We read with utter dismay the threat issued by a current sitting Gambian law maker against a journalist’s parents for exercising his constitutional rights to protest against Gambian President Yahya Jammeh and his delegation during the recently concluded UN General Assembly in New York.
Pa Malick Ceesay a current sitting member of Parliament for Lower Saloum constituency in the Central River Division of the country was apparently angry against Journalist Omar Bah and other Gambian dissidents who openly confronted and embarrassed the Gambian leader and kept him hold up in his hotel and cause him to miss at least one sitting session of the UN General Assembly held in New York from September 23rd, to 27th 2013.
The law maker who disgracefully and negligently turned himself into an APRC ruling party militant apparently has anger management problems and is willing to stoop so low to threaten innocent parents of an exiled Journalist who has absolutely nothing to do with the Journalist’s decision to exercise his constitutional rights to express his dissatisfaction with the ruling government.
The disgruntled law maker issued his threat through his face book page Pa Malick Ceesay against Journalist Omar Bah of AmericanStreetnews after he posted a Video confronting the Secretary General, head of the civil service Momodou Sabally and his delegation who are accompanying the President in his trip to New York. Mr. Ceesay said “Omar Bah, you should know that your parents are in The Gambia. One good turn deserves another. But one bad turn deserves another too. Your parents will be dealt with. We know where they are. Wait and see.” The journalist knowing the callousness of the Jammeh regime and his militants wasted no time in sensitizing the public that a law maker has issued a threat against his parents. Mr. Bah stated Mr. Ceesay and his group should be held accountable to whatever happens to his parents back in the Gambia. Sulayman Malako associate editor of Americanstreetnews also added on his face book page “he issued a threat whether he follows through or not it should be treated seriously”
It should be noted that the Jammeh government has resorted to such dirty tactics in going after innocent parents and relatives of dissidents who continue to speak and write against his governing policies. Readers may recalled that Journalists Pa Nderi Mbye’s old parents were paraded on TV after the Journalist had a prank call to current Vice President Dr. Isatou Njie Saidy. Mbye’s parents who are almost 80 years old were questioned about their son’s whereabouts and if they condone his activism against the government.
It is quite an embarrassed for a government so desperate to silence its critics to stoop so low to go after citizens’ activists’ families to try to get to them. Pa Malick’s threat is a clear indication of the backwardness and incompetence of a law maker who neither has sense of responsibility nor does he knows his role as a member of Parliament representing his constituency. It is such law makers who bend backwards to appease the ruling government for their vulnerable so called parliamentary seats. It is a low the country has ever seen and Pa Malick should be held accountable for anything that happens to Omar’s poor parents. In the end these are the people who fall victim to President Jammeh and eventually rod in jail regardless of their loyalty. Njogu Bah, Pa Harry Jammeh, Essa Badgie former Police chief just to name a few are classic examples of the Pa Malick Ceesays.
One thing is absolutely clear, Journalist Omar Bah and many Gambian activists staged an unprecedented successful protest against President Jammeh who successfully incited fear in Gambians who dare speak much more stand up against him in Gambia. This protest has finally demystify the alleged Juju man who is falsely feared for his brutal iron fist rule. Now Gambians from every parts of the world knows how to keep a self proclaimed God prisoner in his own conscience.