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Nyarikangbanna
United Kingdom
1382 Posts |
 Posted - 04 Nov 2011 : 13:17:57
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If you can’t endure seeing your leaders criticized, call it a day!
Dear sister Fatou,
Let me commend your efforts and professional journalism which I find quite inspirational to say the least. You have
taken the Gambian journalism to a whole new level. I, therefore, urge all other online papers to follow suit your
neutrality and adherence to the ethics of journalism.
After several attempts to harness my pen so as not to venture into any political discourse online for the fear of reprisal
from the cyber warriors of our political parties, here I find myself overpowered by the mighty of the pen and,
consequently, had to register a few observations regarding the recent developments on your paper. But first, let me
assure your valuable readership that I’m an independent minded individual who speaks his mind and not affiliated to
any political parties in the Gambia. The only election I’ve participated in so far was 1996.
Fatou, I really find the PDOIS party supporters touchy and intolerable so to speak. We all recall the days when the UDP
leader lawyer Ousainou Darbo was harshly criticized and called all names; he was often portrayed as timid, tribalist,
UDP is a Mandinka party etc. This character assassination and smearing campaign is often championed by none other
than the PDOIS warriors, some in disguise. There were times when they made us believed that the UDP doesn’t have
what it takes to be the successor in waiting. Yet, no one heard a single UDP supporter accused your paper of being a
propaganda machine for the PODIS. In fact, they kept business as usual as we continue to read their valuable
contributions; for example poems by Suntou Touray. Let’s give credit where is due!!!
But as opinions start gradually uniting around the UDP to be the eligible opposition flag bearer in the upcoming
elections, the PDOIS also starts showing its true color; reactionary, intolerable and allergic to criticism. You can imagine
the brute fury in which some of them reacted when Mathew hit the nail on the head. The new name he acquired was
The Hater of PDOIS. Can’t they remember that Mathew has leveled criticisms against the UDP and their leader as well
as other political parties on several occasions not out of grudge or disgust but for the wanting of effecting tangible
changes on the political ground in the Gambia? His intentions are to contribute to the cause of the long awaited change
in the Gambia. Change in the Gambia is the urgency of now. It is the reality Gambians don’t want to miss this
time around. If the change we are yearning for could be effected through the UDP as the largest opposition
party why not joining our hands and rallying behind them for the sake of the Gambia? This is not about
Mathew criticizing PDOIS or Fatou publishing UDP contributions, this is the widely held view among
Gambians now. We’re pissed off folks!!!
And Opposition parties should be willing to take constructive criticisms from the people of know in good faith, from the
people whose mandate they are seeking if they are to survive. If they start muffling the liberal voices, as in the case of
PDOIS today, what do you expect of them when they assume power? After all, democracy including, freedom of
expression is what these political parties pledge to deliver once they ascend the throne. Unfortunately, their actions
suggest the contrary. At least PDOIS has been behaving as if they are the only ones capable of rescuing the Gambia
from its current predicament and that people must buy theirs dictates or else the nation will sink. Their intolerance has
raised the eyebrows of many as we speak. In fact, the painful slap on the face came from coach, Pa Samba Jowo, who
blatantly accused maafanta.com of being a UDP propaganda machine. His is quite shocking because he shouldn’t have
been carried away by emotions as a member of STGDP if my memory serves me right.
I should tell you that if people’s gender, tribe or political affiliation is to be identified through the work they do everyone
else will fail to identify Fatou Jaw Manneh’s simply because the lady has been operating with the highest degree of
professionalism and objectivity. The PDOIS write ups featured on maafanta.com far more outnumbered that of UDP’s or
any other party. I hope you don’t take the readership for fools. We are watching, too! If you cannot thank this lady for
her wonderful job, please stay mute. I’m not surprised to see Jabou demanding her name to be off mafaanta.com, why?
Because “ As a registered member of PDOIS and an ardent supporter of the party as well as someone who shares their
views, programs and aspirations for our country and every Gambian, I think it is best that I am not affiliated or deemed
to be affiliated with any paper at this time in order to avoid finding myself in the strange position of appearing to
subscribe to views that would be at odds with my party's position, or views that center on vilifying or demeaning our
party or its leaders.”
How about that cheap excuse and the timing of its publication?! My advice to political parties in the Gambia is that if you
can’t endure seeing your leaders criticized (and not vilified) call it a day! We all see how Obama is being handled by the
critics. You should know better. PDOIS fans, I’m simply speaking up my humble mind. I know that your warriors are
sharpening their weapons and will strike back violently but this is what one expects of PDOIS today.
I put my case to rest.
Thanks Fatou
The Observer
Source;maafanta.com
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I do not oppose unity but I oppose dumb union. |
Edited by - Nyarikangbanna on 04 Nov 2011 13:18:32 |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 11 Nov 2011 : 11:03:37
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AL JAWARA ON MAAFANTA EDITORS AND FATOU JAW MANNEH;
You deserve my utmost respect….even though I sometimes disagree with you
"Hello Editor,
As you may have known from some of the articles I published on your well read newspaper, I have disagreements with some of your thoughts on the political problems back home especially in the opposition camp. But I can’t express how much respect I also have for you and your integrity in doing just service to dissenting views. Since the opposition debacle started in our country and rightly causing so much frustration to many good citizens who yearn for an end to Jammeh dictatorship, you have taken a balanced position on your thoughts and writings and have opened your paper to a platform for dissenting views.
I was very happy with the fact that you saw a problem with the uncompromising nature of Halifa in this whole ordeal and therefore wrote a poem ‘Halifa can’t you see’ asking him to reason with what you think is necessary for him to do. Although some of my fellow PDOIS militants end up attacking your paper for being another mouth piece of the UDP, but I think they were mistaken. They forget that you are a human being and therefore you are obliged to make a determination of your own and take positions on any issues of interest. I don’t believe in absolute neutrality as a characteristic of any person and whoever pretends to be neutral on an issue s/he is so passionate about, is the biggest hypocrite you can ever find anywhere. I can say with clear certainty that Maafanta is a platform for dissenting views and therefore a champion of dialogue and conversation
I have been readings most of the online newspapers for the past few months and I can’t help but commend your paper for consistently publishing articles from different people with contradicting views irrespective of whether they agree with you or not. In reacting to magistrate Darboes piece on ‘pact of three pygmies’ published on your paper and that of Freedom newspaper, I sent my article to both freedomnewspaper and Maafanta and up to today only your paper have published it. There was a third article from one person in Scotland that you edited before publishing because I believe the person think insulting people who disagree with him is the way to win arguments - the old African nightmare that cause people to fight in order to settle a dispute. Does that not tell me a lot about your character as a profound journalist with great degree of integrity? Before that, I also sent my reaction attaching the premise of your poem ‘Halifa can’t you see’ and the following morning it was on your website. Fatou Jaw Manneh, as I like to call you, you have proved to me that you are true to the principles of quality journalism no matter how painful or not painful it is to you. Talk is cheap, and the true character of a person is tested not by mere dealings with people s/he share the same views with, but also being able to withstand criticism and embracing dissenting views from those you disagree with. Dr. Ayittey ask this metaphorical question in one of his presentations: ‘Why is it that any change of power in Africa is a mere replacement of one dictator with another?’ The answer lies in the character of the people we thought we know when we actually didn’t.
Please continue to keep the doors of Maafanta open to everyone!" |
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