Maafanta Founder Addresses University and College bound Students

As Gambian Journalist Advises US High School Students To Live A Positive Life

By Yero Jallow, Minnesota (USA)

Ms. Fatou Jaw-Manneh, founder of the maafanta website was recently a guest at the South West High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota to address four high school senior class students bound for college and University. Ms. Manneh was invited to speak to students about “Discipline and Courage”, under the capacity of a Gambian journalist, who went through a nightmare of an ordeal under the capricious regime of Gambia’s iron-fist ruler, Yaya Jammeh.

Her first official account since her return from the Gambia earlier in March 2009 from a long sedition trial that lasted for one year and six months, Ms. Manneh among other things has pioneered Maafanta, a vibrant site that long since joined other Gambian newspapers in the crusade against tyranny and dictatorship., and also works as a loan servicing officer at a bank in Minneapolis. She was also among the 2007 Oxfam/Novib/Pen award winning journalists.

She spent 5 hours at the school discussing with high school seniors and their tutors at South West High , as Ms. Manneh narrated her ordeal, from A-Z. Her arrest which emanated from her article titled “Dame of the flaming pen,” was an article much critical of the APRC and in it described the existence of the criminal administration as a disappointment to Gambians and calls Jammeh’s APRC administration “a bundle of terror” which she hasn't withdrawn. According to Ms. Manneh, Jammeh came with the gun through an overthrow and he lived as an iron-fist ruler, betraying Gambians. She also gave a revealing account of how the “mercenary judge ” world and a dictatorship are in cohort in causing great travesties of justice, especially in her case, as was subjected to a long trial, with the high profile case that gained national and international attention. The case ended up limping shamelessly from one magistrate to another, the last of the judges Buba Jawo who convicted her to 4 years imprisonment with hard labor or an option of a fine of US$12, 000 .00 .

She told them that Save The Gambia Democracy Project (STGDP), The GDProject , journalists, friends and family came to her rescue. With the State Department, Amnesty International, CPJ,IFJ, American Embassy, British and Libyan Embassy in the Gambia, all gave her good counseling during the trial.

Ms. Manneh in a revealing tone talked about the muzzled press by Jammeh and the APRC administration that according to Ms. Manneh persecuted and continues to persecute Gambian journalists; slain Point Newspaper’s co-founder, the late Deyda Hydara; the missing journalist Chief E. Manneh, formerly of the Daily Observer; and the many other Gambian journalists in exile, especially in the United States and Great Britain.

Ms. Manneh encouraged senior students of South West High School heading to colleges and universities to read, write, do their home works, respect their parents and work towards being disciplined citizens. She advised students to stay away from harmful drugs and alcohol which they might think is “hip” but actually detrimental to their health, wellbeing and societal reputation. She also stressed that parents don’t raise their sons and daughters to become celebrities, that will be a bonus, but they just want their children to be disciplined ladies and gentlemen who will be beneficial to society. He advised them that reading will not only broaden their horizon in the world stage but will cut off their boredom, a stressful life and save them from all peer pressure issues.Her nieces Fatou manneh and Horeja Manneh also South West High.

The senior students who looked very disturbed over such revelations of injustices asked in emotional tones as to whether Ms. Manneh was scared or regretted her ordeals. In response, Ms. Manneh said she was scared a bit but more upset than scared because whatever she said about that Government was an understatement.

The students with their English teachers Mr. Dunham and Ms. Briskin went through her interview with the defunct independent newspaper word for word. She also had to painstakingly talk about all the men and women featured under men we Admire” and “women we admire” columns on the Maafanta website. Students want to know who they are and why they are admired. She also went through the story about “WODD” women in development and democracy . Introduced Amie Sillah and what her organization is doing in the Gambia to promote Gambian women’s awareness on political issues and small businsess ventures carried out by the organization.

Some students want to know about child trafficking in the world and if her country has been affected. Some students narrate to her a story about an Asian girl who was lured from her village for a job in the city only to find herself as a child prostitute.

Ms. Briskin and Mr. Dunham thanked Fatou for sharing her story with the students and the whole world and said her courage and discipline is definitely admired by them all.

Like many would have expected that Ms. Manneh was going to be silenced after the horrors she encountered, but apparently she has lived above the fray and proved herself a strong woman that touch walls that men can't; say words that living soldiers can't. Since this is one of her first international appearances and speeches, it will go a long way sending a strong message to Jammeh and his criminal APRC goons that the likes of MS. Manneh will not be silenced no matter the amount of terror meted to them. What is evidently happening the shameful dictator has been defeated in his shameful ploy to commit mayhem and terror, because neither those killed nor those languishing in jail are looser, but the real canon looser is Jammeh. It remains to be seen as to whether Jammeh whose criminal activities are continually getting exposed to the outside world will learn anything from it, even though he is known that he is deaf, dumb and blind. At a time when his most loyal loyalists are all languishing behind bars, it can be clearly seen the heartless and spite nature of an iron-fist dictator, perhaps now with safe conclusions ashore river banks that he is about to meet his ending, during which we certainly know the last days of anything affliction are the hardest.