Gambia: On Gambia Election Day, President Displays Contempt for Press Freedom

IPI Clarifies that Media Freedom is Not Just for Journalists
By: Naomi Hunt, Press Freedom Adviser for Africa

VIENNA, 28 Nov. 2011 – As Gambians went to the polls last week to vote, incumbent President Yahya Jammeh rejected international criticism over the country’s press freedom record, which, since Jammeh took power in a 1994 coup, has been characterised by the intimidation, jailing and torture of journalists, and control of the media.

"When they talk about rights, freedom of the press and [saying] this country is a hell for journalists … There are freedoms and responsibilities," the BBC quoted Jammeh as saying. "The journalists are less than 1% of the population and if anybody expects me to allow less than 1% of the population to destroy 99% of the population, you are in the wrong place."

The International Press Institute (IPI), a global press freedom organisation comprised of publishers, editors and leading journalists, criticised Jammeh’s reported remarks.  

“The reason that journalists must be permitted to work without interference, detention or torture, and the reason the media should not be compelled to report only the current government’s version of events has nothing to do with protecting a small segment of the workforce, as President Jammeh suggests,” said IPI Executive Director Alison Bethel McKenzie. “Responsible journalism upholds democracy by holding government accountable; a free media provides space for a robust and critical public discourse.” 

The election was monitored by observers from the African Union (AU) and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), but the West African regional organization, Ecowas, said the vote was not legitimate and that their investigations had revealed “"an opposition and electorate cowed by repression and intimidation,” the BBC reported.  

In cases brought by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), the Ecowas Community Court found the Gambia responsible for the 2006 torture of journalist Musa Saidykhan and ordered the country to pay him reparations. The Gambia has failed to comply with the order. In 2008, the court also ordered The Gambia to release missing reporter Chief Ebrimah Manneh and pay him reparations. Again, The Gambia has failed to comply, denying instead that he is in their custody. In October this year Justice Minister Edu Gomez told the Daily News that Manneh was alive but not in government hands, although he refused to provide more information.

Source:http://www.freemedia.at

Gambia: Commentary: The Gambia’s darkest hour!

By Mathew K Jallow

Friday 25^th November 2011, will in the annals of The Gambia’s history, be forever remembered with consternation and utter disbelief as one of our country’s darkest hour; a dark day in which Gambians everywhere descended to the lowest points of our political lives. The shocking results of Gambia’s recently concluded presidential elections are a manifestation of the power of tyranny and the length to which Yahya Jammeh will go to remain in power.

There is hardly a soul that is not surprised by the election results; and even more telling still, hardly anyone who does not think that the results are blatantly fraudulent.

In every way, we were all caught in the most devastating surprises of our lives, because no sane Gambian expected the results to be so insanely skewed in favor of Yahya Jammeh’s military regime.

For many months now, Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) party militants have echoed and reechoed the same refrain; that the “AFPRC will win with a landslide”, but many of us took their refrain as a mere dramatization of their political demagoguery, rather than a statement of fact they knew all along.

The certitude with which AFPRC stalwarts carried themselves throughout the electoral season was buttressed by Yahya Jammeh’s own incendiary outbursts of stupidity and callousness in which his emphatic pronouncement that “neither elections nor coup’ can bring down his regime, caught the attention of both Gambians and the international community as indicative of his contempt and disregard for the democratic values of the electoral process.

In hindsight, both Yahya Jammeh and his bloodsucking leaches knew something the rest of us did not. The AFPRC cabal; which includes village alkalos, district chiefs, divisional commissioners, rural area civil servants and the formidable AFPRC machinery has collectively made sure Yahya Jammeh did not lose the elections.

Today, what really happened is still a mystery. We all know without a shadow of doubt that something egregious happened in these elections, but perhaps only the passage of time will bring the truth out. One day, some of those involved in this biggest electoral sham West Africa ever experienced, will be weighed down by the guilt of their consciences to tell the world the truth.

Just as the one of the murderers of Deida Hyrada confessed to Freedom Newspaper, the truth about these fraudulent elections will see the light of day. Meanwhile, as the paralyzing despair and the agony get the better of us, we must remember that no one said it was going to be easy. Yahya Jammeh knows what his loss of political power means; for more than any person, he has the most to lose; which includes either his life or his freedom for the rest of his life.

As incredibly painful and depressing as the situation is for us, we cannot with abandonment continue to wallow in our collective misery; rather let us dust ourselves up again to ready ourselves for the next chapter. ECOWAS’s groundbreaking castigation of Gambia’s electoral process is both a reaffirmation of our storied history under Yahya Jammeh’s tyranny and a high point of the election season, and as a nation we can wrap ourselves in the solace and comfort that their concern has provided us, as we map out the next strategy of dealing with the menace of Yahya Jammeh.

For now, UDP’s rejection of the fraudulent election results is a start. We must begin by delegitimizing the election results and bring pressure to bear on the international community to isolate The Gambia and Yahya Jammeh’s regime. We have a starting point; the regional body which knows best; ECOWAS. Unlike the African Union and the Commonwealth who come to merely observe the logistics of the polling day, ECOWAS is concerned about the entire electoral process, and how the preexisting political climate and culture lends itself or lack thereof, to the conduct of truly free and fair elections process.


PS. As we go to press, The African Union has given, what can only be described a tacitly reserved, if not an outright condemnation of The Gambia’s electoral process. The AU delegates have surprised Gambians, but we thank them for not playing to the infinite power of incumbency in African politics.

