Gambia-l,
As I promised, I would provide information on the ground, after which I will
give my analysis of the whole situation.
NUMBER OF DECEASED
According to the authorities at RVH, the first patients were received at
around 11:00 A.M. on Monday, 10 April 2000. There was a total of 96 patients
seen and all were treated accordingly with a total admission of 28 from
Greater Banjul area and 3 from Essau making a total 0f 31. 11 have been
discharged leaving a balance of 20. With regards to the Central Division
area (Bansang Hospital) there were seven reported cases.
The total number of death recorded in RVH were 11 and one reported from
Bansang Hospital giving a total death toll of 12. So far 11 bodies were
identified including the one from Bansang. There is still one unidentified
body at the RVH, that of a young male teenager.
DECEASED REGISTERED
# NAME AGE PROF. ADD/SCH. NATLTY
1. Gibi Njie - Student Nusrat Gambian
2. Karamo Barrow 24 Student ICE H.S Gambian
3. Mohamed L. Chune 15 Student LK School Gambian
4. Lamin A Bojang 19 Student Nusrat Gambian
5. Ousman Sabally Student Brikamaba Gambian
6. Omar Barrow 25 Journalist Latrikunda Gambian
7. Ablie Sajaw 3 Child N. Jeshwang Prsume Gambian
8. Bubacar Badgie 10 Student Talingding ---------------
9. Calisco Prera 20 Civilian N. Jeshwang Not Gambian
10. Reginald Carrol 25 Student 7 Grand St. Sierra Leonean
11. Wuyeh Mansally 19 Student Talingding Senegalese
12. Unidentified Teenager
Contrary to Ebrima Ceesay’s source, the bodies are being released as
relatives claim them. There are not decomposing bodies and there was no
order from President Jammeh or any one else for the bodies to be kept until
the President’s return. Ebrima’s source also claimed that there are “14
confirmed dead in the mortuary" and this is not true. Ebrima, could you
please asked your source or any body else to come up with the names of the
remaining two death bodies.
PATIENTS ADMITTED IN RVH
NAME PROFESSION ADDRESS/SCHOOL
1. Allasan Suwareh Student Banjul Academy
2. Musa Sembeh 3 yrs old child Serrekunda
3. Yusupha Mbye Student Pipeline Comprehensive
4. Francis Correa Businessman Serrekunda
5. Pa Demba Camara Civilian Kanifing
6. Seeday Jobe Civilian Senegalese
7. Bakary Singateh Civilian Latrikunda Sabiji
8. Ousman Jobarteh Student Sepps
9. Sering Ceesay Civilian non Gambian Mbolgou (Near Kaur)
10. Yankuba Darboe Fire Officer Bakau Station
11. Pa Ansu Jarjue Student Forsters (Nema Kunku)
12. Lamin Touray Civilian, ex GHS Brufut (now residing at
New Jeshwang)
13. Momodou Ceesay Trader Dippakunda
14. Bakary Njie Student Pipeline Comprehensive
15. Wuyeh Fatty Arabic Student Talinding
16. Baba Suwareh Student Crab Island/ Ebo Town
17. John Gomez Student GTTI / Ebo Town
18. Omar Sosseh Student St. A.H.S/ New Primet St
19. Sulayman Krubally Student GTTI/Sancha-Sulay Jobe
20. Sana Bojang Civilian New Jeshwang
21. Haddy Camara Student Ebeneezer High School
22. Sainabou Camara Student Bakoteh High School
23. Abdou Karim Janneh Student Sheikh Mass Kah
24. Francis Mendy Student St. Agustine’s H. School
25. Alasan Jammeh Civilian Talingding
26. Momodou Lamin Magassi Guard Comm's Office Brikama
27. Oumie Jagne Civilian Kanifing
28. Amie Jagne Civilian Kanifing
29. Baboucarr Bahoum Student Essau High School
30. S. Senghore Student Essau High School
31. Modou Joof Student Essau High School
REPORTED CASES SEEN IN KMC & WD
Serrekunda Health Centre 79 Cases
Brikama Health Centre 31 Cases
Fagi-Kunda Health Centre 8 Cases
Bakau Health Centre 10 Cases
TOTAL 128 Cases
The above were treated and released.
PRESS RELEASE
As Attorney General and Secretary of State for Justice, it is my
constitutional duty to balance two equally valid, but often competing,
principles:
i. the need to ensure that anyone who breaks the law is called to answer for
it;
ii. and that in so doing the accused person must be accorded a fair hearing.
The latter means that the accused can only be arrested and later convicted
if there is sufficient evidence to warrant it.
The sad events of the last few days deserve a response from the Department
of State for Justice in line with the dual constitutional role outlined
above.
In line with the Government’s commitment to the principles of transparency
and accountability, and having regard to the fact that justice must not only
be done, but it must be seen to be done, I have invoked my powers under
section 11(1) of the Coroner’s Act, Cap 7.04, and an application is
simultaneously being lodged with the Chief Justice to order that an inquest
be held touching on the death of any persons as a result of the events of
the 10th and 11th April 2000.
The purpose of the inquest is, of course, to establish whether or not an
offence has been committed by any person, known or unknown.
As for the case of Ebrima Barry (deceased), an information will be filed in
the course of next week.
In view of the fact that the credibility of our criminal justice system is
itself on trial, the Attorney General will take the unusual step of
appointing a Public Prosecutor under section 65 of the Criminal Procedure
Code. The Gambia Bar Association, the family of the deceased, friends of
justice (at home or abroad) are invited to suggest names of lawyers, (both
at home and abroad) who can satisfactorily conduct the prosecution of the
alleged murders of Ebrima Barry.
