Sections
DONATE
SUPPORT WWW.JOLLOFNEWS.COM
Account Login
SIX Years: Deyda Hydara’s daughter remembers father
Thursday, 16 December 2010 15:55
BY MARIE HYDARATragedy struck on Thursday night December 16th 2004. What started as a beautiful day for Pa, he had a lot to be happy for; it was his wife’s birthday and the anniversary of his pride and joy the Point Newspaper.
Its six painful years since he was cowardly and in the most inhumane way snatched away leaving us in distraught, our only comfort is knowing he stood and died for what he believed for which his done us and the world proud .
We are still struggling to let go, the hardest bit been letting him go .We feel blessed everyday to have had such a brave and dedicated man, to champion the causes of free speech and press freedom which he thought were priceless and paid with his life for his ideals.
Our situation is enough to try a saint. We have undergone the hardest six years ever, we wonder what became of his deranged coward killers and their cohorts?
Six years of not knowing,
Six years of hardship,
Six year of turmoil,
Six years of struggling
Six years of devastation
While we remain grief stricken and with every passing year hope of getting any justice proves slimmer by the day.
For some weird reason after six years there has been no arrests been made, no one been charged and we wonder why the investigation to this horrendous crime isn’t proceeding more actively if any investigation for that matter.
Some pathetic wreck whose lives doesn’t mean much is let loose to continue a killing spree or being helped by accomplices as sick and demented as they are to hide or stay on the run. Six years not enough torture. The question is how long will it take, can't run forever and remember no situation is permanent.
Is horrendous that we can live in a society where such acts can occur and hideous that the culprits aren’t behind bars.
Justice is denied or delayed for someone who stood for Democracy, Justice and Press freedom. killing him ended a remarkable career spanning over thirty years and a huge loss to journalism at so many levels, not only in The Gambia but the whole continent. Six years not enough torture for a family desperate for answers . It is said that time is a healer but i disagree, for after six years it feels like the wound remains the same and probably with time the pain lessens but the scared tissues remain the same . The pain is never gone, how can the pain go with the fugitives still at large after 6 years. Maybe its easier to remain cowards forever or go confident that you have help and are untouchable, but all things will come to and end good or evil.
We want to celebrate his life and not make his death greater than the precious and fulfilling life we shared. Remembering sometimes makes us sad, remembering sometimes makes us happy, it makes us grateful and most of all remembering sometimes makes us ever so proud of all the good life we had (MASHAALLAH). Remembering makes everyday hurt a little less we just have to work through it and accept that it does take time and "Inshallah" Allah will see us through.
There is a chair on this table thats never gonna be filled beyond that nothing matters.
Due to someone’s sick joke we are meant to be suffering twice more this time of year, not only are we suppose to mourn our dad we cant celebrate our mum's birthday either,not even allowed or able to wish her a happy birthday anymore.
It’s believed that behind every good man there is a great woman. Mum has been the backbone of this family. Going back to where it all started. The reason behind Dad being killed on Mum’s birthday is due to the fact that, the coward killers and their partners in crime had meticulously planned his assassination to take place on the anniversary of the paper which is also Mum’s birthday, as the point was established on the 16th December 1991 as a birthday present for her.
It all seems like yesterday when i helped Dad with the run around and the hiding from mum finding out what was being planned ( to give her the paper as a birthday present) with the help of Mrs Mbachu Sosseh all documents were typed and ready to be flied on the 16th December .
I remember the excitement in his eyes was like nothing i’ve ever seen, he was so proud, the burning desire he had to be able to promote Press freedom and free expression at any given cost, having it established on the 16th December was a bonus as he couldn't think of a more rewarding present. As she stood by him through thick and thin. He thought of making his pride and joy (the point newspaper) the voice of the oppressed and the unspoken, the ill-treated and the voice less.
To also be a place where he will be able to practice good ethical journalism ,mentor young aspiring journalists and most of all help promote free expression and freedom of the press.
No wonder he was a regular visitor (not by choice) to the then NSS and later NIA as well. These long hours of detention if anything made him more determined to be a campaigner for press freedom. His courage and deep sense of loyalty to risk his life for what he knew was right, earned him more enemies along the way i.e in the last government and the present one. Which is the why the lack of any serious investigations to his murder could be attributed to be politically motivated.
