Gainako Newspaper

Today we are going to start with this. That is, diagnosing the lessons
being spread by Dr 'Kufaarak' out in the streets. Everything in these
lesson plans of our famous Dr 'Kufaaarak' is like what methodologists
call the "stimulus-response". Here it is about repeating the names of
objects over and over while looking at them or their visual aids. Chei!
Afterwards these names will sink in the minds of a bewitched society
period.

All that matters here is identity not usage! No need to understand or use critical mindedness,simply
repeat what is being said for the purpose of making noise! A method that has always been applied in
places where "zombi-minded" performers maintain the order of the day. Reeling the image of this
land of mythology on the huge screen of society is effective because Dr 'Kufaarak' has turned it into a
classroom of false hopes. Here is an unqualified tutor with a huge club forcing his way through a lesson
plan like an angry panther. Can you imagine the feeling of those in the class at this moment? Time is
the head teacher whereas history is the inspectorate unit. Both will act along the way as this anrgy
panther cum unqualified tutor is simply left in the classroom because the bewitched and the baffled
have chosen to be civil instead of being evil. At anytime Dr 'Kufaarak' touches an object the papyrus
of publicity tests repeats it over and over. That is the "stimulus". Then those citizens in a state of
hysteria while groaning in pain are forced to respond. That is the "response"!

Actually "stimulants" have their place in today's vocabulary of mishaps. What do they do? Nothing
else other than harming brain cells.

I can see a blind man with a cane being "cuddled" to trample upon the dry grass. Who is the principal
character here? Dr 'Kufaarak'. Some can see but want to stay at the rear watching Dr! Such
characters are doing so because they know the blind man cannot touch the good fruits in the orchard.
What is their intension here? Pretend to be blind, walking side by side only to gather more fruits for
their own future. Not for the benefit of this sacred land! Alright! here is where time and history will
strike and strike hard! I remember reading a French writer's novel..."symphonie pastorale".
Aaaaah! life sometimes really sucks!

Sometimes it endlessly feeds on those veins of ours while pretending to be a partner along the way.
Here again we are being reminded that life is not a player neither is it in itself the results we are
awaiting. It is a plateau where we all can sit down and watch the activities reel. Do not try playing the
game with life itself because life always stays to see all players come and go. Who wins or who loses
is not what life is after. Life is a huge reflector where all we do and say hits then bounces back. Then
my good friends, why not sit and think before saying or doing?

How about seeing the endless euphoria on the papyrus of publicity tests? Where Dr 'Kuafaarak' is
trying so hard to paddle. In his mind he is paddling pass that crying society which is wriggling on a sea
of sand dunes? How about that? Can we ever fish from a sea of sand dunes? We maybe able to dig
and get wild fruits during this hot daily range but nothing fresh would ever be seen. Endlessly
attempting to clean dirt itself completes the whole story of a group in hysteria. It is good to dream
sometimes but very dangerous to swim in lost illusions. Illusions go way beyond reasons and realism.
They shouldn't be the expectations of a growing society that has been sniffing mud all these years. Not
at all�

You know when I look at Dr 'Kufaarak' visiting places and then in turn read the contents of the
papyrus of publicity tests singing songs of success it makes me chuckle. For me that authenticates the
trend that's growing within? A trend of self denial. Success where machines have been packed since
1989? Success where this machine was inherited by a visiting Dr 'Kufaarak' who took over from
other cats he said were inept? Saying he is/was better? This makes me as another cat really see
through the essence of an old proverb�"the infallibility of man is indispensable". A common
proverb I and my classmates used to hear so many times from a former French teacher we had in
Armitage High School . An educator in the name of Mr Abua King. However, what is bad is when
man sees himself as someone who makes no mistakes! There and then he is shunning the essence of
the proverb. Whereas the very essence of this saying is actually natural and realistic. In today's Cambi
Bolongo we see deliberate attempts of making a saint out of satan or "Shaytaan" and a "Shaytaan"
or satan out of saints who have passed all the tests of godly meanings! That is so dangerous for a
nation. The danger in it today is not about seeing something negative in what the current cats are doing
then reveal it. The danger is where these mortal beings see themselves within an organ that is
"presumably" beyond reproach. Or lets say think they are beyond genuine criticism. That is like a
boiling volcano. The magma cannot be held inside for ever it will come out in full force one day.

