Welcome to Freedom Newspaper Online


Current Archive
1 2 3 4 5

Colonel Sam Sarr supervised the torture of the late Yaya Drammeh and others-Claims Lamarana Jallow!
Tuesday, May 15, 2007 (1147 reads)

Lamarana Jallow says Sarr Lamarana says Chongan and Sarr
is not better than Sabally!!! need evidence to prove their case!

By Lamarana Jallow, a son of the Gambia.

Mr. Editor,

Please give me space on your widely read Newspaper. Do I hear fugitive Colonel Samsudeen Sarr accusing Sana Bairo Sabally of crime against humanity? Is this not the Sam Sarr who used to run Yahya Jammeh's dirty errands for him in Banjul? Is this not the Sam Sarr, who led the security team to Senegal to extradite the late Yaya Drammeh and other Frafenni attackers? Is this not the Sam Sarr who presided over the trial by media against Yaya Drammeh and others? Is this not the Sam Sarr who supervised the torture of Yaya Drammeh and others? Unfortunately, Yaya Drammeh later died because of the torture he suffered from the hands of Sam's boys. Sam witnessed all the torture sessions at the Mile Two and the NIA. Sam dares deny that he never witnessed the torture sessions. Did the so called Colonel thinks that we are sleeping? Look, let Sam Sarr stop playing with Gambians minds. He's equally guilty as Sana Sabally. He is not better than Sana at all. Here is the pot calling the kettle black. Sam's recent showcase to criminalize Sana Sabally is the height of hypocrisy. Thanks to the GRTS, Sam's image has been captured. The Farafenni arm attack tape is in my possession and I can provide it to the Freedom Newspaper for all to watch it online. This was the day when Sam uses his literary skills to carricature the attackers calling them cowards, bandits and all that sort. Sam cannot deny this. Sarr allowed to be used by Jammeh, only to be dumped after he outlived his usefulness. I thought it necessary to halt his new project of lies without proofs. Though, there is proof at hand to indict Sam for aiding and abetting Jammeh. Sam cannot say that his conduct was inline with the dictates of the laws of the country.

All rights reserved. Copying or re-writing our pieces without the expressed permission of this leading paper is prohibited. News Organizations and Research institutions interested in using our pieces are free to contact the editor before culling our stories. Such organizations must also give credit to Freedom before using our materials. We thank you for your attention.

The Big Interview:DA Jawo reacts to an alleged plot to kill him!!! Jawo not scared at all!!
Tuesday, May 15, 2007 (978 reads)

Jawo not
scared at all!

Revelations that his life was on the firing line, following claims made by Jammeh’s own operatives that Major Kalipha Bajinka, Lang Tombong Tamba, Alhagie Martin alias Lagos, Kawsu Camara alias Bombardeh and Ousman Sonko were detailed to take Demba Ali Jawo’s life, whilst at a conference hosted at the President’s Sindolla Hotel in Kanilai, the Freedom Newspaper reaches DA Jawo for reaction on these scary and heart breaking revelations. Jawo known to be a fearless journalist, has not been moved by the said purported plot to assassinate him. “Of course, I was quite surprised by the claims that there were instructions to eliminate me while I was on a mission to Sindola Hotel in Kanilai. However, there is no way I can authenticate the claims as I never at any moment while I was there believe that anyone had any cause to kill me. I am certainly not scared by the claims as I am still not convinced that no one had any motive to kill me.”said Demba Jawo in an interview with the Freedom Newspaper. Below is the full text of the interview please read on…
..................................
Freedom Newspaper: Are you worried or scared by these revelations?

Demba Jawo: Of course, I was quite surprised by the claims that there were instructions to eliminate me while I was on a mission to Sindola Hotel in Kanilai. However, there is no way I can authenticate the claims as I never at any moment while I was there believe that anyone had any cause to kill me.
I am certainly not scared by the claims as I am still not convinced that no one had any motive to kill me.

Freedom Newspaper: Have you spotted Bajinka at the Sindolla hotel during the period in question?

Demba Jawo: Yes, I definitely quite vividly remember when at night while we were having dinner at the restaurant, Bajinka came there, and when he came near where I was sitting, we exchanged some greetings. However, that still does not indicate that there was an order to kill me.

All rights reserved. Copying or re-writing our pieces without the expressed permission of this leading paper is prohibited. News Organizations and Research institutions interested in using our pieces are free to contact the editor before culling our stories. Such organizations must also give credit to Freedom before using our materials. We thank you for your attention.

