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President Jammeh asked to clarify Manneh's 'death'
Monday, 21 March 2011 22:25
Despite his disappearance for over five years now, Journalist Chief Ebrima Manneh’s exact situation remained a subject
of complete speculation until last Wednesday, when President Yahya Jammeh indicated for the first time that he was dead."Let me make it very clear that my government has nothing to do with the death of Deyda Hydara and Chief Ebrima Manneh,” Jammeh said at State House in Banjul as he met with heads of the country’s media, the first ever such meeting.
And now, questions are being asked about the exact circumstances of Manneh death.
In a letter dated March 21, 2011, and signed by Executive Director Joel Simon, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has requested for clarification from President Yahya Jammeh his comments suggesting that Manneh had died.
The letter is reproduced below:
March 21, 2011
H.E. Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh
President of the Republic of The Gambia
State House
Banjul, The Gambia
Via facsimile +220 4227 034
Dear President Jammeh:
We request clarification of your March 16 comments suggesting "Chief" Ebrima Manneh, a reporter for the Daily Observer, may have died. Manneh disappeared after witnesses saw him being arrested by state security agents in the offices of the Daily Observer on July 7, 2007. The government has previously denied any knowledge of Manneh's fate.
"Let me make it very clear that the government has nothing to do with the death of Chief Manneh or Deyda Hydara or the disappearances of so many people," you said in a meeting with representatives of Gambian media that was broadcast on state television. You also suggested Manneh might have disappeared after attempting to illegally migrate to Europe or the United States.
Your statement implies knowledge of Manneh's fate that has not been conveyed to the journalist's family or disclosed publicly. In all previous public comments, administration officials have consistently denied any knowledge of Manneh's detention, whereabouts, or legal status. Those comments were made despite sightings of Manneh in government custody after his 2007 arrest. Government denials were also issued in response to a June 2008 ruling by the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States, which found sufficient evidence to conclude Gambian authorities had improperly detained Manneh.
In the interest of transparency and to relieve the anguish of Manneh's family, which deserves to know his fate, we call on you to fully disclose your knowledge of Manneh's fate and to order all appropriate investigations into his case.
We look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Joel Simon
Executive Director
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Comments
YAYA`S DAY WILL COME TOO WHEN HE WILL DANCE TO THE TUNES OF HIS EVIL OWN SONGS
The Letter from Mr Joel Simon of CPJ to President Jammeh...is therefore vital.
President Jammeh has an urgent need to clarify his "words".
The evidence brought to the ECOWAS Judges in the case of Chief Manneh would suggest that The Gambian government was aware of the circumstance of Mr Manneh's disapearance.
Mr Jammeh would now seem to be adding to that..............In that he is stating that Mr Manneh, is now deceased.
I am aware that The British government would be in favour of an independant enquiry, to establish the facts.
The implications for The Gambian governments stated position...leaves it in grave peril.
They {The government} have a legal duty towards the protection and rights of all Gambian citizens.
He said exactly these words"Let me make it very clear that my government has nothing to do with the death of Deyda Hydara and Chief Ebrima Manneh..." just like the Editor puts it.You ca watch the video at the following link:
http://www.raaki.com/grts/jammeh_press_meeting4.html Focus between the Fifth and sixth minute.
If you look through thoroughly you will realise that Foroyaa's statement published here weren't direct, they were indirect bullet points, and I suppose the editor, like many of us before CPJ smartly saw through Jammeh's statement, was thinking in light of what we all had assumed about Manneh's situation.
Check this direct quotation by The Point on the same meeting: "Let me make it very clear that my government has nothing to do with the death of Deyda Hydara and Chief Ebrima Manneh..." (Jammeh)
You can confirm this quotation here: http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/i-am-not-hostile-to-you-jammeh-tells-journalists
Editor
The letter above appears to be a "facsimile" of that wording.
However...the piece from Foroyaa...quotes, Mr Jammeh as saying..
" The death of Deyda Hydara and the disappearance of Ebrima Chief Manneh"
It would be useful if..the correct words used by Mr Jammeh....were known for certain.
Can Jollof confirm..the exact words Mr Jammeh used?
For if per chance...Mr Jammeh said "Death and Disappearance"
He could be inferring that Chief Manneh is now deceased....and if so...
How could he possibly know that?
Opinion.
"Chief manneh brother was a soldier. He used to be a personal body guard to President Jammeh. His name is Lamin Babai Manneh, commonly known as Mayo. He was a arrested on the November 11 fail coup plot and been jail 10 years".
This point has not been highlighted much, but I wonder whether it sealed Chief's fate once it became known to his interrogators - specially in the light of the Ndure Cham Coup attempt of 2006. Maybe they put 2 and 2 together and got 5. You know what cruel idiots security operatives are.
chief manneh brother was a soldier he used to be a personal body guard to president jammeh his name is Lamin babai manneh commonly known as mayo. he was a arrest on the november fail coup plot and been jail 10 years this is chief brother the same mother and father so chief and his family have crying for all that long years until he was freed when chief was in ghana studying. when the family taught they are about to enjoys all their family reunification this monsters snach chief from them too now know he will never come back again is very sad.
Yes you monters might think you are safe but a day will come you will pay for all yr wrong doings.
i remember when chief return from that trip to united states he came with the pictures and it i told him why dont you stay. this what he told me he said when the consular gave him visa she told himi know younot coming coming but he knows he will not run away.
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