Gainako Newspaper

Mr. Editor,
I read with utter dismay about what is happening at the National Drug Enforcement
Agency NDEA. This wanton and excessive corruption initially started at this Agency
with the appointment of Buns Sanneh as head of this unit. For Gods sake, everyone
knows that such a position should be for a trained, experience police officer with high
intergrity. Bun convinced the authority to get this plea-bargaining legalize.

Let me tell you how this plea-bargain works and how Bun's and his co-horts are manipulating it to
their advantage. If you are well to do person, you are a target and if arrested even with a crack, or
any other flimsy excuse related to drugs, they would threaten you that your car will be confiscated or
your property including your house. The law is that any thing to be confiscated must be from the
proceeds of drug related and it is purchased by the trafficker. Now for Bun the plea-bargaining works
like this. If you are caught even if it one stroke, you will not be granted bail, and Bun and his co-horts
will apply veil threats and other intimidating tactics. Then the next day another Police criminal Sembeh
will invite to his office offering you the plea-bargaining and he would be talking to you like a trained
lawyer citing sections of the law you violated and the potential punishments you faced. For only one
stroke, the minimum is D75, 000.00 which 75% goes to the NDEA and 25% to Judiciary. The
judiciary on their part will give you receipt while Bun's NDEA will not issue you a receipt. That is if
the matter reaches the courts.

However if the deal is done in Bun's office you will not get any receipt to avoid potential incrimination
thus hiding traces of their criminal enterprise and maybe if you own a car you will surrendered it to
them and any other expensive accessories. This way the matter will be put under wraps. You will
perhaps walk free of the charges while Bun Sanneh and his co-horts enriched themselves at the
expense of the state. Investigate so many of their cars and you will find out that only few were
confiscated legally through court orders. This trend if it continues, Bun and some of the big guns will
soon be richer than President Jammeh.

The promotion aspect in this department, is such that as an officer of this agency if you think legally,
and want to apply the rule of Law to any drug related case they will first black list you , then brand
you an opposition or an informant to the media. In effect destroy your career. This is the sad state of
affairs in the Gambia.

Mariama
A Concerned Citizen

.PURE NEPOTISM AT THE DRUG SQUAD!
.................................................July 8th, 2008
Dear Editor,
May I bring to the attention of our beloved nation the form of pure nepotism and classic
bullying and corruption currently taking place at the National Drug Enforcement Agency
in Banjul. This unacceptable behaviour and action is taking place under the leadership
of Bun Sanneh who is not only violating the code of conduct of the Agency but also
blatantly trying to deceive the authorities and other hard working officers.

Mr Sanneh unlawfully helped to secure employment of more than ten members of his family in the
Agency without the normal procedures or even vetting them prior to gaining employment in this
important office. One of his employed family members is even an ex-convict who has no place in the
force. Most of these employees are also family members of his two wives and currently they are
treating the Agency as a family property.

Most annoyingly, alleged criminals who decided to enter plea bargain with the Agency has drugs and
cash seized from them misused instead of putting them into government coffers. What a disservice to
the tax-payer's money! Our complaints are received with deaf ears and clearly this is emotionally and
psychologically affecting hard working staff whose self-confidence are now very low at this moment.
Again Mr Sanneh's son is now studying in the United Kingdom with full salary since more than five
months ago even though the other officers on study leave like his son are denied any pay or form of
support to pursue their studies. What an unfair mess!

At this moment Mr Sanneh has engaged on a bogus promotion exercise within the Agency leaving
hard working staff angry and disgruntled. He is boasting to be a close associate of President Jammeh
and hence the authority to do whatever he wishes.

We are really suffering from this menace of nepotism and bias and calling on President Jammeh,
Interior Minister, the new Inspector General of Police and the media to help us expose this
unacceptable behaviour and conduct and an independent inquiry into the activities of Mr Sanneh and
his associates.

Thank you for your excellent job.