He wanted the Point to be a birthday present for her each year. Nothing could top that up. (he thought every year ,all achievements of the paper were Mum’s birthday present over and over again)
He grew stronger and steadfast to his ideals and never backed down and was prepared ,strong willed and most of all had anticipated been killed. No detention or threat was enough to get him to quit. The hard work and values of one man to a profession is rarely found .
Sometimes i think about how different our lives would have been if this trauma hadn’t happened? But we thank Allah for having had a Martyr of press freedom for a dad and thank The Almighty and dad for choosing Aja Mariam to try and fill his shoes . He has left big shoes to fill but “Mashallah Ma’s doing very well. As we want for nothing , just more time with our dad and to see him enjoy the fruits of his hard work, and see more grandchildren , sons- in -law and daughters- in - law. Also remind him of how much he was loved and treasured.
Thank you Ma for being our mum and dad .You have carried heavy burdens , handle so much trouble over the years ; but with strength from Allah feels like you can move a mountain without anyone knowing . Your love for your family is unconditional as you smile when you should cry , you soothe all our pain away and though we are suffering this horrid ordeal together you make us stronger. I apologize as i know it doesn’t feel like a birthday anymore, but allow us to wish you a pleasant day , since its your special birthday please please please try and be happy for its your 60th that's what Pa would ‘ve wanted .Happy Birthday .We pray that the Almighty would grant you long life and good health to see those rank- and – files brought to book. No punishment seems enough for what we are going through, knowing wont bring him back but truth heals and we need closure.
We thank the loyal staff and publishers of the Point Newspaper for keeping a legend alive. Your efforts and hard work are commended with utmost gratitude; you work under extremely difficult circumstances daily. Happy Anniversary to the Point Newspaper.
We are grateful for all the Awards and the Life Time Achievements we received on his behalf in the last six years. The only regret is the fact that they were received posthumous. It’s a shame he had to die for his ideals.
We thank The African Editor’s Forum (TAEF) for their most recent Award ( at its 3rd Bi –Annual Conference Bamko- Timbuktu 2010) of Hero of African Journalism. I Would like to thank TAEF again ,not only for honouring my dad but also for an extraordinary experience as i will never forget Bamko /Timbuktu 2010 for the rest of my life. You included Deyda Hydara to the list of Africa’s All Time Greats and showed how much his work was appreciated . The support from people like you who rallied round us is the thing that picks us up the most .Sincere gratitude, to all members of TAEF, its organizers, partners and sponsors. I also thank the Malian Government and Ndey Tapha Sosseh for being a brave journalist whom am proud to dedicate this Award to.
Finally, i am once again calling on ALL INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS, Amnesty International, Article 19, OAU, AU , ECOWAS , DHT , GPU, IFJ, CPJ, TAEF, FAJ, WAJA, International PENN, CNN, AFP , REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS AND ALL INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ORGANISATIONS, OPEN SOCIETY JUSTICE INITIATIVE AND ALL BODIES WHO BELIEVE IN FREE EXPRESSION, PRESS FREEDOM, JUSTICE AND DEMOCRACY TO JOIN ME AFTER 6 HORRIBLE YEARS IN THE QUEST FOR JUSTICE FOR DEYDA HYDARA.
Jollofnews Poll
Who do you think should be the next President of The Gambia?
Follow us on Twitter
-
Anti-cuts protest at Clegg's homeHundreds of anti-cuts protesters gather outside Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg's home in south-west London.
-
Egypt candidate to seek election suspension: lawyerCAIRO (Reuters) - Leftist candidate Hamdeen Sabahy will file an appeal for Egypt's presidential election...
-
Bristol Rovers Speed Merchant Could Be Racing To Posh(GamSports) – Peterborough United are thought to be one of a number of Championship sides...
Comments
Where men dare go, our world should know.
That those that dare, can strike a blow,
For freedom's right, to live with peace,
And never heed this, bitter kiss.
That those who killed this sacred heart,
Of all that it, aspired to best.
Can never, wound the spirit's truth,
And never kill its rightiousness.
With Respect. M.S.
Rest in peace Deya; he may have orchestrated your murder, btu he sure never succeeded in killing your spitrit,never!
While you will be remembered for your herioc life, the villain (Jammeh) will always be remembered for things such as thekilling of worthy sons like you.
Long live peace and justice! long live the Gambia!
RSS feed for comments to this post.