KB,
I didn't in anyway suggest that you or anybody is saying we should forget the past. And no i am not trying to send the fascist any wrong message. I didn't at any time insinuate that Chongan had anything to do with the 81 tortures. If you revisit what i wrote i never mention Chongan by name. I know the man but not personally. As for Ebou Colly if he is Sam Sarr i knew him through the GFA when he served in the executive, i think it was on interim bases. What i was putting across is that all those who comitted crimes should face the music for their actions, be it during this fascist Jammeh administration or Jawara's irresponsible administration.
Pasamba
----- Original Message -----
From: Dampha Kebba
Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2001 12:17 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: WHAT HAPPEN TO US AT RIP
Sanusi, thanks again for straightening out the matter for Pa Samba and Joe.
No one is saying that we should forget about past atrocities. We keep
reminding people about the topic under discussion. Chongan was narrating
what happened to him in order to corroborate Ebou Colly's revelations. Now,
what does that have to do with people that were tortured in the aftermath of
the 1981 coup? Does it not make more sense to deal with Yankuba Touray and
Edward Singhateh (who are currently in power) rather than throw wild
accusations at Chongan?
If Joe or Pa Samba or anyone for that matter want to revisit 1981, fine.
Write a book about it and post it on G_L. But please do NOT insinuate that
Chongan had anything to do with that. He gives a simple account, now people
want to heap all the atrocities of the former regime on him. Why did we have
to drag the man's personal life into this? Decency demands that people that
threw unfounded allegations on him should apologize to him.
I hope people realize that what they are doing is trying to equate the
torture and mayhem during this regime with bar brawls and other actions that
pale in comparison to these atrocities. We go to that path, we start sending
the thugs back home a wrong signal. We start telling them that it is OK to
brutalize our people because Jawara also brutalized people. This I am sure
is NOT the message Joe and Pa Samba want to send to these thugs. I have a
very simple question for Joe et al. How does attacking the former regime
(people like Chongan) in this way help us get rid of Yaya and prevent
another massacre? All I am hearing is that you want to remind people so that
these mistakes of the former regime will not be repeated. Here you are
assuming that some of us forgot what happened. I hasten to add that you have
a legitimate point. We must NOT forget. But weigh the pros and the cons
here. In this current debate, forgetting about Yankuba Touray's despicable
actions against Chongan and instead focusing on some brawl Chongan was
engaged in, adds nothing to the struggle.
KB
>From: Sanusi Owens <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: WHAT HAPPEN TO US AT RIP
>Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 17:46:06 +0100
>
>Coach
>
>Please note my participation in this debate is NOT to
>defend the PPP record on Human Rights. In fact, I have
>never supported PPP in my life, will not buy their
>lip-service record on Human Rights at any market. I
>have a good recollection on Human Rights violation
>under the PPP regime. So take note about that.
>
>This debate is whether Chongan deserves the treatment
>he received from some of our colleagues. I am still
>not convinced that he has been fairly treated for the
>reasons mentioned in my previous postings.
>
>Once again thanks for the contribution
>
>Sanusi
>
>
>
>--- Pasamba Jow <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Joe,
> > I was not going to participate in this debate but
> > your points deserve commendation. I really enjoy
> > reading Ebou Colly's naration ,which i believe are
> > important in understanding Jammeh's fascism. After
> > the 1994 coup people were constantly arrested and
> > tortured with impunity. I have been threatened a
> > number of times by soldiers for criticising the
> > government. The thugery of the council members was
> > very evident to all Gambians, people lived in a
> > state of fear. But in as much as we want to
> > prosecute Jammeh and his clique, we should also not
> > forget the crimes committed by Jawara and his group.
> > after the 81 coup people were tortured daily at the
> > mile two prisons. If anybody had had the opportunity
> > of reading the publication by Halifa Sallah and Sam
> > Sarr entitled "HOW MANY MORE WILL HAVE TO DIE AT THE
> > MILE TWO PRISON? AN EMERGENCY SITUATION", then you
> > would understand the level of crimes committed
> > against Gambians. The gernderme was one of the most
> > arrogant force in the Gambian, even after they
> > started going to Turkey for training. I am hoping
> > for the day when Jammeh, Jawara, Saihou sabally,
> > Sana sabally, Singhateh, or anybody who is acused of
> > human rights violation will have their day in court.
> > The Gambian people deserve to know the truth and
> > justice must be served.
> > Pasamba Jow
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Joe Sambou
> > Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2001 11:09 AM
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: WHAT HAPPEN TO US AT RIP
> >
> > Secka, that's the spirit in which we should view
> > this issue. Just because a family member or
> > friend's rights were not personally violated, does
> > not mean we look the other way. We may never feel
> > the way all the victims in these violations felt
> > during their ordeal, but we can certainly understand
> > their agony. My position is that Lokai and the
> > countless victims are human and Gambian, therefore,
> > when their rights are violated under the
> > constitution of the Gambia, I am also violated. I
> > just mentioned Badou and Lokai, but I can easily
> > list many names of victims of Chongan and his batch
> > mates, and they (his batch mates) are certainly not
> > the only ones. Prior to the completion of the
> > stadium, the Scorpions used to camp at the Police
> > Depot, where Chongan et al underwent their training.
> > A great many of them were my friends or neighbors
> > and I never wasted time to cautioned them (not
> > Chongan in particular) that one day the tables are
> > going to change, and the criminals will have to
> > answer to the people. Detainees from the Kukoi
> > rampage, curfew violators, petty criminals, and
> > others were brought in the camp and we all saw what
> > happened to them. Folks, we are all Gambians and
> > have seen different things happen in that country at
> > different times. I am addressing Chongan because he
> > has the courage to come forward to expose the thugs,
> > and I would not have said anything had he also
> > addressed his victims. He understoodd and felt
> > their pain, especially after his experience. Those
> > days are gone when we turn the other way because we
> > are not directly affected. What the thugs are doing
> > now is just an extension of what they started 30
> > years or so ago. What the NIA thugs did and
> > continue to do to Dumo Saho is the same thing the
> > CID did to him 25 years ago, and some of us can
> > certainly testify to that. The CIDs of yester years
> > are the NIAs of today. I was in the Gambia in 1999
> > and 2000, and the soldiers behaved just as bad as I
> > left them in 1985, only now they carry more lethal
> > weapons and threaten to shoot anyone around. They
> > greet you with their thugry at the Air Port.
> > Folks, we are going to discuss the wrongs committed
> > against our people by any regime, be it military or
> > civilian. I will not turn my back on any victim,
> > for a victim, is a victim, and a victim, anyway you
> > slice it. Lets try to walk in all victims' shoes
> > and not just some victims. On that note, let's
> > focus on healing the wounds of past violations,
> > fight present violations, in order to prevent future
> > violations.
> > Chi Jaama
> > Joe Sambou
> >
> >
> >
> > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at
> > http://explorer.msn.com
> >
> >
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