...............................................................OPINION
........Jammeh Loves Mugabe,
....................Who's Surprised?
........................................By Ebrima Sarr.......July 8th, 2008
Its been a while since my last letter but I was busy seeing the other
things in life haha. However I have taken some time off work to
express my disgust at our presidents latest blurt of rubbish. I have
to admit im not surprised, just tried to make sense of why he told
a blue lie with a straight face, but then again as it was not the first.
I concluded that it won't be the last. I then resorted to dissecting
it and am very impressed at the outcome of my analysis.

First, the very basis of any friendship is common interest and the
above mentioned two are like two peas in a pod. If not for the
difference in their age, they could pass for each other, they might
as well have been born twins! Mugabe likes to regard himself a
war veteran and nothing pleases our monster more than a reference to his soldier past but don't you
ask yourselves how they made it into the army.

They would not pass the regulation height if i was the recruitment officer. I've seen guns taller than
them both! Been a short guy myself, I have learnt how to substitute my deficiency in height with false
bravado and the traits are all too familiar in these two so called african leaders.

I am far from been the best looking guy around but the ugliness and lack of personality characterised
by these two men is just too obvious to ignore. Sometimes i wonder if its their genetic component that
makes them as evil as they look albeit each with a comic touch. Where Mugabe chooses to wear a
brazilian on his face, our man opts for the clean shave but with cheeks like a pig's, napoleon of animal
farm personified. Wow! How nice telling the emperor he's got no clothes on.

Here are two people who inherited a fertile land and daily, by their stupid, crude and archaic farming
methods, they're leaving it less fertile. Like the the proverbial workman, their only defence is to quarrel
with their tools. Their strength is the gun controlled by moralless unpatriotitic robots with no
conscience. Tyrants through out history have proved to be cowards, from Pharoah in the Quran And
bible to modern day thugs like Jammeh and Mugabe. Hitler from his command centre sent millions to
war but soonest the guns got too close for comfort, he chose to end his life. Saddam could've died a
martyr but he chose to surrender even though he had a loaded gun. No wonder he was hung like the
dog that he is. Even as the same fate may not be in store for these two fools, im positive they're no
differnt from the former.

Jammeh calls the opposition enemies of progress and Mugabe has even worse rhetoric in his archive.
Jammeh sees himself in Mugabe's boots in the next ten years and he is scared the same condemnation
and alienation facing Mugabe will be his lot soon. He is making a bed for himself to lie on, not
necessarily backing him. Its a marriage of coveniance based on a greedy and corrupt camaraderie.

My heart goes out to the people of these two nations who surely desesrve better than these two
leaders destiny has thrown on them. I pray we are rid of them both, like bad rubbish, they're best of at
one place. I may not know if its sooner or later but we all know its surely. Cant come sooner

,,,,,,,..,,,Rama Yade
..AA source of inspiration for Senegambian girls living abroad
..............................By Alieu Khan ............................July 8th, 2008
Marian Anderson was undoubtedly America's first black
internationally recognized musician. This was during the
days of segregation in the US, but with her unique singing
voice she succeeded in uniting many hearts.

When Marian was denied the opportunity to perform at the
Constitution Hall, America's most prestigious hall in those
days, it sparked a huge controversy and one of her white
fans, who was the US Interior Secretary Harold L. Ickes
said:-"Genius draws no colour line"

This saying reminds me of Rama Yade, Senegambia's most popular in the European political scene.
She is becoming another Condoleeza Rice, just less than 14 months in office as France's Under
Secretary for European Affairs and Human Rights.

Rama was born in Dakar on December 13, 1976. She moved to France when she about 12 years to
live with her mum. For her, living in Europe is not an excuse to fool around. She was very much
committed to her studies and won the admiration of many. She has been a victim of racism many
times, as indicated in her book noirs de france.

In 2000 the Senegambian born diplomat completed her studies at the French Institute of Political
Studies. She started working at the Paris Town Hall and later moved to the French National
Assembly. She became a popular figure when she took over as the administrator at the French
Senate.

Rama was out all to succeed in the French political struggle. Despite her young age and race in 2005
she joined the Union for a Popular Movement Political Party. Her intelligence seemingly delighted
every one in the party. She was made the National Secretary in charge of Francophone Affairs in
2006.

