Gambia L, I am sending these extracts from the e-mails I received today from the Gambia, on the Gambian situation. Ebrima Ceesay ******************************************************************* Ebrima, The Head of the International Red Cross is in Banjul and attended the funeral of Omar Barrow yesterday morning. The only body released thus far because of his affiliation, of course, with both the Red Cross and Sud FM Radio. An international Red Cross official vowed to stay in Banjul until he gets all the facts surrounding the carnage. SoS Ousman Badgie claimed this morning that he ordered the firing of rubber bullets and argued that that's what the security forces fired and not life bullets. This is the type of disinformation campaign that really gets people mad as hell. Why can't these people speak the truth for once. IT IS AN INSULT ON THE INTELLIGENCE OF THE GAMBIAN PEOPLE. I saw a circular to the effect that Yaya Jammeh should return today (Thursday). But the circular was not very clear in terms of the exact time that he should get to Banjul. I also understand that the British tourists have been advised by their Government to stay away from The Gambia. Where are we headed to, Ebrima? Check with the Foreign Office. The ensuing hardship facing The Gambian people is beyond imagination. As for Yaya AJJ Jammeh's e-mail address and/phone number, you should forget them, because he and his so-called Cabinet change their numbers more frequently than they change their under pants. By the way, don't call my office, keep calling the mobile. And expect more e-mails from me. ***************************************************************** Dear Ebrima, I'm sending you a quick transcript of the notes I made when talking to my friend who is a doctor at the RVH and who has been on duty at RVH from Monday - Thursday afternoon continuous. He reports 28 in Intensive care unit (many with gunshots wounds to the school) - all these cases have life-threatening injuries 50 seriously injured on 2 wards: many amputations carried out. 14 confirmed dead in the mortuary - bodies still not released as of 4pm yesterday. And the dead counted does include the dead which occured in the provinces. People are now calling for immediate stepping down of Army Chief of Staff, Minister of Interior, Inspector General of Police. They also want the immmediate release of all GAMSU leaders (and all other students). Across the country the feeling is FOR the students (many APRC are either saying nothing, or speaking openly against the government). In Banjul, it's very difficult for ordinary people to move around. My secretary's sister who is also a nurse was stopped 3 times going from RVH to catch a transport at top of Independence Avenue: she and 2 other student nurses (all covered in dead students' blood) were questioned intensively by the Army. No police presence seen around RVH - only army personnel. NO-ONE can now get close to RVH. It's judged that the next most difficult time will be the arrival back home of Jammeh. People are still threatening to line the roads in their thousands, and the army is saying they will shoot ! God help The Gambia. ********************************************************** Hello Ebrima, Banjul is very, very quiet and very, very tense. From Atlantic Hotel, you can see RVH and many families are still waiting outside the mortuary and also the main entrance to have news of their children who may/may not be there. People are crying, and the paramilitaries are constantly patrolling up and down. People believe that the body of the Red Cross worker was removed early yesterday morning and taken to Serrekunda/Red Cross for burial. Also ordinary people in The Gambia are dependent upon rumour and word of mouth to get the truth: no-one believes the State Office announcements on GRTS nor most of what was reported in The Observer. People generally are very angry because the government does not seem to want to accept any responsibility for the awful things that have happened/are happening in The Gambia. People are just waiting until the president returns from Cuba, and then there will be more trouble. Many students (and other people in population at large) are planning to stand silently at the road side today when Jammeh returns from Cuba, but that the army/police have given instructions that they will clear the streets of any people. Trouble coming ???? Ordinary Gambians are very seriously disturbed at the terrible events which are unfolding. People on the street are angry that Jammeh and his Government are trying to pass the entire blame onto the student group. No-one believes that the students deserved what they received - after all, they were unarmed except for stones and fire: the paramilitary were armed with tear gas, rubber bullets, blanks and live ammunition. People in Banjul and Greater Banjul area are sickened by what has happened, and fearful for the future peace of our beloved Homeland. "God help The Gambia" is the prayer of ordinary people here. What sadness to be bringing you this e mail Ebrima. I can hardly believe what is happening, and I am praying for peace with justice. ______________________________________________________ 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 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------