Gambia: Main opposition UDP Ambushed in Foni Kanfenda

(Dailynews)Main opposition United Democratic Party campaign caravan yesterday came under attack at the village of Kanfenda in Foni Kansala, West Coast region.
Unidentified men suspected to be militants of ruling Alliance for Patriotic Re-Orientation and Construction fired stones over the UDP convoy that was heading for its final destination in Serrekunda to wrap up the campaigns in the crucial November 24 presidential race. 
This paper is yet to have full details of the incident, but our correspondent in the caravan quoted Babanding Daffeh, a UDP parliamentarian as saying: “These people are throwing stones over us.”
Thanks to the intervention of the military personnel at military check point at the junction that links to president Jammeh’s home village of Kanilai, the tension was defused, but some UDP militants have sustained injury. 
The military personnel then escorted the opposition entourage till Bullock village where paramilitary took over the escort to the commercial town of Serrekunda. 
Meanwhile, the incident came two days after IEC warned that it will discipline any party found wanton of breaching the electoral rules.

ECOWAS Statement On the 24 November 2011 Presidential Election in the Gambia

Abuja - Nigeria — The ECOWAS Commission has informed the President of the Gambia about its decision not to dispatch an ECOWAS Observer Mission to the Presidential Election scheduled to take place in the country on 24 November 2011, because the preparations and political environment for the said election are adjudged by the Commission not to be conducive for the conduct of free, fair and transparent polls.

In keeping with the pertinent provisions of the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, the President of the Commission dispatched a fact-finding mission to the Gambia, during which the mission interacted with a wide range of stakeholders to assess the state of preparedness of the country for the election. The Commission has also been conducting a regular monitoring of the political situation and preparations in the lead-up to the election through the ECOWAS Early Warning System. Unfortunately, the reports of the fact-finding mission and the Early Warning System paint a picture of intimidation, an unacceptable level of control of the electronic media by the party in power, the lack of neutrality of state and para-statal institutions, and an opposition and electorate cowed by repression and intimidation.

In the circumstance, the ECOWAS Commission is of the view that the conditions prevailing in the country do not meet the minimum standards set under the Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance for the conduct of elections and has, therefore, decided to exercise the discretionary powers conferred on the Commission's President under the Protocol to stand down the ECOWAS Observer Mission. While regretting the decision forced upon it by the circumstances, the ECOWAS Commission will remain seized with the situation in the Gambia, and expresses its readiness to engage the Government and other stakeholders in the Gambian polity, with a view to accompanying them in their endeavour to create a level playing field for future elections.

 His Excellency James Victo Gbeho President of the Commission

Gambia:Ten reasons Gambians must vote for Ousainou Darboe

By Mathew K Jallow

Barely two months ago, Yahya Jammeh told one of his minions to ask Moses Richards to write a letter of apology to him and beg for mercy. Yahya Jammeh was faced with one of two alternatives; to either free Moses Richards from Mile 2 Prisons, or face the full wrath of the Gambia Bar Association’s threat of strike action at the judiciary. Moses Richard’s apology letter, which Jammeh asked for, was meant to give him an excuse to free Mr. Richards and not seem like he capitulated to the Gambia Bar Association demands. 

Now again, it is déjà vous all over. Last week, Yahya Jammeh told his mother to ask him to go on what he calls a “thank-you” tour of the country, but rather than tell her son privately, Mrs. Asombo Bojang curiously went to the media to broadcast her message. Here again Yahya Jammeh needed an excuse to eat his words and not look like the liar he is, after he told Gambians in a rather rudely and insultingly manner some months ago that he would not campaign for re-election this year. It all boils down to one thing; despite his mad tirades and public blusters, Yahya Jammeh is a weak wreck.  

Yahya Jammeh will give in under the slightest internal pressure because he knows the military and security forces will side with the people in the case of a showdown, and are in fact waiting for an excuse to help the civilian population get rid of Yahya Jammeh once and for all.Equally important still, politically, he is in trouble and his reckless tirades against the Mandinka majority are predicated on the fear that the Mandinkas will coalesce around Mr. Darboe and help give him an easy victory in the polls. How I wish he is right. The fact that in the recent past, countless opposition parties in Africa have done what seemed so impossible; defeated incumbent regimes, many of which had been in power for decades, is not lost on Yahya Jammeh. And unlike previous elections, this year, the Gambian electorate is very animated and alive to what is at stake this year and we can only hope they will not give in to fear and the pressures of  Yahya Jammeh’s “chiefs and so-called governors.”  

Fellow countrymen and women, the more than 400,000 registered voters, who did not cast their ballots in 2006, have a patriotic obligation to go to the polls this year and vote for UDP’s Ousainou Darboe. This year, I have broken ranks with my party leader Hamat Bah at the NRP to support Ousainou Darboe because he has a better chance of unseating Yahya Jammeh. Nearly two months ago, I was engaged in discussions with Ousainou Darboe, Omar Jallow (OJ) and Hamat Bah to help bring them together, but Hamat Bah’s demand to be the coalition’s choice for the presidential candidacy was irrational and unacceptable. The end result is that in my support for Ousainou Darboe, I chose practical common sense over tribe, friendship and party affiliation. I am calling on all Gambians to do the same. For those who do not know the Ousainou Darboe I grew up and went to high school with; the Ousainou Darboe raised in a Wollof-Catholic family by the late United Party leader, Pierre S Njie; the Ousainou Darboe married to two wives none of who is a Mandinka; one being Wollof, and the other an Aku; the Ousainou Darboe who himself raised a Fula girl in his household to adulthood; and the Ousainou Darboe whose United Democratic Party leaders consists largely of Fulas, Wollofs and Akus; and not Mandinkas as his opponents maliciously often insinuate, is the best and most qualified man vying for the presidency of our country in these elections. I have complete faith in his ability to administer our government in an effective manner, but above all, reunite all Gambians again as one family, irrespective of tribe, religion or political 
affiliation. As a Fula, I am appealing to all Fulas across the country, especially the Fula Kundankees to put aside the temptation of tribal affinity and vote for Ousainou Darboe. The Fulas, Mandinkas and Wollofs in particular must speak with one voice and vote for UDP’s Darboe. I call on Gambians to vote for UDP’s Ousainou Darboe for the following reasons. 

