Mr. Omar Jallow, a veteran politician and former Minister in the erstwhile PPP administration, recently lamented that all peace-loving Gambians and the world at large, regret the death of Deyda Hydara, the former Managing Editor of The Point newspaper and Treasurer of West African Journalist Association (WAJA). Mr. Jallow hastened to add that the world is no less shocked and concerned by what he termed the mysterious killing of other journalists in the execution of their work.

Speaking on Saturday at a symposium organised by Gambia Press Union (GPU), Mr. Jallow said the killing of Deyda Hydara remains a big blow to Gambia’s democratic and human rights record. He however exhorted Gambian journalists to refuse to be cowed or discouraged by the incident. “We must continue in the struggle for justice and freedom, even though the road is rough. Let us not be discouraged,” he said, warning that a society where there is no freedom of expression is doomed to perish.

“We have seen a lot of wars in our continent, Africa. All these wars have been caused by people who attempt to suppress freedom of expression or association. This should not happen in our beloved Gambia,” he noted, stating that The Gambia belongs to no particular group of individuals, but to all the people living in it. Jallow asserted that members of the society should take upon themselves to have access to information.

Alluding to the importance of untainted information, Mr. Jallow urged Gambian journalist to be objective in their reports. “Investigate your stories properly in order to inform the public correctly,” he admonished, adding that it is the responsibility of the journalist to be objective in reporting so as to avoid misleading the public.

He disclosed that 2006 was the deadliest year for journalists all over the world as more than 200 journalists were killed or found dead in yet unexplained circumstances.

He also called on society to participate in the struggle for freedom, saying that the fight for freedom should not be left in the hands of the journalists.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank all the Gambian journalists for their hard work and respect for Gambian society. It is not easy but the role is yours and that of any Gambian to fight oppression in this country,” he noted.

Also speaking on the occasion, the president of the Gambia Press Union (GPU), Mr. Madi Ceesay, said that society should have freedom to inform and to express opinions. “It is a fundamental human right for people to express themselves in anyway,” he concluded.