a default judgement?

Yes, there was a default judgement in that Chief Ebrima Manneh's case. Yeah (laughs)… I wouldn't want to preempt, but I will tell you soon there will be very interesting developments which will also intrigue you concerning this Chief Manneh's case … laughs. Lets wait until we get there, then you will get to know.
We have no difficulties about that case and we have nothing to hide. But one thing I can tell you for sure is that we've been wrongly presented in the mass media in the world. We are not that kind of government where we just capture people and make them disappear. Soon that will come to light.

What is responsible for this 'misrepresentation'?

Because most of your colleagues will rather paint the government black. They don't tend to see the good that the government is doing. They are prepared to publish anything black and negative about the government which is not good and unfair.
We are all partners in the process of development. Yes, just as you have a duty to educate and inform, but in so doing, you should do it professionally; you should be acquainted with all the fact; what you say you must be able to prove. But you cannot just go and speculate and sensationalise in order to sell to your papers.
You are betraying your country, you are betraying the government of the day. If government does something and you have the proofs that yes government has done this, government has done that, well that is fine.
But most times, you know, you find journalists, infact I don't even quite call them journalists, you know, who will just go and publish whatever they want hoping that it will make an impact. Of course it does make a negative impact, but unfairly on the government and government officials.

Chief Manneh and Editor Musa Saidykhan's cases are not the only cases in which people complained of torture and disappearances. Look there are others such Kanyiba Kanyi, Marcie Mendy, Buba Jammeh and many others?

Did you mount any investigation?

Yes, colleagues visited families of the victims most of whom said their relatives were arrested in their present?

I can tell you with certainty that there are some family members who say that they were never ever approached by the journalism fraternity.Journalists never visited; some journalists just pick up a pen and paper and start speculating.
Everything that they put on paper is nothing but a figment of their own imagination and sometimes I would call it very 'frivolous and mischief imagination'.It's is not right. Write on something which you are sure of. And very soon you and I will have cause to sit down again and talk about Chief Manneh.
You will be ashamed what the papers wrote about Gambia and the Gambia government. I am telling you with high degree of certainty, and these are facts. You and I have a moral duty and a legal duty as well that when things are published and reach public domain it should be based on facts and not fiction.
It should not be a reflection of a man's hatred or dislike of an institution or government. It should be based on facts.
You and I, we have moral conscience, so talk about what you know, talk about what you've seen and not what you've been told by somebody who has evil mind and a desire.
You should be very careful. When I say you I don't mean you in particular, I mean you the journalists. You have a duty to educate and to inform for goodness sake, but in so doing, go by the ethics of your profession.

Musa Saidykhan was the Editor-In-Chief of the defunct Independent newspaper; he was arrested and tortured while under the custody of National Intelligence Agency…?

(cuts in) He was allegedly tortured. You are talking as if you were there. Even the way you talking, you are making a clear exposition that even if hearsay evidence, you treat it as if you were there. And he who alleges must prove.

Chief Manneh was said to be arrested in the presence of one of his colleagues who had testified at the ECOWAS court in Abuja. Now, saying that these two cases Saidykhan and Manneh are not genuine cases is quite startling?

Now, let me tell with a high degree of certainty, Chief Ebrima Manneh is somewhere not in the custody of The Gambia government or any official of The Gambia government. But we will cross our bridge, when we get to it, then some of you journalists will be ashamed of what you've published.
But let the right time come that's all I can tell you. We shall talk about this case at a later stage when it is more convenient; when I can prove to you beyond reasonable doubt the lies, the intrigues, the ill feeling, the negative feeling of some of your colleagues.We shall address that at a later stage, but I can tell when that day comes, many of you journalists will be looking for a hiding place and you can't find any.

You said Chief Manneh should be somewhere, where is he?

Don't worry, well we will come to that. And he is not in the custody of the Gambia government; we are not detaining him at all. But now when the right time comes you will see the dishonesty and lack of conscience on the part of people from your own side?

Is he alive?

Well, I can tell you Chief Ebrima Manneh is alive.

Have you heard from him?

That is what I am telling you, I am not going into full details yet, but when the right time comes you people will swallow back the venom that you've been spitting out.
That's all I can tell you. You've tried to do a lot of damage to the image of The Gambia government but without success. We are doing our work meticulously and with a sense of dignity, that's all I can tell you.

Chief Manneh's case is very serious issue, US Senators called for his release…?

(cuts in) These US Senators have a lot to talk about, they should talk about the extraordinary renditions when people were arrested in different countries and flown to different locations and tortured and some died.
Let the US Senators address those issues rather than talk about Chief Manneh. Let the US Senators talk about former president George W. Bush who in conspiracy with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and they took preemptive actions and attacked that country against all international laws, removed the head of state, had him decapitated and until today not a single weapon of mass destruction were produced.
Let them talk about that. Why don't they talk about that? Why don't the US Senators talk about taking George W. Bush to International Criminal Court (ICC)? Why not Tony Blair? You've heard of ABU GRAVE PRISON and the atrocities that took place there, let them talk about that.
Look, I find it rather childish when you [journalists] are being hoodwinked and circumvented to talk about the frivolous and unfair accusations they brought about the Gambia when they themselves have a lot of despicable acts which they are not talking about.
Now you are telling me that the US Senators said this, the US talk about that. You are the people who should answer to them. Tell them: look before you talk about Gambia look at yourselves, you are all covered in mud and filth and you come and look at me and say I am dirty.

Perhaps the US Senators spoke about it because our own government was not opening up with regards to Chief Manneh's case?

So they were open to speak up? You've heard of the recent scandals that happened, they were sitting on so many evil things. Even some of them (prisoners) were taken to Libya and tortured in Libya. Come on….you keep someone at Guantanamo Bay for four years and say that you suspect he has committed an act of terrorism.
After four years, you release him, tell him go we find nothing against you. How about compensation? You've ruined that man's life for four years; you've taken four years away from his precious life, treated him like a dog, urinated on him, and put faeces on him in the cell, even the Holy Quran they urinated on it.
We as black people are intelligent enough. Let them not come and tell us rubbish and you listen to them and start writing nonsense about your own country. Come on, you are far too intelligent for that.
Infact, some British so-called members of the parliament started saying that they going to ask for the Gambia to be sanctioned on X Y and Z. Rubbish! Rubbish! Why don't they sanction themselves?

What do you think they want to sanction Gambia for?

Well, they know. Ask them, they will tell you.

Is it because of Gambia's reported grave violations of human rights?