As a man born in the heart of Fulladou, Ousainou Darboe does not subscribe to the delusional notion that Mandinkas own The Gambia as many older Mandinkas have insinuated in the past, so minority tribes; in particular the Fulas and Wollof, will not have that to enrage and anger them.As Head of State, Ousainou Darboe will ensure the rights of the minority tribes are protected.An Ousainou Darboe government will be represented by every Gambian tribe; not just the majority Mandinka he belongs to as Yahya Jammeh has done with his Jola tribe.

Ousainou Darboe is well educated and understands government more than Yahya Jammeh who has not education or an understanding of government and how to govern effectively.Unlike Yahya Jammeh, Ousainou Darboe will have a plentiful and ready supply of well educated Gambians both at home and abroad who will help to rebuild our country from Yahya Jammeh’s ruinous reign.Under Ousainou Darboe, true democracy will flourish, tourism will return much stronger that it had ever been, investments will flow in from Europe and America to create employment opportunities for our youth and Gambians with knowledge and expertise from every tribe will runs the country.

Under Ousainou Darboe, the presence of a completely free media will accelerate the diffusion of information and knowledge so Gambians at home don’t continue to remain ignorant as they have been the past seventeen years. The nature of Ousainou Darboe’s character and personality will ensure that no single tribe is marginalized and there is a level playing field for every Gambian to achieve their dreams.Ousainou Darboe is one of the nicest persons Gambians will have an opportunity to know, a man who smiles easily but can be tough if needs be.

With Ousainou Darboe as Head of State, arrests, detentions and imprisonments of innocent citizens will come to an END; murders, executions and tortures will STOP; the fear, intimidation and ceasure of citizen property by those in uniform will end; and Gambians will once again be free to criticize their government, go about their business without the hassles of police, military and security check point everywhere. In short, under Ousainou Darboe the younger generation will for the first time taste what is like to be BORN FREE in your own country.

Gambia - Balangbaa: The perils of voting for Yahya Jammeh

By Mathew K Jallow

Fellow Gambians, as you go to the polls, it is worth reminding you of the murderous cruelty of the Yahya Jammeh regime. This year alone one Gambian military and seven civilians; five of them children have been killed by Yahya Jammeh and his henchmen. In addition, five military officers arrested since July this year have gone missing and the authorities deny holding them. These are Warrant Officer (W02) Bai Lowe, Staff Sergeant Abdoulie Jallow, Lance Corporal Anthony Mendy, Lance Corporal Sang Mendy and ex-Lance Corporal Abdoulie Sarr. Additionally, listed below are Gambians many of who were summarily executed, while nearly hundred were murdered in one manner or the other, but the majority languishes in prison, while hundreds have fled the country. Beyond that, the Kangaroo trials of innocent citizens continue to dominate the activities of this regime. Fellow Gambians, this lunacy will never end until we get rid of this monster. In the last three elections, barely a third of all eligible voters bothered to cast their votes because they did not want to vote for Yahya Jammeh. This year again Yahya Jammeh has given us enough reasons not to vote for him. Ousainou Darboe on the other hand has given every Gambian a reason to vote for him. Fellow Gambians, this year we cannot sit this election out. Go out and vote massively to get rid of this monster. Don’t listen to Yahya Jammeh and his liars, because they are the ones that are plundering and raping our economy for themselves and their families leaving the rest of the population in dire poverty. VOTE FOR OUSAINOU DARBOE. VOTE FOR CHANGE. Balangbaa calls on the youth to copy this list and distribute to the far corners of the country; from dusty trails of Wuli and Sandou to the howling shore of Kombos and from the serenity of Kantora to the heart of the of Serere kingdoms of Niumi.

Regime’s witching-hunting Kangaroo Trials

GAMCOTRAP’s Dr. Isatou Touray and Co. trials

GNOC’s Beatrice Allen and Co. trials

Suruwa Wawa B. Jaiteh and Dr. Loum’s trials

Dr. Amadou Jallow and Co. trials

Dr. Alasan Bah and Co’s trials

Recent arrest, detention and charged with treason

Amadou Scattred Janneh, former minister of Information

Ndey Tapha Sosseh, former president of the Gambia Press Union

Mathew K. Jallow

Famara Demba

Modou Keita

Ebrima Jallow

Michael C. Uche Thomas

Torture and Yahya Jammeh’s convoy related deaths

Demba Sibey of Numuyel village

A third grader from Saaba Primary School

A young girl killed Yahya Jammeh’s motorcade/Gunjur prayer fest

Paul Bass NIA operative killed by Jammeh’s convoy

Arab businessman dead in collided with Jammeh’s convoy

A soldier from Sintet village killed escorting Jammeh’s convoy

A little girl killed by convoy during Mauritanian President’s visit

A child killed by stampede for Jammeh’s biscuits at Sere Kunda market

In total since 1994nearly twenty people; children and adults have died as a direct result of Yahya Jammeh’s speeding convoys and biscuit throwing to crowds.

