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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