Maybe you should ask them. Carry out some investigative journalism, talk to them, ask them. I believe it was your paper [The Daily News] that reported that some British Members of Parliament say that I am the 'Minister of injustice' and it was published in your paper.
What a disrespect! Even if they are saying it, I don't think you people should denigrate your own minister of justice not to mention your own minister of justice.
Why don't you call Tony Blair, the prime minister of injustice, the prime minister of deceit and lies, why didn't you?

He and George Bush deceived the whole world and they lied why didn't you call them that? But you have the audacity to turn round and to publish what they said that I am the minister of injustice and you put it there and you enjoyed printing it.
But I wouldn't answer. It is about time, you people come to realise that you don't allow white people or people outside this country to look at you as inferior and stupid and then they coax you to write stupid things about your own leaders.

We are your leaders, we are your ministers, and we formed the government. And it is our duty to take this country forward and we are doing that to the best of our ability, but you people don't seem to appreciate that.
Idiots will sit down there and dictate to you what to write in order to make a mockery of your leaders and you are happy to do that. Put pen on paper and publish it.
I would have declined an interview with The Daily News since you have the audacity to print that the British MPs say that I am the minister of injustice.
And even the British High Commissioner at the time mockingly told me: 'hey hey, I saw it in The Daily News they call you minister of injustice'.
He enjoyed it, but you guys gave him the leverage to do that. Yes, this is where I am calling your attention.
You should know who you are and you should learn to respect, appreciate and cherish who you are. You should learn to appreciate your country. You should learn to appreciate your leadership.
I am not involved in any form of eulogy I am telling you the truth. We in the Gambia should thank God the almighty for having a leader like President Yahya Jammeh. This is a patriotic leader; this is a god fearing leader; this is a man who has given you a university; this is man who has given probably the best airport in West Africa; this is a man who has given you a training hospital where your doctors will be trained; this is a man who has given you a university where now lawyers will train until they put on their wig and gown and go to court; this is a man who has taken agriculture forward, he bought tractors and gave it to the whole country and say go and farm so that you eat what you grow and make you food self sufficient. What more do you want? The West are not happy that we have such a patriotic leader, they want somebody who will go begging, asking for money.

President Jammeh says he is not going to beg anybody, can't you see and appreciate that. What more do you want? Look at the whole of Africa which country can boast of a good leader than the one we have?
Let President Jammeh leaves State House to go, the crowd will be seized with enthusiasm, with happiness and joy. Everybody will be shouting and it is genuine, it is not cosmetic.
These are things we should see and appreciate. Somebody cannot come and tell you look the chicken you have in your compound are no good, throw them away and kill them I have a better chicken when you go and look at his chicken they are almost half dying, they are all full of disease.

Is the government of the Gambia thinking of repealing anti free media laws – the law on false publication, sedition among others?

Now you see I told you that I had an appointment at State House now I am almost late, I've got fifteen minutes and that is bit too risky. From here to State House there could be a bit of traffic jam.
In fact, I have got only ten minutes to be there so we can suspend this interview until some other time.

Author: Saikou Ceesay

Gambia Affairs:Gambia:MDC MUST NOT CONTINUE WITH GOVERNMENT OF UNITY WITH ZANU PF OF ROBERT MUGABE

2011-10-12T16:33:00.001Z

Sent by Collen Makumbirofa

The good news is that Robert Mugabe is not a legitimate president of Zimbabwe. He was rejected by the people on 29 March 2008 elections. The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) T, should pull out of the useless government of national unity with ZANU PF.

ALL ZANU PF LEADERS ARE CORRUPT, EVIL AND UNREPENTENT IN THEIR HEARTS. Mugabe did not commit atrocities in Matabeleland alone. Mugabe worked together with his fellows in ZANU PF government. This government has been murdering innocent people since 1980. Zimbabweans have been subjected to oppression, starvation, and serious persecutions by all ZANU PF leaders.

The people voted for MDC because they no longer want corrupt and wicked leaders in ZANU. For the MDC to continue considering unity with ZANU PF will be an act of cowardice and serious pervasion. It will be betrayal of the will of the people.

If the MDC continue with ZANU PF leaders in unity government it means that:

1. It does not want to get rid of corruption that is now present in every area of ZANU government. All ZANU PF leaders are corrupted and must be rooted out completely like cancer.
2. It does not want to pursue justice by prosecuting these ZANU criminals who are torturing, starving, murdering, and despising people.

"When justice is done it brings joy to the righteous, but terror to evil doers." Proverbs 21:15

Tens of thousands of innocent people have died in the hands of ZANU PF between 1980 and 1990. Thousands have been murdered since 2000 for supporting the MDC T. Uniting with ZANU or including some of its members in the new government will be an insult to all patriotic Zimbabweans including the dead.

No short cuts to our freedom or liberation. ZANU PF has been defeated over polls, therefore, must go.
Zimbabwe must be free. I call for unity among all Zimbabweans of all colors and tribes. Mugabe must not be allowed to continue with his misrule without any resistance. I'm not optimistic of support coming from the SADC. Behind scenes many SADC leaders sympathies with Mugabe, therefore, will not condemn his atrocities or help stop genocide and suffering in Zimbabwe.

The MDC T must also be reminded that it is going to be rejected by the people if it continues prolonging ZANU PF's stay in power. Zimbabweans want freedom and liberation of the country. Please support us financial for real change in Zimbabwe. Foundation of Reason & Justice will work for liberation of Zimbabwe.

Gambia Affairs:Gambia:State Determine To Secure Nanama’s Presence in Court

2011-09-26T14:21:00.001Z

Nanama said he fled for his life

The state prosecutor Monday, 26 September 2011 told the Banjul Magistrate court presided over by Magistrate Sheriff Tabally that efforts are underway to secure the attendance of the accused- Mr Nanama Keita in court, who is believed to have fled out of the court jurisdiction fortnight ago.

"I was informed by Superintendent Sainey Joof through telephone conversation this morning to apply for fortnight adjournment," Assistant Superintendent Manneh told the court, without any objection from defense counsel Nenneh Cham Chokan.

Nanama Keita, former Daily Observer newspaper Sports editor is standing trial for writing to the Office of the President sometime in May 2011, claiming wrongful dismissal as the Deputy Editor-In-Chief and Head of Sports, and alleged financial malpractices by the Managing Director of the Daily Observer Newspaper.

According to sources, the allegations raised in the petition letter resulted in state security agents mounting investigations, and consequently, Mr Keita was instead arrested and charged for giving false information to public officer. GPU formed a three man delegation to visit Mr Keita after receiving tipoff that he was detained by the police. Upon arrival, one of the executive members offered his passport to bail Mr Keita at the tune of D100,000 (about. US$3571). GPU also lobbied for financial assistance for the legal service.