Recent Arrests of journalists

Sports Editor Nanama Keita, facing witch-hunting/Kangaroo Trial

Ahmed Alota, arrested, detained, released

Executed and Murdered Civilians

Ousman Koro Ceesay
Deyda Hydara
Sidia Sanyang
Ebrima Chief Manneh
Omar Barrow
Lamin Sanneh
Ousman Ceesay
Sarjo Kunjang
Ebrima Barry
Ousman Ceesay
Saja Kujabi
Haruna Jammeh
Yaya Jammeh
Daba Marena
Staff Sergeant Manlafi Corr
Sergeant Major Alpha Bah
Lieut. Ebou Lowe
Lieut. Alieu Ceesay
Sgt. Fafa Nyang
Lieut. Basiru Barrow
Cpt. Sadibou Hydara
Lieut. Almamo Manneh
Lieut. Abdoulie Dot Faal
Lieut. Bakary Manneh
Lieut. Buba Jammeh
Lieut. Momodou Lamin Darboe
Cadet Officer Sillah
Lieut. Basiru Camara
Corpl. Mendy
Lieut. Gibril Saye
Sergeant Dumbuya
Momodou Sowe

Gambians detained, released in Jail or murdered 1994-2009

RSM Alpha Bah
Major Ebrima Bah
Lt Momodou Alieu Ba
Corporal Samba Bah
Tijan Bahoum: Power Supply Director NAWEC
Kemo Balajo: ex-National Intelligence Agency
Foday Barry: ex-NIA; director of Intelligence
Ourani Barry: ex-Senior Civil Servant
Lamin Bojang: Medical Research Council
Ebrima Camara: ex-police officer
Omar Barru Camara: ex-MP APRC
Captain Wassa Camara
2nd Lt Alieu Ceesay
Lamin Ceesay: Politician
Madi Ceesay: President, Gambia Press Union
Awa Darboe Cham: wife of alleged coup leader Ndure Cham
Lamin Cham: ex-Daily Observer, BBC correspondent
Lamin Cham: Politician
Momat Cham: former minister
Momodou Cadi Cham: former politician
Superintendent Abdoulie Colley: ex-police officer
Retired Colonel Abdoulie Conteh: former KMC Mayor
Staff Sergeant Manlafi Corr
Captain Bunja Darboe
Lamin R. Darboe: Politician
Lamin Saiba Darboe
Captain Yaya Darboe
Adama Deen: former Managing Director Gambia Ports Authority
Demba Dem: ex-MP APRC
Momodou Demba: Politician
Mariam Denton: Human Rights Lawyer
Raif Diab: Businessman
Ramzia Diab: former nominated MP, APRC
Musa Dibba: ex-NIA Director of Finance
Sheriff Mustapha Dibba: ex-Assembly Speaker
Baba Drammeh: ex-Independent Electoral
Commission (IEC) officer
Omar Faal: Marabout
Ansumana Fadera: ex-Senior Civil Servant
Jerreh Fatty: Politician
Lamin Fatty: journalist, The Independent newspaper
Mariama Fatty: Politician
Kebba Faye: ex-Senior Civil Servant
Tamba Fofana: Head Master
Abdou Gafar: journalist, Daily Express newspaper
Lamin Gassama: Security Manager, Banjul International Airport
Antouman Gaye: Lawyer
Pa Njie Guirigara: General Manager, VM
Sarane Hydara: ex-Senior Civil Servant
Captain Abdoukarim Jah
Karamo Jaiteh: former Managing Director, Gambia Roads Authority
Suruwa Wawa B Jaiteh: former Permanent Secretary
Staff Sergeant Buba Jammeh
Haruna Jammeh. Villager
Kebbaringo Jammeh: Councilor
Marcel Jammeh. Villager
Lance Corporal Babou Janha
Amie Jarju. Villager
Cherno Ndure Jarju: Politician
Lamin Jarsey: Politician
Tamsir Jassey: ex-Deputy Inspector General Police, Director of Immigration
Dudu Kassa Jatta: Politician
Ousman Rambo Jatta: Councilor
Colonel Vincent Jatta: ex-Chief of Defense Staff (deceased)
Momodou Jaw: ex-IEC officer
Abdoulie Kanaji Jawla: MP, APRC
Baboucarr Jobarteh: ex-Protocol Officer
Maimuna Jobarteh: Politician
Abdou Jobe: Managing Director, NAWEC
Alieu Jobe: ex-Accountant General
Duta Kamaso: ex-MP, APRC
Kanyiba Kanyi: Politician
Lamin Keita: ex-Senior Civil Servant
Nato Keita: Politician
Abdoulie Kujabi: ex-Director General, NIA
Jasaji Kujabi
Dr. Badara Loum: ex-Permanent Secretary
Lt Ebou Lowe
Mustapha Lowe: College student
Bamba Manneh: ex-NIA operative
Chief Ebrima B. Manneh: journalist, Daily Observer newspaper
Fatou Jaw Manneh: journalist
Kebba Yorro Manneh: Politician
Daba Marena: ex-Director General, NIA
Malick M’boob: ex-Daily Observer, RV
Sulayman Sait M’boob: ex-Minister, IEC Commissioner
Sergeant Buba Mendy
Captain Pierre Mendy
Omar Ndow: former Managing Director of Gamtel/Gamcel
Ndondi S.Z. Njie: former Chairman of IEC
Alhagie Nyabally: ex-President, Gambia Student Union
Alassan Nyassi
Balla Nyassi

Dr. Badara Loum: Former Permanent Secretary, Agriculture
Private Alagie Nying: Gambia National Army
Sam Obi: Daily Express, RFI correspondent
Baba Saho: ex-NIA director, External Security
Musa Saidykhan: former Editor-In-Chief, The Independent newspaper
Betrand Sambou
Dodou Sanneh: former journalist, GRTS
Ebrima Sillah Sanneh: ex-IEC officer
Lamin Sanneh: former Permanent Secretary
Sergeant Abdoulie Sanyang
2nd Lt Pharing Sanyang: Gambia National Army
Commander MB Sarr: Gambia National Army
Lt M. Savage: Gambia National Army
Ebou Secka: ex-Senior Civil Servant
Nourou Secka: ex-NIA operative
Momodou Senghore: ex-Senior Civil Servant
Ousman Sey: Marabout
Musa Sheriff: journalist, Gambia News & Report magazine
Amie Sillah: journalist, women activist
Alieu Singhateh: ex-NIA operative
Kebba Singhateh: Politician
Modou Sonko: journalist, Daily Observer newspaper
Private Ebrima Sonko
Juldeh Sowe: journalist, The Independent newspaper
Issac Success: journalist, Daily Express newspaper
Azziz Tamba: Politician
Ebou Waggeh

