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| Photo: Abdou Karim Jammeh Testifying Before the TRRC |
As tomorrow marks twenty
years of Gambia’s student massacre of April 10 and 11, 2000, Abdou Karim
Jammeh, a survivor has renewed his call on the government to properly investigate
and bring the alleged shooters to book and justice.
Abdou Karim Jammeh who was
attending junior secondary school at the time of the incident was shot in his
knee on when students took to the streets to demonstrate against the raping of
a teenage girl and alleged murder of Ebrima Barry.
Mr. Jammeh was speaking to News Bite Gambia from Turkey where he
and few victims are currently undergoing medical treatment.
“I feel very bad seeing our
shooter walking freely in the streets while we endure the pain and the
suffering. We are calling on the authorities to act as quickly as possible in
order to ensure that our shooters are brought to book,” he said.
He said the Attorney General
and Minister of Justice, Abubacarr Tambadou’s remark gave them (victim) hope
and confidence.
Abdou Karim who refused to remain silent recalled that minister Tambadou told the victims last year that justice should
prevail for the victims and families of the student massacre.
He further stated that the minister said they (government) will try by all means know who gave the order
for the shooting and killing of those protesting students and that justice will
be served.
“We hope that justice will
take it course, as we are engaging the TRRC and hopefully our shooters
together with their evil dictator will be brought to book,” the outspoken
survivor echoed.
He described April 10/11,
2000 massacre as the darkest day in the history of the Gambia, adding that
these were the security officers who should have protected them but decided to
shoot and killed some of their colleagues in brought daylight.
April 10/11, 2000 was the
student demonstration was triggered by the human rights abuse of students.
A female teenage student was
allegedly raped and one Ebrima Barry, a student in Brikama, West Coast Region
was beaten by members of Gambia Fire and Rescue Service followed by his death.
Students’ demand for justice
for their two colleagues resulted in killing more than a dozen of them and
maiming many.
Victims and their families
are still living in pain and the government of former president Yayha Jammeh
that was accused of ordering for the shooting of student protesters denied the
allegation.
A commission of inquiry was
established and concluded that the Police Intervention Unit (PIU) also known as
Paramilitary was responsible for the shooting including many deaths.
Even though the inquiry found
these security officers culpable, former president Yayah Jammeh indemnified
them through his then dominated National Assembly.
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