He however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred on him.
Two prosecution witnesses, the Deputy Editor-In-Chief and News Editor of the pro-government Daily Observer newspaper has so far testified in the case. During the court proceedings, Mr Keita complained of receiving text messages threatening his life. The complains were reported to the police for further investigations into the matter.

On the 12 September 2011 the Banjul Magistrates' court issued an arrest warrant on Mr Keita after the prosecution applied that they wanted the accused who was believed to be out of jurisdiction to be back in court.
In a letter to the MFWA, Mr Keita "September 7, 2011, was when I received a tip-off from a sympatizer within the security ranks that attempts are being made to have me arrested immediately on a reason the informant would not let me know.

"Upon getting this tip-off, on a rather pretty serious tone, I then decided to gather a few things before fleeing to neighbouring Dakar and finally, New York, to take refuge," said Mr Keita.

Meanwhile, the case is adjourned to 10 October 2011 for continuation of hearing.

Gambia Affairs:Gambia:Massive Prostitution By Zimbabwean Women in South Africa

2011-09-26T12:32:00.001Z

By Collen Makumbirofa
Foundation of Reason & Justice

Prostitute looking for customer in the street
Due to destitution, poverty and oppression many Zimbabwean women have
turned to prostitution in South Africa.

Brothels, mini-hotels and other places of adult entertainment are
occupied by Zimbabwean women. Both married and unmarried women are
resorting to prostitution. In Johannesburg, Places of Adult
entertainment such as Hilbrow Inn, Little Rose, Maxim, Ambassador and
the Diplomat are all occupied by women from Zimbabwe. Thousands are
earning living by prostitution.

These businesses are parasites getting profit on human souls. They are
using human bodies to get wealth. This is serious human trafficking of
Zimbabwean women. The South African government should pass laws to
outlaw prostitution and enforce such laws by closing down such
business as mentioned above.

How Zimbabwean women end up in such places? Some have fled political
persecutions at home, some came to South Africa to look for jobs and
end up into prostitution because they have failed to get good means of
living. Some are invited by sisters, boyfriends and other relatives
when they arrive in South Africa the relatives abandon them.

Zimbabweans we are not a blessed people or a blessed nation. We are
tolerating oppression and state slavery which is destroying and
eroding every value. Family institution is failing. I place the major
blame on the ruling government which has destroyed means of live hood
for millions of Zimbabweans.

We have lost our pride ness as a nation. Why should we be proud while
for fear of death we allow the evil ZANU PF government to continue in
power causing unbearable suffering on women, children, and the
disabled? Care about our names and dignity should drive us to take
risk and do anything that remove ZANU PF from power. If we really care
about women, children and other weak members of the society we should
prioritize removing ZANU PF from power.

Now is the time that we rise up against oppression and destroy it
because it is destroying many souls and precious lives. The immature
do not recognize loss of freedom. Those with a slave mentality will
live in perpetual oppression from their government.

You may ask so what can l do? (1). Join us to campaign for human
rights in Zimbabwe. (2).Help to make our reports & commentaries known.
(3) Donate financial to the Foundation of Reason & Justice we want to
reach to the poor & suffering with needs.
As for our background lam a Zimbabwean human rights campaigner and
writer who has won awards.

Join Foundation of Reason and Justice on Facebook or
Zimbabwe Crisis Group on the following website:
http://groups.google.com/group/zimbabwe-crisis-news?pli=1

Gambia Affairs:Gambia:The Gambia Bar Association Condemns Moses Richards Conviction in A Press Release

2011-09-21T16:06:00.001Z

Sheriff Tambadou President of Gambia Bar Association

"This Monday, the 19th day September 2011 at approximately 11 am at the Banjul Magistrates Court, Moses B. J Richards, a legal practitioner was convicted and sentenced to serve a term of 2 years with hard labour at Mile II Central State Prisons. The alleged crimes for which he was convicted were giving false information to a public servant contrary to section 114(a) of the Criminal Code and sedition contrary to Section 52(1)(a) of the Criminal Code.
"The prosecution, conviction and sentencing was presided over and carried out by Magistrate T. A. Alagbe."
The Gambia Bar Association noted that the incarceration of their colleague puts the Gambian Legal profession on trial and puts the Independence of their profession and the bar into question.
According to them, "It is a universally accepted principle of all civilized societies that an advocate must be allowed to represent his or her client without fear or favour. In this instance the charges against Mr Richards related to a letter he had written to the Sheriff of the High Court in the course of his duties as a lawyer and while under the direct instruction of his client. The letter made reference to the executive branch of the government. Mr Richard's client appeared in court and swore under oath that he did indeed instruct Mr Richards to write the said letter. These are the 'crimes' for which Mr Richards is being punished."
They observed that , "once again The Gambia is portrayed as a nation where the mere mention of the Office of the President is risky. The Gambia Bar Association urges the executive branch of the government to take note" and requested that it does not allow a wedge to be driven between it and the people. They claimed that the incarceration of their colleague may smear the international reputation of the Country and weaken their resolve to prevent the further weakening of the Gambian legal system.
They claim that the principles that seek to protect and safeguard the integrity of the profession is under threat and call on the Executive branch of Government to pay heed to the Legal sector. The Gambia Bar calls on the Government of the Gambia to step in and protect its citizens, prevent the degradation of the Constitution and the legal profession and free Moses Richards.
The bar puts all relevant authorities on notice that the Gambia Bar Association will actively seek the institution of disciplinary action against lawyers that seek to visit terror and humiliation on innocent people. They concluded by openly inviting the executive to a dialogue for the interest of all.
The press release was sent to Gambia Affairs by a senior member of the Bar Association.

Gambia Affairs:Gambia:Press Freedom Vital To Credible Burmese Reform

2011-09-20T16:21:00.001Z

Bangkok, September 20, 2011—The Burmese government's internationally lauded reform rhetoric is contradicted by heavy censorship tactics that continue to make the country's media among the most restricted in the world, a new report by the Committee to Protect Journalists has found.

"The government's promise of reform is welcome, yet censorship in Burma remains arbitrary, intensive, and highly restrictive," said Shawn Crispin, CPJ's senior Southeast Asia representative and the author of the report. "Legal reform to ensure press freedom would lend much-needed credibility to the government's claims of democratic change in Burma. Draconian laws restricting reporting must be abolished, and imprisoned journalists must be immediately released."

The report, based on CPJ interviews with journalists in Burma and those working for Burmese exile media, found that banned topics are still wide-reaching and that, to date, the new government has not acted to abolish or amend the highly arbitrary laws that restrict press freedom and punish deviation from official dictates. Since last year's elections, two journalists have been sentenced to prison terms of almost 20 years, and more than a dozen publications have been suspended for their news reporting.