Arrest and Detention of Journalists

October 2005: Abdoulie Sey
2005: Musa Saidykhan
March 2006: Musa Saidykhan
March 2006: Madi Ceesay
April 2006: Lamin Fatty

Journalists on Exile in Senegal, Europe and the US

Pa Ousman Darboe
Alieu Badara Sowe
Pa Ousman Darboe
Musa Saidykhan
Sulayman Makalo
Omar Bah
Alhagie Mbye
Ebrima Sillah
Augustus Mendy
Bankole Thompson
Papa Colley
Sulayman Darboe
Fatou Jaw Manneh
Pa Omar Jatta
Momodou Thomas
Musa Saidykhan
Ansumana Badjie
Pa Samba Jaw
Sarjo Bayang
Pa Nderry Mbai
Cherno Baba Jallow
Ebrima Ceesay
Baba Galleh Jallow
Ebrima G. Sankareh
Yankuba Jambang
Mathew K. Jallow
Military/Security mysterious deaths

Captain Tumbul Tamba
Captain Musa Jammeh
Colonel Vincent Jatta
Lieut. Solomon Jammeh
Pa M. Jallow
Manlafi Sanyang
Boye Bah
Momodou Bah
Illo Jallow

Military/Security/Civilian recently detained

Lang Tombong Tamba
Bore Badjie
Omar Bun Mbye
Demba Njie
Lamin Fatty
Yankuba Drammeh
Malamin Jarju
Kawsu (Bombardier) Camara
Ngorr Secka, NIA
Ensa Badjie
Bun Sanneh
Sarjo Fofana

Military/Security/Civilians: detained, released, fled

Captain Bunja Darboe
Capt Yahya Darboe
Capt. Wassa Camara
2nd Lt Pharing Sanyang
Alieu Jobe
Tamsir Jasseh
Omar Faal
Demba Dem,
Col. Ndure Cham
Abdoulie Kujabi
Kemo Balajo
Alieu Singhateh
Foday Barry
Landing Sanneh

Executed Military and Security officers 2006Daba Marenah
Alieu Ceesay
Alpha Bah
Manlafi Corr
Ebou Lowe

Students Massacred April 11th. 2000

Reginald Carrol
Karamo Barrow
Lamin A. Bojang
Ousman Sabally
Sainey Nyabally
Ousman Sembene
Bakary Njie
Claesco Pierra
Momodou Lamin Njie
Ebrima Barry
Wuyea Foday Mansareh
Bamba Jobarteh
Momodou Lamin Chune
Abdoulie Sanyang
Omar Barrow
Burama Badjie

Gambians Missing and Disappeared Since 2005

Ebrima (Chief) Manneh: arrested July 2006
Kanyiba Kanyi arrested September 2006
Haruna Jammeh arrested in 2005
Marcie Jammeh arrested in 2005
Alfusainey Jammeh arrested in 2005
Momodou Lamin Nyassi arrested in 2005
Ndongo M’boob arrested in 2006
Buba Sanyang arrested in 2006
Alieu Lowe arrested in March 2006,
Sgt. Sam Kambai arrested in 2006
Bakary Gassama arrested in 2007
Kebba Secka arrested in 2007
Ebrima Dibba arrested in May 2008,
Ebrima Kunchi Jammeh arrested in May 2008

Cases of Regime ordered Arsons against media personals.

August 8th. 2001, Radio Station 1 FM, was set ablaze around 2 a.m. in the morning, after proprietor George Christensen and his watchman were doused with hazardous chemicals in the hope of incinerating them. The two victims survived the ordeal, but the station was a total loss.

August 10th. 2001, the home of Alieu Bah, Radio I FM journalist, who moderated debates and discussions between prominent personalities, was set ablaze around 3 a.m. while he, his wife and children were asleep. The family narrowly escaped death, but the house was gutted to the ground.

October 17th. 2003, The Independent Newspaper premises were set on fire around 3 a.m in the morning when three unidentified masked men stormed the building, assaulted the night watchman and then sprayed him with fire hazard chemical in the hope he would burn to death. But he luckily survived the assault. The premises were destroyed beyond recognition.

April 13th. 2004, the Kanifing printing facilities of the Independent Newspaper was set on fire around 2 a.m. by six individuals dressed in military fatigue. The printing machinery and other hardware equipment were completely destroyed.

August 15th. 2004, the home of B.B.C reporter, Ebrima Sillah was set on fire as he slept. He narrowly escaped.

Arrests and Detentions of Journalists

September 19th. 2003, around 6 p.m. Abdoulie Sey, the Editor-in-Chief, The Independent Newspaper was arrested from his office by intelligence agents and held incommunicado. He was released four days later.

September 2005, Musa Saidykhan, Editor-in-Chief, The Independent Newspaper, was detained for interrogation for a brief period of time shortly after returning from a South African journalist conference.

March 27th. 2006, Musa Saidykhan, Editor-in-Chief, The Independent Newspaper, was arrested again by security agents a few days after publishing an article critical of Yahya Jammeh’s reactions in the wake of an alleged coup attempt on March 21, 2007. He was released after three weeks in detention.

March 2006, Madi Ceesay, The Independent General Manager, arrested by the regime’s agents, was released after three weeks of detention.

April 10th. 2006, Independent reporter, Lamin Fatty was arrested from his home by NIA agents and released after two months in detention and charged with false publication.