Of course I do agree with the school of thought that shuns force. Force or wild calculations by any
means necessary can also cause more havoc. There and then is where we need to converge on a
center called concensus. I cannot agree more here with any cat calling for mature politics. The latter is
true and doable. At least for the sake of posterity. Next will be this question? Can Dr 'Kufaarak'
adjust? Hmmmm�..here is a challenge for me and for you! Does that mean one needs to organize a
contest? Where it will be realism versus stoicism? Laugh at my naive part but do not laugh at the naive
part of life. Life sometimes feeds on naviety anyway. Doesn't it? Yes it does cause past failures and
past hypothetical calculations have left so much on the table for us to revisit. What a vast field of
semantics here! A vast field yeah. This is the sea of ideas. Ideas matter, they matter so much for me as
another cat in my corner. It pleases this cat when it sees other cats sending to different mediums all
those good ideas of hope. It displeases this cat when it sees ideas of hopelessness being germinated.
Hope is power! Like Barak Obama says..."Yes we can!" Although in our own case we will go
beyond that. We will first of all ask ourselves this.. "Can do what?" Obama's zeal and shield stems
from various factors. Some are historical others are contemporary. Ours cannot escape the same stem
either. The tree is the same. This tree is called world community of nations! It is pleasing to see all cats
talking the same language now! Maturity and consensus that's more than a kool aid in the middle of
the Kalahari desert ! Where there is hope there is life. Our homeland will reach the peak. We will all
agree one day with a lot of smiles. If the warring factions in Ivory Coast can make we can do so as
well.

There is a great mind who said this�"all wars end on the negotiating table therefore why not
start from there?" This cat is gone for now see Ya!

...............................NEWS:
Defence Counsel Fails to Show up in Court for
the Second Time- By MFWA.........................April 28th, 2008
The protracted sedition trial against Fatou Jaw Manneh, a US-based
Gambian journalist, was on April 24, 2008, adjourned to April 30 by
Magistrate Buba Jawo of the Kanifing Magistrates Court.

Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) sources in The Gambia
reported that the adjournment was due to the absence of defence counsel,
Lamin Jobarteh, who was said to be engaged in another case at the
Brikama Magistrate Court.

The Principal Magistrate Buba Jawo told the court that if Jobarteh failed to
appear before the court at the next hearing, Fatou Jaw Manneh would
have to resort to other means of defence.

Jawo's harsh reaction is likely to be connected to the fact that Jobarteh also failed to appear before
the court on April 14, 2008, allegedly due to illness.

Manneh, who was arrested upon her arrival from the USA on March 28, 2007, has been charged
with three counts of sedition, following a series of online articles she wrote criticising the regime of
President Yahya Jammeh.

Since the trial started more than a year ago, there has not been any significant progress. The recent
adjournment is just the latest of a long list of events that have prolonged the case far beyond a
reasonable timeframe.

The journalist remains stranded in The Gambia, even though she had been living in the US for a
decade prior to her arrest. ................................................

In Support of SAVE THE GAMBIA DEMOCRACY PROJECT
......................(STGDP)
Dear Sir,
I thank my friend Musa Jeng and by extension the rest of the STDGP leadership for their
demonstrated dedication to the cause of freedom and democracy. Over the years they have immersed
themselves in the important but largely thankless job of forging a working relationship among feuding
political factions and like the art of sausage making, aspects of their endeavors weren't necessarily
pretty as is always the case in these kinds of projects.