A veneer of press freedom evident in the proliferation of privately owned and -run news publications is shattered by the fact that the newspapers are heavily censored and regularly forced to publish state-prepared news and commentary presenting government policies in a glowing light, local editors told CPJ. In November 2010, authorities forced some 500 Internet cafés—typically used by undercover exile reporters to file their news, pictures, and videos to outside media—to install closed-circuit cameras, screen-capture programs, and keystroke-logging software to monitor and store users' online activities. A ban on the use of flash drives in Internet cafés was imposed in May, two months after the current government took office.

CPJ's report includes recommendations to the Burmese government, the European Union, the United Nations, the United States, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and Norway. Burma, which is vying for chairmanship of ASEAN in 2014, should be deemed unqualified to lead the organization if it fails to make progress on press freedom. CPJ also urged the establishment of a U.N.-led commission of inquiry into war crimes, including the jailing and torture of journalists.

"Uncensored reporting from within Burma is crucial for assessing whether the government's promise of democratic reform is rhetoric or reality," said Crispin. "Until new freedoms take hold, exile media continues to serve as a vital source of credible, independent information on developments within Burma and should not be abandoned by donor countries."

The historically military-run Southeast Asian country held its first democratic elections in more than two decades in November 2010 and installed a nominally civilian government in March 2011. Since then, President Thein Sein has sought international recognition for the transition, urging the United States and European countries to drop their economic sanctions maintained in response to the country's abysmal human rights record.

The Burmese government's recent informal call for exiled dissidents to return was met with great skepticism by journalists interviewed by CPJ, precisely due to the lack of reforms. Nearly all of the Burma-based reporters and editors interviewed for CPJ's report requested anonymity due to fears of possible reprisal if their names appeared in a report critical of the government. Two staff members and a freelance reporter working for CPJ were denied visas to enter Burma to conduct research for this report. No reasons were given for the denials.

###

CPJ is a New York-based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide.

Note to Editors: CPJ's full report, a video report, and additional features, can be accessed here:

§ CPJ full report and recommendations

§ EU Engagement

§ Role of Burma's exile media

§ List of imprisoned Burmese journalists

§ Video report

Gambia Affairs:Gambia:The Gambia Government Diplomatic Sensitivities And The Tourist Season

2011-09-19T14:37:00.001Z

Foroyaa editorial

President Wade postulates a new role for President Jammeh in Cassamance
The Gambia is a country full of ironies. It is not uncommon for the leadership of the ruling party to accuse the British and other foreign governments of providing material support to the opposition in the Gambia.
On the other hand, foreign governments consider the opposition in the Gambia to be disunited and are even predicting the victory of the ruling party. Strangely enough, despite all the accusation of the APRC of collaborating with the opposition no institution or country has committed itself to finance the Presidential Elections. The registration of voters also did not attract any external funding. The whole international community has adopted a wait and see approach with regards to the coming Presidential elections.

The ruling party should tell the Gambian people which opposition party is receiving funding from Western Governments. If it does not give evidence of funding by a western power then its leaders should be seen to be engaged in a mere propaganda exercise.
The facts on the ground reveal that no foreign power will help the Gambian people to Change the Gambia. It is the Gambian people themselves who would have to be their own saviours. The Gambian opposition has nothing to gain whether the Gambia Government establishes a cordial relation with a foreign Government or develops a hostile relationship. It is the Gambian people who stand to be disadvantaged if embassies transfer to other countries and if tourists do not feel welcomed because of bad publicity.
The Gambia stands to lose a great deal if the opposition fails to come up with one voice and if the ruling party continues to give the impression that foreign governments are using the opposition to undermine the Government. They should try to maintain amicable relations with all governments in order to promote the interest of the Gambian people.

Gambia Affairs:Gambia:80% of Europe’s Cocaine Transit Through West Africa Says Naval Chief

2011-09-13T17:23:00.001Z

The United States said Monday it donated four patrol boats to the Philippine maritime police

The chief of Naval Staff says that records indicate that about 80 percent of Europe's cocaine supply transits through the West African Coast. Commodore Madani Senghore was speaking Monday at the Navy Guard Post near the Ferry Terminal in Banjul during the opening ceremony of the Africa Partnership Station (APS) Training Programme 2011 High Speed Vessels Swift (HSV2) for the Gambia Navy and other security and maritime stakeholders.
The two-week training, which is organised by the United States Navy brought together 70 participants. The main objective of APS is to work with partner nations like The Gambia in order to pro-actively manage available maritime assets for self-sufficiency in the maritime domain and promote regional security and cooperation to ensure unhindered maritime commerce, the protection of marine resources and the safety and security of lives and properties.
Commodore Senghore informed the convergence that with the dynamic evolving trends of global maritime security threats that transcend national maritime boundaries, the oceans and waterways equally pose global security challenges. He also disclosed that sub-Saharan Africa registers over US$1billion economic loses yearly through illegal fishing.
He explained that the training is mainly geared towards enhancing maritime safety and security through partnership, stressing that maritime security is an essential component for the global stability that ensures development and prosperity.
He added: "About 70 percent of the world is water, 80 percent of the global population lives on or near the coastline and about 90 percent of the world's commerce sails across the oceans, rivers and internal waterways."
The Naval chief stated that transnational maritime crimes and others, such as terrorism, human trafficking, illegal migration by boat and toxic waste dumping in the maritime environment call for concerted efforts to confront them.
"Moreover, it is widely believed that what happens on the African continent may directly or indirectly impact on Europe, the United States and the rest of the world at large," he added.
He informed the gathering that in achieving the objective, the APS focuses on enhancing six major strategic pillars namely; maritime domain awareness, maritime professionals, maritime infrastructure, maritime response capabilities, regional integration and comprehensive approach.
The chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) Lt. General Masanneh Kinteh stressed that the Africa region requires constant maritime seagoing Naval assets, maritime legislation and institutions to better regulate the fishing industry, policing and prosecution of illegal acts, such as piracy, dumping of waste materials for coastal pollution and so on.
He noted that the National Defence strategy of many countries in the region including The Gambia covers only the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) of 200 Nautical miles offshore. However, he said that with limited seagoing vessels to cover such a wide territory, maritime safety and security is a huge objective to be achieved by the Gambia Navy.
Lt. Gen Kinteh stated further that current naval assets also require huge financial resources to ensure their maintenance and seaworthiness, adding that the allocation of these scare resources for the operation and maintenance of naval assets at the expense of other vital sectors of the economy poses a serious challenge to any Third World country, The Gambia inclusive.
He acknowledged that the involvement and support of the United States in resolving the civil wars in Liberia, Sierra Leone and other conflicts in other parts of Africa was there for all to see. He further acknowledged that the United States has been investing human, material and financial resources for peace, security and democracy in the African continent.
Cynthia Gregg, charge d'affairs, United States Embassy in The Gambia said The Gambia like many other countries, face maritime threat from illegal fishing boats and human trafficking. She explained that the US Navy is in The Gambia to assist in protecting security threats, adding that The Gambia is a very wonderful and beautiful country, very secure and safe to live in. "We want to make sure that this continues forever," she said. Other speakers at the occasion included Lt John Repik, team leader and Lt. Commander Charles E Easton, swift officer in charge.

