Dear Mr. Ndour, In DUGA’s open letter to you, we implored you, and the artists you produce to be sensitive to the plight of Gambians in your dealings with Yahya Jammeh. We are asking you to be sensitive as owner of Groupe Futur Media, and your record label to the plight and suffering of Gambians, especially journalists. We had great hope in your involvement, and hence didn’t hesitate in launching an appeal of support. In your response to our open letter, you explained that you would not want to deprive your Gambian brothers and sisters of the “cultural exchange.”…
Author: Gainako
A former Nursing Student who was enrolled at the School of Nursing and Midwifery in Banjul has claimed to be an eye witness to live bullets being removed from the students who were shot dead by Gambia’s security forces. The Nursing student who was at the time doing his clinical experience work at the RVTH now called Edward Small Hospital Narrated a detail story of what he witnessed at the hospital contrary to what Gambians were told by the administration on using rubber bullets against the student demonstrators. Below is the story of the Nursing student: I was…
By Yero Jallow Folks –here we go again, it is all about sharing and inspiring others. If you choose face book or discussion forums as a part time job, you get to get these things out. Post some pictures, quote some Malcolm X somewhere, share a link from CNN, share some eulogies of family, and make noise about injustices and power excesses. Face book and discussion forum interaction could be both rewarding on the side of awareness and education and being at par with modern world, it could be as well be very addictive and a total distraction. I love the…
The Daily news Gambia’s premier independent Newspaper which was banned in 2012 from publication for its independence and strong stands on press freedom and democracy in the Gambia clocks five April 8th. The paper published my veteran Gambian Journalist Madi M.K. Ceesay quickly wins the respect and admiration of Gambians and the international community mainly for its uncompromising integrity and bravery even in the face of massive press oppression. The paper remained the only independent newspaper which was not afraid to publish critical issues about government. The paper operated openly and honestly using its constitutional rights to bring up issues…
By Demba Baldeh As the EU resumes its talks with the Gambia on its 17 point demands presented to the Gambian leader several months ago, President Jammeh is reportedly eager to hear from the EU delegation the outcome of the EU/Africa Summit that was held in Brussels from April 2-3, 2014. At a meeting with the delegation in Banjul the head of the EU delegation was quoted saying “Jammeh was very interested to hear from them the result of the summit, but noted that he was particularly concerned about the special statement on migration. This, she said, is…
GCC website, future of the struggle and a time for national resistance The Gambia Consultative Council (GCC), recognizing the growing need for action, is pleased to present Gambians a platform for communicating and exchanging of ideas. The imperativeness of using all avenues of communications, in a fast changing media and communication landscape, cannot be overestimated. The GCC website will allow every Gambian dissident and non-dissident to freely express themselves and articulate their visions and ideas about how to return Gambia to a tolerant, multi-party and a society governed by the rule of law, The website is equipped with…
“Goam bunyudul lal du werr muk” – An untreated wound will never heal! By: Ousainou Mbenga In my humble view, the treatment must begin from a historical analysis of how this wound was inflicted on us in order to establish the appropriate treatment and safe subsequent generations from living with this “political blind spot” of tribe and tribalism. As the pressure of the resistance against the AFPRC –APRC mounts, with Jammeh’s back unquestionably against the wall, it is most disheartening to see the resurgence of the monstrous head of “tribalism”, quietly condoned by the crippled spent –force politicians…
By Yero Jallow Faced with bread shortage in Banjul (Courtesy of Foroyaa, April 2014), I was reminded of the late Master H.I. Jagne’s master poem, “Inflation Has Hit Dogland,” from his book, “The River Gambia.” The poem discusses “inflation” hitting the nation which resulted to humans competing with dogs in bones. Going by media reports on bread shortage, notably the Foroyaa newspaper, it is conclusive to say that Master Jagne’s poem has interpreted itself to Gambians. Whatever the causes of the bread shortage are, we cannot exclude the pseudo Government’s false hope and empty promises. The next time you…
UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW OF THE GAMBIA Submission on behalf of Gambia Human Rights Network (GHRN) 20th session of the UPR Working Group, OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2014 1. FOLLOW UP TO THE PREVIOUS REVIEW Extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances and unlawful arrests Eight recommendations relating to alleged cases of extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances and unlawful arrests were made to The Gambia. These recommendations called for investigations into such allegations, accountability for the perpetrators, and a national mechanism to prevent abuses from occurring in the future. Unlawful arrests of journalists, religious and political leaders, human rights defenders, persons suspected of homosexual behavior, and in…
Censorship of the internet in the Gambia is causing other potential hazards, not only for the government but for the business community, hazards that will come to haunt them in the future in the form of lower government revenue from the ITC sub-sector, including the internet provider’s bottom line. Since the government’s drive to block the extremely popular internet calling and messaging apps, like Skype, Viber and Vonage, there has been a flurry of underground activities, involving mainly young people, in learning the sinister trade of computer hacking. These young men and women have parents and friends who…