Compatriots and Friends of The Gambia:

As we commemorate  for the fifth year the massacre of peacefully
demonstrating Gambian students, I most respectfully beg you to render
prayers for the souls of our fallen comrades, and make efforts towards the
betterment of the conditions of victims of the episode living amongst us.
Our fallen comrades deserve prayers in all churches amd mosques in The
Gambia because they rank among the most selfless advocates of Truth and
Justice that our motherland has ever seen. Truth and Justice are indeed
virtues to be found in the principle teachings of all world religions. On
the other hand, the traditional values embedded in our indigeneous cultures
are emphatic about " Telling The Truth at all times and acting in fairness".
  Truth is fundamental to the dispensation of justice in any society. A
people who lack the ability to tell the truth will soon find themselves at
odds with natural justice, and there will follow a disintergration of the
moral fabric of society. Those who lay down their lives in a selfless
struggle for Truth and Justice therefore deserve our prayers.
It is pathetic to note that the victims of April 10th/11th 2000 are deprived
of critical state assistance by the authorities in Banjul. I avail myself of
this solemn occasion to condemn this callous behaviour of a government that
pretends to represent the interests of all Gambians without distinction.
Those in authority should be reminded that they are paid servants of the
people, and Gambians have the right to benefit from national resources
notwithstanding whatever opinion they may have manifested. The Gambia
goverment has turned a blind eye to the sufferings of victims of April
10th/11th 2000, and yet its agents talk about reconciliation. I hereby
appeal to all Gambians at home and abroad to come forward and assit these
gallant advocates of Truth and Justice. Indeed mention should be made of the
case of Yusupha Mbaye who languishes in a hospital bed in Banjul, denied of
the critical medical attention he urgently needs. Yusupha simply requires
reference from a medical doctor in Banjul in order to be treated in the
United States.
For five years, the government of the Gambia under the leadership of
president Yaya Jammeh has refused to embrace the truth about April 10th/11th
2000. Instead, they have indulged in scandalous misinformation to tarnish
the image of the student leadership of the day. With all the resources at
their disposal, they have miserably failed to convinced even some of their
own friends, that the student leadership should in anyway be blamed for the
mayhem. It is obvious to all that in his capacity as commander-in-chief of
The Gambia's Armed Forces, president Jammeh is the depository of the order
which led the security forces to shoot at us with their lethal weapons five
years ago. Thus, I avail myself of this solemn occasion to publicly blame
him for the killing and maiming of our comrades, the gallant advocates of
Truth and Justice. President Jammeh has his hands stained with blood of the
innocent, and like all persons under such circumstansces, he urgently needs
to show remorse and publicly render apology to the nation. We are persons of
faith, and we believe it is never too late for any person to redeem him or
herself.
It is now obvious to all that contrary to what the government of The Gambia
has been spreading around,  April 10th/11th 2000 was an action designed to
put pressure on the police so that they could expedite the dispensation of
justice with regard one of our colleagues. Ebrima Barry, was turtured by
officers at the fire and ambulance service offices in Brikama and he died
the following day. Inview of the officers involved, and after a series of
interactions with police headquarters in Banjul, we had no doubts that some
senior officers were extending solidarity to the culprits. In this light,
and after having exhausted all available means of resolving the police
inaction, we determined to put pressure on them through a peaceful
demonstration.
However, our action to redress the death of one of us, resulted in the
deaths of more than ten of us. I have no doubts that the number of
fatalities as published by even Amnesty international, was  very likely on
the low side.There has not been vigorous follow-ups to ensure that those
hospitalized actually recovered from their injuries and returned home. It is
therefore possible that the number of persons who died during the two days
and thereafter, exceeded fourteen.
Most regretably, the current student leadership in The Gambia has in a very
inappropriate manner, embraced the Government of President Yaya Jammeh in
what they call a reconciliation. The student leadership has further declared
the APRC government  "a partner in development"while.
The very substance of their accommodation defies the meaning of the word
reconciliation. A reconcliation connotes parties in a dispute abandoning
previously held positions to generate a less confrontational and belicose
posture towards each other. The spirit of give and take is fundamental in
this regard. A student leadership that is conscious of its duties would
have, without doubts, taken into cognisance the realities that obtained at
the commencement of the dispute. In this connection, the welfare of the
victims of April 10th/11th 2000 should have been central to any meaningful
reconciliation. A reconciliation process which fails to recognise even the
presence of these victims, is a sham! Indeed what now obtains between the
current leadership of GAMSU and the government of president Jammeh, can best
be discribed as a sell-out!
In the past, while at the helm of the national student movement(GAMSU),we
had  argued that we cannot always be friends or enemies with any government.
This emanates from the fact that while parties that form governments in
democracies indulge in partisan politics, our business as student activists
is non-partisan politics. It is only natural that we should be in step with
them sometimes, and otherwise at others. This is good for good governance
and protecting the special interests of students and the national student
movement. But a partnership with government connotes a proximity which can
only lead to manipulation, and without doubt it will undermind the
intergrity of the student movement. It could also lead to politicization of
the student movement which would be characterized by fragmentation of the
movement into factions representing the various political formations in the
country. This would tremendously deminish the strength of the union. And
more importantly, a partnership with a government which presided over the
massacre of our own brothers; rejected the recommendations of the Commission
of Enquiries into the April 10th/11th 2000 demonstrations; and made
deliberate and elaborate efforts to indemnify the culprits who pulled the
trigger on us, is to say the least, disgraceful!
The current student leadership has amply manifested its lack of conviction
to adhere to the mantra of the student movement. President Jammeh and the
administration he leads on the other hand, have publicly demonstrated their
tacit support for the banditry, brutality and criminality meeted out against
us five years. It is now time to move ahead!
In this connection, I have this message for the more than fifty thousand
students who demonstrated throughout The Gambia on the 10th and 11th of
April 2000:
My dear brothers and sisters, I urge you all not to give up the struggle for
Truth and Justice.  This are indeed opportune moments to have our greviances
redressed. Presently, the vast majority of us have attained the age of
eighteen. I urge you all to take the vote and vote as a block to determind
the outcomes of the 2006 Presidential and Parliamentary elections in The
Gambia. President Jammeh and his government has hurt and abused us. It is
about time we teach them a lesson that would also serve as a clear warning
to other politicians. Let us all resolve to vote them out in 2006. In this
connection, I give you our battle cry, which shall be, " VOTE THEM OUT!"
Towards this end, I most respectfully invite all Gambians and friends of The
Gambia.
To you dearest mothers and fathers who have loved ones maimed for life or
callously taken away from you forever, I beg for your patience. I shall
never turn my back on you ; and shall never betray my comrades.
I remain forever in the struggle for Truth and Justice,
Your brother,
Omar Joof.
Exiled ex-prexy,
Gambia Students' Union(GAMSU)

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