Interview with Omar Joof
Ex-President of Gambia Student Union (Gamsu)
By Staff Writer
London, UK
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April 14, 2006
Months and years would pass, but Gambians will never forget what happened on April 10 and 11, 2000. It was a day many described as BLACK MONDAY when over a dozen innocent lives were gunned down in broad day light by security officers. Six years on, no one has been brought to court for the murder and the victims' families are yet to be told who ordered the blood thirsty security officers to pull the trigger on their young children. As part of commemorations marking the event, Omar Joof, who led the demonstration spoke to AllGambian.Net about the event, the Gambia's political situation and lots more.
Q: It's been six years since you led the student demonstration in which over a dozen people died. What do you make of the whole situation?
A: The events and their consequences are still very fresh with those of us who were directly involved, but importantly, it seems the entire Gambian nation have embraced them in their consciousness.
Q: What do you think should have been done to avoid such a national tragedy?
A: If the senior police officers had exercised some reasonable amount of patience, and engaged us in dialogue, the entire saga would never have been. Instead of embracing dialogue, they simply were talking and acting tough. This was really frustrating to us [Gamsu].
Q: The government accused Gamsu of being used by some opposition elements to stage the demonstrations.
A: I have no doubt that if that was the case and they had evidence to that effect, they would have put it before the whole world, not only to discredit us, but also whichever political party that may have used us.
Q: Are you trying to say that allegation was a figment of imagination?
A: Not only that, but it was also a fabrication designed to cover-up their [government] own mess. This is very unfortunate considering the fact that in the first place, we had no problems with the government.
Q: Don't you think that the demo was hastily made looking at the fact that government was investigating the rape of the school girl while the murder suspects of Ebrima Barry were arrested and detained at Mile II Prisons?
A: No. We were not hasty in calling out the students at all. Ebrima died on March 8, and the rape case occurred on March 11, 2000. In fact, up to the time of the demonstrations, the culprits pertaining to Ebrima's murder were only detained at the police headquarters in Banjul. On our side we used every avenue for redress available to us. The demonstrations were our last resort.
Q: What did you discuss with the police on the last day of your meeting prior to the demo?
A: When we were invited to the police headquarters in Banjul, we took along with us a list of demands which to our minds would expedite the delivery of justice in the two cases. The fact is, by March 15, the Bakau police had already come up with a case file on the rape case. The thing got stock at that point. It is worth mentioning that the Bakau police did their work expeditiously with admirable professionalism. But the tragic fact is, while in the Station Officer's (SO) office with the rape victim together with the principal of her school, and two teachers, we had the SO being instructed by a superior officer to take it easy on the case.
Q: And what demands did you made to the police?
A: We demanded that they charge and put before a law court those who tortured Ebrima at the Brikama Ambulance and Fire Service Unit and that efforts to see justice done in the two cases be expedited.
Q: While organising the demo, have you ever thought of its consequences?
A: Many years before April 10th/11th 2000, I had known that whatever action one takes may have unanticipated and undesirable consequences. That is the reason we always have contingency plans. After the police had made their initial error of attacking us at the bus stop opposite the Gambia Technical Training Institute (GTTI) in Old Jeswang, the student leadership on the ground was arrested. We were later released. At that point, we immediately put our persons between the police and our followers. At that point, if the police on their side had also acted sensible, everything would have been fine.
Q: Do you take responsibility for the destruction of government and public properties which occurred during the demonstration?
A: I do not. Everything unfortunate which happened during the cause of the two day demonstration was as a result of the unwise reaction of the police to peaceful manifestations.
Q: So you still blame the police for what happened?
A: Yes. I do without reservations.
Q: How when the day comes?
A: This year's has been a remarkable experience. The dates and days correspond exactly. For a week I have been reliving all the important episodes that preceded the demonstrations. I am still angry that what could have been averted through dialogue was allowed to take place mainly because of the incompetence of senior police officers. I went through very sombre moments, all of which were characterized by prayers and fasting
Q: Did you feel that there was going to be justice when a commission of inquiry was set up by President Jammeh?
A: Initially, yes. But shortly after when they started talking about Gamsu been used by the opposition, I lost my faith in them.
Q: How do you describe the whole commission of inquiry then?
A: The commission did good job out of a difficult situation. Remember it never took on board whatever I may have had to tender in evidence.
Q: What do you make of the Indemnity Act?
A: Mere cover-up. And more than anything else, it amply manifests that the government's agents were indeed guilty. Although there is no law which protects the student leadership, we are okay as far as our conscience is concerned.
Q: What good and bad lessons have you learn from the whole situation?
A: The good lesson is that, people in general don't like acts of injustice. They may be silenced today, but when this regime is no more, you will see Gambians in their thousands commemorating the deaths of our fallen comrades. The bad lesson is that, the vast majority of the operatives of the APRC government do not have an appropriate understanding of the Separation of Powers, thus while they remain in power, this aspect of democratic governance will not be part of the norm in The Gambia, a very important setback for multi-party democracy.
Q: Do you believe that the officers will one day face justice for the student massacre?
A: One day in the future, yes indeed!
Q: What are your feelings to the Jammeh regime since then?
A: I believe the regime represents a deterrent to Truth and Justice, and therefore in the long run at least, is not sustainable.
Q: Is that the reason why you joined politics?
A: I was a politician before April 10/11th 2000. Remember, I led a national organization with membership of more than 50,000.
Q: What state is Gamsu in today?
A: Gamsu' s current state as far as representing the wishes and aspirations of Gambian students is concerned is worse than it has ever been since the country's independence in 1965, when the national student movement was called NUGS.
Q: And what do you think should be done?
A: The APRC government somehow believes that its strength is ascertained through infiltrating and manipulating national civil society organizations. This is an anomaly in the context of multi-party democracy, where the plurality of independent civil society organizations represents a drive voice to more people.
Q: As a politician, how do you see the political situation of the country?
A: The Gambia is on the brink of a dangerous precipice. To further frustrate the democratic expectations of the people can have dangerous consequences.
Q: And do you think Nadd has a chance to remove Jammeh come September?
A: In free and fair elections, I have no doubt about that.
Q: What is your advice to any student organisation or pressure group that wants to stage a demonstration in Banjul?
A: A demonstration should always be the last resource under normal circumstances. As long as all parties are open to dialogue, we should use that avenue to attain our goals. An amicable resolution of problems tends to be easier to accept by even the losers.
Q: How is life in exile?
A: Challenging and very exciting when it comes to broadening one's experience.
Q: And what experience have you learnt?
A: A lot culturally, and some very humbling realizations.
Q: Omar, its nice talking to you.
A: Thank you, It's always my great pleasure to talk to you.
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