By Tijan Nimaga, Bronx, New York.

 An editorial by the pro-government Gambian Daily Observer posted on the web 18th June 2007, commented that members of The Gambia National Assembly voiced out their concerns over some Gambian dissidents abroad, trying to destabilize the nation with supports from the Senegalese authorities. That move by the National Assembly and the Daily Observer itself is like a nationwide bombshell that even the blind and the deaf can hear without visual and hearing aid.

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                                        The Verdict  

By Adama Hawa 

The recent proposal by the UN Special Investigator on Torture to exclude armies accused of torture and abuse of human rights from peacekeeping operations is quite a sensible one. It is quite ironic for those who routinely torture the people they are not only paid to defend but to whom they are also related, to be deployed to defend the rights of people they are not even related to.Of course, The Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) falls under the category of armies that routinely torture civilians. It is quite an open secret that the GAF does not only engage in routine torture of civilians, but it has also got a special unit, headed by Major Musa Jammeh (Malyamungu),

Executioner Musa Jammeh in triangle behind President Jammeh.

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By Mathew K. Jallow.

 Senegambia News.

The weekend news about the sighting of journalist Chief Ebrima Manneh took many Gambians by surprise. Mr. Manneh who has not been seen in public in more than a year, is said to be ill and in very poor condition. Journalist Manneh was arrested nearly two years ago in a sweep that netted many other innocent Gambians following the publication of the list of Freedom Newspaper subscribers after that paper was hacked by what the publisher believes to be Jammeh operatives.

Chief Ebrima Manneh

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  By Ebrima G. Sankareh, Editor-in-Chief

Breaking News: 3 Ghanaian Survivors Of Siffoe Massacre Talking 

As suspected, there are at least three Ghanaian survivors of the killing fields of Siffoe where 44 of their compatriots were butchered by President Yahya Jammeh’s security forces in June 2005.  The escapees have given graphic and detailed accounts of what transpired giving the Ghana government evidence that they will use to confront President Yahya Jammeh’s murderous regime.  According to a highly authoritative source in Accra, Ambassador Fred Laryea, Ghanaian Ambassador to The Gambia and resident in Dakar, Senegal has again written to Banjul, requesting a meeting between the Ghana Investigation Team and Yahya Jammeh.

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Dear Editor: I read your online paper whenever possible as one other source of news of current events in The Gambia.  Recently, I have noticed articles mentioning my name and factual statements that occurred in the past that I experienced with particular interest to Sam Sarr's encounter with the "two Gambian Professors" in Washington, DC ( and I have all reasons to belief that the other professor is nobody but Sulayeman Nyang). 

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Musa Saidykhan in African attire 4th. from left.

CNN Awards Excellent African Journalists

Seventeen African journalists have been honoured with the CNN MultiChoice 2007 journalist award in Cape Town, South Africa, at the weekend. A Gambian journalist, Musa Saidykhan, is among the continent's excellent journalists to be feted at the symbolic occasion graced by over 1, 500 distinguished personalities in the world

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By Ebrima G. Sankareh, Editor-In-Chief.

Mai N. K. Fatty the subject of our breaking news piece on Monday remains in critical but stable condition doctors in Dakar told The Gambia Echo. In an exclusive interview lasting an hour, the doctors who begged anonymity told the Echo “Mai Fatty sustained multiple cervical fractures, multiple femoral fractures and multiple fractures along the tibia.” As we concluded the interview, Mai was headed to the theatre for further surgeries on the leg. Asked if the injuries have not affected his spinal cord, they were quick to say

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UNITED GAMBIA ASSOCIATION: PART V

 By Professor Abdoulaye Saine

Following the Gambia's 2006 presidential election, and the opposition's unsuccessful attempt to effect democratic change, the time has come for all Gambians interested in peaceful change to assess, meet, and strategize for the future.  A countless number of commentators have argued with clarity how our own efforts and those of the opposition politicians at home contributed to President Jammeh's victory. 

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No sooner had we posted “The Gambia: Looming Economic Crisis” a damning opinion piece on the mini-West African nation’s ailing economy written by our New York correspondent, Tijan Nimaga than a highly placed security officer from State House sent us this revealing rejoinder. Below we reproduce verbatim what the security official feels about Famara Jatta, Sudan and Yahya Jammeh. Read on.

