Press Statement Press Statement: ECOWAS Court dismisses Gambian government objection. The ECOWAS Community Court hearing the case of torture brought by Musa Saidykhan, a Gambian journalist against the operatives of the Gambia’s notorious National Intelligence Agency (NIA), on June 30, 2009 dismissed the preliminary objections raised by the Gambian government, the defendant in the case.

Gambia's Atty. General Saine Firdaus, an expert in political deception

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Legal Analysis

‘Sedition’: The Magistrates' Courts and the unlawful assault on protected expression in The Gambia

By Lamin J. Darbo, London UK

As if to argue that His Excellency, Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh (the Professor) is entitled to some leeway in governmental lawlessness, they interpose the physical symbols of development - coastal roads, GRTS, Airport, the University - to excuse the persistent human rights violations long a fixture on the Gambian public landscape. 

David and Fiona Fulton far right with adopted Gambian daughter

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Letters to the Editor (unedited)

I was Never Exiled by the Jammeh Regime

Dear Editor,
I write to express my disappointment at your story captioned “Mathew K. Jallow Sends Open Protest Letter to ECOWAS Chief” authored by Mathew K. Jallow on June 25, 2009. My name “Cherno Kebbeh” is listed as one the Gambian journalists exiled by the Jammeh government between 1994 and 2009.

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Obituary Announcement.

The Sene-gambian Community of Madison, Wisconsin, in conjunction with the Bojang Kunda family of Brikama Sukuta Kunda, regret to announce the untimely death of their son, brother and Uncle Kebba Bojang. Kebba Bojang is the son of Sulayman Bojang and Aja Nyima Jatta. This sad event took place in Madison, Wisconsin, in the U.S.A on June 25^th. 2009.

An Account has been set up for the purpose of receiving donations.

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Mathew K. Jallow Protests  to ECOWAS Chief

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Breaking News Jammeh Appoints Lamin Waa Jawara Governor

By Ebrima G. Sankareh, Editor-In-Chief

Unimpeachable and highly placed sources within the corridors of state power say, President Yahya Jammeh has appointed his arch-political rival and vociferous critic, Lamin Waa Juwara as Governor of Lower River Region. He replaces Momodou Soma Jobe who was sacked a month ago. Juwara who is also leader of the opposition National Democratic Action Movement (NDAM) Party is

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7 Gambian Journalists Granted Bail

The seven GPU members charged with “conspiracy to publish seditious publication and publishing seditious information” were today, Monday 22 June 2009 granted bail at the sum of D200, 000 each with two Gambian sureties.

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Message of Solidarity for Gambia Press Union from GPU (UK)

The Gambia Press Union (UK) is aware of and paying very keen attention to current problems between President Yahya Jammeh and parent body of press in the country GPU under the stewardship of Ndey Tapha Sosseh. We understand that members of the Union along with the organisation’s adviser Mr. Sam Sarr have been rounded up, arrested and detained by persons identified as staff of National Intelligence Agency (NIA).

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Breaking News

“Jammeh Must Go!!” Says Cpt. Sana B. Sabally “Only fire can confront Jammeh’s evil regime"-Argues Sabally  

By Captain Sana-Bairo SABALLY (BAIRO/SB)

Lad’deh Nibbu‘ndeh-Deutschland/Germany

Captain Saba B. Sabally, one of the protagonists of the July, 22, 1994 military coup that swept away the constitutionally elected governemnt of Sir Dawda Jawara and went on to become the junta’s Vice Chairman (VP) has expressed his detemination to unseat President Yahya Jammeh through violent means. “Some have concern about violence. I have argued that because we are confronting an evil regime, fire must be used against fire” argues Sabally who has reportedly visited The Gambia

Cpt. Sana B. Sabally. Former AFPRC Vice  Chairman

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Breaking News Halifa & Abba Granted Bail, 7 Remanded at Mile 2,

--NIA Hunts Buya Jammeh & Fabakary Ceesay

By Ebrima G. Sankareh, Editor-In-Chief

Highly placed Police sources have reported to The Gambia Echo that, Messrs. Halifa Sallah and Abba Gibba, publisher of the Foroyaa newspaper and Assistant News Editor for The Point newspaper respectively, have been granted bail this morning. They were both required to provide two forms of Gambian identification cards.

