Says Exiled Former Gambian Military Officer   By Staff Writer   
  March 25, 2006

  Former army lieutenant Binneh Minteh who was one of few escapees in the alleged foiled and bloody November 11th 1994 coup attempt is calling on the Gambian government to respect the dignity of military and civilian detainees under custody. Mr. Minteh, a graduate student at New York University in a strong worded letter to the AllGambian has made it abundantly clear that any attempt to orchestrate illegal executions of detainees will have adverse consequences. Below is Mr. Minteh's message to the Gambian government: 

THE FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS OF ALL DETAINEES IN CONNECTION WITH THE ALLEGED COUP ATTEMPT MUST BE RESPECTED 

Massive arrest and detention of senior officers of The Gambian Armed Forces and prominent civilians is the talk within and beyond the territorial boundary of the West African state of The Gambia. The reason given as usual and always was "an attempt to overthrow the regime of president Yaya Jammeh." As a victim of the same regime, for the same reason, it is not at all a surprise to me and to most Gambians that the regime has once again employed its notorious strategy to silence innocent sons of our beloved country. 

We can all fully recall on November 11th 1994, when this same regime rounded up some officers, non-commissioned officers, and summarily executed all of them. It was on this sad day when the following officers were executed. 
    
   Lieutenant Bassiru Barrow   
   Lieutenant Abdoulie Faal   
   Lieutenant Gibril Seye   
   Lieutenant Buba Jammeh   
   Lieutenant Modou Lamin Darboe   
   Lieutenant Momodou Manneh   
   Officer-cadet Sillah   
   Sgt- Major NYANG   
   Corporal Bassiru Camara and many other junior ranks. 
  One year later this same regime arrested its former vice chairman, Capt. Sana Sabally, and Interior Secretary of State, Sadibou Hydara, who was tortured to death while in prison. They were also accused of plotting to overthrow the regime while in the actual fact, it was due to a difference in principle as far as a revolution is concerned. The two were seen as an obstacle to president Jammeh's intention of hanging onto power by and all means. 

A few years after that , Gambians again witnessed the brutal murder of Almamo Manneh, Corporal Dumbuya, and the imprisonment of Landing Bereck Sanneh for the same bogus nonsense. The list goes on and on and on. What about the mysterious disappearance of Foday Makalo and the torture of Ousainou Njie? How about the brutal murder of former Finance Secretary of State, Ousman Koro Ceesay and the massacre of our student demonstrators? Was it not only last year that our veteran journalist Deyda Hydara was slain in cold blood? 

Today the crumbling regime has embarked on the same strategy by arresting and detaining gallant sons of our beloved country due to paranoia and distorted perceptions of a failed leadership. Are we therefore going to let president Jammeh continue executing innocent Gambian citizens for his own selfish reasons? It is time brothers and sisters for Gambians, both overseas and abroad, to revisit our state of affairs and start taking appropriate actions to challenge such madness. Challenging such madness should be imbued with characteristic traits which should be difficult to compromise. Our lives and our causes from now onward should be centered around characteristic traits such as sacrifice, selflessness, dedication, and love in salvaging our dearest motherland from decadence inflicted upon us by morons and thugs. 

The names of the following arrested and detained Gambian citizens must continue circulating for the benefit of transnational civil society and international human rights watch dogs. We must collectively ensure that their fundamental human rights are fully protected and that the due process of law according to our constitution be fully respected. Detainees include: 
    
   Former Navy Commander, M. B. Sarr   
   Former Chief of Staff, Vincent Jatta   
   Captain Seckan   
   Captain Jah   
   Captain Bunja Darboe   
   Captain Yaya Darboe   
   Captain Wassa Camara   
   Lieutenant Savage   
   Major Bah   
   Regimental Sergeant Major Bah   
   Captain Alieu Bah   
   Mr. Samba Bah, former National Intelligence Agency (NIA) director and Secretary of State for the Interior   
   Mr. Abdoulie Conteh, former Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) boss   
   Mr. Lamin Gassama, Chief Security Officer at the Airport   
   Mr. Tamsir Jasseh, former Director of Immigration 
  Collectively, we can ensure that the regime be held accountable for torture, murder, and crimes against humanity if it fails to respect the due process of law. They are all innocent until proven guilty in a court of competent jurisdiction. 

Any form of torture or summary execution meted out to any of the above detainees will constitute a justifiable cause for the beginning of an arms struggle to end impunity and decadence. They must be treated with respect and the cause of law must take its proper cause. 

"Never hesitate to draw the sword of truth in the dispensation of justice for the helpless and the needy." ( Binneh S. Minteh)

		
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