Breaking News:Guinean Prime Minister to freeze Asset of a prominent businessman in Gambia!
Monday, May 14, 2007 (714 reads)

Conteh

By Our Chief National Correspondent Landing Badjie Banjul.
Paid for and Commissioned by the Freedom Newspaper.

If the promise made by the current prime minister of Guinea Conakry to freeze all the assets of a prominent Guinean businessman is anything to go by, then the political crisis in the West African republic would pose some likely implications to some countries in the sub-region. According to our chief national correspondent, Gambia is also one country Lansana Kuyateh, the prime minister of Guinea, listed as countries where the prominent businessman's assets would be frozen. The business mogul in question is Muhammed Sillah and latest reports say efforts are at an advanced stage to return some of his illegally- acquired properties across the globe to the Guinean state, including the one in Banjul. A good friend of Yaya Jammeh and his government, Mr. Sillah is the owner of Futurelec company,well-located on Bertil Harding Highway in the Tourism Development Area. The company, inaugurated on the occasion of Gambia's 42nd independence anniversary celebrations, is a state-of-the-art multi-storey building and now Lansana Kuyateh is determined to confiscate it and return it to the impoverished West African republic of Guinea.

Read More

Breaking News:Major Bajinka, Sonko others exposed!A source forwarded scanned letter!!!
Monday, May 14, 2007 (989 reads)

By Serg PMJ Banjul.

Demba Ali Jawo has been targeted for assassination on many occasions especially at the time when he was the Editor-In-Chief of the banned The Independent Newspaper. He continued to be targeted after leaving his position as The Independent editor but continue to write Independent Critic. I also wrote in one of my piece that he was targeted during April 10/11 2000 student demonstrations. Thank God that all the attempts woefully failed and that he is still alive.I want to put the record straight as to what actually happened regarding his Kanilai plan assassination. We at the Intelligence are in possession of a hand written note send to the would-be assassins purportedly from President Jammeh. I used Purportedly because we are yet to establish who actually wrote the note, which will be hereunder reproduced. They will be surprised how we managed to be in possession of this hand written note. Well the note was found a day after the assassination should take place, on a chair occupied by security personnel. I dont know who was so careless to left it there or whom was it given to but it was found by one of our agent who was sweeping in the morning. I know Bajinka is a criminal just like Sonko but according to the note, President Jammeh did not instruct him with the task, he was there to lure D.A. Jawo outside, which means he is an accomplice. I am not against either Bajinka or Sonko because they are more or less the same. They are part of the killers and we have the records. They are all criminals and should be treated, as such just like President Jammeh. Whatever is said about the planned assassination on a sister news outlet is true just that the names of those who should execute the task are left out except that of Ousman Sonko.

Scales Sports Project:Latest News on Gambian sports!!
Friday, May 11, 2007 (511 reads)

Gambia's Under 20 team

By Our Chief National Correspondent Landing Badjie, Banjul.
Paid for And Commissioned by the Freedom Newspaper.

Soccer fans across The Gambia would in less than one hour troop down to various stadia in the country for scintillating and earth-trembling matches in the GFA 2nd Division league. In today’s encounters, Young Africans would engage Interior FC in a pitched battle at the Banjul mini-stadium. Samger FC are hoping to show their superiority to Hamham FC at Serekunda West mini-stadium whilst Tallinding United looks forward to engaging Jambanjelly on a knife-edge encounter at the national stadium in Bakau. Serekunda East and Nema United would also battle it out at Serekunda East mini-stadium later this evening.How fast time flies, especially when one is in good company .In less than two months to come, the Gambia Red Cross Association would play host to over 500 youths from across the country and beyond for a 10-day youth forum.The event, which would feature many sporting activities such as football, basketball, volleyball and athletics, would draw youths from The Gambia, Senegal, Iceland, Mali among others, to compete, brainstorm and meet and associate with a view to establishing as well as consolidating an excellent relationship between Red Cross volunteers from various countries.

Read More

Developing story:More Riots and Demos to take place in Gambia-Reveals A demonstrator who emailed Freedom!!!
Thursday, May 10, 2007 (1607 reads)

Jammeh in trouble again
demonstrators vowed to make a
major showdown action!!