Recriminations, anger and disappointment naturally ensued but ironically I believe the experience
provided a steep but ultimately useful learning curve. As the Diaspora entity with the most experience
in directly dealing with all the players, the lessons STDGP learned puts it in good stead to re-embark
on the noble proposition that like minded Gambians can and must work together for the good of the
country. As a citizen, I wholeheartedly support STDGP's underlying call for another attempt at giving
democracy a fighting chance. Parties in the opposition by dint of their universal commitments to
democracy, the rule of law and all the other values they share, are natural allies and there is no earthly
reason why they can't be actual partners .Instead of dueling on what could have been, I suggest we all
dedicate our collective efforts at crafting a simple workable approach that can bring us change first.
Change is the only thing that would offer all political parties equal opportunities to effectively compete
and we the Gambian people can live with vibrant even if occasionally bickering political parties in a
proper democratic dispensation. What we can't afford is when political bickering becomes a near
permanent hindrance to the change we desperately need and aborts the very cause of freedom and
democracy itself.

Let us all roll our sleeves and take another look at this important task cognizant of the inevitable
distractions that would surely emerge. The easy route is to consign our country to the column of the
irredeemable and let a tyrant run his banana republic. The honorable route however, is for citizens to
transcend anger and disappointment and try their best.

Karamba

...........................................................................................NEWS
HUMAN TSUNAMI DESTROYS STRUCTURES OF THE
POOR-Social Security Blamed
..........................By Solo, Banjul Correspondent�April 27th, 2008
The recent indiscriminate bulldozing of the
houses of the poor people settling between
Busumbala and Jambur did not come as
a complete surprise to some observers.

This reporter has earlier on reported on the
impending land crisis in the whole of the
Western region and concluded that if
nothing is done about the matter, it has the
potential to explode into a civil strife.

The reporter was seen by two victims of what could best be described as a human tsunami when the
physical planning authorities dressed in social security uniforms with police escorts bulldozed both the
buildings of the poor as well as the cement block buildings of the well- to- do.

This reporter visited the demolition site and saw buildings scattered as if a natural catastrophe has
struck the entire area. He was shocked and perplexed by the number of homeless victims which
includes over 60 families.

When this reporter visited the Alkalo�s compound he found over 200 people belonging to about 60
families of various ethnic backgrounds, crying and some throwing themselves on the ground. The
victims said they were never informed nor notified of the eviction order nor have they ever known that
the area they occupy belongs to the Social security and Housing Finance Corporation.

The village head also said he was never notified about the action, and expressed surprise on the whole
thing.What surprised the villagers above all is the question, how the Social Security acquired such a
huge land in their village without their knowledge. The Social Security which is established to help the
poor workers acquire land and even support them after their retirement is now the institution that is
unleashing the biggest tsunami of all times on the poor people in the name of helping the poor. What an
irony? The housing Corporation should call a press conference to clarify matters.

.............Adam Tensta
Gambia's most recent Grammy winning musician
........................By: Alieu Khan, �land Islands��..April, 27th, 2008
Adam Momodou Eriksson Taal is undoubtedly the current reigning
hip hop star in the Scandinavia. Known by the stage name Adam
Tensta, he was born on the 1st August 1983 in the Swedish capital,
Stockholm. He has a Gambian father and a Swedish mum.

This chart-topping musician grew up listening to Bob Marley. According
to him, he was also in tune to what was happening in the genre of hip
hop. As a young boy, he started with break dancing and with time he
noticed that he has the potentials to write songs that stand the chance
to be widely appreciated.

Adam's debut album, It's a Tensta Thing was released in September 2007 by K-Wrek Records. It
came at a time, when hip hop was almost dead in Sweden, a country that host lot of Gambian
musicians. One of the songs in the album, My Cool led to his quick popularity. It was a well crafted
techno with rap, which became the most demanded song in Swedish night clubs. It received a great
airplay and currently it has hit about 1.5million views on Youtube.