April 25th. 2006, Independent receptionist, Juldeh Sowe, was arrested and released after several hours.

July 7th. 2006, Daily Observer journalist, Ebrima Chief Manneh, was arrested by NIA officials from the Observer premises, was seen in public once after two years detention, at the Royal Victoria Hospital, sick and emaciated. Six powerful U.S Senators; Edward Kennedy, Richard (Dick) Durbin, Russell (Russ) Feingold and Joe Lieberman among others wrote to Yahya Jammeh asking him to release Journalist Manneh after being held for nearly three years. Manneh has since been confirmed murdered by Jammeh’s agents.

May 24th. 2006, following the hacking of the online, Freedom Newspaper, five Gambian journalists whose names appeared on the paper’s readers list were arrested and detained for different lengths of time. After several months they were released. They are:

Musa Sheriff
Pa Modou Faal
Lamin Cham
Sam Obi
Malick M’boob

Other arbitrary arrests against journalist

September 2006, a Gambia Radio and Television Services reporter, Dodou Sanneh, was arrested and detained, and later fired, rehired and fired again from his job government job.

March 28th. 2007, Fatou Jaw Manneh, a U.S. based Gambian journalist, was arrested at the airport, her traveling documents seized and charged with sedition. Her Kangaroo trial lasted more than a year. Her heavy fine was paid with donations from family and friends from all around the world.

December 16th. 2005, police ruffed Ramatoulie Charreh up after the participants in a conference she attended, attempted to visit the spot where journalist Deyda Hydara was gunned down.

2006, Njaimeh Bah, Point Newspaper reporter, attacked by unknown assailants, was severely beaten.

December 12. 2006, Baron Eloagou, reporter for the Daily Express, was severely beaten by unknown assailants.

December 2006, Abdougafar Olademinji, reporter for the Daily Express, was attacked by unknown assailants and beaten severely.

June 14th. 2009, seven journalists and members of the Gambia Press Union (GPU), were rounded up from various locations by heavily armed paramilitary agents and detained at NIA headquarters before being transferred to the notorious Mile 2 prison outside Banjul. The group listed below, were granted bail and charged with publishing seditious material and their case is ongoing despite protestations of regional and international organizations such as Media Foundation for West Africa, Amnesty International, Community to Protect Journalists.
Emil Touray, Secretary General Gambia Press Union
Sarata Jabbi Dibba, Vice President, Gambia Press Union
Pa Modou Faal, Treasurer, Gambia Press Union
Pap Saine, Managing Director, The Point Newspaper
Ebou Sawaneh, Editor, The Point Newspaper
Sam Sarr, Managing Editor, The Foroyaa Newspaper
Abubakr Saidy-Khan, journalist, Foroyaa newspaper.

June 16th. 2009, Abdulhamid Adiamoh, Publisher of Today Newspaper, was arrested for false publication and detained at National Intelligence headquarters. Forced to plead guilty or face deportation back to Nigeria, he was fine an extortive amount of money or face six months jail time.
June 22nd. 2009, Augustine Kanja, a reporter for The Point Newspaper, was arrested and detained by security agents. He was released June 25th, 2009.

Attempted Murders: Fled Gambia
Ousman Sillah: Attorney/Lawyer
Mai Fatty: Attorney (Attorney/Lawyer

Foreign nationals executed in Gambia
44 Ghanaians
2 Senegalese
1 Togolese
2 Nigerians

72 Ministers: Appointed and Fired

Mass Axi Gai
Angela Colley
Kanja Sanneh
Neneh Macdoual-Gaye
Therese Ndong-Jatta (resigned)
Maba Jobe (hired & fired before taking office)
Momodou Lamin Sedat Jobe (resigned)
Joseph Henry Joof (resigned)
Satang Jow (retired)
Yankuba Kassama
Margaret Keita
Ousman Badjie
Samba Bah
Lamin Kaba Bajo
Musa Bittaye
Amie Bensouda
Fatou Bom Bensouda
John P. Bojang
Momodou Bojang
Nyimasata Sanneh
Bojang Mamat Cham
Ebrima Ceesay
Momodou Nai Ceesay
Ousman Koro Ceesay (murdered)
Sulayman Massaneh Ceesay
Bakary Bunja Dabo
Fasainey Dumbuya
Samba Faal
Omar Faye
Sadibou Haidara (murdered)
Sheikh Tijan Hydara
Blaise Jagne
Balla Garba Jahumpa
Momodou Sarjo Jallow
Dr Amadou Scattred Janneh
Manlafi Jarju
Tamsir Mbowe
Dominic Mendy
Alieu Ngum
Bakary Njie
Omar Njie
Susan Waffa-Ogoo
Hawa Sisay Sabally
Sana B. Sabally
Abdoulie Sallah
Hassan Sallah
Momodou Sallah
Sidy Morro Sanneh
Kebba Sanyang
Samsudeen Sarr
Cheyassin Secka
Musa Sillah
Edward Singhatey
Raymond Sock
Amina Faal Sonko
Baboucarr Jatta
Famara Jatta
Kumba Ceesay-Marenah
Mustapha Marong
Fafa Mbai
Musa Mbenga
Sulayman Mboob
Bolong Sonko
Bai Mass Taal
Fatoumatta Tambajang
Bemba Tambedou
Yankuba Touray
Crispin Grey Johnson
Antouman Saho
Lamin Bojang
Marie Saine Firdaus

Gambia: Twenty-five reasons why Yahya Jammeh Must Go

By Mathew K Jallow

Fellow Gambians, after seventeen years of murders, executions, tortures, incarceration, intimidations, the looting and plunder of Gambia’s meager financial and natural resources and living in constant fear of arrest, going to jail and death, the time has come for Gambians to take back our country and regain our rights to be a free people. The time has come for us to stand up and exercise our rights as free citizens in our own country. The time has come for us to refuse to any longer be afraid of Yahya Jammeh and his military and security criminal henchmen. The time has come for us to exercise our God-given rights to engage in the political life of our country. The time has come to free ourselves from Yahya Jammeh’s bondage by saying enough is enough; NO MORE.

