Dear Gambia_Lers,

It's one year since Bloody Monday.Unfortunately, those
who made that fatal mistake never apologised to the
nation."A fault confessed is half redressed".It's a
shame that Ousman Badjie is still monkeying around the
Department of State for the Interior.Government has
shamelessly rejected the reports of the Commision of
Inquiry and the Coroner's Inquest in to the incident.

Thus, dust has been thrown into the eyes of Gambian
justice and the Jammeh regime has been discredited.Now
I am convinced that President Jammeh agrees with"the
conduct of his security authorities in the April 2000
student demo.We know that the failure of justice could
not have been without the will of the President of the
Republic.

I believe that April 10 was a security blunder.It was
mistake that could cost the Interior Minister his life
or at least his job in any civilised society.As a
pro-life activist, I say that Ousman Badjie may not be
sent Six-Feet-Deep(he may live)but he is not feet to
lead people anymore.After all the lies he has told the
nation(one like the students attacked police stations,
seized guns and shut themselves)in his trying to save
his own face,he has lost the moral authority to hold
public office.If Jammeh wants a job for Mr Badjie,I
propose that he (Jammeh) employs him (Badjie)as a
watchman of his animal farm.

As long as Badjie continues to serve as S o S for the
Interior, nobody is safe in The Gambia.As we have
cried for justice for one year to no avail,we continue
to grieve untill the day justice will prevail.Power
can suppress justice only temporarily but sooner or
later JUSTICE will claim it's eternal authority.In the
mean time, people like me who cannot shut up in the
face of injustice should keep a safe distance.I am
reduced to throwing my verbal missiles from abroad
instead of risking my life and the lives of my fellow
youths in protests.I agree with the former Deputy
Inspector- General of Police,Mr Tamsir Jasseh that
'the population of the Gambia is too small for us to
be killing one another and the country is too poor for
us to be destroying the little we have in
demonstrations'.

Now, let me explain once again why I personally hold
Ousman Badjie fully responsible for the massacre of
innocent students peacefully demonstrating on a human
rights cause;the murder of a teenage school boy and
the rape of a teenage school girl.Both by security
personnel and both cases not enjoying the benefit of
justice several weeks after the crimes.

At about 9.00am, two hours before anyone was killed,I
intervened and convinced the students to stop the
confrontation with the paramilitary forces,practically
bringing the situation to a cease fire(this was
between KMC and ICEMAN).Ousman Badjie refused to
accede to my plea for him to withdraw his forces so
the students can go to classes.He said to me'don't you
see how they (the students)have wounded my men'.When
the stand-off went on indefinitely,the confrontation
naturally resumed.I was disappointed that a man of his
calibre could not swallow his pride to let the
solution hold.It was very stupid of him to insist on
the use of brute force to conquer the students.You
don't conquer young people, you convince them.Although
I can't believe that Ousman Badjie does not regret his
actions,there is enough evidence to show that he
beliieved in the use of force to deal with the
students.For example, the press release he made a
weekend before the incident was a warning to that
end.But from a security perspective, the press release
in itself was not a wise thing to do.Instead of
discouraging the students from going ahead with their
intention to demonstrate,the press release publicised
the event more than the GAMSU executive could have
done. Worse still,the belligerent language of the
release infuriated the students more and consolidated
their solidarity.I hope our security authorities would
learn valuable lessons from April 2000
Obviousely,Ousman Badjie messed up and that was why I
was quick to recommend his immediate sacking.Gambians
have the capacity to forgive but we don't forgive to
condone injustice.It would have been honourable of Mr
Badjie to accept responsibility and say "sorry".
Keeping Ousman Badjie in office will cost Jammeh at
least my vote.

We thank president Jammeh for the many roads he has
constructed but if he has lost sight of the way to
justice, we respectfully ask him to retire
back-to-the-land.

"Let justice guide our actions towards the common
good"(Gambia national anthem).

Facuru M. Sillah
Ex-President
Gambia Students' Union(GAMSU)





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