ghulamalikhan is based in Islamabad, Federal Capital Area, Pakistan, and is Stringer for Allvoices

Report Credibility

Gambia Affairs:Gambia:Iran Adds To Its List Of Press Freedom Violations

2011-09-10T14:57:00.001Z

Iranian President Ahmadinejad

New York, September 9, 2011-The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the forced closure of two independent Iranian newspapers on Monday and the arrest of an Iranian writer in the city of Tabriz.

In July and August, Shahrvand-e Emrooz (Today's Citizen), a reformist weekly, ran two covers depicting President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a satirical light. The paper was banned indefinitely under Article 6 of the Iranian Press Law, which prohibits "insulting legal or real persons who are lawfully respected, even by means of pictures or caricatures," the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran (ICHRI) reported.

The reformist daily Roozegar was also banned for two months, starting September 5, on charges of "propagating against the regime and publishing state secrets," according to an order from the Ninth Branch of Tehran's Culture and Media Court, the BBC Persian Service reported. CPJ could not verify the reason for the newspaper's ban.

"Iran's knee-jerk response to critical reporting and commentary as ever is to jail the journalist and close down the journal," said CPJ Deputy Director Robert Mahoney. "The authorities should immediately lift the ban on Shahrvand-e Emrooz and Roozegar. At least the staff members of those two publications have the consolation of knowing that their journalism hit the mark."

In July, Shahrvand-e Emrooz ran a digitally manipulated cover of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad being lectured by his chief-of-staff in 16th-century Persian dynasty-style clothing, a source close to the paper told the ICHRI. However, other reports suggest the ban could also be a result of another digitally created cover the paper ran in August, this one depicting a collage of Ahmadinejad's face made up by several small envelopes. This referred to the president courting constituents who write to him and providing them with monetary benefits in return. Shahrvand-e Emrooz was previously banned in 2009 but resumed circulation this July, news reports said.

Roozegar was banned in 2006 on charges that its logo resembled Shargh, the last of the journals favoring the former President Mohamed Khatami, but it resumed publication this February.

Faranak Farid, editor-in-chief of the banned monthly Dilmaj and a women's rights activist, was reportedly arrested during protests against government inaction regarding the drying of Lake Oroumiyeh in the major industrial city of Tabriz, local news reports said. Her whereabouts and the reason for her arrest are unknown.

CPJ has documented the continuous arrest and imprisonment of journalists in Iran. In the government's latest crackdown on critical journalists, authorities extended the term of veteran journalist Isaa Saharkhiz, re-arrested Committee of Human Rights Reporters (CHRR) writer Kouhyar Goudarzi and his mother, and summoned Ali Kalaee, a former member of CHRR, to serve a seven-year prison sentence. Last year, Iran was tied with China for the number of most imprisoned journalists, at 34, according to CPJ's annual census.

CPJ is a New York-based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide.

Gambia Affairs:Gambia: Judicial Harassment Faced By Human Rights Lawyer Moses Richards

2011-09-09T16:45:00.001Z

URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY

GMB 002 / 0911 / OBS 113

Judicial harassment

The Gambia

September 9, 2011

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in The Gambia.

Description of the situation:

The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources of the judicial harassment faced by lawyer Moses Richards, former High Court Judge at the Special Criminal Division, who, in the course of his activities both as a judge and a lawyer, has been defending victims of human rights abuses in politically sensitive cases.

According to the information received on September 12, 2011, the Banjul Lower Court will issue its verdict in the criminal case against lawyer Moses Richards.

Acting as a legal counsel and following expressed instructions and information of his client, Mr. Richards addressed a letter to the Honourable Sheriff of The Gambia dated December 6, 2010, which content was acknowledged by the Sheriff himself on the same day. However, on December 15, 2010, the Sheriff wrote to Mr. Richards copying the office of the President, among others, and accused him of blackmail, showing disrespect to the office of the President, and giving false information to a public servant. On December 30, 2010, lawyer Moses Richards was arrested and detained at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) headquarters in Banjul. On the next day, he was charged with "giving false information" and "sedition" to public officer. On December 31, 2010, Mr. Richards, who refuted both charges, was denied bail and returned to police custody. During the night of January 2, 2011, he was taken to the Mile 2 central prison without any court order. On January 3, 2011, Banjul Lower Court released him on a bail of 500 dalasis (about 13 euros) and also asked to deposit his travel documents to the Registrar of the Court following a three-day strike organised by the Gambian Bar Association. The trial proceeded until August 22, 2011.

The Observatory denounces the judicial harassment faced by Mr. Moses Richards, which seems to only aim at sanctioning him for his human rights activities and calls upon the Gambian authorities to conform in all circumstances with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998 (UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders).

Furthermore, the Observatory expresses its concern about the intimidation and repression of dissenting voices in The Gambia, notably those of stand up for human rights and denounce human rights abuses.

Actions requested:

The Observatory urges the authorities of The Gambia to:

i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Moses Richards, as well as all human rights defenders, including lawyers, in The Gambia;

ii. Dismiss the charges against Mr. Moses Richards and put an end to any kind of harassment including at the judicial level against him, as well as against all human rights defenders in The Gambia;

iii. Comply with all the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, in particular with

- Article 1, which provides that "everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels",

- as well as with Article 12.2 which provides that "the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration".

iv. More generally, ensure in all circumstances the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and with international and regional human rights instruments ratified by The Gambia.

Addresses:

·Captain (retd.) Alhaji Yahya A. J. J. Jammeh, President and Minister of Defence, Office of the President, State House, Banjul, Republic of The Gambia. Fax: +220 4227 034. mail: info@statehouse.gm.

·Ms. Edward Tony Gomiz, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Department of State for Justice, Marina Parade, Banjul, Republic of The Gambia. Fax: +220 4225 352

·Mr. Ousman Sonko, Secretary of State for the Interior, Office of the President, State House, Banjul, Republic of The Gambia. Fax: +220 4223 718

·Ambassador Mr. Moses Benjamin Jallow, Permanent Mission of The Gambia to the United Nations in Geneva, c/o Embassy of the Republic of the Gambia, 117, rue Saint Lazare, 75008 Paris, France. Fax: +33 1 53 04 05 99. Email: ambgambia_france117@hotmail.com

Please also write to the diplomatic mission or embassy of The Gambia in your respective country.

