Letter Writer Takes Issues With Lt. Col. Sam Sarr’s Reflections On Tribal Politics  

Mr. Editor:  Allow me space to comment briefly on the latest article authored by the eminent Mr. Sarr,' 'the Genesis of tribalism in Gambian politics''.

The topic is very important and a significant catalyst for our unity and way forward. The topic is also very sensitive and a source of confrontation among the Gambian community. Intellectually, the topic can be debated and appropriate conclusions can be derived from the discussions.

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Is PDOIS The Political Party for Better Governance?

BY TIJAN NIMAGA Bronx New York

When Sidia Jatta, Halifa Sallah, Samuel Sarr and others founded the People’s Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism party [PDOIS] in 1986, little did they know that the majority of the Gambian people would not quickly embrace it due to the popularity or dominance of the two rival political parties in the country at that time.  

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The Gambia-The Genesis of Tribal Politics

By Lt. Col Samsudeen Sarr 

I first want to wish all Gambians at home and abroad happy holidays. With the Tobaski recently celebrated, this time almost coinciding with Christmas, I think we should as Muslims and Christians in a special gesture of ending the year 2007 and starting 2008 all thank God for his blessings and continue to praise him through sustained prayers for better times in the future. There is no doubt in my mind that there are better times for a future Gambia and Gambians.

By Lt. Colonel Samsudeen Sarr, Ex- Commander GNA

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A White Paper: The Republic of The Gambia.

By Mathew K. Jallow

The Gambia’s Struggle against a de facto Dictatorship.

As the world focuses attention on issues the United Nations perceives as more important to global stability, The Gambia, a country without resources, is seemingly outside the radar of the international community. But, what is occurring in the former British colony does, by any standard of measure, amount to human-rights abuses on a grand scale. Since the military take-over, which brought Yahya Jammeh to power in 1994, the Gambian population has been under constant and relentless assault by their own government; living in a nightmare of fear, intimidation, arrests and detention without cause, torture, frequent disappearances of citizens, and murders of its citizens on a regular basis.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki- Moon

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Colonel Vincent Jatta Dies Under Mysterious Circumstances

By Ebrima G. Sankareh, Editor-In-Chief

Unimpeachable military sources say The Gambia’s erstwhile Chief of Defense Staff Colonel Vincent Jatta died today at the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) under very mysterious circumstances. “He complained of stomach complications, was rushed to the RVH and he died hours later” our highly placed military sources say. Colonel Vincent Jatta about 40 hails from Darsilami in the Western Division and was among the elite military cadre from the Jawara days. He rose through ranks to the coveted position of Chief of Defense Staff but was fired in less than four weeks and replaced by former Navy Commander Lt. Colonel Assan Sarr.

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A Soldier’s Salute From Baghdad

Dear Ebrima:

Congratulations my fellow American!  You are quite an achievement indeed; and welcome to the tribe of the free and the brave.  I am very proud to know that our country, The United States of America, has one more paragon of liberty who shall never fail to give a voice to those who have been denied justice and freedom.  The passion for truth, charity, balance and magnanimity registered in your online paper, The Gambia Echo, is equal to none within the Gambian community.   As you know I am currently within the Sunni Triangle in Iraq serving with a Special Counterinsurgency Task Force, 101st Airborne Division. 

 Gambia's Captain Ebou Jallow is a US citizen in the war in Iraq.

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A Tribute to Sgt. Alhagie Cham Joof (Sir Jackal)

By Ma Darbo, Minnesota, USA

Fist of all, I will like to thank you Mr. Sankareh and your staff at The Gambia Echo for the special interview you had with Alhagie Cham Joof (a.k.a Sir Jackal). No one can pay you guys for the good work you and your staff are doing for us Gambians living away from home by giving us the current affairs of our beloved nation currently under siege by the notorious Yaya Jammeh and his group of bandits.

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My Student, My Friend, My Fellow American

By Dr. Gilbert Thompson Huffman

There can be no two people more different than a white American who never knew black people and his Gambian student who not only became his friend, but also his fellow American. I am that American. I was born and raised in the segregated South and never knew a black person. Of course blacks were required to attend separate (and inferior schools) and be taught by black teachers (many who were not properly trained). In fact, I do not think I ever even spoke to a black person until I was in college.

