Friends,
the path to justice and win a case in court is long, and those to blame can
be very difficult to "catch".
I got tears in my eyes when I read the short reports from Foroyaa of the
coroner´s inquest, and the family members short notice on facts. I could
imagine how it would be like if some of my friends stood there and asked
those simple questions, which give no room to express how you feel deep
inside.

But beside the X-rays had not a proper quality, what will be the next when
it comes to establish the facts. How is it handled in The Gambia ?

Is there a "neutral" police-investigation-team, who can collect all needed
to bring justice to court and public ?  Who has taken photos of where the
eventual bullets are found and collected from  the ground, in the
surroundings, so that the exact identification can be made on which bullet
came from which weapon, in hands of who. Where was the person located, and
who was the exact person who fired the shoot that caused the death. Is there
lab facilities in The Gambia where you can identify these things. Where are
all the "evidences" held so no one can manipulate or touch them ?  Or are
evidences just been destroyed ? Are there taken steps to a "neutral"
investigation can take place.
When you have identified who had which weapon in his hand, you also has to
identify that he fired the exact bullet which caused the death.

I´m asking simply because some of the news brought to us on Gambia-L just
after the incident said, that "official sources" clamed that weapons fired
was in hands of some people in the crowd etc.
So are the weapons collected, identified and secured a safe place ?
How is the normal standard procedure in The Gambia in criminal cases ?
Is there no standard , is that why we have not got any answers to other
deaths in the state, and a lot of "rumours" ?

After identified the exact weapons and numbers of bullets, you can go back
to a chain-reaction and ask who fired, was there given signal, who ordered,
who said what and how was it interpreted by the person who fired. Felt he
himself threatened. How was the orders given and are there special routines
or regulations to follow, when the police or  military are send in actions
like the one in front of GTTI. And was the action after the rules, or did
someone at place take his own command ?
We have now a student who witness how he saw and understand the situation
(an officer talking on telephone and shortly after he saw the soldiers
attack the students. Who did he call, what was the question and answer and
was was the orders given ?)

We hear  there are soldiers who are now ashamed of being a part of the
action, or even a military person. But are they ready to stand up in court
and declare that "I fired my weapon directly into the crowd, ..... because
of fear ? orders given ? ..." from whom and how was it given exactly.

When it comes to held someone responsible, will it be a military law-court,
held behind the barrack-walls (like the one against Colonel Ann),  or will
it be a public one ? I´m sure that the law-suits against those who attacked
the public and private buildings will be held in public. But what if the
incident of killings involve military ?

Can anyone from The Gambia tells me how is evidences from the incident taken
care of ? What have been done to secure the facts and evidences ?

And I hope that the students now released will be given a public excuse and
be compensated the unlawful detain, and torture. (Why should soldiers beat
and  kick the students all over their bodies.  What turns some men in
uniforms to become inhuman sadists ?)

I could continue like this, but as one of my Gambian friends are telling me
- "Asbjørn this is Gambia not Denmark", - which means that I can not expect
things to run normal, to the highest standard. (Which we even cannot obtain
here, when it comes to police-brutality)

But I will not accept anything but the best effort  in a case like this.
This is exactly the time to say that we ask the highest standard, all
questions to be asked and answered, the right ones be prosecuted, the
justice to be done, no matter we like the answers to it or not.
It´s the constitutional rights of the citizen, it´s a way of drawing a line
in the sand, specially when it comes to discuss what is military tasks in
the country ? Why was it not a police-task to ensure a demonstration went on
as planned. Why should military come out of the barracks because of a
student demonstration ?

It´s human right principles, it´s moral and dignity of a young nation on
trial here. It´s a chance for the authorities to put up a new standard, the
highest, which can serve as guideline for the future.

But most of all it´s for the respect of the persons who gave their lives,
and their families who will have to live with the lose of a dear son or
father. 

Asbjørn Nordam

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html

----------------------------------------------------------------------------