hey Tombong,
It is very sad that you are using this tragic accassion to tell us about the
"good things" that Jammeh did for the youths of the Gambia. What a shame.
I have a question that has been lingering in me since i read press releases
from the defence secretary. If the students had guns with life ammunitions
with them, how come there was no security personnel among the dead?
God Bless and Peace Be Upon All.
Alasana Bah
>From: TOMBONG SAIDY <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: UPDATE
>Date: Sat, 15 Apr 2000 01:16:16 PDT
>
>Gambia-l,
>
>As I promised, I would provide information on the ground, after which I
>will
>give my analysis of the whole situation.
>
>NUMBER OF DECEASED
>
>According to the authorities at RVH, the first patients were received at
>around 11:00 A.M. on Monday, 10 April 2000. There was a total of 96
>patients
>seen and all were treated accordingly with a total admission of 28 from
>Greater Banjul area and 3 from Essau making a total 0f 31. 11 have been
>discharged leaving a balance of 20. With regards to the Central Division
>area (Bansang Hospital) there were seven reported cases.
>
>The total number of death recorded in RVH were 11 and one reported from
>Bansang Hospital giving a total death toll of 12. So far 11 bodies were
>identified including the one from Bansang. There is still one unidentified
>body at the RVH, that of a young male teenager.
>
>DECEASED REGISTERED
>
># NAME AGE PROF. ADD/SCH. NATLTY
>
>1. Gibi Njie - Student Nusrat Gambian
>2. Karamo Barrow 24 Student ICE H.S Gambian
>3. Mohamed L. Chune 15 Student LK School Gambian
>4. Lamin A Bojang 19 Student Nusrat Gambian
>5. Ousman Sabally Student Brikamaba Gambian
>6. Omar Barrow 25 Journalist Latrikunda Gambian
>7. Ablie Sajaw 3 Child N. Jeshwang Prsume Gambian
>8. Bubacar Badgie 10 Student Talingding ---------------
>9. Calisco Prera 20 Civilian N. Jeshwang Not Gambian
>10. Reginald Carrol 25 Student 7 Grand St. Sierra Leonean
>11. Wuyeh Mansally 19 Student Talingding Senegalese
>12. Unidentified Teenager
>
>Contrary to Ebrima Ceesay’s source, the bodies are being released as
>relatives claim them. There are not decomposing bodies and there was no
>order from President Jammeh or any one else for the bodies to be kept until
>the President’s return. Ebrima’s source also claimed that there are “14
>confirmed dead in the mortuary" and this is not true. Ebrima, could you
>please asked your source or any body else to come up with the names of the
>remaining two death bodies.
>
>PATIENTS ADMITTED IN RVH
>
>NAME PROFESSION ADDRESS/SCHOOL
>
>1. Allasan Suwareh Student Banjul Academy
>2. Musa Sembeh 3 yrs old child Serrekunda
>3. Yusupha Mbye Student Pipeline Comprehensive
>4. Francis Correa Businessman Serrekunda
>5. Pa Demba Camara Civilian Kanifing
>6. Seeday Jobe Civilian Senegalese
>7. Bakary Singateh Civilian Latrikunda Sabiji
>8. Ousman Jobarteh Student Sepps
>9. Sering Ceesay Civilian non Gambian Mbolgou (Near Kaur)
>10. Yankuba Darboe Fire Officer Bakau Station
>11. Pa Ansu Jarjue Student Forsters (Nema Kunku)
>12. Lamin Touray Civilian, ex GHS Brufut (now residing at
>
> New Jeshwang)
>13. Momodou Ceesay Trader Dippakunda
>14. Bakary Njie Student Pipeline Comprehensive
>15. Wuyeh Fatty Arabic Student Talinding
>16. Baba Suwareh Student Crab Island/ Ebo Town
>17. John Gomez Student GTTI / Ebo Town
>18. Omar Sosseh Student St. A.H.S/ New Primet St
>19. Sulayman Krubally Student GTTI/Sancha-Sulay Jobe
>20. Sana Bojang Civilian New Jeshwang
>21. Haddy Camara Student Ebeneezer High School
>22. Sainabou Camara Student Bakoteh High School
>23. Abdou Karim Janneh Student Sheikh Mass Kah
>24. Francis Mendy Student St. Agustine’s H. School
>25. Alasan Jammeh Civilian Talingding
>26. Momodou Lamin Magassi Guard Comm's Office Brikama
>27. Oumie Jagne Civilian Kanifing
>28. Amie Jagne Civilian Kanifing
>29. Baboucarr Bahoum Student Essau High School
>30. S. Senghore Student Essau High School
>31. Modou Joof Student Essau High School
>
>REPORTED CASES SEEN IN KMC & WD
>
>Serrekunda Health Centre 79 Cases
>Brikama Health Centre 31 Cases
>Fagi-Kunda Health Centre 8 Cases
>Bakau Health Centre 10 Cases
>
>TOTAL 128 Cases
>
>The above were treated and released.