Yahya Jammeh & Sudan's Bashir 

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        By Tijan Nimaga, Bronx, New York 

The Gambian economy is at a very fragile state. The civil servants of the current regime are just living on the brinks of an unstable government, which has failed to implement any possible future progress to develop the nation and to meet the demands of its work force. During the best years of The Gambia’s PPP government under the leadership of Alhagi Sir Dawda Jawara, teachers at all levels were properly treated and their salaries paid on time. In the early 1980s the teaching field was one of the most rewarding sources of employment within the country.

Ex-Central Bank Gov.Famara Jatta& Jammeh

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By Mathew K Jallow, Associate Editor 

July 22^nd. 1994 began like any other day. But, by mid morning, it became apparent that this was no ordinary day. Thirteen years later this week, the military take-over of our government has become the biggest blunder in Gambia’s short history. However, looking at the commercial activities in the Kombo area, it is easy to over-look what is actually not happening elsewhere around the country

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BREAKING NEWS: Lawyer Mai Fatty Fights For His Life; Jammeh Gov’t. Suspected 

By Ebrima G. Sankareh 

Unimpeachable sources from The Gambian judiciary say that Gambian lawyer and former student unionist, Mai Fatty is at a Dakar hospital following a very mysterious accident that has left him with broken bones all over. Our informer who would not specify where and when “suspected foul play occurred” said the Gambia Bar Association flew Fatty to Dakar because Banjul could not just handle his traumatic situation. Until we speak to our colleagues at the local hospital who have promised to provide us with details of Mai’s near fatal mysterious accident, we will leave it at that lest we misrepresent the facts. For now though, what we can say with absolute certainty is that Mai Fatty is fighting for his life in a local Senegalese hospital following what judicial sources call “suspected foul play by president Jammeh’s government.”

Lawyer Mai Fatty & Ousman Sillah

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A THANK YOU STATEMENT TO PROFESSOR SAINE FOR HIS SPECIAL REVIEW OF MY BOOK.

By Lt. Col. Sheriff Samsudeen Sarr

I want to first register my sincere appreciation for the special contribution made by Dr. Abdoulaye Saine for reviewing my book: Coup De'tat By The Gambia National Army on your paper. It was after all highly reassuring to see a professor of his character and caliber take his precious time to do such a tremendous job for all of us. I therefore, made it a point of duty to have the paper read and discussed with my entire family including my eight-year old boy, Samsudeen Sarr Jr. who didn’t have a clue what we had talked about or the conclusion we had arrived at.

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It was twelve years ago that these rogues clandestinesly orchestrated the most gruesome murder in Gambian history of Finance Minister  Ousman Koro Ceesay. At extreme left is Edward David Singhateh who at the time of the young Minister's death was Vice Chairman of the nefarious Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) the junta that deposed the PPP government of Sir Dawda K. Jawara, promised to fix corruption and step aside for a more pluralistic Gambia.

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By Professor Abdoulaye Saine, Miami University, Oxford, OH    

Written by a former Commander of The Gambia National Army (GNA), this book is a first hand, and by far the most comprehensive account of the 1994 coup d’etat in The Gambia.  It details the personal military frustrations and ambitions of a junior officer class, the GNA’s organizational military structures both of which are cast against a backdrop of systemic political and economic decay.

Dr. Abdoulaye Saine, Miami University, Oxford, OH

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By Momdou Badgie (A'Nyabh’), Foni, The Gambia

As weird as it may sound Demba was given thumbs up by his constituents. Some earned that status as a result of some arm-twisting by key organizers and party chairmen to convince some of their opponents to give up the race. BB did not gain such status by cheap political propaganda but he earned it. I believe that sometimes the measure of a man is not talking the walk but walking the walk

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By Ebrima G. Sankareh, Editor-in-Chief

“Your Excellency, why elect a Chairman (of AU or ECOWAS) who is not welcomed in the White House, No.10 Downing Street or the Elysée Palace. No one takes your boss seriously.” Candid and embarrassing as that statement sounds, it was how a Head of State felt about President Yahya Jammeh when he met a Gambian diplomat in the prelude to the Banjul summit of the African Union in 2006, reveals our most competent State House official who has vowed to reveal a lot in the coming months.

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By Ebrima G. Sankareh

Following his grueling experiences in the hands of the AFPRC junta and incarceration at the Mile II Central Prisons, Major Ebrima Chongan immigrated to England where he was granted amnesty. Given his sharp intellect, enormous experiences in policing and many years as a Police Prosecutor he seized the opportunity and quickly enrolled in school to read law.