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US Based Gambian Democracy Movement Condemns Arrest of Journalists

Movement for Democracy and Development
P. O. Box 500
Bronx, NY 10453
Email: modegam2006@yahoo.com

June 18, 2009

Unlawful arrest and continuous incommunicado detention of GPU officials: Mr. Emil Touray, Ms. Sarata Jabbi-Dibba, Pa Modou Faal, Mr. Pap Saine, Mr. Ebrima Sawaneh, Mr. Sam Sarr, Mr. Abubacarr Saidy Khan, Mr. Halifa Sallah and Mr. Abba Gibba is unconstitutional

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Breaking News

Halifa Sallah, Abba Gibba Arrested

--Sarr, Touray & Faal at RVTH for treatment

By Ebrima G. Sankareh, Editor-In-Chief

Unassailable and highly placed sources within the corridors of State House say that Hon. Halifa Sallah, the former Minority Leader in the Gambian Parliament and Presidential candidate in the 2006 election for the National Alliance for Democracy & Development in The Gambia (NADD) is currently being detained at the notorious National Intelligence Agency (NIA) offices in Banjul.

Halifa at NIA, Sarr &  Pap Saine at Mile II Prisons

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News Just In President Jammeh Sacks Four Customs Officers

By Ebrima G. Sankareh, Editor-In- Chief

According to our unimpeachable sources at the State House, President Jammeh has instructed the sacking of four senior customs officials, namely: Lamin Marena, Baboucarr Loum, Edrissa Touray and Saye. Says Kissy Kissy Mansa, all four who were arrested on Wednesday and detained at the NIA headquarters in Banjul, have now been sacked and cautioned accordingly.

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Breaking News NIA Arrests Four Senior Customs Officers

By Ebrima G. Sankareh, Editor-In-Chief

Highly placed unimpeachable sources say that four senior Gambian Customs and Excise officials were rounded up yesterday and have since been detained at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) headquarters in Banjul. The four officers, identified as Lamin Marena, Baboucarr Loum, Edrissa Touray and Mr. Jaye were arrested following what our sources called “instruction from President Jammeh, in his promise on Gambian Radio and TV to clean The Gambia of corruption.”

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ANALYSIS

The Jammeh regime again shoots itself in the foot

By D. A. Jawo

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Press Statement

End tyranny in The Gambia

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has learned with dismay the massive arrest and detention of journalists by the notorious National Intelligence Agency (NIA) in Banjul, The Gambia. Three executive members of The Gambia Press Union (GPU) were arrested on June 15, 2009. They are Emil Touray, general secretary, Sarata Jabbi, first vice president and Pa Modou Faal, treasurer.

Yahya jammeh, Gambia's tyrant

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Elizabeth Yamide Renner elected Speaker of Gambian National Assembly  

Predictably, Mrs. Elizabeth Y.K. Renner, a career schoolteacher and vice Chairperson of the Ombudsman, was unanimously elected by ruling APRC party representatives, Wednesday evening as the new Speaker of the Gambian National Assembly. President Yahya Jammeh recently nominated Mrs. Renner after revoking the nomination of the former Speaker, Fatoumatta Jahumpa Ceesay

Elizabeth Y. Renner

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Press Release

FAMEDEV and Radio AVG Condemn Arrests and Harassment of Gambian Journalists

The Inter Africa Network for Women, Media, Gender and Development (FAMEDEV) and Radio Alternative Voice for Gambians (Radio AVG), a Dakar-based online radio that mainly monitors and covers activities in The Gambia, today join rights and media groups in strongly condemning the mass arrest of media practitioners, gatekeepers and members of the Executive of The Gambia Press Union (GPU) in The Gambia.

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Keep It Up, The Gambia Echo  

Dear Editor,
 
Happy anniversary and congratulations on the great work you do to bring democracy, human rights and justice to our beloved people. I join my learned friend Momodou Olly Jobe to re-echo the great sentiments expressed about your medium. Effectively, The Gambia Echo is in a class by himself. Together with Associate Editor, Mathew Jallow, my former schoolmate, you all continue to rattle this fool of a President we have here.

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Professor Saine Says Happy Anniversary

Dear Ebrima:

I write to wish you and The Gambia Echo many more happy and memorable anniversaries.  At a time when the private media in The Gambia are muzzled, journalists arrested, jailed and sometimes killed for reporting the news, you and The Echo continue to responsibly fulfill the important role of keeping us informed about the homeland.

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Analysis

The Gambia’s Clown-in-Chief “President” Yahya Jammeh at His Old Tricks Again

By Mathew K Jallow, Associate Editor

It was an uneventful weather day as I stood on the edge of a tall cliff overlooking the blue Michigan, the largest of The Great Lakes. The lake was uncharacteristically calm on this Saturday morning, and as the small waves rippled and flapped with regularity along the length of the rugged shoreline, a serene but melancholic mist was gathering below the distant horizon, where the haze of the gloomy sky seemed to stoop to kiss the still waters.

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Happy Anniversary, The Gambia Echo

Dear Editor,

I congratulate you on the third anniversary of your paper.  It is an honour to have such quality paper addressing pertinent issues concerning The Gambia and Africa.  You provide quality news reporting and very interesting features on various topics.