>
>
>PRESS RELEASE
>
>As Attorney General and Secretary of State for Justice, it is my
>constitutional duty to balance two equally valid, but often competing,
>principles:
>
>i. the need to ensure that anyone who breaks the law is called to answer
>for
>it;
>
>ii. and that in so doing the accused person must be accorded a fair
>hearing.
>
>The latter means that the accused can only be arrested and later convicted
>if there is sufficient evidence to warrant it.
>
>The sad events of the last few days deserve a response from the Department
>of State for Justice in line with the dual constitutional role outlined
>above.
>
>In line with the Government’s commitment to the principles of transparency
>and accountability, and having regard to the fact that justice must not
>only
>be done, but it must be seen to be done, I have invoked my powers under
>section 11(1) of the Coroner’s Act, Cap 7.04, and an application is
>simultaneously being lodged with the Chief Justice to order that an inquest
>be held touching on the death of any persons as a result of the events of
>the 10th and 11th April 2000.
>
>The purpose of the inquest is, of course, to establish whether or not an
>offence has been committed by any person, known or unknown.
>
>As for the case of Ebrima Barry (deceased), an information will be filed in
>the course of next week.
>
>In view of the fact that the credibility of our criminal justice system is
>itself on trial, the Attorney General will take the unusual step of
>appointing a Public Prosecutor under section 65 of the Criminal Procedure
>Code. The Gambia Bar Association, the family of the deceased, friends of
>justice (at home or abroad) are invited to suggest names of lawyers, (both
>at home and abroad) who can satisfactorily conduct the prosecution of the
>alleged murders of Ebrima Barry.
>
>The Attorney General’s Chambers will provide logical support; but will
>otherwise do nothing to divert or influence the prosecutor.
>
>The State will, however only be responsible for meeting the cost of local a
>prosecutor.
>
>As for the case of Binta, the Attorney General’s Chambers is handicapped by
>the absence of identification of the alleged culprits.
>
>
>Alhaji Cheyassin O. Secka
>Attorney General & Secretary of State
>For Justice
>
>Attorney General’s Chambers &
>Department of State for Justice
>Maummar Ghadaffi Avenue
>Banjul
>
>13 April, 2000
>
>
>
>Above are the facts from official sources, however I have my take on this
>whole issue. Since my arrival, I have consulted and spoken to both sides of
>the fence and believe me there are a lot of blame to go around.
>
>April 10th 2000 is one of the darkest day in the history of The Gambia,
>surpassed only by the events of July 31st, 1981 – the KUKOI FIASCO. I join
>all members of the list to express my sympathy and condolence to the
>families, friend, and loved ones of the bereaved. This is a sad event that
>could have been avoided both by the Security and the Students.
>
>The Gambia is a democratic country and the students have the constitutional
>right to demonstrate peacefully. However, in every democracy there are laws
>and all demonstrators must seek or obtain some form of permit from a given
>authority, usually the local police. GAMSU never applied for a permit
>according to the authorities. The Department of State for the Interior sent
>a press release on Friday April 7, 2000 to all media houses including GRTS
>claiming that they have received information on a potential strike being
>organised by the Student Union (GAMSU). They warned students to seek
>permission and that the security will not take any unauthorised
>demonstration lightly (I do not have the press release in front of me, so I
>am paraphrasing) . The student could have simply applied for a permit, and
>they would have been given the permit. On Saturday April 8 and Sunday April
>9, some members of the GAMSU Executive met with some Secretaries of States
>and discussed the whole matter. There was an agreement for GAMSU Executive
>to meet with the Vice President at 9:30 A.M on Monday April 10 since the
>President will not in the country. They demanded an escort for the
>Executive
>from the GTTI to StateHouse.
