I Blame Government for My Continuous Exile, Omar Joof Declares



The Independent (Banjul)

December 11, 2000

Banjul

The Gambia Student Union's exiled leader has told The Independent that his
continuous absence from the country is still being caused by lapses in the
security arrangements by the government for his possible return.

Calling from the headquarters of the African Front for the Defence of Human
Rights (RHADO) office in Dakar last week, Mr. Joof who has been in exile there
since April following the student unrest said since his personal safety cannot
be assured by the government his return would not be possible in the foreseeable
future.

Asked what his political convictions were, Mr. Joof declared; 'I do not identify
with any political party but I have good relations with people of many political
convictions. I am a student activist not a student politician'.

Mr. Joof who voiced concern about the dispensation of justice regarding 'the
massacres' of April 10 and 11 said those who have been calling for his return
have not done enough to improve the security situation, which he believed is
central in any arrangement for his possible return.

According to him although the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) has discussed
matters relating to his personal security with the GAMSU leadership, little was
being done by the government towards facilitating his peaceful return.

The student activist, who fled after the violent crack down on the student
demonstrators of April 10 and 11, claimed that the government had deliberately
shunned the student body particularly on issues concerning student activities.

Sounding cautious but firm on his position that the government should handle the
situation delicately, Mr. Joof said he was eager to return home, provided
security and an impartial judicial process is expedited in the investigations
and trial of those responsible for what many have come to regard as 'bloody
Monday'.

'I have no relative in Senegal, I have a wife and a son in The Gambia who I have
never seen since he was born in my absence. I have no other reason to stay away'
he said in a voice suffused with emotion. 'If my security could be guaranteed I
would join the next bus back to Banjul,' he added.

Omar Joof who still holds a government scholarship for a Bachelor's degree said
he should have completed his course in October and lamented that his career as a
student was being put on hold, as he continues to 'languish in exile'.

He said students under GAMSU should be assured that his input as a member of the
student leadership would be constant. He promised to continue pursuing the best
interest of the student body.

When asked about his condition in exile Mr. Joof said 'people from The Gambia
have visited me to know what I have been going through. I will not explain my
ordeal out of respect for colleagues who died in the April tragedy. They died
for the sake of justice, which the union was spearheading so if I should suffer
in Dakar I would take it, selflessly'.

But the problem Mr. Joof emphasised has been the state authorities reluctance to
'take the bull by the horn and address the issue once and for all'.

'If we are honest about reconciliation we should discuss the truth' he
suggested, adding that reconciliation in the absence of truth would not last.
With a mother who developed hypertension and had to be hospitalised soon after
he fled the country in fear for his life Mr.

Joof said he was the worse hit by the tragedy apart from those who died or
suffered injuries during confrontation with the country's security forces.

Mr. Joof also warned members of the student body to desist from making
statements 'to make themselves heard or famous' He blamed them for taking the
student body on the path to reconciliation 'ill-prepared'. He said the
authorities took advantage of GAMSU's position to spread the impression that
those who led the demonstrations used the student body.

He said although the student body had responded enthusiastically to the call for
reconciliation, state authorities did not respond accordingly.

He said their snubbing of GAMSU had worsened to a point when it was not possible
to celebrate International Students' Day on November 10. To confirm the absence
of such cooperation Mr. Joof revealed that Alhaji Darboe 'my trusted vice
president' was 'banished' to Badari in the Upper River Division to prevent him
from mobilising students for school activities. He warned that if the atmosphere
of distrust between the government and GAMSU should continue, reconciliation
would be elusive and his condition as in exile would not change.

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