Fellow Gambians, We have seen how Yahya Jammeh has turned the Gambia Public Transport busses that were given to us into his personal property. We have seen how Jammeh took the yellow sand-mining truck given to us and turned them into his personal property. We have seen how Yahya Jammeh spent one billion dalasis to educate Foni girls where he and his Jola tribesmen come from but denied the same opportunities to other Gambian girls. We have seen how Yahya Jammeh confiscated the properties of countless Gambians and turned them into his personal property. We have seen how Yahya Jammeh bought a huge 100 million dalasis mansion in Washington, DC; for his family when far too many Gambians are suffering from hunger. We have seen Yahya Jammeh build an eight storey tower for his family in Guinea-Conakry when Gambian children are rummaging dumpsters for food to eat.

Fellow Gambians, since coming to power Yahya Jammeh has brought as much harm and ruin to our country as Idi Amin Dada or Mobutu Sese Seku or his friend and mentor Moumar Khadaffi did to their countries. But today, we have an opportunity to regain our freedoms and never let Yahya Jammeh’s threats cow us into fear again. The whole world is looking to see what we will do with Yahya Jammeh. Will his threats make us recoil into our holes or will we stand up for our freedom and refuse to be victims of fear? Yahya Jammeh’s idea of governing is to make us afraid all the time so he can do whatever he wants. Let us tell Yahya Jammeh we have been afraid and intimidated for too long, but now that has to stop. Let us tell Yahya Jammeh that from now on, we refuse to be silent when fellow citizens are arrested, imprisoned or killed for nothing.

Fellow citizens, the last time we mobilized to support for Balangbaa, Gambians refused to go out to the Saturday Setsetals and the military boys and girls came out to clean the streets and stand heavily armed around town. Balangbaa scared Yahya Jammeh to the extend he talked about the movement at the National Assembly. Balangbaa is once again calling Gambians to free ourselves from slavery. By himself, Yahya Jammeh has no power. He depends on our sons and daughters, nephews and nieces, brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, aunts and uncles, and friends and neighbors in the military for protection. This week Yahya Jammeh again threatening us by saying he will not tolerate violence when he is the only one who is guilty of bringing violence that has taken the lives of nearly hundred Gambians and fifty foreigners in our country. We Gambians have always been a peaceful people until Yahya Jammeh brought death, destruction and may-hem to our country that has ruined untold families.

Fellow Gambians, Balangbaa is asking all Gambians, especially the youth to go out on the streets by the tens of thousands to declare your own freedom by voting for Ousainou Darboe for president. Balangbaa is supporting Ousainou Darboe because he has the best chance of defeating the murderer Yahya Jammeh. Balangbaa asks the youth of Bakau, Serekunda, Sukuta, Lamin, Brikama, Brufut, Gunjur, Bwiam, Sibanor, Barra, Farafenni, Kerewan, Soma, Bansang, Kuntaur, Bansang, Basse, Fatoto and every town and village in between Koina and Kartong, and between Sutukoba and Barra to cast their votes for Ousainou Darboe. When you walk into the voting booth with your voting card, remember the twenty reasons listed below, why you MUST vote for Ousainou Darboe.

1. Since coming to power in 1994, Yahya Jammeh has murdered over one hundred Gambians and fifty foreign nationals.
2. Over twenty Gambians arrested by the NIA on the orders of Yahya Jammeh have disappeared from the face of the earth since 2005 and they are all feared murdered.
3. Yahya Jammeh ordered Deyda Hydara assassinated and to this day his family, friends and the media fraternity are mourning his tragic loss.
4. Former Finance Minister Koro Ceesay was brutally murdered on the orders of Yahya Jammeh and his body was burnt in his government issued vehicle.
5. Chief Ebrima was arrested at the Daily Observer in 2006 and never been seen again and is feared dead and Yahya Jammeh knows something about it.
6. Since January this year, Yahya Jammeh has murdered Sgt. Illo Jallow of Dungal village, Niamina; Baba Jobe of Jarra Karantaba; Dembo Sibi of Numuyel, Kantora and five children - two of them a brother and sister.
7. Since coming to power, Yahya Jammeh has exiled hundreds of Gambians to Europe, America and other West Africa countries; especially Senegal.
8. Yahya Jammeh has destroyed the civil service and all our government institutions are redundant; doing nothing because they lack guidance and resources.
9. Yahya Jammeh has employed barely educated people in most high positions in government, whose only qualifications are being of his Jola tribe.
10. Yahya Jammeh has confiscated dozens properties belonging to other Gambians and titled them to his name.
11. Yahya Jammeh bought a 100 million dalasis mansion in Washington DC for his family with money that belongs to The Gambian people.
12. Yahya Jammeh built a huge eight storey tower in Guinea-Conakry for his family with money stolen from the Gambian people.
13. Yahya Jammeh has built a palace and a supermarket in Morocco for his wife’s family with Gambia government funds.
14. There is a reign of fear in our country as everyone is scared to even mention the name of Yahya Jammeh’s in public for fear of being arrested.
15. Gambians are banned from expressing their political views vocally or through protests and demonstrations, which are our Constitutional rights.
16. Yahya Jammeh has reduced Gambia’s civil servants to slaves by coercing them to labor on his farms for free.
17. The Gambian military and security forces have become a source of cheap labor for Yahya Jammeh’s working as farmers rather than being soldiers.
18. The only jobs available to Gambian youth is in the military and security forces; which are there to protect Yahya Jammeh and keep him in power despite the fact Gambians are fed up with his regime and want change.
19. Yahya Jammeh has murdered many Gambians in the Foni area and fed their dead bodies to crocodiles in his Kanilai zoo.
20. Since 1994, over twenty Gambians arrested by the NIA have disappeared from the face of the earth and all are feared murdered.
21. In 2009 Yahya Jammeh let Guinean witch-hunters loose on innocent Gambians especially in the Kombos and Fonis and more than ten died after drinking witch-doctor medicines.
22. Since coming to power Yahya Jammeh’s speeding motorcade and biscuit throwing has killed about fifteen children and five adults.
23. Today, Gambians cannot afford three square meals a day now and hunger and starvation has become a reality for many Gambian families.
24. Everyday untold numbers of innocent Gambians are dragged into court tried and sent to prisons where many have died of diseases and hunger.
25. Yahya Jammeh runs The Gambia like his personal property owing businesses in: construction, public transportation, sand-mining, food processing, distribution of food to hotels and the open market, travel, butchery, sale of meat products, bakery, bread distribution, import & export, clearance of goods at Ports, retail stores, gas and petroleum product sales, property development, rental and sales and international investments among others. Yahya Jammeh has forced many businesses to close because they cannot compete with him.

