I take liberty to seek refuge under the right of a rejoinder on the material you had published in which you characterized GMC as a dysfunctional opposition political Party, in addition to your radio program at which you attacked my family. I hope you give this rejoinder the same prominence accorded to your allegations against GMC and my family. I say this because in the past you relegated our rejoinders so far below to minimize visibility and to attempt to neutralize their potential impact, and at some instances you eliminated them totally from your archives. There were times when you chose NOT to publish them, and for this reason, we will copy other media outlets. I hope this time common sense of decency would urge you to implement fairness.
In response to all what you said against me on both Freedom newspaper and Freedom radio, I will cite your own opinion about me published in January 2008. I reproduced here what you Pa Ndery wrote verbatim in your own newspaper: “The Freedom Newspaper Editorial Board has been busy for the past weeks scrutinizing names of individuals enlisted for this year’s award. Mr. Fatty happens to be the winner of the noble Peace price award. The paper’s Editors say Fatty deserved such an award.
You went further to vouch for my selfless service to Gambians. In your own words you wrote:
“Lawyer Mai Fatty has been a true defender of human rights in The Gambia. Over the years, he had put his life on the line to defend the rights and liberties of oppressed Gambians. Lawyer Fatty devotes most part of his law career in helping humanity. He represents poor litigants free of charge and had never shirked his duties and responsibilities as a lawyer in defending the constitution. Mai Fatty truly deserved this important Award of the man of the year. The Freedom Newspaper Editorial Board therefore want to present this important award to Lawyer Mai Fatty who is currently on his sick bed, following an attempt on his life by agents believed to be acting on the orders of The Gambian Government.” (sic) says a statement issued by the Freedom Newspaper Editorial Board today.”
In your radio broadcast, you indicated that GMC is not known anywhere in the country. You cited Basse where my parents were arrested and jailed for supporting me, as an example saying that folks down there have no idea about the existence of the Party. I shall come to that later. However, this is what you said about me when you named me “Freedom Newspaper MAN OF THE YEAR” 2008. In your own words Pa Ndery Mbai, you wrote this about me:
“Lawyer Mai Fatty is a household name in The Gambia. His uprightness and honesty earns him such an important award. Mr. Fatty has never closed his doors to poor litigants. He handles cases ranging from political, economic and rights abuses. He is among the few Gambian lawyers today, who is willing to represent the poor and the oppressed. Fatty had never turned his back to underprivileged litigants. He is a real human rights defender.” Says Freedom Newspaper Managing Editor and Publisher Pa Nderry M’Bai.” Editor M’Bai further noted that “Lawyer Fatty had suffered untold persecution in the hands of Jammeh’s terror agents over the years. His uncompromising stance in defending the constitution and the oppressed nearly cost him his life. He suffered illegal arrest, detentions, failed assassination attempt and an unfinished persecution.”
On my professional record, you provided impeccable testimony having covered some of my cases when you were a reporter in The Gambia. You wrote in Freedom newspaper: “Mai devotes his time in pointing out constitutional and judicial crisis taking place in the country. He never minces his mind if a particular ruling was erroneous or not inline with the dictates of the law. He tells things as he sees it.”
I have nothing more to add to this testimony provided by you and Freedom newspaper about me as an opposition Leader for now. On GMC, it belongs to The Gambian people. I am very proud of my record of stewardship over the Party and I am equally proud of the great success of the Party thus far. For the benefit of Gambians, and in the interest of fairness, I urge you to invite me on your radio at prime time to defend my leadership and the record of GMC as an opposition political Party. This rejoinder is not adequate for me to dilate on our successes of our great Party. I would be honoured to conduct this program with you in Fula, Wollof, Mandinka and English for the benefit of most listeners. Mr. Pa Ndery Mbai, the ball is now in your court.
In that radio attack, you sought to convey the impression that my younger brother Muhammed NK Fatty and I share the same identity leading to your rhetorical question: “I don’t know what kind of family is this? Both brothers using the same identity is ridiculous and suspicious”. Let me state that I deemed your irresponsible personal attack on my family insulting and prejudicial, in that it has no bearing on the struggle or GMC. For a person who was subjected to a virulent family attack by the regime for political reasons, one would have expected that you would respect, if not protect other peoples families from similar unprovoked and unjustified vitriol. For the avoidance of doubt, my brother Muhammed NK Fatty is a thousand times the man that you claim to be. He is not in your league. He subjected himself to several arrests and political intimidation on the ground, and this is something no one can deny. My family has nothing to prove to you or anyone. Go back to The Gambia and lead your own political Party if you feel strongly that we are not doing a good job. Talk is cheap.
I am the only opposition political Party Leader whose parents were arrested and jailed for no crime other than giving birth to a son who dares challenge Yaya Jammeh in the international community. My family and I understand that there is a certain price to be paid for my decision to take on Jammeh. The incident I am referring to was widely reported by the media in The Gambia, on Freedom newspaper, and was a subject of Amnesty International and State Department annual reports on human rights in The Gambia. My family continues to pay enormous sacrifice for reasons connected to my political activities. I will not permit you to insult and subject my family to public ridicule and odium for unjustified political reasons, now or ever. This is a red line. Make no mistake.
Dated the 26th December 2013.