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Momodou
Denmark
11634 Posts |
 Posted - 31 Mar 2006 : 21:56:11
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Editorial
BAPTISM OF FIRE FOR THE INDEPENDENT
The Irony of the arrest and detention of the Managing Director of The Independent Newspaper and its Editor-in-Chief is that they are detained at a time when there are arrests and detentions of people in connection with an alledged coup plot. This tends to give the impression that their arrest is in connection with the alledged coup plot. The law states that within three hours after an arrest the detainee should be told why he is arrested and given access to his family. We have spoken to the wives of Mr. Ceesay and Mr. Saidy Khan and they are yet to see their husbands. The lawyers are yet to have access. The state needs to act with immediacy to comply with the constitutional provisions.
Furthermore, journalists should be concerned with the condition of detention of the two. Are they in cells? Are they being given breakfast, lunch and dinner? Are they having opportunity to take bath and change their clothes? If their family members are not allowed to see them no one can be sure what is happening to them.
What is however ironical is that The Independent had come out very strongly against what all coup d’etats do as not to be seen to be hypocritical in their position. This position is that of the Constitutive Act of the African Union. Foroyaa hopes that this is not the reason for the arrest. The President and the Secretaries of State for The Interior and Justice need to keep track of the arrests and detentions to avoid any form of abuse. Many families are complaining that their right to visit prisoners is being curtailed because of the detention of military personnel at Mile Two. Some lawyers have complained that the prison administration failed to bring their clients to court because of being preoccupied with the present situation. The rights and welfare of people should be uppermost to those who wield public authority. Section 1 subsection (2) of the Constitution states that “The sovereignty of The Gambia resides in the people of The Gambia from whom all organs of government derive their authority and in whose name and for whose welfare and prosperity the powers of government are to be exercised in accordance with this constitution.” Power should be exercised to promote the general welfare, the welfare of all detainees included.
Foroyaa is concerned that the 72 hour limit for detention without trial is honoured for all detainees. A Government should take more pride in defending the rights of citizen than in sustaining itself in office.
The Independent Arrest and Closure
On Monday 27th March at night the Editor-in-chief of The Independent Newspaper, Mr. Saidykhan was arrested at his home. On Tuesday morning, members of the Police Intervention Unit occupied the premises of The Independent and arrested employees who reported for work, including the Managing Director, Mr. Madi Ceesay. At the time of going to press, all of them, except the Managing Director and the Editor-in-chief, were released; the premises is still occupied by security forces; the employees have been instructed to stay away; they were in the custody of the Major Crimes Unit of the Police Force; they have not had access to their families. No statement or reason has been given for their arrest.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 24/2006, 30 March- 2 April 2006
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 01 Apr 2006 : 01:38:51
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| These terror and intimidation existed throughout Yaya's take-over and existence of the APRC. There is ni operative constitution a nd injustice have been the norm. A Police state exist and all sundry within government pretend to be very loyal to the President or else we all know what will happen next to you and your family. Yaya and his agents are capitalising on the situation to decapitate all opponents and those trying to exposed his misdeeds through the media and his political weaknesses to the outside world. Its rather unfortunate that most of those who attempted to overthrow him had there time with him allowing themselves to be used for his cleaning job. Yankuba is lucky to be back because he want to use him again at a crucial time for him to manipulate winning the elections again. Sana Sabally, Baba Jobe, Lie Conteh amongst others were proper disciples of Yaya but with all their previous sacrifices look at them today suffering like many commoners. Moreso the lucky ones are still alive today. There are different political persuasions but APRC felt all Gambians should support Yaya or suffer the consequences. Why can't the masses mobilise with common interests to demonstrate and denounce any petitions against the injustices, terror, intimidation, enslavement and dictorship. I must confess that we are all guilty of hypocricy and cowardice as we all know that there is a wicked system under the Jammeh's style of leadership that will continue to promote continuos conflicts and unrests. One day anybody from the top to the bottom could fall into this deadly trap. |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 01 Apr 2006 : 02:01:28
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Kobo
Just like your name sake, the posting is sweet but direct(bones). Keep it up. The situation cannot be explained anymore than you have done. |
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 01 Apr 2006 : 02:19:19
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| Enough is enough. "Yah bi jam naa la", "mai chaalo baari Bakau" We need to promote this forum to address genuine political issues and not giving us stale news. We are looking for solutions and how best to address the situation for a very advance society with good demcratic structures, justice system and good governance. What are the essence education, having a university and lots of schools and even the TV without using it for knowledge. We want to devolpment oriented foraa and stop hear rallying defections and other nasty campaining agendas. |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 01 Apr 2006 : 03:04:44
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Kobo
Gambia is really a mess. After all the efforts it looks like people dont know their problems. Well they will dance to their own tunes. Mass defections are not expected right now. Education is the problem. |
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
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sankalanka
270 Posts |
Posted - 01 Apr 2006 : 09:36:10
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Kobo,
After almost four decades we have to start somewhere. And what better time than this period when our country has gone through,and is still going through this minefield of political uncertainty and economic stagnation.
A country just like any other work of art can be built. Just like how the sculptor carves and model a piece of sculpture; and just like how the artist creates and bring to like a piece of art, a society also can be moulded and oriented to the fundamental precepts of human decency and dignity.
First, there are some basic values that needs to be cultivated. Uppermost, is the realization that as a human being one should not subject oneself to the degradation and exploitation by another human being. True, there are situations and conditions in which one human being degrades and exploit another human being. However, the challenge is to negate those situations and conditions, and create an equitable and just system that makes it harder for degradation and expolitation to thrive. Every human being must be equip with the tools that will safeguard his/her needs and aspirations and make them masters of their own destiny. This is where the deliberate and conscious process of building a nation begins.