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Gambia Alert Court convicts newspaper editor for publishing "false information"

Abdul Hamid Adiamoh, publisher and managing editor of Today, a privately-owned Banjul-based newspaper, who was accused of publishing “false information”, was on June 16, 2009 convicted and fined 50, 000 Gambian Dalasis (approx. 1,890 US$ ). Media Foundation for West Africa’s (MFWA) sources reported that should Adiamoh default in paying the fine, he would go to prison for six months.

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Yahya Jammeh orders hounding of journalists

Reporters Without Borders Press Release

16 June 2009

GAMBIA

Yahya Jammeh orders hounding of journalists

Reporters Without Borders today voiced its disgust at the arrest yesterday of five members of the Gambia Press Union (GPU) and two journalists at the end of a week in which President Yahya Jammeh made several threats against the media. Two other journalists were arrested on 10 June.

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It was three years ago today, that we launched The Gambia Echo Newspaper, LLC to add our voice to the growing debate about the deteriorating humans rights situation in The Gambia. We return thanks to all those who have contributed to this growing medium and pray that the coming year will bring us greater freedoms in The Gambia and to all those places where basic freedoms are a luxury. 

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Breaking News

By Ebrima G. Sankareh, Editor-In-Chief

According to our unimpeachable State House source Kissy Kissy Mansa, three Executive officers of The Gambia Press Union (GPU) together with Pap Saine, the legally embattled Managing Editor of the independent daily, The Point Newspaper were arrested this morning following a terse reaction by the GPU to President Jammeh’s rude and bellicose remarks about the macabre murder of veteran journalist, Deyda Hydara in December, 2004.

Pap Saine, Deyda Hydara & Yahya Jammeh

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UK Letter Writer Defends Hon. Sidia Jatta's Agric. Subsidy Argument

Dear Editor:

Mr. Maatong alleges that Sidia Jatta’s call for subsidy to the agricultural sector is blurred by Sidia’s adherence to the socialist dogma and proceeded to make an unqualified statement – subsidies do not work well in developing countries. Perhaps Mr. Maatong too is suffering from market fundamentalism. Since Mr. Maatong is being identified as an expert, makes it more ridiculous that he wrote his piece without proper reflection.

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Major Antouman Saho is Fisheries & Natural Resources Minister

By Ebrima G. Sankareh, Editor-In-Chief

The former Mayor of Banjul during the transition to  constitutional rule, Major Antouman Saho has been appointted Fisheries Minister to replace Yankuba Touray who was sacked last week. Saho also becomes the ruling APRC party's National Mobiliser. According to a release broadcast on national radio last night, "all party structures have been dissolved"

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Gambia Press Union Reacts to President Jammeh’s Rude Remarks

Thursday, March 11^th 2009

GPU REACTION TO PRESIDENT JAMMEH’S STATEMENT ON DEYDA HYDARA, FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

The Gambia Press Union wishes to express its shock and disappointment over the inappropriateness of the provocative statement of the Head of state, President Jammeh, on GRTS, Tuesday night in relation to the death of veteran Gambian journalist, the late Deyda Hydara.

Who killed Deyda- Yahya Jammeh knows!!!

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Rejoinder on Ministers Sambou & Gomez's Sacking

By Ebrima G. Sankareh, Editor-In-Chief

Contrary to our Tuesday edition lead story that Local Government and Lands Minister Ismaila Sambou was sacked, we regret to announce that the report was false and apologize to our readers for the report and also to Mr. Sambou, his family and friends for the error.

Sheriff Gomez & Ismaila Sambou Active

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Breaking News Gambian police arrest journalist over false report of Justice Minister’s sacking

By Ebrima G. Sankareh, Editor-In-Chief

Unimpeachable sources have confirmed that Gambian police arrested Abdul Hamid Adiamoh, Editor and Publisher of the independent, Today Newspaper at around 2pm on Wednesday. He was arrested following an article published on his Wednesday's June 10 edition, which alleged that the Local Government and Lands Minister- Mr. Ismaila Sambou and Justice Minister- Marry Saine Firdaus were sacked.

Yahya Jammeh, Chief Manneh & Justice Minister Saine Firdaus 

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Analysis

President Jammeh- Fake Autocratic Thief with Lame Excuses for Malfeasance   

By Momodou Olly Mboge

These past few days the Gambian community both at home and abroad have been preoccupied discussing Jammeh’s cacophonous public explication of the reasons why he had to sack senior government officials.  The online media is wired and the telephone lines to their sources embedded deep inside government are filing updates. 