Adam is building hype globally, with his music capturing great attention. Already he has started
performing with world musicians like Akon. According to him he never likes to compromise lyrical
content. A young Swedish producer called Lucas Nathanson of Nate Productions believes that
Adam's lyrical content is one of the major reasons why he is gaining great acclamation.

The Gambian hip hop star is currently on popular demand and there are always loud applauses where
ever he performs. What is not clear to this writer is whether Adam has built adequate attachment with
his father's native country, The Gambia. Almost majority of Gambians music devotees in Sweden, are
so proud of him and they felt he needs the support of every Gambian.

On all his profiles it is clearly stated that his father is Gambian, but the million dollar question is; do
Adam Tensta see himself as a Gambian? We were very proud recently when a Gambian-Swedish
half-caste boxer, Badou Jack decided to represent The Gambia in the world business of sports.
Badou is already on the lips of every Gambian both home and abroad and he has created name for
himself by being Gambia's first qualified boxer for an Olympic games. He will be in Beijing to proudly
represent his father's native country.

In a chat with Mo Hawk, one of the vocalists of Gambia's most popular rap group Da Fugitivz, he
was seemingly very proud of Adam and his talents. He already managed to secure an interview with
him for the Senegalese National TV and this can be watched on
http://www.myspace.com/mohawkdafugitivz.

This writer has already arranged an interview with Adam Tensta and from the interview it will be clear
if he is proud of his Gambian connection and if he has plans of storming the Gambia for a major gig.

.........STGDP PRESS RELEASE:
STGDP held a Retreat in Frankfort, KY last month to find a way forward
and to explore political opportunities for 2011. The weekend retreat was
held by the entire Executive of STGDP. The retreat was also seen by the
organization as an opportunity to revisit the role of STGDP in the 2006
elections, in terms of missed opportunities and what could have been done
to see the whole coalition process to a successful end.

The anticipation was that such an exercise will help to carve a realistic way forward. The retreat
started out by enumerating the successes and failures of STGDP, but the one issue that brought the
most contentious debate was the revision of the decision made to endorse NADD after the UDP and
NRP left the fold. Some of the members believed that the hasty endorsement of NADD did not help
the organization in the credibility front in terms of engaging all sides of the divide; some of the other
members still maintained that after the formation of NADD which the organization supported and
endorsed, to walk away from it would have been seen as not principled and really a betrayal to the
effort that we were at the forefront. In the final analysis, frank discussions have yielded positive insights
into STGDP and will without a doubt help in the quest for a way forward.

It is indeed an understatement that the disintegration of the coalition effort was a major blow to
STGDP, disappointment led to frustration as the organization continued to struggle trying to keep the
tiny flicker of hope. The members have invested lots of time, effort and financial commitment to the
effort, and when the whole thing came crashing emotions took over and suspicions were at large. As
the membership of STGDP eroded and a clear way forward became illusive, to the few members left
were not sure how to proceed with the struggle. Of course, the arrest of one of our members, Fatou
Jaw Manneh became the awakening to most of us, and a clear reminder that the fight to bring about
democracy in the Gambia cannot be ever abandoned. We have had several telephone conferences -
trying to seek a realistic frame work or way to continue the struggle against the status quo in the
Gambia. After looking into different strategies: like forming a new political party, a direct engagement
to the APRC, STGDP has really concluded that maybe there are still opportunities left in what was
started, and that there is a need to go back to the drawing board and to reach out to all the players
and begin the task of rapprochement. Even though, there was reluctance from some of the members,
but the general consensus is that change can still be brought about under the leadership of Halifa,
Ousainou, Hamat and OJ. The bottom line is that, it is really a question of political necessity to frame
the opposition strategy among these players that have already build structures in the Gambia with
grass support. STGDP is not advocating for the continuation of the template that was in place, but
rather to start the arduous task of rebuilding a credible and effective opposition in the Gambia. The
first goal is to build a solid voice among all activists in the Diaspora from all political parties. The
second goal will be to start the rebuilding of trust between UDP and NADD, and to start a
coordination of activities between the two parties. This is not about jumping and forming a coalition, or
the recreation of NADD. But rather working together, and addressing issues that the principal
opposition players can agree upon, especially against Jammeh and to take him on every turn until the
election in 2011.