The building of a nation should not be an accident. It should be a deliberate and conscious process, guided by the fundamental principles of self dicipline, sacrifice, selflessness, compassion, and all the other norms and values that brings out the best in our humanity.
With these objectives we build the institutions and structures that will promote the common good, secure our liberties and prosperity, and expand the frontiers of knowledge that will liberate our minds and free our spirits, so that each can see the dignity and selfworth in their persons, and non would be a slave to another person.
Since our political and economic structures; our social and class structures militates against any semblance of good governance, social responsibilty and civil activitism, we have to break away from this culture and create a new one.
The opportunities are enormous. But then we have to make choices. Listen to those who want to guide the development and orientation of this process; this process of consciously and deliberately wanting to build a nation, and we can all make our choices.
Sankalanka |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 01 Apr 2006 : 10:39:25
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All of you have wonderful ideas and I do hope you have a good readership at home and those abroad. These issues are concerns on all citizens to be discussed independently with freedom of expressions, critically mindness and not suject ourselves to political affiliations or any divide and rule policy by being either APRC, UDP, NRP, NCP, NDP, PDOIS, PPP or NADD. The new horizon for us is to see ourselves as one Gambia one people one nation and that is the spirit of patriotism for a highly develope state. Some signs of development would be translated into proper accountability of state resources, a good political and socio-economic climate, democracy for good governance, justice system, education and above all freedom to operate within the limits of the law that maintains disciplne of the society at large for peace and stability. Lets avoid the next republic to be high-jack by any individual or certain elements of rogues who want corruption to continue forever in this beautiful haven of not only Africa but the whole world as we are a blessed small strip of land like kuwait. The resources can be exploited and rationalise to improve the welfare of all sundry through Agriculture and other sectors for a small population of under 5 million. There should be proper checks and balances within the constitution for anyone claiming leadership to be accountable and brought to justice through the state organs if they are properly constituted and made to be effective.
Please note that presently development is highly concentrated within Greater Banjul and serious urban drift is also part of the phenomena. We need also to review some statistics and demographic surveys of the population, make proper research of diferrent political differences, believes, lifestyle and culture to learn and re-orientate ourselves. However we need a scientific approach to address the situation and as the debate continues we would come up with proposals later. So don't give up its our challenge brothers and sisters. I believe a new breed of intellectuals should help with the re-orientation. Our neighbours Senegal although not a perfect system for us were inspired by Sheikh Anta Jobe, Sengore etc. |
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sankalanka
270 Posts |
Posted - 01 Apr 2006 : 15:37:18
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It is very important to bear in mind that politics is all about interest. But whose interest? This is why some of those who maintain and control the power structure do so at their own interest and other interest persuasions that they represent. This is also the reason why in a pluralistic society people form political parties and advance certain agendas, political and economic to which the people can identify and support.
But since our societies are made of people who share different loyalties: that is why a person can support one political party instead of another political party; share different ethnic groupings: the reason why political support at times is based on ethnicity, kinship and other such considerations; and also pure greed and opportunism: that is to which political group one's interest is best served; the only thing that is common to all these groups and groupings is what they share in common, and this is their shared destiny. They occupy a geographical space which no group can claim exclusive monopoly over.
Then comes the systems. Any different people whose interests are hostile to others to whom they share the same geographical space can breed anarchy and chaos. To reconcile all these differences, and to subordinate all these different interests to a common cause, requires the development of a system to which everyone is accountable; to which all the rules and regulations that everyone should abide by and agreed to are recognized. These are the principles and good intentions that governs constitutions. These constitutions set our national agendas and our national identities.
It is also important to note that a constitution is a declaration of intent. It can be subjected to abuse and disrespect. The only other time that a constitution can withstand the test of time is when it is owned and defended by the people. When the people are empowered and oriented to the principles and intentions of a consitution that recognizes the soverignity of the people as the legitimate basis for all power; it is then that power truly resides with them.
What we have now is a constitution that is repeated being voilated; a constitution that have certain obnoxious clauses which infringed on the democractic rights of the people. What we also have are political entities that are fragmented, underfunded, lack a coherent political ideology and hence a political and economic blueprint in which economic and social development can be premised.
Hence under these circumstances, the only reasonable thing to do is what NADD has intended to do. Forge a national alliance of all the interest groups and the political parties they support; wrestle the mantle of government from the ruling party, and set the stage for the rebirth of the nation by engaging in the deliberate and conscious process of building the nation. Set a rectification program by making the constitution as democractic as can be possible; create all the institutions and structures that will defend the liberties of the people and promote their interest, welfare and prosperity. And after the rectification program, and democracy is firmly established, then a pluralistic society can take a challenging and firm footing.
Yes, the Gambia can be developed, and we have the tools and human resources to do so. We have a great reservior of talents and skills that can be organized and geared towards a national enterprise and objective. Under the right conditions and circumstances, such Gambians will answer to the clarion call to rebuild their nation.
Sankalanka |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 02 Apr 2006 : 01:44:37
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| Let the debate continue and thanks for the contributions and good ideas. I plea to all fellow compatriots that we should all participate in Nation building and share our ideals in any critical, logical or intellectual form to address issues for our national development. However for selfish reasons some of us will never be convince to see the light on what is being advocated through such foraas. Thats the challenge incumbent upon all to face as the realities is an open book. |
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