In June 2007, she was appointed by Sarkozy as his Under Secretary for European Affairs and Human
Rights. She is currently the youngest in the French cabinet. Rama has been traveling a lot to promote
peace in conflict areas. She has been to Congo, Haiti, Sudan, Palestine, Sri Lanka etc and has also
represented France at many international gatherings.

Her current position in the French government will obviously offer some respect and recognition to the
immigrant community in France.

When I accidentally tumble across Rama Yade on the internet, I seemingly appreciated every thing
about her except her strong liking for the French leader. During Sarkozy's candidacy inauguration, she
was offered the chance to speak and according to her the left have given the minorities "mercy instead
of respect". She is with the strong hope that with the current leadership her fellow immigrants will
enjoy respect and dignity.

Despite my support and appreciation for Rama I don't think the huge immigrant population in France
has any reason to expect greater changes with Sarkozy at the helm.

He was once quoted saying:- "If some people are bothered by France, they shouldn't hesitate to
leave a country they don't love"

It was Sarkozy who drafted a bill imposing tougher conditions on unskilled and low income
immigrants. "There is generosity and there is irresponsibility. Why is France the only country in
the world that doesn't have the right to choose its immigrants?" He said again.

Coming back to Rama, I think she should serve as a source of inspiration to the many Senegambian
girls currently resident in Europe and the USA. If the immigrant community continues to be unskilled
and low paid, it will only increase the issue of xenophobia and racism.

Marian Anderson was a black singer at a time when blacks were not accepted in the American
society. This was before and during the Civil Rights Movement. She was good in what she was doing
and understood very well the how and why of what she was doing. Despite being black, she enjoyed
great respect and was invited to the White House on several occasions.

Rama's achievement and that of Nyamko Sabuni, Sweden's only black female minister is enough to
convince our sisters in the Diaspora that there is no short cut to success. Every body needs a
thoroughly reliable foundation to win the admiration of the people.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,POEM
,,REST IN PEACE GAMBIA
..................................By Abdul Aziz Jigo ................July 7th, 2008
Gambia, I salute your rise and fall in History
Gambia, I salute the tutelage of your ancestors
Gambia, I denounced your arranged marriage with slavery and colonialism
Gambia, I regretted your determined marriage with P.P.P
Gambia, I am still mourning your forceful marriage with the A.P.R.C

Gambia, you have been raped for over 400 years
Gambia, you have been domestically abused for 30 years
Gambia, you have been murdered within 6 years
Gambia, you have been failed by all your husbands

Marriages of so-called civilization, independence and transition
Divorces of revolutions, rampant corruption and cold blooded murders
Gambia, your ghost will haunt them forever
Gambia, the last husband is evidently your widower

He emptied your coffers to Swiss Banks and Morocco
He censored and incarcerated your own children
He abandoned you and left for KANILAI
He killed you and your future generation
He refuses to give you a state burial while you decomposes without identity

Partying in Cuba, without a single commisserative message,
Political prostitutes worshipped in scapegoats and lies
Putting material lost before precious lives
Poetic justice shall prevail while you rest in peace

Gambia, no arrest has been made since your untimely departure
He posthumously flouted your vestiges of glory and rich legacy
Through misplaced arrests, mass killings and draconian legislations
Gambia, your last husband is a subject of global buffoonery
Gambia, his guilt cannot be clean by any legal detergent.

Abdul Aziz Jigo

GPU Executive Pays Courtesy
Call on Speaker By Solo, Banjul correspondent......July 5th, 2008
The Executive of The Gambia Press Union, Thursday July 3rd
2008 paid a courtesy call on Fatoumatta Jahumpa Ceesay,
Speaker of the National Assembly.

Ndey Tapha Sosseh, President, Gambia Press Union expressed
pleasure with the reception at the National Assembly and said
that the Call was aimed at cementing the already existing cordial
relationship between the private press and the Legislature..

