The UDP’s Ousainou Darboe has cast his mind back to dark events in which UDP women exhibited courage and valour as he recognised the significance of June to The Gambia’s largest opposition party.
“June is an incredibly important month for the UDP,” acknowledged Darboe at a weekend meeting in New Yundum, organized by the UDP women’s wing.
According to the UDP leader, the Chamoi ambush on the UDP happened in June 2000. “In that June ambush, Adama Jallow worked like a man. It was Adama Jallow and others, who arrested Baba Jobe’s thugs and handed them over to the police. Fatou Darboe provided operational support in that June event. Men also played key roles in containing that attack, but since this is a gathering of women, I will confine myself to the role of women in the UDP’s countermeasures against the ambush,” he stated, adding “Fatou Darboe also fought like a man. She was the one charged for mother because they saw that her surname is Darboe and decided that her father must go to prison and that she must also serve jail time. You were never terrified. Sarjo Kunjang Sanneh was caught up in that ambush and the work she did that day is praiseworthy. She was also charged for murder in June of 2000. There were people in that ambush; Aja Sukaina Kah… The entire executive was arrested that day, except Waa Juwara because he was in Banjul here. Who were involved? Aja Sukaina Kah, you exhibited true leadership to the UDP and The Gambia. Aja Sukaina Kah and others led the party before my release.”
Darboe recognized that women are “very” integral to the history of the United Democratic Party.
“In June 2016, she [Aja Sukaina Kah] stood and said since you [Jammeh] jailed Ousainou Darboe, we will stand up and uproot you like cassava. It’s in the same June month in 2021 or thereabouts that a murder trial that has been going on for five years… It was on June 22nd, Yaya Jammeh and his people, all they said about us, they are thugs. Therefore, June is a key month in UDP’s history and nothing happens without the participation of women,” said Darboe. “He added: “Aji Yam mentioned names such as Ya-Sally Makalo, Jarra Fatty, Jarra Jobe, Jainaba Sanneh, Fat Janneh, I think they were the ones that formed a group called Sunkutu Kafo.
Women tightened their waist to rescue this country; Abi Sanneh Brikama, Mba Matida, Mariama Darboe, Neneh Sillah, Manda Suso, the likes of Naffie Njie and thank God in 2016, when Adama Barrow was sandwiched, I say sandwiched because between me and this moment, it was Adama Barrow himself who told me that it was these two elderly women that sandwiched him and took him around The Gambia so that Gambians can strategize to be rescued from Yaya Jammeh. Therefore, you have tried. Yamundaw Yarboe and Aji Yam Secka, sandwiched Barrow and sold him to Gambians as a good merchandise and Gambians supported them, trusted them but he turned out to be a fetid merchandise. Gambian women have made great efforts for us. When I go to Tonyataba, I will find Aja Mama Galo Ceesay there. Gambian women, here is The Gambia in your hands and you are going to be the saviours of this country.”