Dr. Gilbert T. Huffman & Ebrima G. Sankareh

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President Wade’s Adviser Assassinated

On Thursday, the eve of the Muslim feast of Idal-adha (locally called Tobaski), Samsedin Hydara, a member of staff of Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade was assassinated by a group of armed men who surrounded his compound at around 9 PM and shot him at close range.  Samsedin Hydara of the prominent Marabout family is from the border village of Mahmouda Cherif situated 10 Km from Douloulou and is a brother to Latif Hydara, another adviser in President Wade's office.

Jammeh & senegal's Minister Farba Joof

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Breaking News:

Lt. Solomon Jammeh Dies Under Mysterious Circumstances

By Ebrima G. Sankareh, Editor-In- Chief

Less than a month after the mysterious death of Major Musa Jammeh of the much feared Presidential guards, our State House operative Kissy Kissy Mansa reports that Lieutenant Solomon Jammeh 33, of Kanilai has died at the Royal Victoria Hospital under similar circumstances. Says Kissy; the situation here is pretty scary and tense as soldiers try to come to terms with the mysterious circumstances in which they succumb to death

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The Gambia: Dictatorship and Submissiveness.

    By Mathew K. Jallow, Associate Editor

The other day, on the pages of The Gambia Echo, an anonymous writer from Latri Kunda Mosque, Serekunda, conceptualized and rationalized the behaviors and attitudes of African politicians using Sir Dawda Jawara as a reference point. He could not be more right. In hindsight, one can now picture the metamorphosis and the transition our countrymen went through, which turned their collective consciences into a state of stupor and lamentable indifference to the nefarious activities of the Jammeh regime

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Sir Jackal Breaks Silence Part III

By Ebrima G. Sankareh, Editor-In-Chief

As promised, we again continue with our exclusive five-hour phone interview with probably, The Gambia’s most elusive and undoubtedly most wanted soldier- fugitive Sergeant Alagie Cham Joof (a.k.a Sir Jackal) as he recounts his problems with the Jammeh government leading to the July 21, 1997 Kartong military barrack’s attack. In Part II Sergeant Joof had explained how Lieutenants: Alieu Bah, L.F. Jammeh and Jarjue visited him at his Katack village refuge in the Cassamance and invited him in a mid-night mission to seize

Sergeant Alhagie Cham Joof (a.k.a Sir Jackal)

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Captain Thomas Sankara Lived and Died As A Poor Man!

As promised, The Gambia Echo brings you the full exclusive conversation between the Honourable Fidèle Kientega, Captain Thomas Sankara’s Foreign Policy Adviser and journalist Bubacarr Sankanu, which took place in Cologne, Germany. Excerpts:

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By Mathew K. Jallow, Associate Editor 

Our Associate Editor MATHEW K. JALLOW was a close friend to two eminent Gambians that the country lost in the past three weeks Messrs: Lamin Sanneh erstwhile Permanent Secretary at the Department of state for Works & Infrastructure, and Musa Amadou Sey. Both Sanneh and Sey were old boys of the Armitage High School and went on to be one of The Gambia’s most productive citizens. In the arresting eulogy below, Mathew looks back at their meritorious lives. 

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Breaking News: Musa Sey Dies, Buried at Basse

BY EBRIMA G. SANKAREH, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The sudden and shocking death has been announced of Musa Amadou Sey, veteran Gambian educator and public administrator. Musa Sey or Bala as he was affectionately called, died today (Monday December, 17^th.2007) and was laid to rest this evening at his native Basse. For the past year Bala was battling a sickness that saw him hospitalized at the Royal Victoria Hospital Sanatorium (locally called Wencho) for a few months. He recovered and was discharged, returned to Basse where he peacefully passed away.

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Gambian University Students Call Information Minister Habitual Trickster & Liar

Dear Editor:

I am a senior year student of the University of The Gambia and happen to be in the outgoing Student Union Executive Council. I am here to vent our anger in your wildly read Online Newspaper against SOS Neneh McDaul Gaye who is not but a dirty and retarded liar and self-centered person.

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             By Lt. Colonel Samsudeen Sarr

Dear editor: My article this week discusses the point of Time Limit for African Presidents highlighted in my last paper. It is my strong belief that it is the ultimate magic bullet for solving the problem of decades of unprecedented monopoly of power by unscrupulous politicians responsible for the stagnation of our dear continent. Until recently, African governments past and present have been rather reluctant to embrace the concept.