By A Concerned Gambian Demonstrator

"When the youths went once more to their Parliamentarian to lodge their complain as they voted for him in office, he called the military to come clear them away from his house. The Alkali of Serekunda Mr. Seedy Jobe too was adding fire to the issue by asking the personnel to open fire to disperse the crowd, which was not helping at all but making the youths more angry as their claim is to see that justice is done rather than denied.The demonstration is still going on and will still go on until we see that Justice is done. This time it won’t be like the issue of April 10. Its another 10th day of May just a month ahead of the previous. What was done the last time won’t repeat itself here where officers are being backed up by the government. We dont know about problems but when it rises, it gets out of hand. Now it is out of hand and I am taking part in the demonstration. So I gotta go to show my grievance in the issue too because I know Sheriff personally and everybody from his family too. We are SAD and have NO other way to show it but to demonstrate. You too help us let the whole world know whats going on here in the Gambia. We are living a very hard life here and the regime is so powerful that the mass is suppressed. There is NO freedom of speech and press here. It’s just A DICTATORSHIP. We dont have a President, we have a dictator." said Gambian who participated on Thursday's demonstration. The concerned Gambian in a letter to the Freedom Newspaper vowed that they will continue to demonstrate until justice is meted out to the killers of boy Minteh. In a dispatch to this paper, the demonstrator explained how the London corner boy was murdered and the police's reaction to the incident. Below is full test of his letter. Please read on....

All rights reserved. Copying or re-writing our pieces without the expressed permission of this leading paper is prohibited. News Organizations and Research institutions interested in using our pieces are free to contact the editor before culling our stories. Such organizations must also give credit to Freedom before using our materials. We thank you for your attention.

Gambian Armed Forces Betrayed Jawara! Gambian soldiers not loyal!!
Wednesday, May 09, 2007 (3367 reads)

Chongan, the true soldier
who defended Gambia's
constitution on July 22ND

Gallantry and brevity ceased to exist in July of 1994. Out of the numerous officers of Gambia's Armed Forces, few were brave enough to confront the coupists led by then Lieutenant Yahya Jammeh. Most of the officers have either went into hiding or had voluntarily surrendered themselves to the military mutineers. Some were used as shield or firing target if you like, as Jammeh and his men marched towards the Capital City Banjul. The likes of Pa Sallah Jagne former Inspector General of police, Lang Tombong Tamba, now Chief Staff, Lamin Kaba Bajo, former State Guard commander, Baboucarr Jatta, former army commander, Major Pa Ann, the list goes on and on betrayed the Gambian constitution by failing to defend their country from armed attack. Two former Security Chiefs defended the constitution by putting their lives on the line to confront the coupists. These men of our army had won our respect. Alpha Ebrima Ismaila Chongan and Major Amadou Suwareh refused to betray their oaths-that's defending the Gambian Constitution. These two men have not only put their lives on the line, but had ensured that the coup never materializes. Despite little support from the security top brass, Chongan and Suwareh fired couple of shots to tackle the mutineers. That's what we expect from any patriotic soldier committed to his work. Regrettably, Major Suwareh later compromised his principles by accepting to work with the junta. The army and police under Jawara were not loyal at all. This statement might sound controversial, but we challenge our former and present men in uniform to prove us wrong. They put their personal interest ahead of the national interest. If these officers were loyal as they portrayed themselves to the old man, the July 22ND coup would have been a failure.

All rights reserved. Copying or re-writing our pieces without the expressed permission of this leading paper is prohibited. News Organizations and Research institutions interested in using our pieces are free to contact the editor before culling our stories. Such organizations must also give credit to Freedom before using our materials. We thank you for your attention.

Breaking News:Former Army/Police Chief Alpha Ebrima Chongan says he was a victim of Sana Sabally's terror activities!!!
Sunday, May 06, 2007 (1384 reads)

Will Sabally apologise?

By Alpha Ebrima Ismaila Chongan, former Deputy IGP

Balang-Ba

Chef de Corps and Binneh Minteh,

You've beaten me on this but quintessentially this shows the difference between a refined officer and a little pretentious subaltern. Sana Sabally is an arrogant ignoramus and really insulting the memory of those fine officers who have fallen 11 November 1994.I won't repeat what you good people had said which is common knowledge, not only Sabally has destroyed and tried but woefully failed to destroy good people who are decent and wants good for the Gambia. Yes I was one of those three officers who were subjected to that trauma of 6 September 1994, an event we have refered to as the night of terror which is well documented. With all this we have maintain our dignity and continue on with our life; for me personally I have forgiven all those who had wronged me but not necessarily forgotten. Sabally knows that I have forgiven him but I don't need to go into details because innocent people involve in this have done nothing and I dare challenge him to say anything.