Yahya Jammeh Gambia's chief entertainer

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Breaking News Elizabeth Y. Renner is Gambia’s Prospective House Speaker

By Ebrima G. Sankareh, Editor-In-Chief

Unimpeachable sources at State House have disclosed to The Gambia Echo that Mrs. Elizabeth Yamede Renner has been nominated as National Assembly Member (NAM) replacing Fatoumatta Jahumpa Ceesay, who was sacked yesterday along side a team of high profile government luminaries. Mrs. Renner, a career schoolteacher, was

Elizabeth Y. Renner

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Breaking News President Jammeh threatens to send Imam Baba Leigh to Mile II Prisons

Gambia ALERT: President Jammeh attacks religious leader and threatens the media

Baba Leigh, Imam of Kanifing and outspoken critic of The Gambian president, Yahya Jammeh’s administration was on May 22, 2009 warned by President Jammeh to stop criticizing the administration or risk going to prison.

Imam Baba Leigh of Kanifing Estate Mosque 

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Breaking News

Rule of law under siege: 3 Ministers, Speaker, IGP2 sacked

 By Njie Khakatarr in Banjul

Barely a day after sacking the Chief Justice, Mr. Abdou Karim Savage, Gambian President Yahya Jammeh acting under his vested powers has with immediate effect from today June 9, 2009 sacked the Speaker of the National Assembly, Fatoumatta Jahumpa Ceesay, Ministers of Finance and Economic Affairs- Mr. Musa Gibril Bala Gaye, Local Government and Lands- Mr. Ismaila Sambou, Youth and Sports- Mr. Sheriff Gomez and the Deputy Inspector General of Police- Mr. Modou Gaye.

Sheriff Gomez & Ismaila Sambou sacked(confirmed)

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Breaking News Jammeh sacks 2 Ministers, Speaker and Deputy IGP

By Ebrima G. Sankareh Editor-In- Chief

Unassailable sources nestled within the corridors of state power report that Finance Minister, Musa Gibril Balla Gaye, Youth & Sports Minister, Sheriff Gomez, Speaker of The National Assembly, Fatoumatta Jahumpa-Ceesay and Deputy Inspector General of Police, Modou Gaye have all been sacked this morning.

MB Gaye & F.J. Ceesay Sacked(confirmed)

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Gambia Gov’t. Raises Objection in tortured Journalist’s Trial

The ECOWAS Community Court in Abuja, Nigeria hearing the case of Musa Saidykhan, Gambian journalist allegedly tortured in custody of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) will on June 30, 2009 give its ruling on preliminary objection raised by the Gambian government, the defendant in the case.

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Marie Saine Firdaus remains Gambia’s Justice Minister

By Ebrima G. Sankareh Editor-in-Chief

While President Jammeh has made it categorically clear that a major Cabinet shake up was imminent, The Gambia Echo has established beyond any scintilla of doubt that indeed, the veiled Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Marie Saine Firdaus is still in office.

Yahya Jammeh, Chief Manneh & Justice Minister Saine Firdaus 

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Yahya Jammeh Taunting The Dead

By Mukhtar Hamhamleh, Banjul, The Gambia

The last two days I have been following with surprise and total disappointment the childish actions of our President. Only a few days ago he challenged the Gambian Diaspora to stop spreading negative news about home. I don't belong to no damn political group and I care less who leads The Gambia as long as the people enjoy their basic human rights and freedom and I may contradict my conscience because they don't under Jammeh and it does

The Ugly and the Dead, at war in The Gambia

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News Flash

Veteran Gambian journalist Demba A. Jawo has confirmed to The Gambia Echo   “Abdou Karim Savage has been sacked this evening as Chief Justice. Akomayo Agim, who was president of the Court of Appeals, has replaced him.” We are keenly following developments and we will come out with a detailed report, explaining why Yankuba Touray was sacked.

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ANALYSIS

Jerry J. Rawlings’ New Democratic Thoughts

By Kofi Akosah-Sarpong, BA, MJ, MA

There is on-going debate about the need for Ghana, as the “Black Star of Africa,” to roll out a development philosophy driven by Ghana’s/Africa’s cultural values. This is to prop up confidence since Africa is the only region in the world where its development process is dominated by foreign development paradigms to the disadvantage of its rich cultural values.

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Dr. Lenrie Peters -The man who deserved more

By D. A. Jawo

The death of Dr. Lenrie Peters is indeed a great loss to The Gambia. He was a gentleman par excellence, who not only lived a life of humility and sacrifice, but he also had a great love for his country. After graduating in advanced surgery in the United Kingdom, Dr. Peters stayed for a while in the UK, where, in addition to his medical work, he was also engaged in writing novels and poetry, as well as doing

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COMMENTARY

Expert takes issue with Hon. Sidia Jatta & Co. on Agric. Subsidies

By Jallobeh Hamadi Maatong

I refer to the excerpt from a news article in the local press on deliberations in the Gambian legislature: Hon. Sidia Jatta argued that agriculture must of necessity be subsidized to make it possible for farmers to produce productively. "My suggestion is, since we are the producers of groundnuts, why can't we begin to add value to our groundnuts because that can help us to earn foreign exchange. It will even make it more marketable because we will buy what we need in this country." Says Sidia Jatta.

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