As for the issue that the opposition disappointed the Diaspora, STGDP has finally come to terms that
the road to democracy and a free Gambia is full of stumbling blocs, and it would be very naive on our
part to expect positive results right away. The options are very clear we can either stay defeated, or
go back to the drawing board and build a new strategy. For now, there is a renew enthusiasm among
all the members of STGDP that it is indeed worth it to continue the struggle, no matter what temporal
setbacks we are faced with. This is the price we are willing to pay to contribute in the building of
democracy, peace and rule of law in the Gambian. STGDP still considers Ousainou, Halifa, Hamat
and OJ as patriots that have given a lot and that their sacrifices and commitments cannot be
overlooked, even though there were big political miss-opportunities that were not fully exploited in the
last effort.

STGDP is back and we are looking for a new beginning , and looking forward to working with all
Gambians in the Diaspora to bring back the enthusiasm we once had in the early part of the 2006
coalition effort.

Thanks
Musa Jeng
Chairman STGDP

..The Watchman on Observer's Editorial
.............................By Lamin J Darbo........................April 26th, 2008
Dear Editor:
The Observer's editorial is admittedly devoid of substance and
sophistication, but even if tangentially; it does touch on a quite
pertinent issue.

Notwithstanding the views of The Watchman, western money in the form of foreign direct investment
(FDI) has no necessary interest in the promotion of human rights and democracy. The profit motive is
the main attraction, and international capital goes where there is money to be made. Every other
consideration is secondary.

As for United Nations (UN) peacekeepers, The Watchman's argument is incomplete. The UN is a
world body, and under Chapter VII of its Charter, the Security Council has an obligation to intervene
where it deems a clear threat to international peace and security exists. Any deployment of UN
peacekeepers to Darfur, or other conflict zones, must be seen as a fulfillment of that mandate.
Suffice to say that the Gambia Government signed the Rome Statute - the Treaty setting up the
International Criminal Court in The Hague - on 07 December 1998, and deposited its ratification
instrument on 28 June 2002, three days before it came into force on 01 July 2002.

As of now, the Court has jurisdiction to try allegations pertaining to Genocide, War Crimes, and
Crimes Against Humanity. It also has jurisdiction to try Aggression, if, and when, the definition of that
crime is agreed by the ICC's assembly of state parties. In the ordinary run of events, aggression, either
directly or by proxy, is likely to be committed by global military powers. If in 2002 the ICC is barred
from considering allegations of Aggression because a definition could not be agreed for the crime,
where was the justification in the internationalized German (Nuremberg), and Japanese (Tokyo)
post-war tribunals prosecuting the leaders of those countries for, among other charges, the crime of
waging 'aggressive' wars. There is no question that international justice has disturbing selectivity about
it.
Of the 194 members of the United Nations, 105 have acceded to the Rome Statute. For now, major
states including the USA, Russia, China, India, Iran, etc., refused to ratify the Rome Statute, and are
therefore exempt from the jurisdiction of the ICC. In light of the Observer editorial, I wonder why the
Gambia, along with many African countries, accepted the jurisdiction of the ICC. A former militia
leader in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was the first indictee of the ICC, for, among other
things, recruitment of child soldiers in that country's devastating civil war.

Although the concept is the same, Charles Taylor is actually on trial before the Special Court for
Sierra Leone specially sitting in The Hague, for alleged crimes associated with that country's
eleven-year civil war. In a nutshell, the crux of the article is not easily dismissible since the
overwhelming number of defendants - for the foreseeable future at least - are likely to come from
Africa, and from countries in other 'insignificant' continents.

