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Momodou
Denmark
11833 Posts |
 Posted - 10 Jul 2007 : 18:36:55
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Foroyaa Editorial
BASIRU GASSAMA TEACHES THE ETHICS OF JOURNALISM
FOROYAA AND THE JAMMEH GOVERNMENT CAN BOTH LEARN
In the 6 July 2007 issue of the Daily Observer, Basiru Gassama, a prosecution witness in Fatou Jaw Manneh's trial, expressed his opinion that the reporter failed to stick to the tenets of this noble profession. He said that the author's manner of reporting is a calculated attempt to defame and undermine his personality.
Basiru questions the reporter's impartiality and fairness. He is therefore teaching everyone operating in the public domain in the public interest to be displaying impartiality and fairness in the dispensation of their public duties.
Basiru wrote "If the defense counsel asks annoying and provocative questions that I think were irrelevant to the case, it is natural for me to shout. As a journalist you are under obligation to stick to the relevant issues and not petty things that have no place in the newsroom and even the court room."
We thank Basiru for his criticism. It is taken in good faith. He does not want his personality to be injured and we have no intention to do so. The reporters are schooled to report the truth of what had transpired in court in good faith in the public interest. We will publish any facts that differ with our reporters' if our attention is drawn to it.
It is important for Basiru to understand that while he was in court to testify "what he knows about the Gambia's democracy and development under the leadership of President Yahya Jammeh" the accused was in court to defend her personal liberty which was at stake. She also is in need of impartial witnesses who have no partisan biases and who are there to answer all questions truthfully in good faith in the public interest.
As an expert in court procedure, we hope he was indeed helping the court to get to the truth about Gambia's development when he responded that he did not know the state of the Soma Basse Road, Serrekunda Sukuta Road, Barra Amdallai, Sukuta Jabang and others mentioned by the Counsel for the defence. We hope he would also agree that while journalists should publish the truth in good faith in the public interest; witnesses in court should also speak the truth in good faith in the public interest. We are also bound by the same ethical principle if we are all to live in peace and freedom.
His vituperative assertions against the reporter have not been reciprocated. It is accepted as the exercise of the right of self defense.
In our view, what safeguards ethics is the weapon of criticism and self criticism. This is also what safeguards a democratic and tolerant society. We hope the APRC regime will learn from Basiru that one can fight words with words.
We also hope that the Jammeh Government will learn from Foroyaa that those who scrutinize the behaviours of others should not be intolerant of scrutiny.
We, therefore, hope that as the number of people being released from detention increases, cases where government can combat words with words will be removed from our courts and the laws providing for them from our statute books. A government should be a servant and not a master or commander. A government which behaves like a master or commander is always intolerant to criticism and is very quick in causing the arrest, detention and disappearance of its critiques.
Instead of stamping out criticism it amplifies it to a global scale. Words are inflamed by words. Words are also calmed by words. We hope Basiru's cause to defend his personality has been served by our words to acknowledge his concerns.
The road to eternal peace is fair play and justice.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No.79/2007, 9-10 July, 2007
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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