Fatoumatta: Why must Gambian remember April 10/11, 2000 Student Massacre with a National Day of Prayers: So, no one will ever again have to lose their lives, something that has happened decades ago with impunity.
The lives lost through targeted political violence and collateral damage in the line of political fire have value, are sacred, and deserve justice.
On April 10/11 Day, we remember valiantly, as one step towards a long and arduous fight to reclaim the value and sanctity of every single life in the Gambia. Let us never forget those tears and screams that have penetrated the nights’ silence from the broken hearts of ordinary citizens.
Fatoumatta: The system has failed them, one regime after another, and we must clean up the decay in the system. This is a call to all Gambians of good conscience, regardless of what politician you support. This one thing unites us all: That all Gambian lives are important. Fatoumatta: We must remember with a National Prayers Day.
Fatoumatta:The April 10/11 2000 student massacre, has become iconic of the brutality unleashed by a paranoid dictator that fostered distrust and encouraged lawmakers to grant immunity to perpetrators of those who massacred fourteen students after investigations proven to be a pointless farce.
But while the story is recognizable around the globe, as the darkest day in Gambian history, many in The Gambia don’t know much about the events leading up to that horrific moment of April 10/11, 2000 student demonstration, but we have living witnesses and protagonist of April 10/ 11 to tell their stories.
But what happened in April, was so deeply disturbing, we still feel shaken to our cores. Our automated responses to tragedy faltered that day as we all mirrored each other’s looks of horror. While we do not doubt the power of prayers, that day it did not feel like it was enough. When kids are massacred, nothing can ever be enough, knowing in our hearts it meant nothing. That was the day the reality of our helplessness hit us in full force, and it does not feel like we deserve to ever recover. Our cries for justice remain half-hearted, for nothing can make up for so devastating a loss.
When you live in The Gambia, it takes a lot to break through the self-protective numbness you develop in reaction to all the killings of defenseless students. You hear about terror and bloodshed, and you are not immune, but it doesn’t necessarily break you down.
A solemn remark about how humanity is doomed, perhaps a National Day of Prayer for the deceased, and a conviction to the perpetrators can only bring give it a closure.
Fatoumatta: This year’s anniversary is significant. Not only does it mark more than a decade since the incident, which is referred to as the April 10/11 Event, but it also serves as a grim reminder of Gambia’s record of impunity.
As no state official has even been held accountable for the massacre of this incident has become emblematic of the culture of impunity that continues to plague The Gambia to the detriment of real reconciliation within our society.
No amount of remembrance can ever be enough for those fourteen students and those live-in pain and trauma.
Yahya Jammeh is responsible for lots of atrocities, but 2 acts of depravity stands out:
1. Senseless killing of students in April 2000 and
2. Playing with the lives of those infected with HIV.
It is my hope that one day he will face us and give account.
Those who lost their lives in the struggle for The Gambia deserve we honor them.
Alagi Yoro Jallow/Dr Isatou Sarr,
Why not take stock of Jawara’s killing of over 800 innocent Gambians in 1981 who were dumpedin mass graves in Banjul?
Why not take on Haruna Jatta’s cold-blooded killing by the Senegalese invading forces at the instructions of Adama Barrow?
A government will come that will probe into those matters and take the culprits, the Jawara surrogates and enablers, the Barrow surrogates and enables; on the bench! It’s a matter of time!
We cannot sideline/forget those barbaric and horrendous episodes to single out the Jammeh argument! No! Those episodes hurt Gambian conscience to date and MUST be probed!
Your temptations to minimize them are hypocritical and cynical. Families are still waiting for answers and redress.
Babu, this is not a comparative analysis of barbaric acts against our nation. Alagi is probing our conscience to these acts of violence as he should. Those who forget history will repeat. Surely you will not deny the killing of innocent students. Surely you will not justify this killings. Don’t you feel some sadness and compassion for the parents. Our children should not be gunned down by uniformed thugs in school. This has nothing to do with politics. This has everything to do with love of country and hope that we do better. May the souls of those innocent children rest in peace.
Dr Isatou Sarr,
Politics is our life. It affects every facet of our life. You have NEVER in any of your postings mentioned a word about the horrendous and irresponsible gunning down of over 800 Gambian women, men in 1981 by an invading foreign mercenary force with the sole objective of reinstating a decadent government and ultimately annex our country.
Don’t you feel sorry for those parents, families who unjustifiably lost their loved ones in a purely national issue. That episode was a Gambian national issue. When I see people trying to minimize that deliberate gunning down of our people, I just get annoyed, VERY annoyed indeed. It appears the sacred lives of those people were nothing more than garbage!
Which life is better than the other? Just tell me, Isatou. You are a medical doctor and know more about suffering in sickness and at death’s door! Would you boldly come out and request a probe into that 1981 horrible and gruesome episode? It’s not history, it’s present. We have families waiting for justice!
I feel compassion for all Gambians that have lost their lives and will welcome probing the killing of any Gambian citizen. In Gambia we are all equal, and ALL our lives are precious. But Babu, even now in the face of overwhelming evidence that Yahya Jammeh did some terrible things, you always deflect the topic to what others did. You never confront the reality that the last 22 years were extremely difficult for us as a nation. Why is it so difficult to say killing students is unacceptable in our country. Why is it so difficult to say extrajudicial killings is a crime. Why is it so difficult to say forcing poor innocent human beings to receive sham HIV and Asthma treatment is unacceptable. Why is it so difficult to take responsibility and ask for forgiveness. Let me tell you something. I don’t hate Yahya. I find his actions diabolical and wicked. I pray to Allah for His, his subordinates and supporters redemption. Most importantly I pray for Gambia as I know you do.
Brofessor Babu Soli, you can take solace from the fact that Jammeh will eventually receive fair trial in the Hague. This will be an opportunity for you to go and pay him homage, and hopefully ask him to repent and apologies to Gambians for the mayhem he caused. The murder of numerous Gambians, Ghanians, and West Africans. Not to mention his forcibly taking poor farms rice fields and adding them to his so called KFF.
You have no idea what happened in 1981, if you did, and have been present through it all, you would not keep mentioning the falsehood that you continue to make about that period. Generally, Gambians are grateful that the Senegalese risked blood and treasure to prevent drunken hoodlums form taking over our beloved country. They were of the same wretched category as the so called witch doctor calling himself professor.
You are indeed a tiresome character. Gambians have pledge never again!! Jammeh and his coterie can go to hell. He will never to allowed in the Gambia again. He will be deported to Cassamance!!