>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. > > > > >tombong has given no update. he is only busy defending his murderer >master.If not, how can he have all the press releases favourable to his >master and not have the press release issued before the demonstrations >threatening the students with what turned out to be death. After all he is >head of Grts and no matter how clearly unfit he is he should at least have >been capable of knowing that he only had to request for it from the >newsroom for it to be brought to him. Or is he really that daft But frankly we dont have much time to waste on tombong. tombong has always been a YARLUWAAN{DEPENDENT}.So he must spend his life praising his benefactors. > All I can assure Gambians is that the truth will be proven >incontrovertibly to all who want to see. Meantime, Tombong should learn some English and spellings or go back to school for he will soon be out of a job. > > > > > > > >______________________________________________________ >Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L >Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------