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By Mathew K. Jallow, Associate Editor.

Ahead, the blue Atlantic waters stretched away and rippled westwards as far as the eye could see. In the distance, below the horizon, Kololi fishermen in three rickety canoes bounced up and down the ocean swells as if dancing to a Spanish rumba. To my left and right, stood several skeletons of unfinished construction of the hotel and casino that was never meant to be.

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By Ebrima G. Sankareh, Editor- in-Chief  

In what a highly placed State House source characterized as “swift and emphatic”, a senior cadre of the MFDC-Democratic Movement for the Freedom of Cassamance told Banjul “if Yahya Jammeh is claiming that Kamouge is in the war zone and not at Mile II Prisons, then Yahya has murdered Kamouge Diatta, the leader of the MFDC.”

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By Tijan Nimaga, Bronx, New York 

Over looking the Atlantic Ocean towards Banjul, just few nautical miles from Barra Ferry terminal stands one of the most important historical monuments of The Gambia. This monument is Fort Bullen. Unlike the modern day houses made of bricks, Fort Bullen is made of huge rocks which were crafted by the early British settlers in The Gambia to repel French slavers along The River Gambia.

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By Ebrima G. Sankareh

In what can be described as apparent readiness to repel a perceived Senegalese threat, we at The Echo can reveal with absolute certainty that Captain Alhagi Martin, the Commander of the Kanilai Training School has moved into Fort Bullen, 7 sea Miles off Banjul with a team of Commandos.

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     By Ebrima G. Sankareh

Contrary to recent press reports that Boto Construction Company allegedly abused office and its Managing Director, Modou Lamin Sonko stole equipment from The Department of State for Works; we at The Echo are privy to damning information that suggests the ontrary. According to our military affairs correspondent Officer"X” (a.k.a.”OX”) Mr. Sonko’s recent arrest and trial has nothing to do with allegedly stolen bulldozers.

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By Ebrima G. Sankareh

As the Jammeh government continues to accuse Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade of intent to destabilize The Gambia, our correspondent Kissy Kissy Mansa reports that soldiers of The Gambia National Army have been hurriedly deployed to Fort Bullen, located off the coast of The River Gambia at Barra, North Bank Division.

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By **Peter Espeut

We Jamaicans have a special affinity for Africa and things African, and rightly so; for the vast majority of us have deep African roots. But it is also true that we hate our African-ness, our black-ness, and ourselves such that we seek to bleach it out and straighten it out, and 'plastic surgery' it out. More on that anon.

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As speculations continue to rife on President Yahya Jammeh's refusal to attend the just concluded African Union Summit in Accra, Ghana, it now appears that a "Citizens' Arrest Warrent" may have been the reason why the dictator failed to attend the conference as explained by this article from the Ghana Web. Read on. 

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By Mathew K. Jallow, Associate Editor

One piece of good news that has come out of Banjul in the past several days has to do with the ongoing Kangaroo trial of Fatou Jaw-Manneh. The comparison of this case to a Kangaroo Court has nothing to do with disrespecting Magistrate Buba Jawo or even the government’s prosecutor, rather it is meant to highlight the efforts by the government to manufacture charges and attempt to silence dissent

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By Ebrima G. Sankareh, Editor-in-Chief

Giving the brewing rumours and numerous speculations about President Yahya Jammeh’s supposed refusal to attend the African Union Summit in Accra, Ghana especially, the argument that it has more to do with 50 murdered West African immigrants (mostly Ghanaians), in July 2005, we at The Gambia Echo are compelled to republish our scoop on this case as reported in July, 2006 barely two months after the launching of this medium.

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By Ebrima G. Sankareh, Atlanta, Georgia

Magistrate Buba Jawo stunned a parked courtroom this morning when he hurriedly read out a ruling throwing out the libel case against US based Gambian dissident journalist and pro-democracy crusader Fatou Jaw Manneh.

Fatou Jaw Manneh at home, at Sukuta

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By Mathew K. Jallow, Associate Editor

It has been several weeks since Ebrima G. Sankareh interviewed Mr. B. B. Dabo, and since then, many Gambians have come to the realization that Mr. Bakary B. Dabo should have an important role to play in the future of our country. Today, more than twelve years after Yahya Jammeh was handed the reins of power on a silver platter, The Gambia is sinking deeper and deeper into despair and despondence, and we all have a sacred responsibility to rescue our people from this nightmare.

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