Gambia’s
Interior Minister has come out publicly to apologize to Foroyaa journalist
Kebba Jeffang, who was reportedly assaulted by political party supporters last
Sunday.
Minister
Fatty made the apology on Friday after a closed door meeting with journalist
Jeffang and members of the executive of the Gambia Press Union, GPU.
Mr
Jeffang was allegedly physically assaulted by political party supporters at a
joint press conference called by the UDP, NRP and GMC parties last Sunday at
the UDP Bureau in Manjai Kunda, after asking a question to the UDP party leader
Ousainou Darboe.
The
press conference was convened by the three parties to clear the air on their
positions on the upcoming parliamentary elections, at a time when the coalition
could not reach an agreement as to how they would be contesting in the
election.
According
to Minister Fatty, the reported assault on journalist Jeffang was “uncalled
for, unacceptable’ and he did condemn it “outright in its totality”.
“I
think there should be no appropriate justification to attack anyone,
particularly a journalist in the course of their duties. They are performing a
very indispensable role in our development.
Journalists are part of development, they are not punching bags.”
Fatty
said the incident that happened involving journalist Jeffang and the three
political parties was “wrong, morally unjustifiable, illegal and should not
have taken place. This is not The Gambia we want to build.
“The
Gambia we want to build is one of tolerance and acceptability, respect for the
rule of law, inclusion. If our supporters are found wanting, it is appropriate
that we come out and condemn it publicly and express solidarity with the
victim. “I will go beyond that to take personal responsibility for the actions
of my supporters, if they were those involved, and on their behalf to apologize
to Mr Jeffang for their actions, which was inappropriate.”
At
the level of the ministry, he said, it was important that they had learnt a
lesson from this incident. If they were aware that a public function would take
place and they were informed on time, he went on, they would have provided
adequate security to protect and avert precisely a situation of that nature.
“I
am confident that if we had police protection, Mr Jeffang would not have been
subjected to what he was in the hands of certain elements, whose actions tend
to be prejudicial to stability.
“Jeffang
is a good journalist. He has written many articles that supported many of these
parties involved. He also wrote on issues of concern. That is the work of a
journalist. They should not only be praise-singers. They are supposed to inform
and educate, and that was what Jeffang was doing. I am made to understand that Mr Jeffang was
in fact in possession of an invitation letter to come to this event. So, he was
our guest and, if you got assaulted as a guest, it is only appropriate that the
host comes to his defence.”
Emil
Touray, president of the Gambia Press Union, also described the attack on
journalist Jeffang as uncalled for and not in line with the constitution of The
Gambia.
“We
are in a new Gambia where we feel that behaviours such as assault on any
citizen have no place in society.
“It
is, therefore, profoundly important that the militants of these parties
understand that their actions are not only unlawful, but inhumane and degrading
and they should be censored in its totality.
“It
is with that view that we are working to addressing this issue, and to talk to
party leaders so they can make their members understand that in any democracy,
there must be respect for the fundamental human rights, as well as the
universal human rights. Therefore, it behooves on all to ensure that those
rights and values are protected and the only way to do that is they do not
behave in any way that compromise these values.”
According
to Touray, Interior Minister Mai Ahmad Fatty had expressed remorse for what
happened, and added that alone shows that “this is a government that is ready
to work with the Press”.
The
GPU president added: “We will also do our best, as members of the Fourth
Estate, to make sure that we continue the good work, and as well ensure that we
do our work within the limits of, and according to law.”
