The Gambia UPDATE: Book on Deyda Hydara launched in Gambia

Friday, May 16, 2008

The struggle which culminated in the murder of Deyda Hydara, an ardent critic of the regime of President Yahya Jammeh, three years ago, has been given meaning with the launch of his biography in The Gambia.
The book entitled:   “A Living Mirror: The Life of Deyda Hydara” focuses more on the life of the journalist, rather than his death. It was jointly published by Demba Ali Jawo, former Gambia Press Union (GPU) president and Aloa Ahmed Alota, a Nigerian journalist based in The Gambia and Editor at The Point Newspaper.

The book which was launched on May 3, 2008, World Press Freedom Day, was according to the authors to keep the values of Hydara alive.
 
According to Ahmed Alota, proceeds from the book would be used to set up an Educational Trust Fund to provide support for deserving students from secondary schools across the country.

Hydara was murdered in December, 2004 by unknown assailants, and the government has still failed to investigate his death.
 
Meanwhile, at a recent meeting with newly elected executives of the Gambia Press Union (GPU) Gambia’s Vice President Isatou Njie-Saidy assured the public that investigations were still ongoing in the case of Deyda Hydara. This, however, has remained the official position of the regime ever since the murder, and yet no progress has made.

Media Foundation for West Africa