>
>On Monday morning, the Army Chief of Staff and the Secretary of State for
>the Interior went to GTTI for further discuss with the student and to
>escort
>them to Banjul for the agreed meeting with the Vice President. It was
>during
>this time that things started to get out of hand. Apparently some GAMSU
>Executives were reluctant to go to the said meeting for various reasons.
>
>While the Chief of Staff and Secretary of State Badgie were negotiating,
>some GAMSU Members started forcing students from school buses into GTTI.
>The
>Police Intervention Unit came with batons and shields and all hell broke
>loose. I believe the security should and could have contained things and
>this would have limited the damaged done. The demonstrations were emanating
>from different fronts and in most places the demonstrators out numbered the
>police and the Intervention Unit. While commotion ensued at GTTI, students
>began attacking Kotu Police and Fire Station, Bundung Police, Brikama
>Police, Fagikunda Gamtel, West Field Gamtel, Standard Bank and everything
>within their reach that is identified with Government. However, the
>majority
>of the students wanted a peaceful demonstration, but some non-students
>seized the opportunity brought by the chaotic situation to loot, destroy
>private and public properties, banks etc.
>
>The army came after a lot of destruction has already taken place. Soldiers
>came armed, however when the police stations were being destroyed,
>prisoners
>were released in the process, especially at the Serrekunda Police and the
>armouries broken in to. The police carry very few arms and individuals,
>mostly criminal elements and civilians took them. As a matter of fact some
>civilians have been apprehended with arms and they are under custody.
>
>Live bullets were used and this resulted in the number of deaths and
>injuries. There are all kings of claims and counter claims about who stated
>the shooting and who was carrying live bullets. The Secretary of Sate for
>the Interior denied the fact that the armed forces used live bullets. The
>Commission of Enquiry that will be set up to investigate this event will
>verify this. However, the strange thing about this whole matter is that not
>single security official was reported shot while a lot of unarmed students
>were shot and brutally killed. The security has a lot explaining to do.
>
>The attacking of the Standard Bank at West Field, International Bank of
>Commerce in Serrekunda, the looting of shops and supermarkets were
>generally
>done by criminal elements who join the demonstration for their own ends. A
>lot of foreigners and non-students were reported to be part of this whole
>fiasco.
>
>Radio 1 FM, Sud FM and even GRTS Radio did not help the situation with
>their
>phone-in programmes. Instead they added fuel to the fire and their action
>has caused more havoc than good. In such a chaotic situation, having a
>phone
>in programme for every side to be venting their anger was not a good idea.
>All sorts of things, insults, misinformation, you named it were being said
>over the air and that was why they were all ordered to stop the phone-in
>programmes by the security. This was a justified action by the security.
>
>The students had a justified reason to demonstrate, however it went beyond
>their control when other non-students joined in. The security was ill
>prepared and overwhelmed and as a result they too over reacted.
>
>
>The President is saddened and mad about the whole incident both the
>handling
>of it by the security forces and the manner GAMSU went about it. The
>critics
>could say any thing about President Jammeh, however he has done more for
>Gambian youths than any leader ever did, from the colonial masters to
>Jawara. The President practically formed GAMSU. He encouraged them by
>providing funds for their various activities such as their rounds around
>the
>country to recruit and sensitise the students; he bought them computers for
>their office; gave them a super VHS camera, ordered a new Toyota van
>(coaster) for them, and his is helping them to have their own telecentres
>(2) so that they will have a permanent flow of revenue. These are just a
>few
>of the things he did for GAMSU. The President has built schools, a
>University and many other tertiary institutions since he came to power.
>Gambian youths have more access to education now than any other time in the
>history of The Gambia. To call him names and suggest otherwise is very
>unfair.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>PEACE
>
>Tombong
>
>
>
>
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