sulayman,
You are right,we have a problem in our country,these people will not tell the
Gambian people the truth,they would not even try and as you said it is
childish to be believe that an(Ex)army man of his rank could not identify such
simple things as live bullets etc.You see if no one in the commission did not
accused them for telling lies right there then we have a problem of trusting
them.I was there myself and saw what was happening.The lies are enough and if
they did not explain the truth now ,they will do it one day.Thank you for your
infor.
For Freedom
Sasiks
Hello Ebrima
I use this opportunity to extend to you and through you to the rest of the
members on the list fraternal greetings from The Gambia.
I larrived in the US from the Gambia on June 15th. I am now in Seattle, WA.
I was an eye witness to the events of April 10. Then I was taking my final
course in the university extension program. On that day, I left my home,
Bundung, around 8.15am to attend classes at MDI. I knew before hand that
there would be a student demo that day. On arriving at the Aisamarie Cinema,
I found a big crowd gathered on the way. Then a millitary vehicle came from
the direction of the market at break neck speed. They fired into the
crowd(then it was blanks) and everyone ran for safety. I then decided to
return home. After about an hour, I decided to return to the streets to see
what was happening. But I was not the least prepared for what I saw. At the
police station in Srrekunda, arrested students from Bakoteh end were been
brought and physically manhandled. Even some primary pupils were not spared.
The Paramilitary were beating people with truncheons, gun butts, hose pipes,
etc. School girls were been stripped naked and humuliated. I could not stand
this. I then took the dippa kunda road to Kairaba Avenue and walked my way
to West field junction. The paramilitary were at it there also. Firing
indiscriminately into the crowd. Tey were kicking, beating students like
animals, saying that they would kill all students that day. I proceeded to
serrekunda via the health center. At the health center, I saw the first
casualties of the day. Two dead bodies were loaded intro the ambulance
headed for Banjul. One of the victims was shot jus below the left ear and
that part of the head was totally crushed. After a few moments, another body
was brought. That one was shot just below the right arm pit and he was
bleeding profusely. You would mistaken his white T shirt for a red one. Near
the serrekunda mosque, a parakilitary stabbed one student on the chest when
he was over powered. I later learnt that about 7 students including a red
cross volunteer (Omar Barrow) were shot in and around the premises of the
red cross and the mobile traffice unit, in the presence of the army chief of
staff. Others who were detained at the later place were made to crawl on
their bellies, told to lie face up and look at the sun, etc. Is that not
torture? Because of the anger of the students at these evevts, the paras
were helpless and they later withdrew from the streets to safe their lives.
Around 12 pm that day, the only peple I saw on the vicinity of serekunda
were soldiers. When i returned to serrekunda police, it was on fire. The
students got extra angry when news reached them that there colleagues were
being killed.
I also regularly attended the sittings of the commission of inquiry before I
left. But I do not have nuch faith in it, not because the commissioners are
not up to the job, but because most peolple who appeared before it did not
tell the truth, including the SOS for interior who is thw worst liar I ever
saw. Can you imagine a paramilitary inspector saying he does not know an AK
47 or that he could not identify a live bullet from a blank? he Interior SOS
was shameless enough to say that no live bulles were used even in the face
of medical evidence.
I have a lot to write but this piece is already long enough. I am sorry that
you have to take some time to read this.
Lastly, I am a bit disappointed with some of the pieces I have read. With
all due respect to all the contributors, I think it will be more helpful if
we direct the discussions to issues back home than on personal attacks. I am
sorry if I hurt anybody's feelings but thats how I see it.
Thanks for the time
Your Gambian Brother
Sulayman Jobarteh
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