By Sulayman Waan
Top human rights activist and political commentator, Madi Jobarteh, has asked President Adama Barrow to withdraw what he called “threats to the media fraternity” describing the comments as “very dangerous”.
President Barrow told journalists: “You are not politicians, you are very important in the society but you should write independent news, correct news. You see if you give us correct news, if you go home you sleep. If you are not doing that know that you are destroying your career. But if you are doing that you will prosper. We are in the 21st century let’s works together.”
He also urged the journalists to write independently and report correct news.
However, Madi said on his facebook: “It should concern each and every citizen that Pres. Barrow would face the nation to appear as if he was providing good advice to the media when in fact, he was threatening the media. To make a blanket statement that the media should be neutral and report the truth is in fact saying the media is untruthful.”
He added: “It is obvious that there are multiple media platforms that support Barrow publicly. Not only would these Barrow affiliated media openly and directly caricature his opponents as they like but they would also go further to promote only President Barrow and no one else. Yet Barrow has never told those media platforms to stop what they are doing because they are not neutral.”
Speaking further, the right activist asked: “Therefore, why is President Barrow facing the media today to tell them to be neutral? Which media houses or journalists is he referring to? Where and how did the media demonstrate partiality or lack of neutrality? What does he means by being neutral and report truthfully? What is the problem?
He said President Barrow must clarify these issues otherwise he is acting like another anti-media leader.
He recalled that the Gambian media have exposed multiple instances of corruption and abuse of office in the Government of Adama Barrow, but added that t for most of the time this president totally ignored those reports.
“It was because the public outcry was too much in the case of the Ministry of Fisheries PS Banja that there was action. But Barrow himself has never come out to speak to these media reports by raising his concern about corruption, abuse of office and inefficiency in his Government,” he said.
“Consequently, to confront the media with the intention to shut down the media is to ridicule the media. By attacking the media in this way, he is trying to divert public attention away from his poor leadership and poor performance and thus making the media the trouble in the country,” he said.
Jobarteh said the President Barrow’s comment is sending message to Gambians not to listen to the media as well to regard the media as liars and peddlers of fake news. This, he said would directly endanger the lives of Gambian journalists.
He said: “This onslaught must be confronted by all citizens because if he succeeds in undermining the integrity of the media by making the public to lose trust and confidence in the media, it means he will have succeeded in shutting down the media hence remove any and every means to hold him to scrutiny.”
He urged the Gambia Press Union (GPU) to immediately respond to President Adama Barrow for his attempt to threaten freedom of the media, saying Barrow is using subtle means to undermine the integrity of the media as well trying to silence them.
