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Momodou
Denmark
11634 Posts |
 Posted - 18 Aug 2010 : 17:48:59
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Foroyaa Editorial: HAS THE PRESIDENT PARDONED PRISONERS AS ANNOUNCED? The President should investigate
By Publisher on 18-08-10
When the six journalists were pardoned they were visited by the Minister of Interior and the whole encounter was broadcast over GRTS. Foroyaa calls on the state to adopt the same procedures with all other prisoners who are pardoned.
The following names are included among those who have been pardoned by the President, namely, Cherno Baldeh and Amadou Jallow.The President should find out whether they have been released.
Secondly, he should find out whether the following were still imprisoned when he announced the pardon or had been discharged by the courts, namely , Edrissa Baldeh,Mohammed Jah, Mohammed Saidy, Shiek Sowe, Samba Kah and Ousman Jallow.
Frankly speaking when the news came that some people had been released in connection with Ramadan, many Gambians including our very selves thought that top in the least would be Femi Peters. Femi was incarcerated just before Easter, a very significant Christian occasion. Hence it would have been symbolic if he was pardoned during Ramadan.
The Constitution of the Gambia which provides the President with the provision to be able to exercise prerogative of mercy knows that there are times when the courts act according to the dictates of laws which needs amendment or repeal since they no longer accord with the standards of best practice in democratic governance. Under such circumstances exercising prerogative of mercy would prevent miscarriage of justice.
In modern societies governments take pride in being pressured by pressure groups to do what is in the interest of the people. They also respect the opinions of other Governments.
If Governments are not supposed to listen to other governments, why would the Gambia Government invite the parties from Bissau to come to the Gambia for talks? No nation can function as an Island in this world.
Hence failing to do what is right just to show that one cannot be pressured to do so would only lead to moral decadence. People want a government which listens.
Everyone knows that a call from Foroyaa for Femi to be released is not sufficient to put pressure on the President to release him. Only a person with conscience could be influenced to do well. We therefore hope that the religious leaders of the country would take the initiative to see the President so that during this Ramadan Femi will be united with his family and his party members. This will strengthen the integrity of the religious leaders and the foundation of the multiparty system. Let the freedom to battle for the hearts and minds of the people be the basis of a peaceful multiparty political contest.
Source: Foroyaa Editorial
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11634 Posts |
Posted - 21 Aug 2010 : 12:43:37
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Foroyaa Editorial: Ministry of Interior and NGO AFFAIRS Clarifies and Foroyaa Rectifies Editorial
By Publisher on 20-08-10
The Foroyaa Editorial of 18 - 19 August was a bit controversial because of the Heading, “Has the President Pardoned Prisoners AS Announced?” Foroyaa only raised questions. The whole morning of the 18th was spent waiting for promises from the Office of the President to get the Press Release which was the only authentic source. Unfortunately it was not received until we went to press. The Editorial was published in good faith and it was designed to get the state to clear the air on the information that is circulating. The Ministry of the Interior wrote to Foroyaa to question the rationale of publishing such an Editorial since the act of pardoning convicted criminals is one of “magnanimity that is nurtured and dispensed by the appreciation of the need for people incarcerated to be given the requisite opportunities and impetus to redeem themselves and consequently to judiciously contribute to the developmental aspirations of their respective countries.”
Foroyaa is deeply touched by this comment and would like it to be known that it had no intention to question the magnanimity of the act or the integrity of the beneficiaries. Foroyaa knows what incarceration and freedom means. Foroyaa received information and raised concerns for the state to investigate. Since the Ministry has insisted that Mr Cherno Baldeh, Mohammed Jah, Shiek Sowe and Samba Kah were not among the list pardoned and that the pardon was done in connection with the July 22 Anniversary and not the holy month of Ramadan Foroyaa concedes to retract the Editorial and calls on its sources to give the type of information that could not be subjected to any rebuttal.
The letter indicated that the Ministry of the Interior is not obliged to by any constitutional stipulation to parade prisoners who have been pardoned before television Cameras as evidence of actual execution of directives emanating from the office of the President.
Foroyaa must also be fair to the Ministry and could understand what motivated the response which we would make public if the author wants us to publish it. However it was simply recommending television broadcast to clear doubts.
The Managing Editor of Foroyaa will visit the Ministry to give them the information available and get further clarification so that they would know that the paper is committed to the publication of the truth in good faith in the public interest and is not interested in disregarding the ethics of the profession. It would not hesitate to rectify any error in judgment if it is misled in any way.
Source: Foroyaa Online |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 21 Aug 2010 : 17:34:05
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“magnanimity that is nurtured and dispensed by the appreciation of the need for people incarcerated to be given the requisite opportunities and impetus to redeem themselves and consequently to judiciously contribute to the developmental aspirations of their respective countries.”
Simple is good. |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 21 Aug 2010 17:35:04 |
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