I am gripped by nausea as I read this speech. This is an affront and an
insult to the people of our country, and to their intelligence. Yaya Jammeh
should have had the guts to admit to the people that he gave the order to
shoot to kill our children instead of giving this disgusting speech that is
just an empty rhetoric that says absolutely nothing, except to rub it in the
faces of those whose children he gave the order to butcher.This speech is
like a knife stabbed into the hearts of those whose children were butchered.
I cry for their pain, and for the terror and callousness that has gripped our
nation.What insensitivity, what darkness has been imposed on our country,
what evil forces. How dare Yaya Jammeh give such a speech to the nation after
he gave the order to kill our children in cold blood. I hope the Gambian
people do not fall for this hypocritical call for prayer by someone whose
actions and track record makes it abundantly clear that he neither knows God
nor fears him. Someone who uses religion as a tool to pacify the people so he
can stay on their backs when it is obvious that the best thing he can do for
our country is to pack his bags and dissappear, in short, stop imposing
himself on our people.What a blatant attempt to consolidate the pretense and
lies that have been pedalled by his cronies since they banded together and
murdered our children in cold blood, in broad daylight for one and all to
see. This speech is akin to the wollof saying about the rat that slowly
nibbles at your feet while blowing on them ever so gently, so that you do not
feel the pain, and before you know it, he has eaten your feet right down to
the bone.If the Gambian populace falls for this pacifying affrontery, what
will eventually follow will be like child's play compared to the bloody
butchery that has just taken place in front of their very eyes.Buy this
hypocritical and cowardly speech, and the next thing that will happen will be
the butchering of families and individuals inside their homes. Wake up people
and put an end to this. The Gambian nation has a choice, act now, or perpare
for a nightmare that will be unequalled by any we have seen in the
subregion. Go on a national strike and call for the resignation of this
forked tongue butcher. Such a general strike will shut the government down
and purge this cancer from our midst.The choice belongs to the people.
Jabou Joh
In a message dated 4/16/00 5:49:28 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
16TH APRIL, 2000
STATEMENT TO THE NATION
BY PRESIDENT JAMMEH ON THE STUDENTS' DEMONSTRATION
OF 10TH & 11TH APRIL, 2000
BISI - MILLAHI ARAHMANI
FELLOW CITIZENS
MY TASK TODAY IS INDEED A VERY DIFFICULT ONE, AS IT IS WITH THE DEEPEST
FEELING EVER OF IMMENSE DISTRESS AND UTMOST GRIEF THAT I ADDRESS THE NATION
ON THE UNFORTUNATE AND TRAGIC STUDENTS' DEMONSTRATIONS THAT OCCURED LAST
MONDAY AND TUESDAY. ON THESE TWO DARK DAYS IN OUR COUNTRY'S HISTORY, THIS
NATION SUFFERED IRREPARABLE LOSS OF LIVES AND INCALCULABLE DAMAGE TO
PROPERTIES. MOST REGRETABLE IS THE UNTIMELY DEATH OF THE 12 YOUNG PEOPLE
AND THE LARGE NUMBER OF WOUNDED. I THEREFORE WISH TO TAKE THIS SAD OCCASION
TO JOIN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF
THE GAMBIA AND THAT OF MY FAMILY, TO EXTEND DEEPEST CONDOLENCES AND
HEARTFELT SYMPATHY TO BEREAVED PARENTS, FAMILIES, RELATIVES, FRIENDS,
CLASSMATES AND LOVED ONES OF OUR DEPARTED CHILDREN. LET US ALL PRAY THAT THE
ALMIGHT ALLAH RECEIVES THEIR SOULS AND GRANT THEM ETERNAL REST. LET US ALSO
PRAY FOR THE SICK AND WOUNDED, TO RECEIVE ALLAH'S SPEEDY HEALING AND
RECOVERY. WE MUST OFFER PRAYERS ALSO FOR THE BEREAVED AND THE NATION, TO BE
COMFORTED, TO HAVE THE FAITH AND COURAGE TO SUSTAIN THEIR LOSS. AS WE
REMEMBERE AND COMMIT THOSE WE LOVED DEARLY IN ALLAH'S CARE, I AM HEREBY
DECLARING ONE WEEK OF MOURNING, DURING WHICH ALL FLAGS IN THE COUNTRY WILL
BE FLOWN AT HALF MAST IN LOVING MEMORY AND RESPECT FOR THE DEAD
FELLOW GAMBIANS
I WANT US ALL TO PUT THIS SAD AND UNPRECEDENTED INCIDENT INTO ITS PROPER
PERSPECTIVE, TO REFLECT ON AND INVESTIGATE INTO THE CAUSES AND TO DRAW
USEFUL LESSONS FROM THE EXPERIENCE. WHILE I WAS IN CUBA ATTENDING THE G 77 -
SOUTH SUMMIT, I HAVE BEEN CONSTANTLY WORKING WITH MY GOVERNMENT ON THE
EVOLUTION OF THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND. EVERYONE WILL AGREE THAT THE
PRIMARY DUTY OF ANY GOVERNMENT IS TO ENSURE THAT PEACE AND STABILITY
PREVAILS IN A COUNTRY, SAFEGUARD THE RIGHTS OF EVERYONE TO LIFE AND
PROPERTY, AND GUANRANTEE FREEDOM AND JUSTICE WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOUR. MY
GOVERNMENT WILL THEREFORE CONDUCT A FULL INVESTIGATION INTO THE EVENTS OF
THE 10TH AND 11TH APRIL 2000. IN THE INVESTIGATIONS, NO STONE WILL BE LEFT
UNTURNED IN OUR SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH. CONCURRENTLY, A CORONER'S INQUEST WILL
BE HELD ON THE CAUSE OF DEATH OF THE TWELVE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR
LIVES IN THIS UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT.
IN THE DAYS THAT LIE AHEAD, I WILL BE COUNTING ON ALL GAMBIANS, RELIGIOUS
LEADERS, LEADERS OF CONSCIENCE TO HELP BRING BACK THE PEACE AND STABILITY
THAT HAS ENABLED US TO HELP NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES TO AVERT THE DANGERS OF
INTERNAL CONFLICT AND STRIFE. WE WANT TO BUILD A SOCIETY WHOSE YOUTH WILL BE
PROUD OF THE EDUCATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE
AVAILABLE TO THEM. THIS WILL ENABLE US TO BUILD ON THESE FOUNDATIONS WHICH
WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE THE GAMBIA A HAVEN OF PEACE AND STABILITY IN THE
SUB-REGION AND AFRICA AT LARGE. THESE ARE CERTAINLY SOME OF THE ESSENTIAL
PRE-CONDITIONS FOR ATTAINING OUR VISION 2020 OBJECTIVES.
I THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND PRAY THAT THE ALMIGHTY ALLAH CONTINUE
TO SHOWER HIS PEACE AND BLESSING ON THE BEREAVED, THE WOUNDED, AND THE
COUNTRY AS A WHOLE.
ASSALAMU ALAIKUM WARAH MATULLAHI WABARA KATUHU
>>
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