The GPU leader raised key areas of concern between Press/
Legislature relations highlighting the issue of access especially
during ceremonial state functions at the Assembly and made
proposals that would enhance and ease access for coverage of
National Assembly proceedings.

As NAMS representing both the ruling and opposition parties were present, Ms Sosseh took the
opportunity to remind them that it is their responsibility to keep the Executive in check and that as
representatives of The Gambian people, the National Assembly is the forum to raise and address
issues of concern to the Gambian populace. She further lamented the GPU�s concern that issues of
freedom of expression and the security of journalists/media workers have not yet been raised at the
National Assembly with specific references to the continued detention of Chief Ebrima Manneh
despite the ECOWAS Court orders for his immediate release and to compensate him with
US$100,000 dollars and the investigations into the murder of Deyda Hydara.

The GPU President also called on National Assembly Members to support the promotion of media
friendly laws and not to pass legislation that will serve as a stumbling block to freedom of expression.
She however stated that the GPU and its membership are equally committed to the development
of The Gambia and that in informing the Gambian populace, they have a crucial role to play.

GPU advisors Sam Sarr and Swaebou Conateh, editors of the Foroyaa Newspaper and The Gambia
News and Report Magazine reiterated comments and concerns raised by the GPU President.

In response, Fatoumatta Jahumpa Ceesay, Speaker of the National Assembly said she was surprised
that the issue of access was raised as they �are not aware of any incident� in relation to coverage and
or access to the House and assured the GPU Executive that such problems would not exist if all media
houses are fully and properly accredited to cover proceedings.

She echoed earlier views of the Minority Leader that the issue of Chief Ebrima Manneh was sub
judicial thus could not be mentioned at the House. Declaring that she was not holding brief for
the Executive, she lamented the non-cooperation of the public regarding the Deyda Hydara
investigations and attributed the slow pace to this.

Acknowledging that as politicians they needed the media to sell their ideologies, the Speaker
disclosed that the National Assembly had secured a training package for Parliamentary Reporters and
that provision was made for a �State of the Art Media Centre� within the premises of the
Assembly.

Speaking earlier Momodou Sanneh, Minority Leader and Member for Kiang West commended the
GPU Executive for �being bold and open enough� to raise their issues of concern with the National
Assembly. He further informed them that the Chief Ebrima Manneh issue was not raised at the
National Assembly as Court Matters are not mentioned in the House.

Also present at the meeting were several National Assembly members.

..................................................PRESS RELEASE
GAMBIAN ASSOCIATIONS IN THE AMERICAS UNITE
TO FORM AN UMBRELA ORGANIZATION
.............................................July 4th, 2008
When a people are determined to put their heads together and work towards national unity and
development, nothing can stop them. Every generation has a moral obligation to think for themselves
and determine the way forward for their communities and people. A new generation of Gambians fully
conscious of the realities of our time and the challenges facing our nation have come up with a new
idea of working together to foster national unity and organize grassroots to strengthen our communities
and nation as a whole.

In July 2007, a number of Gambian Organizations in the United States of America and Canada came
together to explore the possibility of forming A NON POLITICAL UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION
in the Americas. As stipulated in the Mission Statement, the Mission of this Organization shall be to
organize and strengthen Gambian Communities across the Americas; through grassroots organization
with a clear objective to encourage and motivate all Gambians to join their local branches which in
turn will work towards strong economic, educational, social and cultural projects.

We will accomplish this without compromise to our communities, environment and moral values.

PREAMBLE
Alliance of Gambian Associations in the Americas (AGAA) exist to promote unity between local
Gambian organizations; advocate for the rights of our citizens in the Americas and around the globe,
and to educate the American public about The Gambia while elevating the profile of The Gambia and
facilitate linkages between Gambians in the Diaspora and their host communities.

The Alliance of Gambian Associations in the Americas follows the highest ethical standards in
carrying out its mission. We are committed to encouraging professional competence and ethical
practices to booster our collective will towards national development. We realize that our strength lies
within our willingness to organize and break all barriers to strengthening our communities.

The following organizations have strongly embraced the idea, and we are proud to inform the general
public that all these organizations have committed to the cause and are actively involved in this historic
endeavor.

