TOWN CRIER TAKE ISSUES WITH JOURNALIST SADIBU
TOWN CRIER TAKE ISSUES WITH JOURNALIST SADIBU
By Town Crier

Dear editor Pa,

May I beg for some space to address some issues raised by Jadama Sadibu based in Sweden.
Jadama, I must admit that I have enjoyed some of your written feature articles. In as much as you claim to be a novice in cyber-Gambian community, I do know from your articles that you're not because you have been following the news or online papers for some time to have come up with your observations. Having said that, there is one of your articles " STOP THE RYTHMS OF THE CYBER WAR Drums-Opinion" in which I do not totally agree with some of the points highlighted. I quite well agree that there have been some articles in which editors, associate editors and/or contributors have engaged in polemics. This is healthy as long as we stick to the pertinent issues and avoid name calling and mud slinging. I do not however agree that there has been cyber war based on tribal lines. I think the tribal war emanated from President Jammeh. I singled him out because he sees himself as The Gambia Government and Gambia Government as him. Even some of his supporters also allude to certain developments here in Gambia as being done by him thereby fueling his belief that he is Gambia and Gambia is him (egotism). I disagree 100%. How did Yaya start this tribal war you may want to ask? By appointing most of his tribesmen in  most of the key positions in our government when they only constitute close to or less than 10% of our population. The percentage is insignificant if the appointees are the most qualified amongst us. But this is not the case here. By doing this, he is the one trying to drag us to a Rwanda-like situation if we Gambians don't handle the situation with maturity. But I am sure most of us Gambians know better. We cannot allow ourselves to sling dirty mud at each another. One thing noteworthy of mention is that the Rwandan genocide was as a result of a colonial legacy left there by Belgium. I am in no way blaming the appointees but some of them in their inner conscience know well that they are definitely not qualified for the positions they occupy. It is a Gambia today where rejection of appointment even on the basis of non merit or qualification is seen as opposition. Even in a family all members are not in total accord, thoughtless of a nation. If we all agree on all issues then we will be doomed as a nation since there will be no checks and balances. Everyone will be a Mr and Mrs Right. I do not therefore agree with you when you said articles in the cyber space are fueling tribal tones. We have a right to point out flaws in our system be they tribal or otherwise.. This does not mean to say that we are at war with a certain tribe but the actual one encouraging and perpetrating a system of government based on tribal leanings is the one who is at war with the right thinking people of Gambia.
 
In our Gambia today, it is so frustrating to see someone who is so skilled and qualified working under a lesser qualified person. This results in frustration and lesser productivity as the over qualified workers will only work to put bread on their family tables rather than for the interest of the nation. We are being dragged back to the past of "who you knew and not what you know" syndrome.
I do not think there is any contributor who has advocated for his/her tribe to dominate politics in Gambia. We are one family. Instead most contributors have pointed out to the fact that a particular tribe and close affiliates of the regime are being favoured in terms of positions whilst others are being marginalized or given advantage. Therefore "The rhythms of cyber war drums" to quote you are being drummed into our ears by an individual who has the power to appoint and fire whom he pleases as and when he deems fit without any explanation. It is we the electorates who are now accountable to Yahya Jammeh instead of him being accountable to us. Those of you living wide and far away from home may not be attuned to the reality we face daily at work places nowadays. You may have relatives here who are experiencing what am talking about and yet afraid to talk about it. It is a nation besieged by eavesdropping machinery.
 
To yet another of your opinions " The Gambia Press Union brings lawsuits against the Gambia government if they detect any injustice or any act of infringements that may encroach upon civil liberties of Journalist in the country. Most of the lawsuits brought by the Press Union have been central to several important constitutional law cases; and it has played key roles in the dispensation of good governance and style of policy changes against the young Journalists in the country."  I beg to totally differ from this your opinion. This is one of the reasons why I said some of you have gone way too long to not have noticed how "toothless" the GPU has become. Law suit? Against who? Gambia Government (Oga J.J.Jammeh)? How can law sue law? Yahya today has become the constitution, the lawyer and the judge. How does one win a case? If individuals can be bundled up at will to Mile II for a whole year or more without any charges whatsoever. Is this a place that you think any Press Union can make headway? How many of your colleagues in your field can freely come home and practise freely? How many have run away and how many have lost lives? These are questions that need answers and their honest answers will tell you where we stand as a nation today. Before I end here, may I point out that I respect your opinions since you are entitle to them just as I am to mine. I raised the above issues in order to help you understand where we stand today as a nation. Wasalam.
 
TOWN CRIER


Posted on Sunday, July 22, 2007 (Archive on Tuesday, July 31, 2007)
Posted by PNMBAI  Contributed by PNMBAI
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