***

Paris-Geneva, September 9, 2011

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.

The Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.

To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:

E-mail: Appeals@fidh-omct.org

Tel and fax FIDH + 33 1 43 55 25 18 / +33 1 43 55 18 80

Tel and fax OMCT + 41 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22 809 49 29

If you want to unsubscribe from this mailing list, please reply to this message and add "unsubscribe" in the "subject" line.
Si vous voulez vous désinscrire de cette liste de diffusion, répondez simplement à cet e-mail et ajoutez "désincription" dans la ligne du sujet de l'e-mail.
Si usted desea que sea anulada su inscripción a esta lista de difusión, por favor simplemente responda a este E-mail y agregue la palabra "desinscripción" en el espacio del tema (subject) del E-mail.

Gambia Affairs:Gambia:More Attention To The Gambia Human Rights Abuses

2011-09-03T18:30:00.001Z

Exiled Gambian journalist Alieu Ceesay

Gambia was the subject of a round table discussion at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office this week. Instigated by Labour MP Anas Sarwar at the request of the Glasgow based Campaign for Human Rights in The Gambia, it saw journalists, campaigners, civil servants and politicians share knowledge of the current state of life in that sunny, West African country.
Among the concerns voiced were the suspected lack of independence in the judiciary, the disappearance of working journalist Ebrima Manneh in 2006, the murder of newspaper publisher Deyda Hydara in 2004, the blocking of some websites critical to the present regime and the scewered dissemination of information.
The major issue of the election in November was also raised.
Opposition parties were hobbled by rules which permit them to promote their cause only ten days before the election date.
Concern was expressed that Femi Peters, campaign manager for the United Democratic Party (UDP), an opposition party to President Jammeh, was recently sentenced to one year jail term for holding a public rally without permission; and that Kanyiba Kanyia, a supporter of the UDP disappeared since 2006.
It was acknowledged that President Jammeh was likely to win the election which would reinforce his position since his coup in 1994.
Said one participant: 'There are no quick fixes.'
But through the European Union, pressure is being brought to bear on The Gambian Government to adhere to international laws on human rights and freedom of speech that the country has signed up to.
In Glasgow, Gambian exiled journalist, Alieu B. Ceesay, told this website: 'This was a very successful meeting. It gave the Campaign for Human Rights in the Gambia and other organisations, a forum to engage with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office about the situation in The Gambia.
"We hope to build on that momentum to continue to engage with the international community to prioritise The Gambia situation. More must be done urgently to address the wave of terror that has swept that country in the last 16 years.'
The Campaign recently held a rally in Glasgow City Centre to mark Freedom Day in the Gambia. Among the speakers was Labour MP Anas Sarwar for Glasgow Central who initiated meetings with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Patrick Harvie, Green Party MSP in Glasgow who has gained cross party support in the Scottish Parliament for human rights in The Gambia; Kate Temple of Amnesty International whose organisation has published an update to their report on 'Climate of Fear' in the Gambia which details enforced disappearances, killings and torture of journalists.
Austin Sheridan an elected Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament who said his Party, SNP, had united with the others on the human rights issue in The Gambia and would fight 'shoulder to shoulder' with people there.
The Campaign is also strongly supported by the National Union of Journalists which is working through the STUC and the TUC to encourage other unions to do the same.
Source: Localnewsglasgow.co.uk

Gambia Affairs:Gambia:Libyan Envoy To Zimbabwe Expelled For Burning Flag

2011-09-03T18:11:00.001Z

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/news/africa/52122/libyan-envoy-to-zimbabwe-expelled.html?utm_source=thezim&utm_medium=homepage&utm_campaign=listarticle&utm_content=headinglink

The Foreign ministry said it had declared Ambassador Taher Elmagrahi, in Libya's Harare embassy 'persona non grata' and ordered him and his family to leave Zimbabwe.Diplomatic sources said Elmagrahi argued against the decision, saying this would send him and his wife to a country in civil war.
Foreign ministry permanent secretary Joey Bimha said the ambassador no longer had any business in Harare because he has broken ranks with the man who sent him here.
Harare opposed military intervention in Libya and NATO's air raid on Gaddafi's forces, and has steadfastly stood with Gaddafi, who has helped prop up President Mugabe's Zanu PF.
Zimbabwe has flatly refused to recognize the legitimacy of Libya's rebel council.
On Wednesday, Libya's ambassador in Zimbabwe joined his fellow countrymen to burn the effigy of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and hoisted the flag of the rebels that have seized power in Tripoli.
"From today, August 24, we follow the Libyan majority, the Libyan people, through our National Transitional Authority," Ambassador Taher Elmagrahi told reporters outside the embassy in down town Harare. "We are here representing the Libyan people and not Gaddafi. I am not Gaddafi's ambassador. I represent the Libyan people."
Embassy staff and Libyan nationals sang freedom songs while others honked car horns while burning Gaddafi's green flag at the offices just next to the Financial Gazette's office.
Locals also joined in chanting down the "dictator" Gaddafi. The hoisting of the red, black and green independence flag was met with wild applause and cheers.
The celebration came a day after rebels stormed Gaddafi's compound and looted his palace in Tripoli. The transitional authority has received widespread backing.

Wilf Mbanga

The Zimbabwean
P O Box 248 Hythe SO45 4WX, UK
Tel/fax +44 (0)2380 848 694
Mobile - +44 (0)7963963547
email: mbanga@thezimbabwean.co.uk
www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Gambia Affairs:Gambia:Deconstructing Press Freedom

2011-09-03T17:43:00.001Z

GLENDA DANIELS | JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

Young activists of the Freedom of the Press group wear T-shirts with their logo as they give out leaflets in Kyiv.