1. The Gambian Society in New York, (New York City)
2. Rhode Island Gambian Association (Rhode Island)
3. Minnesota Gambian Association (Minnesota)
4. Gambian Association in Toronto (Canada)
5. Gambian Association in Montreal (Canada)
6. Gambian Association in Memphis (Tennessee)
7. Gambian Association in Nashville (Tennessee)
8. Gambian Association in Phoenix (Arizona)
9. Gambian Association in Los Angeles (California)
10. Gambian Association in Raleigh (North Carolina)
11. Gambian Association in the Greater Kansas City (Kansas)
12. Gambian Association in Columbus (Ohio)
13. Gambian Youth Organization in New York (New York)
14. Gambian Association in Cincinnati (Ohio)
15. Gambia American Association in Maryland (Maryland)
16. Michigan Gambian Association (Michigan)
16. Atlanta Gambian Association for Emergency Relief Assistant (AGERA)
17. Seattle Gambian Association (Seattle, Washington)
18. Senegambia Association in Wisconsin (Wisconsin)
19. Gambian Texas Association (Dallas, Texas)

After series of conference calls and painstaking one-on-one discussions and consultations, the
members finally came up with draft By-Laws which now bind us together for a common goal. We are
now in the process of registering the organization in the State of New York where it will be
headquartered.

In addition to our aggressive telephone Out-Reach Drive, we sent out our first press release last year
which was published by several Gambian online newspapers. The cooperation of the media is highly
crucial in the success of this organization. We appreciate and solicit their partnership in this effort. It is
our humble believe that there are other great Organizations and individuals in all the fifty States who
have not yet come forward to share with us their thoughts and concerns, so that together we can make
history and better serve our people's interest both in the Diaspora and back in The Gambia. Your
feedback is highly solicited.

At this point, it is imperative to make it crystal clear to all that this organization does not accept
individual membership. It is an Organizational-Based-Membership. It simply means that one has to
belong to an existing organization that is properly registered with their State Government's Department
of State. The member organization must be in good standing with AGAA in order to receive any
benefits for its membership. Individual Gambians citizens are strongly urged to join their local
grassroots' organizations or form new organizations in States where there is no Gambian organization.
A community better serves its people by being organized.

In our April 20, 2008 meeting, members unanimously elected the following officials to serve as Interim
Executive and Organizing Committees respectively to formulate structures, complete the legal
registration of the AGAA and lay down a strong foundation for a new leadership to take over the
governing affairs of this organization.

INTERIM EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
1. Kabba Joof--President (Rhode Island)
2. Pa. Saikou Kujabi--Secretary (New York)
3. Muctarr Jallow---Treasurer (Michigan)
4. Demba Baldeh---PRO (Seattle, Washington)
5. Sirmang Danjo--Other Official (Phoenix, Arizona)
6. Samba Baldeh---Other Official (Madison, Wisconsin)

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE MEMBERS
1. Ousman Manjang---Chairman (Atlanta, Georgia)
2. Hassan Touray----Member (Dallas, Texas)
3. Pa Lamin Manneh--Member ( Seattle, Washington)
4. Wuyeh Sanneh----Member (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
5. Sherrifo Camara---Member (Toronto, Canada)
6. Fanding Saidykhan--Member (Toronto, Canada).

This communiqu� is intended to encourage all Gambian Organizations in the Americas to join without
delay, so that together we can make this pursue a dream come true. Be part of making history and let
the voices of your community be represented in this new movement. Time is of the essence, we cannot
wait any longer. Be a part of those willing to think for ourselves and address our own socio economic
problems.

A live face to face meeting of members is being planned to be held during the July 4th weekend
celebration in Atlanta. For venue and details, please contact Ousman Manjang or stay tune for
announcements during events in Atlanta.

For more information please email us at:

GambiaCommitteeMembersUSA@googlegroups.com or contact the following people:

Ousman Manjang, Atlanta, GA
Pa. Saikou Kujabi...New York
Hassan Touray.......Dallas Texas

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