24/06/2006 21:35 - (SA)
BANJUL A WITNESS TO SHAME
MATHATHA TSEDU
As African heads toast The Gambia's president, a symbol of freedom is in hiding .
As you read this, many African leaders will be preparing to leave for Banjul, capital of the west African nation of The Gambia, which borders Senegal. There they will wine and dine with President Yahya Jammeh, dictator of The Gambia.
As they do this, journalist and editor of The Independent, Musa Saidykhan, will be in hiding in Senegal with his pregnant wife, fearing an attack by Jammeh's notorious secret police. His children have been left behind in Banjul at the mercy of his tormentors. Musa, as I call him, is a brave young man. He took over the running of The Independent nearly two years ago and made it an independent voice crusading for free expression and justice.
In March this year he was detained by the police and horribly tortured (see Page 5). This young, strong man has been turned into a terrified wreck who is trying to flee Africa and join the exodus to Spain.
His crime to believe in truth and justice. The men who tortured him operate under Jammeh's orders. He must take responsbility for their actions. But he does not care. What he craves is the acceptance and companionship of fellow leaders.
And, from next weekend, he will have it. He will get it from leaders who travel the world saying we are a changed and changing continent where democracy is taking root. But they will have no qualms about sitting with Jammeh and honouring him with their presence as they deliberate on the African Commission on Human and People's Rights, the draft African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance and the Review of the 2000 Lome Declaration on Unconstitutional Changes of Government in Africa.
What hypocrisy. It is a shame. It is no different from the old Organisation of African Unity, which made then Ugandan dictator Idi Amin its chairperson.
Today, leaders like President Thabo Mbeki are working hard to change the world's view of Africa. But what does it mean if he will also be part of the masquerade that gives dictators like Jammeh the pleasure of the company of good people when he is literally killing his own people.
Article 19 in partnership with the Gambia Press Union, Media Foundation for West Africa, Media Institute of Southern Africa and The Africa Editors' Forum were to hold a forum on free expression in Banjul next week.
The idea was to ensure it coincided with the AU summit and hand resolutions of the forum to the AU leadership afterwards. The forum has been banned.
So, while Jammeh can have his meeting with his brother leaders and pontificate about democ racy and people's rights, journalists cannot. The Gambia is a signatory to all AU protocols that guarantee freedom of expression and freedom of speech.
All the commitments by Jammeh amount to nothing because he does not honour them. Any voice that does not sing praises to him is silenced. The assassination of editor Deyda Hydara on December 16, 2004 is a prime example. Hydara was the editor-in-chief and co-owner of The Point. He was gunned down and the case remains un solved.
Musa has been championing the call for the arrest and trial of Hydara's killers. For this, his paper and its journalists and others who dared to speak have been attacked. His offices have been burnt, their presses bombed and their offices occupied.
A printing press owner who agreed to produce the paper was attacked and beaten by police. After that, no one was prepared to print Musa's paper. But this did not deter him. He produced his publication on A4 paper printed on his desktop computer and printer, stapled together by hand.
In March, The Independent's premises were attacked by armed security forces. They confiscated technical equipment and archived papers, sealed access to the offices and illegally detained Musa and two senior staff members.
It was during this detention that Musa was assaulted until he lost consciousness and his hand was broken in three places.His mouth was cut with a bayonet. He was released after his brother paid bail although he had not even been charged.
Jammeh, the architect of this, will be honoured by other African leaders in Banjul this week.
It is such a shame. It is so sad.
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