He made this statement at the 33rd Anniversary of The Point Newspaper in which he participated in his capacity as a former employee and colleague.
Mr Sankareh cited the collective endeavour of Gambians such as ending 22 years of human rights violations of the former regime and the current government’s efforts in establishing a Special Tribunal as means to punish perpetrators and serving justice to victims
He invoked memories he shared with Deyda Hydara, who was killed by the ‘junglers’ of Yahya Jammeh regime on 16 Dec. 2004, saying young journalists should learn from him as a legendary journalist to ensure and promote accurate and credible reporting.
“Deyda will continue to be remembered as a great man of the country for aiding Gambians outside his work.”
“I began working in The Point newspaper – the paper has been the foundation to my life, and I thank the founders for that blueprint in my career.”
Sheriff Bojang, the proprietor of The Standard, also recalled memorable times he had with Deyda, saying that his relationship with The Point has been very cordial. “The paper involves me in the issues that require decisions,” he further reflected.
“Today we reflect back on the life of Deyda Hydara. He was a brave man, and I remember even before he was killed, there were signs that they were after him. He, however, stayed to defend what he believed in till he was killed.”
“He believed in the power of the press and saw journalism as social entrepreneurship. He and his partners were not there for the money; they had a social mission which was to help inform people, so they made informed choices for themselves and their country.”
Point’s co-publisher Pap Saine said Deyda had contributed immensely not only for the promotion of press freedom but also fought against injustice. “The paper is continuing on the path Deyda had started. We continue to serve the public and give voice to the voiceless to ensure we have a democratic nation.”
According to Baba Hydara, the son of Deyda, since 2004, this day always serves as a difficult moment for his family. “It is a normal thing to lose a loved one; however, if you recall the manner some are killed, it is always hard. And the way I lost my dad is horrible, and I hope he and his fellow victims get the justice they deserve.”
“I closely work with the Victims’ Center, and since its inception, all we have been fighting for is justice be served. A lot of families have gone and are still going through a lot seeing their perpetrators walking around freely.”
The celebration was graced by Sam Sarr, the managing editor of Foroyaa, Mr Peter Gomez of West Coast Radio, Mr Muhammed S. Bah, outgoing president of GPU, Musa Sherrif, proprietor and editor of The Voice and veteran journalist Baboucarr Cham amongst others.
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