By Mustapha Jarju
The United Democratic Party (UDP) has called on The Gambia Bar Association and the coalition of Human Rights Lawyers to institute private criminal prosecution against members of the security forces who have been found by the Commission to be culpable.
In the party statement delivered to mark the 20 anniversary of the April 10/11 students’ demonstration, the party disclosed that this is the only way of promoting and accelerating the healing process and avert further polarization.
“On April 10/11 2000, Gambians witnessed the cold-blooded murder of a journalist/Red Cross volunteer and their defenceless and unarmed children whose only crime was a peaceful demonstration in protest against the inaction of the government on the killing of a student, Ebrima Barry and the alleged rape of a school girl from Brikamaba. Several other school children were victimised and some of these are still languishing at the Royal Victoria Hospital with no hope of recovery. Ordinary citizens in Brikamaba were brutalized and tortured by members of the security forces,” outlined in the UDP delivered statement.
“The United Democratic Party had dismissed as utter nonsense the assertion by the Government through the Secretary of state for the Interior that blank ammunition were used in dealing with the; disturbances The UDP also dismissed as nonsense the assertion by Government through the Vice-President that the students broke into police stations and broke into the armoury at Police Stations and took arms and ammunition which they used in gunning down their fellow students,” the party dismissed the claims
“No decent human being should accept the Governments; position on this matter. The United Democratic Party therefore calls on all political parties including the APRC, religious leaders, professional bodies and members of civil societies to come together to fight against this monstrous injustice. Yahya Jammeh Government was yielding to local and international pressure reluctantly issued a Commission of Enquiry chaired by the Chief Justice of The Gambia to enquire, amongst other things, into the causes of what the Government considered a breakdown of law and order on 10/11 April 2000. Prior to the issuing of the Commission, a Coroner’s Inquest was convened to determine the cause of death of the students and a Journalist/Red Cross Volunteer. At the time of the issuing out of the Commission the United Democratic Party (UDP) strongly objected to the non-inclusion in the terms of reference a determination of the issue as to who gave orders to shoot at the unarmed students.
“The UDP was of the strong view that the issuing of the Commission was a mere formality and that the Jammeh administration will not take any steps against any one implicated in the report because he himself was constantly in touch with his Government on the ground. The undated statement issued by the Government of The Gambia on the report of the Commission of Enquiry and on the Coroner, Inquest has proved us right.”