The Attorney General’s Chambers will provide logical support; but will
otherwise do nothing to divert or influence the prosecutor.
The State will, however only be responsible for meeting the cost of local a
prosecutor.
As for the case of Binta, the Attorney General’s Chambers is handicapped by
the absence of identification of the alleged culprits.
Alhaji Cheyassin O. Secka
Attorney General & Secretary of State
For Justice
Attorney General’s Chambers &
Department of State for Justice
Maummar Ghadaffi Avenue
Banjul
13 April, 2000
Above are the facts from official sources, however I have my take on this
whole issue. Since my arrival, I have consulted and spoken to both sides of
the fence and believe me there are a lot of blame to go around.
April 10th 2000 is one of the darkest day in the history of The Gambia,
surpassed only by the events of July 31st, 1981 – the KUKOI FIASCO. I join
all members of the list to express my sympathy and condolence to the
families, friend, and loved ones of the bereaved. This is a sad event that
could have been avoided both by the Security and the Students.
The Gambia is a democratic country and the students have the constitutional
right to demonstrate peacefully. However, in every democracy there are laws
and all demonstrators must seek or obtain some form of permit from a given
authority, usually the local police. GAMSU never applied for a permit
according to the authorities. The Department of State for the Interior sent
a press release on Friday April 7, 2000 to all media houses including GRTS
claiming that they have received information on a potential strike being
organised by the Student Union (GAMSU). They warned students to seek
permission and that the security will not take any unauthorised
demonstration lightly (I do not have the press release in front of me, so I
am paraphrasing) . The student could have simply applied for a permit, and
they would have been given the permit. On Saturday April 8 and Sunday April
9, some members of the GAMSU Executive met with some Secretaries of States
and discussed the whole matter. There was an agreement for GAMSU Executive
to meet with the Vice President at 9:30 A.M on Monday April 10 since the
President will not in the country. They demanded an escort for the Executive
from the GTTI to StateHouse.
On Monday morning, the Army Chief of Staff and the Secretary of State for
the Interior went to GTTI for further discuss with the student and to escort
them to Banjul for the agreed meeting with the Vice President. It was during
this time that things started to get out of hand. Apparently some GAMSU
Executives were reluctant to go to the said meeting for various reasons.
While the Chief of Staff and Secretary of State Badgie were negotiating,
some GAMSU Members started forcing students from school buses into GTTI. The
Police Intervention Unit came with batons and shields and all hell broke
loose. I believe the security should and could have contained things and
this would have limited the damaged done. The demonstrations were emanating
from different fronts and in most places the demonstrators out numbered the
police and the Intervention Unit. While commotion ensued at GTTI, students
began attacking Kotu Police and Fire Station, Bundung Police, Brikama
Police, Fagikunda Gamtel, West Field Gamtel, Standard Bank and everything
within their reach that is identified with Government. However, the majority
of the students wanted a peaceful demonstration, but some non-students
seized the opportunity brought by the chaotic situation to loot, destroy
private and public properties, banks etc.
The army came after a lot of destruction has already taken place. Soldiers
came armed, however when the police stations were being destroyed, prisoners
were released in the process, especially at the Serrekunda Police and the
armouries broken in to. The police carry very few arms and individuals,
mostly criminal elements and civilians took them. As a matter of fact some
civilians have been apprehended with arms and they are under custody.
Live bullets were used and this resulted in the number of deaths and
injuries. There are all kings of claims and counter claims about who stated
the shooting and who was carrying live bullets. The Secretary of Sate for
the Interior denied the fact that the armed forces used live bullets. The
Commission of Enquiry that will be set up to investigate this event will
verify this. However, the strange thing about this whole matter is that not
single security official was reported shot while a lot of unarmed students
were shot and brutally killed. The security has a lot explaining to do.
The attacking of the Standard Bank at West Field, International Bank of
Commerce in Serrekunda, the looting of shops and supermarkets were generally
done by criminal elements who join the demonstration for their own ends. A
lot of foreigners and non-students were reported to be part of this whole
fiasco.
Radio 1 FM, Sud FM and even GRTS Radio did not help the situation with their
phone-in programmes. Instead they added fuel to the fire and their action
has caused more havoc than good. In such a chaotic situation, having a phone
in programme for every side to be venting their anger was not a good idea.
All sorts of things, insults, misinformation, you named it were being said
over the air and that was why they were all ordered to stop the phone-in
programmes by the security. This was a justified action by the security.
The students had a justified reason to demonstrate, however it went beyond
their control when other non-students joined in. The security was ill
prepared and overwhelmed and as a result they too over reacted.
The President is saddened and mad about the whole incident both the handling
of it by the security forces and the manner GAMSU went about it. The critics
could say any thing about President Jammeh, however he has done more for
Gambian youths than any leader ever did, from the colonial masters to
Jawara. The President practically formed GAMSU. He encouraged them by
providing funds for their various activities such as their rounds around the
country to recruit and sensitise the students; he bought them computers for
their office; gave them a super VHS camera, ordered a new Toyota van
(coaster) for them, and his is helping them to have their own telecentres
(2) so that they will have a permanent flow of revenue. These are just a few
of the things he did for GAMSU. The President has built schools, a
University and many other tertiary institutions since he came to power.
Gambian youths have more access to education now than any other time in the
history of The Gambia. To call him names and suggest otherwise is very
unfair.
PEACE
Tombong
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