>From: [log in to unmask] >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list<[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Government Ochestrated Violence >Date: Sun, 21 Oct 2001 18:17:17 EDT > >The government has unleasched hordes of thugs on innocent citizens following >the polls. As of this writing, Lawyer Darboe's home has become a transit >venue to severely injured people savagely assaulted by government agents. >From there they are being transferred to private clinics at Kololi and other >places. Meanwhile the government has steadfastly refused to take to the >airwaves to ask their vigilantes to stop attacking political opponents. The >Coalition leadership has specifically tried to reach officials to urge them >to step up to their fiduciary responsibility to safeguard life and property >to no avail. The spate of sanctioned violence has been persistent and nation >wide. Dr Boro Susso, a childhood friend of Lawyer Darboe was ambushed >yesterday while driving and he barely escaped with his life. Apparently the >assailants intended to attack Mr Darboe who frequently rides in Dr Susso's >car. There have also been abductions, arson attacks and in the provinces >poisoning of livestock of opposition supporters. One farmer lost several >pregnant cattle in one such attack. A specific attempt was made to contact >the interior Secretary to urge him to deploy police and maintain law order. >He has refused to take calls and has made no public statements either >condemning the attacks or urging cessation. > The government is actively stoking the very dangerous fires of civil >strife by sanctioning thugs to attack innocent citizens. Gambia today is a >highly polarized society highly susceptible to outburst of violence. That is >why the responsible leadership of the opposition have gone on local private >radio and newspapers to tell their supporters to accept the verdict of the >Gambian people and forge ahead with their normal activities and refrain from >any demonstration of violence. The government must take definitive and >public steps to safeguard the lives of all the citizens if it is to avoid an >uncontrollable conflagration. No one can afford civil strife in our country. >By the same token innocent people cannot be sitting ducks to hordes of thugs >under the auspices of the government pillaging and attempting to kill people >for no reason. It is vile and intolerable. The opposition has conceded an >election but has not in the process forfeited their rights to life, liberty >and protection of the law. Unless the state intercedes swiftly and >demonstrate a zero tolerance for violence, they are courting disaster. > We urge all Gambians to be very cognizant of the dangers inherent in >this apparent atmosphere of lawlessness being precipitated by the government. >Efforts would commence as early as tomorrow morning to inform US government >officials and other friends of the Gambia about this grave post election >development. They would be reminded of the persistent murderous instincts of >this government and urged to withhold any possible review of policy until the >Jammeh regime demonstrates over an extended period a firm adherence to the >rule of law and respect for lives and property of every Gambian. We should >not allow murderers and thugs to cloak themselves in the guise of democracy >while continuing their Satanic ways on their own people. >Karamba > ><>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<> > >To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface >at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > ><>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>