Fellow Gambians we must make these elections mean something. If no one wins more than fifty percent of the votes, we must demand a revote for the two leading candidates. We can no longer tolerate a minority government as we have done the last three election cycles. AND REMEMBER THAT A VOTE FOR HAMAT BAH IS A VOTE FOR YAHYA JAMMEH.

Coming soon: Ten reasons why we MUST elect Ousainou Darboe President.

GAMBIA: REMEMBERING BLOODY 11 NOVEMBER 1994

By Rtd. Lt. Binneh S. Minteh

Who Are Responsible For The Summary Executions of Officers & Men of The Gambian Armed Forces? PART I

The events of November 11^th 1994 marked the beginning of a gloomy era in the annals of Gambian history. But what does that break mean? In a conventional approach to international affairs, war took place among nations. But on the sad day of November 11^th 1994, very poor, uneducated and half baked high school graduates challenged surprised and summarily executed gallant sons of The Gambia. Their execution showed an awful form of violence and to assess that faithful day’s state of affairs, several questions are necessary. Who carried out the executions?  What justifies the summary execution of those gallant sons?

Of all the potential manifestations of innocence on the part of the AFPRC military junta that carried out the summary executions, a review of the standard bodies of evidence appealed in supporting the fact that members of the Armed Forces Patriotic Revolutionary Council ordered the summary executions of the officers and men of the Gambian armed forces on the sad day of November 11th 1994.  For the presentation before any legal institution, these evidences can be divided into four interrelated sets of arguments for any legal proceedings. They could be presented as follows: the presence of council members at Yundum Army Barracks; their assembling of soldiers, the threatening by Edward Singhateh and his firing of a shot; the arresting of Lieutenant Bassiru Barrow and others, the attack on Fajara Barracks in the wee hours of the night where Lieutenant Abdoulie Dot Faal and others were executed and finally the executions at either the Nyambai forest and the Yundum Barracks or both. These are the principal ways in which the military junta fully participated in the summary executions and torture of innocent Gambian citizens.

As a victim who survived the ordeal of November 11^th 1994, the new global order warrants my exposition of all such atrocities for the consumption of transnational civil society. It is not out of revenge, jealousy or contempt but a simple notion of truth and reconciliation. Societies, communities and people go through transformations in different ways and history has always taught us that most transformations could be rough and long. In the process, it is therefore important for public officials to be held accountable and take full responsibility for their actions. Events of November 11^th 1994 must also be fully accounted for.

No one can therefore deny the fact that the likes of President Yaya Jammeh, SOS Edward Singhateh, SOS Yankuba Touray, former vice chairman Sana Sabally, SOS Babucarr Jatta, owe an explanation to not only the Gambia and her people, but to the civilized international community. They must understand that the authority of states are declining and “their command over outcome is not what it used to be” (Susan Strange, 1). The issue of human rights has robustly transformed the international community and international human rights laws are rapidly gaining ground. Immunity should not be the umbrella to hide under as the question of immunity has become a heated debate in the international arena. It is also becoming a norm of the 21^st century for heads of governments and senior government officials be stripped of immunity for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

In remembering November 11^th 1994 I urge all Gambians and friends of the Gambia to pay a one minute silence in prayer for the following gallant sons who were cold bloodedly murdered by the regime of President Yaya Jammeh.

1.        Lieutenant Bassiru Barrow

2.      Lieutenant Abdoulie Dot Faal

3.      Lieutenant Gibril Seye

4.      Second Lieutenant Bakary Manneh

5.      Second Lieutenant Buba Jammeh

6.      Second Lieutenant Momodou Lamin Darboe.

7.      Officer-Cadet Sillah.

8.      Warrant- Officer Nyang.

9.      Cpl Bassiru Camara and many others rank and files.

May their souls rest in perfect and eternal peace.

To the families of the above victims and to all peace loving Gambians, let us keep hope alive and continue praying for our lost loved ones. Events in this 21^st century should be a lesson to all that tyrants and dictators can no longer escape the radar of transnational justice. In conclusion, it is my contention that the five ruling members of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (Retired Colonel Yaya Jammeh, Retired captain Sana Sabally, Retired Captain Edward Singhateh, Retired Captain Yankuba Ouray, Deceased Retired Captain Sadibou Hydara) are fully responsible for the summary executions of November 11^th 1994.

MAY GOD BLESS THE CIVILIZED INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND DOWN WITH ALL DICTATORS AND TYRANTS IN THE WORLD.

Source:thegambiaecho.com

This article was first published by thegambiaecho.com in nov 2006.