Mr. Beran Jeng:
Thanks for forwarding this excellent article on Pa D'Coster. This is
strong evidence that many Gambians know exactly what transpired on the
gloomy days of April 10 & 11, and cannot be fooled.
I salute Pa D'coster for telling it as it is/was for all to hear.
Jammeh, his propagandists and intellectual apologists are like the
characters in "The Emperor's New Clothes." It takes a person like Pa
D'Coster to tell them that the Emperor did not have new clothes on, but
was instead, Naked!
Abdoulaye
No justice, no peace!
Jammeh Must Go!
"Jeng, Beran" wrote:
>
> The Inependent Published Friday, 28 April, 2000
>
> Pa Dacosta interviewed
> Who ordered the shooting, he asks
>
> Edward JL D'Coster, commonly known as Pa Dacosta, has demanded that Gambians
> must be told who was behind the order to use live ammunition on demonstrating
> students resulting in deaths and injuries.
>
> Pa D'Coster, presenter of the famous Youth Show aired over Radio 1FM every
> Saturday, told The Independent in an exclusive interview that as an ex-soldier
> and combatant, he is fully aware that 'obey and complain is a law in the army'
> and that live ammunition is only supplied to combatants in the theatre of
> operation.
>
> The former arts teacher was reiterating his position in a recent programme on
> Radio 1FM in which he criticised the handling of the student demonstrations.
>
> He said he believed that the 'soldiers who killed the students were given the
> order to do so.' He dismissed as 'totally untrue and unfounded' the suggestion
> that student demonstrators broke into police armouries and secured guns, which
> they used to shoot their fellow students. He said such a statement is
> ridiculous and unbelievable, and warned that responsible people should desist
> from such 'untrue' statements.
>
> He said that the location of police and military armouries is kept secret and
> confidential and that the keys to open them cannot possibly be located by
> civilians. Mr. D'Coster said the students took to the streets with a common
> stance, protesting against the death of Ebrima Barry allegedly in the hands of
> fire officers at the Brikama fire station and the alleged rape of a 13-year-old
> female student. He believed it is inconceivable that the students turned against
> themselves. The government statement on who started the shooting cannot be
> believed, he emphasised.
>
> He said certain senior government officials spoke against the students because
> they wanted to secure their positions in the government and described such
> individuals as 'ungodly, greedy, selfish and hypocritical.'
>
> He said since it is the primary duty of the army and the police to maintain law
> and order and to secure the lives and properties of citizens, it is unfortunate
> if they fail in their duty by shooting the people they are supposed to protect.
> He described the action of the security forces as 'cruel, odd, and hopeless'.
>
> He said if this trend continuous, The Gambia would be a 'youthless country with
> an uncertain future.' He said God did not give license to anyone to kill his
> fellow being and noted that although the Gambia is a Muslim country, it is not
> an Islamic state and that people should be faithful and respect one another at
> all times.
>
> Pa D'Coster said the youths are the future of this country and that it was
> improper to 'kill future presidents, doctors, teachers and parents, imams and
> priests.' He stressed that as a former schoolteacher and parent, he is upset
> about the killings and felt that it was important to voice it out in the open.
> 'I also welcome anyone who wants to kill me for speaking the truth. I will
> accept to become the first martyr of this country,' he boldly added.
>
> He also noted that the good name and image of The Gambia is being tarnished by
> the repressive nature of the security forces. He said 'such non-peaceful
> actions' should be roundly condemned and that under no circumstances should such
> action be condoned.
>
> Mr. D'Coster reiterated that the soldiers and the police are not enemies of the
> people and that he was not out to point an accusing finger at anyone. He
> believed he was speaking in the spirit of true justice, which would bring to
> book those responsible for the student deaths.
>
> On his life career, Pa D'Coster explained that he went to Senegal in 1937 for
> national service, trained there in 1939 and was among those mobilised for battle
> in Southern France during the Second World War. He said he was the first
> volunteer to hand himself over to the British army. He said that as a dress
> dispenser, he was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital and after some training,
> he joined the first Governor General Sir Farimang Singhateh at the sanatorium
> previously known as the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH). According to him he
> was later in charge when Mr. Singhateh left. He added that he was also in
> charge of the Medical Inspection Room (MIR) and worked with Dr. DC Anot, HRH
> Renith, Captain MA Lucky and Captain Joseph Westin. He explained that after
> independence, he also worked in various schools within the country. He said
> that most of his students are responsible people today and therefore should not
> sit idly by and witness 'such an unwarranted situation'.
>
> After his radio programme, Mr. D'Coster was highly commended by listeners of the
> programme some of whom thought his words were the most comprehensive and exact
> in the wake of the student unrest.
>
> This reporter spoke to people from different walks of lives all of whom
> commended Pa D'Coster for 'hitting the nail on the head'.
>
> Haddy Saine, a businesswoman, said if The Gambia was able to get five of the
> likes of Pa D'Coster, the country would move forward. 'He is a man of integrity
> and honesty and I pray for him to have long life and good health,' she added.
>
> Mot Ceesay, a technician, said previously, he thought of Pa D'Coster as an
> apologist for the government, but noted that he was surprised that the old man
> was bold enough to speak the truth. 'I am totally impressed by his truthful
> statements,' he said.
>
> Alhajie Lamin Mbow, a parent, said Pa D'Coster is the sort of person God
> admires. 'Most unlike our so-called religious leaders, he is a man of truth and
> he does it for neither money nor wealth,' Mr. Mbow said. 'Students are the
> national assets and should be highly respected,' he said. 'Who gave the orders
> for the killing of the innocent students, is a question for the authorities of
> the day,' he suggested.
>
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