To really discuss media freedom, we have to first scrutinise what we mean by freedom. Philosophy is important because it should inform practice. Take your time to think, Aristotle sagely advised, before you act.
Unfortunately journalists are always on a deadline treadmill, so there isn't too much time to stop and think. The concept "media freedom" begs the questions freedom from whom and from what?
Let's take philosopher Isaiah Berlin's definition of freedom. Why consider a liberal philosopher? He's appropriate, given the nature of our liberal cum social democratic Constitution.
Freedom can never be an unqualified absolute as this could translate into anarchy, not what media freedom proponents desire. Berlin theorised two freedoms: negative and positive. ''Freedom from'' would be the negative, as in the absence of constraint and unnecessary interference from the State in our lives.
''Freedom to'' would be the positive, as in freedom to gain opportunities, such as education and economic freedom, which would then give one time to think and to express -- a privilege of the elite when they engage in debates in newspapers.
In his famous treatise on the Two Concepts of Liberty Berlin wrote: "for the positive sense of liberty (which he used interchangeably with freedom) comes to light if we try to answer the question, not 'What am I free to do or be? but 'By whom am I ruled?' or 'Who is to say what I am, and what I am not, to be or do? Let us apply this to the media and freedom, with the background context of responsibility, accountability, as well as plurality and diversity.
Criticisms of the media
Criticism of the print media emanate from a few angles. The ANC accuses newspapers of inaccurate and negative reporting and of inadequate-if any-coverage on the good programmes of government. To the SACP, the media are "capitalist bastards" (see Blade Nzimande in Red Alert last year) just interested in sensational headlines which sell papers.

There is considerable sympathy from some NGOs and sections of left-wing academe the government critiques: that there is a "class bias" and that rural struggles are ignored, that there is a focus on the elite, that generally the press is not terribly relevant to the majority of South Africans and that it is a sector controlled and constrained by commercial interests. There is also the widespread misconception that owners and publishers tell journalists what to write.

Fact and fiction
The fact that is there is a concentration of ownership with four big companies dominating the media landscape: Independent, Caxton, Avusa and Media24. While the concentration ought to be dismantled, ideally, it does not translate into just a few views in the media. There is a separation between editorial and ownership. But we have knee jerk, ill-informed reactions that black journalists are slaves to white capital, that there is a conspiracy, and even that journalists club together to share information.
There is a substantial array of views, voices and perspectives in commercial and community newspapers in South Africa, but there is always room for more. It could also be argued that the reason for the focus on these elites is because they are the culprits who have to be held to account for the public's money. The media does also highlight struggles of the poor, for example classrooms with no desks and books, xenophobic attacks on vulnerable people, and service delivery protests. But the problem is that we move on too quickly to the next sexy news item and tend not to go back to the community we covered.
What's to be done?
Some reflection is needed on how to solve the impasse between antagonists of the press and the press itself, but, first we must accept that given the nature of democracy constant contestations and tensions -- it is never going to be a comfortable, intimate in-bed relationship.
Accepting tensions does not entail using the state security state apparatus to tape or bug journalists phones, nor arrest them for no reason, as in the case last year of Sunday Times investigative reporter Mzilikazi wa Afrika. The tensions in society are reflected in the press, not created as figments of imagination of journalists. The media need to help government and the public understand what happens in newsrooms and how the news production process works.
News is news, and the public is entitled to hear about the shenanigans of the powerful. Regarding access to the media: is it the media itself that is preventing the majority of South Africans from having access to the media and media products? When a journalist writes it is his or her wish for as many people as possible to read that article, but newspapers are expensive when families have other priorities.
Journalists can engage in good journalism to push the government to deliver on education, can continue to expose corruption and to encourage the private sector to invest in education and social development instead of on profits. Then more people could enter the newspaper reading market and engage in debates which affect their lives.
Lastly, journalists could become more vigilant and concerned. In the main, they seem rather disengaged about the media freedom space being whittled away, quite at odds with the ANC's accusation of "hysteria" about their freedom. This is no time to be complacent. We need to reflect, link up with civil society organisations and take action to show we treasure the freedom that we have.
Glenda Daniels serves on the national working group of Right2Know.

Source: Mail & Guardian Online
Web Address: http://mg.co.za/article/2011-08-26-deconstructing-press-freedom

Gambiaaffairs:Gambia:Support The Whistle Protest Movement in Iran

2011-08-30T01:07:00.001Z

Dear Sir/Madam

We would like to invite you to join our Facebook page supporting Iranian people's protest called the whistle protest movement, which has been offered and organized by Iranian National Civil Resistance and Disobedience (I.N.C.R.D) party.

We are an Independent political party who aims to organize National Civil Resistance and Civil Disobedience against the Islamic Republic.

We are not a militant party and are strictly against resorting to any kind of violence in our tactics.
We are striving for a Democratic, Secular, and Free Iran.

Our strategy is to break down the obstacles erected by the Islamic Republic Regime which isolates the Iranians from the rest of the world; i.e the wall of religion and superstition.

By joining our face book page and supporting the event you will receive latest news at the same page from inside Iran regarding the whistle protest movement.
Facebook page / http://www.facebook.com/iranwpm

With best regards

Bardia Sepand
Spokesman

For Press Inquiries' contact: incrd@hotmail.com
Iranian National Civil Resistance and Disobedience
I.N.C.R.D
www.facebook.com/iranwpm

Gambia Affairs:Gambia:Who Is Telling The Truth: Editor Jobe or You Nanama’s Lawyer Grills Editor Sallah

2011-08-24T13:09:00.001Z

Source:Daily News

Assan Sallah admits that his evidence in court is not in tandem with exhibit A1 and A2 tendered by the defense

Mr Assan Sallah, news editor of The Daily Observer newspaper was offered to referee which one is the truth: his side of the story or the dissimilar version of his immediate boss, Mr Alagie Jobe, the deputy editor- in- chief. And he decided in his favour, but did not make mention of his boss.'
The young editor, who doubles as the president of young journalists in The Gambia was giving testimony on Tuesday against fired co-worker, Mr Nanama Keita, who is facing false information trial at the magistrates' court in Banjul.
The former deputy editor and head of sports desk of the pro-government newspaper is alleged to have presented false information by claiming wrongful termination of his engagement when he petitioned The Daily Observer Company to the Office of the President.
Editor Keita however denied any wrongdoing.
"Between Jobe and yourself who is telling the truth," his lawyer Neneh Cham-Chongan questioned Mr Sallah when he said that Nanama was present at a meeting that was prompted by a publication on Freedom, a Gambian online newspaper based in U.S, which alleges financial malpractices by Mr Pa Malick Faye, the managing director.
"I am telling the truth," responded Mr Sallah, who appeared as state witness no.2 and his testimony came after that of his boss,' Mr Jobe, the prime state witness.
"I put it you that you are not telling the truth because Alagie Jobe had said that my client was never invited at the first meeting," defense lawyer Neneh Cham charged, but Mr Sallah declined to give in.
Sallah said, he was present when a search was being conducted to find out who fed Freedom Newspaper. He denied that, Mr Keita was asked to sign in into his personal account. This, according to lawyer Cham is a distinct account with that of Alagie Jobe's.
"Would you be surprised that Alagie Jobe told the court that the accused had logged in and his e-mail account was searched thoroughly, but nothing was found about Freedom newspaper," the defense lawyer enquired.
"No," replied Mr Sallah, who went further to deny that Mr Keita former office, was opened when the Observer office complex was being refurbished.
"Your statement," lawyer Cham put to him, "oh! Freedom oh! Sherriff Bojang' is a complete fabrication and my client was never given the Quran to swear." Mr Sallah however, maintained his point.
On whether or not Nanama was a deputy editor- in- chief of the company, Mr Sallah said, "Not to my knowledge."
"Are you telling this court that your managing director was lying when he says in the attestation that the accused was the deputy editor-in-chief," Neneh asked further and Sallah replied: "No."
Neneh went on: "And did anybody hold that position without you knowing." Assan replied: "No."
The trial resumes August 31, 2011.

