The Arrest And Detention Of Voice Newspaper Journalists A Justification Of President Barrow Preparing Jah A Successor

Photo: (Member of NEPA)
Photo: Credit The Point.

 Opinion

 By Ousman A. Marong

 

The arbitrary arrest and detention of Musa Sheriff, Managing Editor of The Voice Newspaper, together with his deputy Momodou Justice Darboe, is enough justification for one to draw a conclusion suggesting that President Adama Barrow has chosen a successor as he prepared and planned to exit and hanging his political boots in the balance.

If the duo's arrest and detention have anything to go by, with no iota of truth suggesting that the President has chosen a successor (Muhammed Jah) as part of his preparatory exit plan, why arrest the gentlemen?

The arrest and detention of Sheriff and Darboe is nothing but a tactical move to frustrate and stifle them and their media organization.

It is mind-boggling to arrest Darboe, release Sheriff, and ask him to report the following day only to rearrest him and release him on bail, charging him and his deputy editor (Momodou Justice Darboe) with "false publication", subjecting them to daily police reporting with continuous harassment and intimidation tactic meant to silence them.

I, therefore, call on the government of the Gambia, through the Office of Inspector General of Police (IGP), to avoid using the lazy man's approach in the case of The Voice Newspaper Journalists and unify Gambians.

The office of the IGP, through the President, shouldn't have wrongfully arrested the Journalists without taking significant steps to redress the matter into a civil cause.

The office of the IGP has adopted a lazy man's approach by wrongfully arresting Momodou Justice Darboe and Musa Sheriff.

The story run by the medium did not in any way breach or violate any journalist's principles or ethics. It's a story with wings that any journalist interested in running a story can. If the state continues to operate in such a way, it would bring censorship amongst journalists and further derail efforts in citizens and institutions coming forward to play part their part in the recent commissioning of the ATI. The news was welcoming to us as Niumikas, but perhaps jealous Jarrankas police officers had to steal the show by arresting the Journalists who had run the story.

Yours, in the watchdog spirit

Ousman A. Marong

Chairman Journalists International Forum for Migration, JiFORM,

County Coordinator Mediteranean Foundation for Survival of African Migrants, MFSAM.

Ousman A. Marong: Gambian Journalist Appointed Gambia Coordinator Of MFSAM

  

Photo: (Ousman A. Marong).

The General Manager, GM, of Niumi FM, a privately-own radio station in rural Gambia, has been appointed Gambia Coordinator Volunteer of The Mediterranean Foundation for the Survival of African Migrants (MFSAM) as a prestigious organization representing the African Migrants, and Refugees across the length and breadth of Europe, Asia, and the USA. 

His appointment took place in Germany on Tuesday, September 10, during the board of directors meeting. 

Mr Marong will serve in the role alongside, Okpalaji Kenechi, project director in Abuja, Nigeria.

As county coordinator, the highly experienced Mr Marong Sectary-General Migration Reporter's Association of the Gambia (MiRAG), blogger at News Bite Gambia, said he is committed to supporting African Migrants through media advocacy with international partners such as the Mediterranean For the Survival of African Migrants, Journalists International Forum for Migration (JiFORM), German Refugees Association among others. 

"Our youths at this crucial moment, particularly so because of the bad governance on the continent and the sustainability challenges facing the youths, requires that we remain Steadfast and continue to work to ensure that migration on the continent is as important as ever, and migrants activist feel safe to do their work," Mr. Marong, said in a statement.

He added that revitalizing other countries associations across the continent, including in Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Tunisia, Algeria, etc will be a top priority during his coordination.

"This is by no means an easy task, but it has to be done," Mr. Marong asserted.

MFSAM works to fight against irregular migration and Human trafficking amongst others. To advocate through their loadable awareness program to the public about the dangers of traveling through the Mediterranean and Sahara desert. We fight for migrants and Refugee rights, act as a leading voice, and have a rescue team of migrants at sea.

Below is Mr. Marong's appointment letter