Student information secretary speaks out
Saja Camara, the Information Secretary of the main students union at the Gambia College has warned former members of the disbanded July 22 Movement in Brikama to desist from reporting students to the security forces.
Mr. Camara told The Independent that the Brikama Youth Action Group and members of the defunct movement had been pointing accusing fingers at innocent students, causing their arrest and harassment by members of the security forces. He said 'these informants have no basis' for their action since the student action was not politically motivated.
Mr. Camara also urged Alhaji Banding Drammeh, president of the Supreme Islamic Council, to confine himself to his religious duties and desist from accusing students of indiscipline. Mr. Drammeh, he said, failed in his duties as a religious leader by refusing to condemn the harassment and killing of the students. He indicated that the students were mercilessly beaten and tortured which he thought Banding Drammeh should have condemned. Mr. Camara charged that during his visit with President Jammeh, Banding Drammeh accused parents of not properly bringing up their children. 'This was a most unfortunate statement to make' the student activist said, adding that the best thing was to extend condolences to the bereaved families 'but not to insult them.' He also stressed that Gamsu president Omar Joof is well known for his discipline, and that the entire student body is 'very disappointed by his statement.' He noted that students are prepared to boycott Banding Drammeh's lectures at the college. 'We have high regards and respect for Banding Drammeh, but the student problem is not a political one, and he should fully understand that,' he added.
Mr. Camara also noted that the Vice President 'whom the students used to respect as a good mother', was expected to handle the student issue maturely 'but woefully failed' to do so. He said the Vice President's 'merely passed premature judgement on the issue.'
Mr. Camara also stressed that the Secretary of State for Education, Ann Therese Ndong -Jatta, 'who justified the action of the security forces to use live ammunition against demonstrating students disappointed not only the students but the entire nation.' He said that it was 'untrue' that her office was not informed about the grievances of the students beforehand. Saja claimed instead that during a meeting at the Gambia College with education department's permanent secretary Saidou Jallow and senior police officials, the students' grievances were made clear to them 'but Mrs. Ndong-Jatta paid a deaf ear to the situation.'
Mr. Camara condemned Gambia Television for 'its partial coverage of the student demonstration' further claiming that the television focused its attention only on the destructive handiwork of the students and paid less regard to the killings, torture and pain inflicted on them.
Mr. Camara said that the students are still committed to their rights and that 'if the government wanted peace they should have solved the problem earlier and prevent it from degenerating to the tragedy which claimed lives.' He also said that student leaders were detained for 11 days at the NIA headquarters, while some of them were taken to unknown destinations.
'We hope that President Jammeh is serious about the brutal killing of the students and hope justice will take its course, unless he is also bent on disappointing us,' he posited.
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