Author: Binta A Bah

Gambia Affairs:Gambia:‘Poverty Level Remains High in The Gambia’

2011-08-24T12:42:00.001Z

Source:The Point newspaper

It is forty six years after independence and there is ample evidence that The Gambia is still grappling with key development challenges, despite the numerous gains that are being registered. The 'poverty level remains high amidst other disturbing indicators in the areas of maternal and infant mortality, HIV/AIDS prevalence and in hygiene and sanitation', Yankuba Dibba, board chairperson of TANGO has said.

Dibba, who was speaking yesterday at the launching of the TANGO Policy Dialogue held at the TANGO office in Kanifing, opined that the provision of quality, affordable and accessible social services such as education, health care and utilities add to these challenges.

He underscored his office's appreciation of the efforts of the government and its development partners in the drive towards achieving national development objectives.

The TANGO policy dialogue provides a unique opportunity for policy and decision makers, researchers, and students, development workers, journalists and the general populace in accessing relevant and up-to-date information on key development issues about The Gambia and world.

Held under the theme: "Rethinking National Development – from Outputs to Outcomes", the launching of the policy dialogue also coincided with a forum discussion among stakeholders.

The discussions, among others, focused on an analytical overview of the Gambia's development process and roadmap from independence to date in order to highlight the successes registered and the challenges encountered, so as to chat a way forward.

This, officials said, will raise the question as to how well the economy has created the necessary enabling environment to reflect the fact that the private sector is considered the main engine of growth, and responsible for the generation of national wealth and employment.

According to Dibba, the policy dialogue has been deliberately conceived to add value to these efforts, by focusing on knowledge creation and dissemination as a catalyst in the country's drive towards national development.

Also speaking at the launching was Ousman Yarbo, Executive Director of TANGO, who said the policy dialogues are quarterly interactive discussions aimed at bringing together experts from policy institutions, development organizations, academia, civil society, and the private sector.

Yabo urged for both individual and collective participation, which he added is key to the policy dialogues.

Benjamin A Roberts, Director of Business and Export Development at the Gambia Investment and Export Promotion Agency, who was the keynote speaker during the dialogue, made a presentation on the "Overview of national development- challenges, prospects and lessons".

In his presentation, Benjamin among others gave a comprehensive economic development plan of 1975- 1986 down to Vision 2020: 1996- 2020, giving challenges, prospects and lessons from Vision 2020 and the post independence economy of The Gambia.

Mod A. Secka, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, who also presented on "Beyond PRSP: What lessons to learn for prospect and challenges in the attainment of PAGE", said government has recognized the important roles NGOs play and will continue to create the enabling environment for them to grow and flourish.

This, he said, is recognized in the country's Vision 2020 and the medium-term plans such as the PRSP II and the Programme for Accelerated Growth and Employment (PAGE).

Bai Matarr Drammeh, President of the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also presented a paper on the topic "The private sector and national development - are they compatible?" whilst Momodou B. Sarr, Executive Director of the National Environment Agency presented on the topic "Climate change: what policy, institutional and technical requirements are necessary for adoptability as a way forward for The Gambia."

According to the GCCI President, the private sector is concerned with multiple sets of actions and commitments conducive to investment, especially in the production sectors as the basis of social and economic development, supported by inclusive government policies for economic growth through development of productive trade capacities. With this, he opined, employment opportunities will be available.

Author: S.M.K. Marenah & Fatoumatta Jawara

Gambia Affairs:Gambia:Freedom Fighters Gain Full Control Of The Airport In Tripoli

2011-08-23T16:09:00.001Z

Freedom Fighters Gain Full Control of the Airport in Tripoli

From: Libyanym | Aug 23, 2011 | 313 views

August 22, 2011 Freedom Fighters from the Zintan Brigade secure Tripoli International. Gaddafi's A340 presidential Airbus A340 seen here.

Hay Al Andalus in Tripoli liberated

Uploaded by Libyanym on Aug 23, 2011

Revolutionaries storm the home of Aisha Gaddafi

3:35 p.m. Rebels reportedly storm the house of Aisha Gaddafi

New footage uploaded by the Libyan Youth Movement purportedly shows rebel forces storming the home of Gaddafi's daughter, Aisha Gaddafi. Aisha, a lawyer and Gaddafi's only biological daughter, runs Libya's largest charity. She was also a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. Development Programme before her role was canceled at the start of the the government crackdown. Aisha's whereabouts are unknown. Watch the video:

Gambia Affairs:Gambia:Human Rights Defender's Case Set For Judgment‏

2011-08-23T13:25:00.001Z

Is Richards a victim of judicial harassment

The Magistrate court in Banjul Monday set 12 September as the judgment date in the protracted criminal case of a human rights lawyer, Moses Richards. He was earlier this year charged with two counts of giving false information to the Sheriff of The Gambia while acting on behalf of his client. He vehemently denied all the charges.

Monday's proceeding witnessed the adoption of written briefs by both the state prosecutor and the defence. Richards, former High Court Judge and now a private legal practitioner is facing criminal charges of giving false information to a public officer before Principal Magistrate Taiwo Alagbe of the Banjul Magistrates Court. The charges are as follow: Count one stated that Moses Richards, on 6th November 2010 at Banjul, knowingly gave false information to the Sheriff of The Gambia to wit that His Excellency the President of The Gambia has ordered the stay of execution of the writ of possession in civil suit No 349/92 B No.28, with intent to cause the Sheriff of The Gambia to stop the execution of the said writ of possession.

Count two read that Moses Richards, on 6th November at Banjul, published a letter to the Sheriff of The Gambia, stating that His Excellency the President of the Republic has ordered a stay of execution of a writ of possession in civil suit No 349 B No.28, with intent to bring into contempt the person of the said President.

It would be recollected that the arrest and subsequent prosecution of former Justice Richards triggered a stiff reaction from the Gambia Bar Association. Members of the Bar boycotted the courts for three day in solidarity with their colleague who is charged with a criminal offence whilst serving the interest of his client.