All rights reserved. Copying or re-writing our pieces without the expressed permission of this leading paper is prohibited. News Organizations and Research institutions interested in using our pieces are free to contact the editor before culling our stories. Such organizations must also give credit to Freedom before using our materials. We thank you for your attention.

Breaking News:The Big Interview:World Bank's leading Economist Tijan Sallah Speaks!!
Thursday, May 03, 2007 (1328 reads)

Economist Tijan Sallah

Tijan with Miriam Tlali,
South Africa's first black
female novelist, Chabi Mphahlele
(son of writer Eskia Mphahlele)
Pix source:Raks
Sekhoa, South African Writer

“It is hard to make such blanket generalization as the single underlying motivation for the brain drain. As I mentioned, some did go back but find their respective countries inhospitable to them to live. They are now working abroad and sending remittances to their families. Ideally, they should have been home, but we do not live in an ideal world. We have a lot of poor governments in Africa that don't welcome intellectuals and that abuse human and intellectual rights. The environment is improving as many African countries become more and more democratic. The Western world has been developing precisely because it creates an open society for all citizens and especially intellectuals to develop new ideas and technologies to make their economies grow. African societies have not yet fully matured to that level; although I cannot so generalize, as many African societies are changing and becoming more democratic. As a result, they are also making positive strides at economic development. South Africa is a good model of a democratic open society that attracts intellectuals and rewards and recognizes them. It is benefiting a lot from talent provided by brain drain from other parts of Africa.” These were the exact words of the leading Gambian Economist and poet Tijan Sallah. He was responding to a question regarding African intellectuals, who settled in abroad for “monetary gains” to the detriment of their respective countries. Mr.Sallah who works with the Washington based World Bank, was speaking in an exclusive interview with Freedom Newspaper’s Pa Nderry M’Bai. In this master piece interview, Mr.Sallah commented about his poetry life, brain drain in Africa, the global aids pandemic, gender equality, the Virginia shooting incident, which claimed more than 30 lives, among a host of other issues. Below is full text of the interview. Please read on…..

Editors note:Dr.Tijan Sallah granted us interview under his capacity as a Gambian national and not as World Bank Economist. Thanks for your attention.

All rights reserved. Copying or re-writing our pieces without the expressed permission of this leading paper is prohibited. News Organizations and Research institutions interested in using our pieces are free to contact the editor before culling our stories. Such organizations must also give credit to Freedom before using our materials. We thank you for your attention.

Freedom Newspaper Mail Bag What our dear readers say today!
Thursday, May 03, 2007 (549 reads)

By Serign Mansour Jagne

Pa Nderry Once again I am happy to read such a very well written article about Saja Taal. The whole story seems to reliable. What worries me most is how could Saja associated himself with a Government that is currently PERSECUTING his own relative- Ms Maimuna Taal - The Former Director General of Gambia Civil Aviation Authority. Saja Taal is definitely living on borrowed time. I can't foresee Saja Taal getting another important job from Jammeh.

From my observation, the post of Managing Director for the Daily Observer is normally awarded to failed supporters of the APRC. Lest we forget the likes of Sariang Ceesay and Buba Baldeh, where are these people ?? Are they still within the APRC heavy weights??? Based on Saja Taal, one would have expected to be elevated as an nominated MP but no, the guy is going the BOY BOY ASSIGNMENT at the OBSERVER.
………………………………

By Gheran Senghore

Dear Editor,

I was surprised to have read the article you carried on Saja Taal, the allegations in that article are very serious. My reaction to this article has nothing or no connection to Mr. Taal. My concern is the lack of professionalism and total disrespect in the contents of the story which are totally based on hear say and third party information.

Bringing up issues such as growing up poor in the streets of banjul and running around without shoes, almost at the brink of starving to death and describing Mr. Taal as reckless, untidy, criminal, uncivilized and not brushing his teeth has nothing to do with the professional capacity of a man nor the principle and ethics of journalism.

If this writer grew up in Banjul, then he must know that the majority of us who grew up in Banjul walked those very streets without shoes as kids. My own father walked to school in the streets of Banjul and Basse without shoes. How then is this supposed to affect or have an impact on a man's education or intellectual capacity? What Mr. Taal had his degree in is not an issue, besides have we forgotten that Tourism is the back bone of The Gambia's economy. Calling Mr. Taal an Idiot and talking about his torn pants and not wear under pant is total disrespect and has nothing to do with journalism. It's all just totally unprofessional and as editor you must edit the contents of any article before posting them. failure to do this would also reflect and affect your professionalism and credibility as you are responsible for what is in the contents of your publications I thank you for giving me this space.

Read More