Nevertheless, The Watchman should be able to argue against the Observer editorial on the grounds
that at the heart of the ICC is the principle of complementarity, meaning that the Court will only
intervene if a national jurisdiction is either unable, or unwilling to prosecute alleged international
criminals. In other words, the ICC's jurisdiction is residual, and only kicks in when a national judicial
system is incapacitated for whatever reason. It is also worthwhile to remind the Observer that African
countries like the Gambia acceded to the Rome Statute of their free sovereign will.

If we accept that the Observer highlights a legitimate issue, we should nevertheless ask whether
African leaders are right in shielding former despots like Chad's Hissene Habre, in Senegal effectively
under house arrest, from judicial accountability. If the African Union, in light of his aborted indictment
(the Cour de Cassation, Senegal 's court of final appeals, upheld a jurisdictional bar to Senegal
prosecuting Habre) manifests reluctance to prosecute him for torture, and crimes against humanity,
there should be no resistance to the extradition request from Belgium under its universal jurisdiction
laws.

Lamin J Darbo

.....Journalists Should Go
..........................By Ebrima Sarr, England........Posted April 24th, 2008
Dear Sir,
I'd like to think this is first of many emails I'll be sending to you. The emergence of the online media
has opened up a world of information for us in the Diaspora, on our beloved nation which hitherto
came in distorted bits and pieces, not as quick but bearing all the hallmarks of our well known radio
'kangkang'. Its a shame though that an opportunity so great is grossly misused and the blessings that
should have been its fruit like manna from heaven is now close to the forbidden fruit of Eden.

I am of the school of disagreeing to agree n believe that views, dissenting and controversial they may
be should be freely expressed and the absorption and practice of ideas be left to the discretion of the
masses with the guidance of the law of course. This is why i am very much a fan of the Gambia online
media as information that would in no way be aired on any media outlet in the country is thanks to the
former now out in the open for public consumption.

However the negativity that oozes out from some outlets is like pus from a gangrene limb, which is for
the owner best cut off lest it spreads n causes death. I will be the first to admit that my grasp of the
law is less than rudimentary as my claim to reading it ends in a one year course at GTTI. However, I
challenge you readers to this;(no doubt men of law amongst you) if a citizen is in possession of
information which could lead to the overthrow of a government, and his only effort in respect to that
info is to air and propagate its execution, not guilty of aiding and abetting treason or in the worst case
scenario, treason itself!?

This is the crime one online paper has committed in alleging receipt of a letter of treason from some
disgruntled soldiers. Lack of time and space restricts me to shred the report piecemeal but it does not
take a genius to assert that receipt of a letter of treason from the executioners is either a hoax or a
damn right lie by the recipient as the airing of such a plan would render it crushed. And to wish such a
calamity on our dear Gambia, disgruntled as one may be with the regime is surely a heinous crime n
very much immoral. By anyone's standard, The Gambia as it is better than it could ever be when law
and order ceases to exist.

I hope this paper refrains from such negative reporting and that those of us who rely on it will resort
to feeding from it without taking every word with a pinch of salt.
...........No Sitting on the Fence
I am honored to have known Ebrima Conteh from when he was a boy and even as he may not
remember me, I clearly do him and i would assert right here and now that i looked up to him. Im not
surprised, rather much impressed that he has turned out to be the successful man I ever knew he was
going to become. Congratulations on coming back from Iraq alive. As there are few good men, the
world is richer with you still breathing.

However, I would like to know where you stand on matters in the Gambia, as I am very much baffled
at your mention of Yaya's projects and praise for Halifa and FOROYAA. Last time i checked, the
only mention Halifa made of the said projects are they were built by loans and since the projects don't
generate money, yet the loans will still be paid, that it could only help in increasing tax, thereby adding
to the suffocation of the masses. Can you please enlighten me as to how you think change can be
achieved in the Gambia?

My dear brother, I look forward to your response. Flatter me with one please.The author can be
contacted at eysarr@yahoo.co.uk.

Ebrima Sarr
England ............................

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