By Lt. Colonel Samsudeen Sarr

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Sergeant Alhagie Cham Joof (a.k.a Sir Jackal) Platoon Sergeant, ECOMOG Liberian, April, 1991 at The Executive Mansion

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“Our Aim Was; Arrest Jammeh, Exhume Yundum Mass Graves & Hand Over to Civilian Gov’t.”

--A Sir Jackal Exclusive

By Ebrima G. Sankareh, Editor-In-Chief

Thirteen years after the bloody events of November 1994 and ten years since the Kartong military attack in July 1997, The Gambia’s most wanted, most elusive and phenomenally intrepid soldier, Sergeant Alhagie Cham Joof (a.k.a Sir Jackal;)has spoken to The Gambia Echo in an exclusive five-hour telephone conversation from his den in Germany. “Mr. Sankareh, I was a regular...

Alhagie Cham Joof (Sir Jackal): ''I am still a soldier, I run 6 miles a day and exercise regularly."

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The Jammeh -Jawara Partnership: A Reward Or Curse

By Lt. Colonel Samsudeen Sarr

Mr. Editor: I have this week decided to shift my focus away from my favorite subject, the trial of the MFDC rebels in The Gambia, to another interesting topic that really caught my attention. I saw the below photo-op for President Jammeh in The Gambia Daily Observer with former President Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara celebrating the 2007 legal year in The Gambia.

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NIA Officer Reacts to West African Massacre Story

Mr. Sankareh: Thank you very much for your noble crusade and endeavor to expose injustice. You are definitely a trailblazer in Gambian online journalism. Reading through your authoritative paper this morning, which has been a routine for me ever since it was launched, I saw some interesting piece on the alleged massacre of 50 West African nationals mostly Ghanaians by our security forces. Your whistle blower has done a tremendous job by exposing those callous cowards who will kill for anything.

The Late Capt. M. Tumbul Tamba, Most Brutal Gambian Officer 

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Breaking News:

Lamin Sanneh Dies

By Ebrima G. Sankareh, Editor- In-Chief

According to our State House operative Kissy Kissy Mansa, Mr. Lamin Sanneh a reputable civil engineer, a career civil servant and erstwhile Permanent Secretary passed away at the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) early this morning under mysterious conditions. Sanneh, until his one-and-half-year incommunicado detention at the Mile II Central Prisons (Africa’s Hell On Earth) was Permanent Secretary, Department of State for Health & Infrastructure.

The Late Lamin Sanneh,  victim of Yahya Jammeh's regime

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Who Killed The West Africans, Mostly Ghanaians?

By Ebrima G. Sankareh Editor-In-Chief

Ever since The Gambia Echo reported the extra-judicial execution of some 50 West African immigrants mostly Ghanaians, in July 2006 (a year after the massacre) both the Ghana government and international human rights bodies have been asking Gambian President Jammeh to explain but the stonewalling remains unabated. Recently, there have been renewed campaigns to pressure the Gambian dictator to investigate the mysterious yet eerily chilling circumstances in the farms of Siffoe where the immigrants were executed cold-blood by men now identified as Yahya Jammeh’s own lieutenants, a team of quasi-baked officers with a penchant for clownery and unfettered propensity to everything evil.

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Sir Jackal Says "Yahya Jammeh Is A Monkey, A Fool With a Team of Boys Scouts Claiming To Be Soldiers"

The Gambia's most elusive soldier Alhagie Cham Joof (a.k.a. Sir Jackal) has granted The Gambia Echo an exclisive 5 hour interview thirteen years after November 11, 1994 and ten years since July 1997 when the famous Sir Jackal, Lt. Alieu Bah, Lt. L.S. Jammeh and Lt. Lamin Jarjue attacked the Kartong Amy Barracks and held guards hostage. Sir Jackal as he is famously known in The Gambia has vowed to tackle Jammeh by all means possible. Says Jackal "Yahya Jammeh is the biggest coward, a monkey who leads a group of scouts masquarading as soldiers." Our exclusive interview will be out later this week.  

Alhagie Cham Joof ( Sir Jackal) 

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